nigel_gregory

I've searched around but haven't found anything about this:

 

After loading film into the septums, placing septums in the Grafmatic and closing it I have

done a few dry runs of cycling through the film as if I was using it in my camera. However,

there is always this problem that one of the film sheets slides out from the septum that it

had been loaded in when the grafmatic is held vertically and the unit has been pulled up to

move the septum to the back. when this happens the film buckles as the unit is closed

causing a potential jam.

 

Has anyone come across this, is this a common event or am I doing something incorrect? I

have followed the instructions at Graflex.org. None of the septums appears damaged (or

any different to the other).

 

Thanks

 

Nigel

Subject: Hong Kong-calibrated workflow digital printing?

 

One advantage of living out here in Hong Kong is the easy access to cheaper camera

equipment, the downside however is the lackadasical attitude to printing that exists out

here.

I'm hoping someone out here can help: I'm trying to find a printer who will output digital

files following a calibrated workflow.

 

When I submit my files, the resulting prints as one would expect are totally unpredictable.

I have tried Colour6, East Asia and John Leung (a while back-dreadful scanning and

printing). All of them don't provide calibration files and East Asia said that out here in HK

its just how it is. Very frustrating and expensive!

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Nigel

I've been scouring ebay and there's a sinar p with Schneider Kreuznach

Angulon 90mm f/6.8 Synchro Compur-P lens, Rodenstock Sironar-N 135mm

f/5.6 Copal O lens, Schneider Kreuznach 210mm f/5.6 Synchro Compur

lens starting at 1700 with a buyout price of 2000. And on the other end of

the scale is the Cambo NXII with a Caltar 210 on sale for a lot less.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2973530548

 

A cheap entry into LF makes sense since this is mainly for fun not profit,

but the Sinar P package seems to have a hell of a lot, for much less than

buying new? It seems like I live on ebay, keh and mpex nowdays!

 

Thanks again

 

Nigel

Thanks a lot guys. The suggestion to get a larger size with a reducing back

to 4x5 sounds great. That would cover having fun with alternate processes.

Are there any issues (lens choice and ?) I should be aware of when getting

an 8x10 or 5x7 and the back for 4x5?

 

The food photography is doing a favour for a friend and her fledgling

business more than a commercial endeavour... I just love the process...

and I know that food photography is one of the most difficult of all, but

thanks for the tips, it will make things a lot smoother.

 

I've tried to find any classes or workshops out here in HK without any luck,

so I really appreciate your input guys!

 

cheers,

 

Nigel

Hi, I've been scouring the posts and haven't found the answers... probably 'cos mine

are a bit obvious?

 

I currently use Nikon F4, Hass 203FE 80mm, 50mm, Rollei SL66 +SL66E and full

complement of lenses 3 back, polaroid etc.

 

I will be photographing food, close up with v.short dof as is de rigour right now and

portraits, maybe some interior architectural shots too. Also would like to continue to

experiment with alternative processes Argo and Cyano at first and I like the polaroid

effect one gets with LF.

 

I have never used LF and live in HK so there are no chances to find a helpful person to

show me the ropes. This coupled with not knowing whether to jump into 4x5, 7x5 or

right into 8x10 and the cost and film availability issues has left me stumped.

 

I know that alternative processes are contact prints, so 4x5 is too small. However,

7x5 doesn't have much film available (no tungsten film from what I can see) and 8x10

would be prohibitively expensive with the steep learning curve of LF.

 

So I was wondering if it is realistic to start with 4x5 since it is the cheapest way to

enter LF, learn about bellows factors getting the film in the right way round and other

beginner issues (as well as developing film w/o scratching all to hell), and then

upgrading to the larger formats.

 

There is an arca swiss discovery for sale, all in it is supposed to be a beautiful

camera, and with ac you can change everything to put on 5x7 standards etc.

However, would it be cheaper to just buy a cheap as chips 4x5 with good lenses, then

buy the 5x7 or 8x10 later? And with the lenses, each format with require different

lenses I guess.

 

I've sent off for the books on LF so I will find out eventually, but can anyone suggest

what lenses would be best for close ups of food and for portraits (full or partial body

not faces only)?

 

I'm considering a cambo 45nx on ebay for under 500 or a discovery for around 900

right now. I don't have a ton of money and cannot rent in HK to try things out which

is what I'd prefer to do.

 

Oh yes, here another daft qn... I have a durst enlarger for 35mm and MF... I could use

this to contact print 5x7 or 8x10 and thereby avoid having to purchase a LF enlarger?

(it would cost a ton to get one in HK)

 

Thanks for reading through this blurb, I appreciate any input anyone has since its

amazing to be able to get in contact with such knowledgable people from over here in

HK.

 

cheers,

 

Nigel

Thanks for the input Kevin, I'm going to see if I can get one of the zone one's over here in England. I appreciate the input!

Hi there, I'm just puzzling over whether its worth worrying about

getting the regular pentax digital spotmeter for use in BW zone system

work versus a specialised Zone vi model.

 

I'm no great large format photographer, but I have a sweet Rolleiflex

TLR I'm now playing with.

I was using my minolta iv with an attachable 7 degree spotmeter,

but I really need the 1 degree I think, hence the move to the pentax.

 

So, is there any real point in spending the extra on the zone vi if

I'm not shooting 4x5's and trying to come to grips with the zone system?

 

Thanks for reading this qn.

 

nigel

Thanks guys...I'll try contacting him and see where it goes. From what I read, his screens are supposed to be far better than beattie or anyone else's.

Hi all, I have my father's Rollei SL66E and having read around this

forum I would like to get a focusing screen from this Mr Maxwell fellow.

 

I live in England, so I'd rather contact him thru fax or mail (given

his apparent propensity for lonnnnnng discussions over the phone!).

Does anyone have his information?

 

Any SL66 owners out there replaced their screens with success?

 

Thanks all,

 

Nigel Gregory

Stupid question, but have you tried to print a different file to see if the problem persists? I found that with a similar problem, it was my image which was either corrupted or so big a file size that it was too much for my printer (1520) to cope with. Other images printed fine.

Thanks all for your input. I found a place in the UK where I can rent an 8000 so I can give it a test drive, hopefully I'll locate a Minolta too. David's heads up about the new GT-9800F sounds real interesting... so I might hold off for a few months until we hear more about this scanner.

 

I tend to like wet printing on matt papers anyway, so it would seem that the piezography route would be a natural fit... I can't wait to start, so I might send out some negs for scanning while I try to rent and compare the above scanners.

 

Thanks for your help!

Hi all,<br>

I'm trying to figure out if spending a huge amount of money for a

medium format scanner will get the results that medium format negs

can produce in an 8x8 print (B&W).<br><br>

 

Apparently the Nikon 8000 is the prime scanner, however, will a

scan and print (via piezography) <i> really </i> be able to hold up

to the results from a wet darkroom? Really? For that much money, the

results should be astounding in my opinion.<br><br>

 

I'm hoping that someone has had some experience with this or a

similar scanner since for the outlay, I could get one of those new

wide angle rolleiflexes that are about to hit the market.

<br><br>

thanks for any advice.

Thanks Tim, I'll go and see Mr Lee in the next few days and see what he thinks should be done.

Thank you all... I had a look through the back of the lens into a halogen light and voila, a dusty rear lens. Couldnt see it at all without the light source. I'll be sending it off for a proper clean up when I can.

 

Thanks again

I have my father's almost unused 2.8f and so have been running around

getting a feel for this fun camera. One problem... sorry if this is

really ignorant, but for example, when I had a bright sky above a

street scene, or a flourescent or incandescent or any kind of light

source (direct, not reflected) the light, sky, bulb looks as though I

shot the photo with condensation on the lens. There is a substantial

glow around the light source, like nothing i've ever seen before with

the H'blad or Nikon. I dont have a scanner or I'd upload an example.

 

Any ideas on whats going on? The Planar lens looks clear to me.

 

Plus, is there a way to recalibrate the selenium light meter myself?

 

 

I'm in Hong Kong, so access to a repair facility will be difficult.

 

Thanks for your help.

My 2000fc is now speaking to me... when I attempt to take a photo the

mirror flips up, but the camera then starts to make a ticking noise.

The shutter doesnt budge (replaced 6 months ago, ouch).

Anyone had this problem before?

 

My lenses dont have the leaf shutters, so is there another model H

body that I could replace the 2000 with? This will be the fourth time

that this camera will return to surgery... following minimal usage.

 

Thanks

Hey Ken... I'm in HK and am looking to buy some Leica equipment new and used... can you recommend any good shops? Thanks!

Here's a nightmare, open ended question... I'm soon heading out to

take the plunge and purchase an M series along with some lenses.

Being completely new to Leica, I still can't follow all the

discussions about lenses with bizarre Russian sounding names, so help

please!

 

I'll be travelling through China, so I will be taking a lot of

landscape and street photography.

 

Thus, any advice on a basic system to get me on my way?

 

I had considered the m6ttl 58 or an m7... lens wise I'm totally lost

with all the unusual names.

 

Thanks!

 

Nigel Gregory