tim_curry

You would do better with extension tubes on the front end. Check with Jeff at Badger and see what he has to offer. A firend here in town who shoots 4x5 has done this and it works very well. He's using a 400mm lens and a copal 3 shutter. He ended up putting a bubble on the extension tube, as there is quite a load with this monster hanging out front like that.

 

With the image circle of the Fuji 450 lens on a 4x5, you may have some internal flare to deal with. Plenty of coverage and lots of movement available.

I wouldn't use house paint! That is going to be an oil or latex based paint. It will be too thick and look pretty bad, even if you get the correct match. You need to be able to spray on a decent finish with sanding between coats, not a brush finish. My old B&J 8x10 is now called "Frankenstein" because it has parts from different cameras (old extension rail & back, Graflok 4x5 reducing back, etc.) and various finishes.

 

The wood used in this camera was maple and birch. There was no cherry, mahogany or other wood which would look like furniture. The best you can hope for is a refinish with the proper stain to make it look like it is all one type of wood. Try a very BLACK stain. Let it dry completely. Next do a coat of very RED stain and wipe after a couple of minutes. Let dry and use a good varnish or durable clear coat with several applications for a nice finish. Please, no house paint!

Edward has raised an interesting issue with the jump to large format.

 

You need to have a decent tripod which can handle the weight well. There is also the issue of a light meter (a 35mm camera with built in meter will work well, but it is extra weight to lug around). You will need to think about portability, a pack of some sort or travelling kit which holds film holders and a dark cloth if it isn't a crown or speed.

 

Remember, you are moving into an area where there will be more "things" necessary for an outing. Plan accordingly.

Sounds like reading up on film testing would be a good place to start. You can't expect to get good exposures every time without doing the tests first.

I do check after the shot now, especially if it is important. I had one shift last year, due to the film holder, so I try to check each time now, just to be sure.

I use a Shen Hao and am happy with it, good value, plenty of movements and well made. For a lens, take a look at the 180mm soft focus fujinon. It gives a nice effect for portraits and allows for some variation due to the diffusion discs.

 

You may want to go to a longer lens to get a bit more room.

Try a small amount of paste wax on the threads of the filter next time before screwing it in place. Just a trace is all you need, not enough to fill up the threads, then wipe with a dry cloth to remove any extra.

 

Also works well to help film holders slide into the back under the ground glass. Use a small amount on the wooden surfaces that the holder slides on to make insertion and removal easier.

 

Use it on the sliding portion of the bed tracks on a Q-tip.

 

Pure carnuba wax is best if you can find it. Otherwise an automotive paste wax works fine. Don't use one with silicone added, makes refinishing nearly impossible.

The gray card will just give a constant with respect to exposure. The rest is still testing for film speed and development as is normal. You just want a known value (18%) to see how much light is in the scene for your point of reference.

I hold the film in my right hand, index finger in the notch to be sure it is the correct side facing the lens. My thumb and smaller finger grip the edge of the sheet towards the bottom and then the index finger pushes the sheet into the rails.

 

I have the film holder on a flat surface, with the flap end facing to the right. My left hand rests on the film holder with the thumb and index finger resting gently on the rails, to make sure the film slips under them as it is inserted with the right hand.

 

Practice this several times with the lights on and a developed sheet of film, then turn out the lights and do the good film. Try to keep everything in the same place each time so there is no looking around for things. It should be where you always have it so there is no chance of mistakes.

Sorry, that's with 70f as a base line (I use G.H.'s 1 degree = 4% change in processing time figure) and the normal 15 second agitation cycles.

The new Tri-x seems to do well with a time of 15:00, but after one very recent film test with a step wedge, I'm inclined to give it a bit more, perhaps just a minute to make it 16:00. 15 will certainly get you in the ballpark and just go from there to see what you like.

 

This was with 4x5 sheet film and normal agitation in tray processing.

If your negatives look dark and your exposure times for printing is that long, it sounds as if there may be too much exposure. I've never shot I.R. film, so take this with a pinch of salt (a large pinch). It is based on "normal" films and "normal" processing, whatever that is.

 

In general, if you under-process it will result in very thin negatives, too transparent for a good print. If you over-process your contrast will be too high and paper grades will start heading south fast, like grade 1 or even 0.

 

If you shoot another roll, try using a bit more bracketing, but stop down more or reduce shutter speeds. You will find a happy medium that gives you a decent negative which will print at more normal times and have sufficient contrast to print well.

One thing does come to mind at this point. Which filter did you use when you were shooting? If you didn't allow sufficient filtration, I think that may be a problem as well.

 

Please let us know when you solve this one, it does sound interesting. tim

Even with the shorter box, you may have a problem with the tracks in a picture. Since the 65mm lens has a focal length of only 2.55" at infinity, there may still be too much in front when you take the picture. I'm not sure if the drop bed will accomodate this lens. I know 90mm works. Does anyone use a 65mm lens on their Crown and if so, how does it work with the rails?

Sounds perfect for azo contact printing. Try some grade three azo, a 300 watt bulb and about 30" above the print frame to get the right amount of light. Should be just right.

mac,

 

I seem to remember a thread which had to do with the slope of tmax 100 being concave in the middle section. I don't remember the developer, but it seems to be a problem others have encountered. This would account for your results.

 

I would try Efke 100 or FP4+. They are both a bit more forgiving, but "older" technology films.

 

Another approach without a densitometer is to use a Stouffer step wedge (21 step works well). It makes seeing this relationship of film speed, highlights and developer much easier. Just shoot, develop and print on the paper of your choice. Much easier to see trends this way. tim

I vote for the Shen Hao.

 

It has everything except front shift, but makes up for it with rear shift instead. It does have rear base tilt, axis tilt, rise and swing. The rear film plane has the ability to be pushed forward so that a wide angle lens can be used with the front standard in the forward position.

 

The front has ample movements, with the excption of front shift. It also has front base tilt and axis tilt if necessary. Limited to a 300mm lens, as bellows draw isn't sufficient for a longer lens. You would need a tele lens for longer shots.

 

All in all a great value for the money.

Jason, the easiest way is to just use a drafting pencil and ruler to make the grid of your dreams. Make a center mark, edge marks for an 8x10 film holder and a few reference lines. If you have a reducing back, say 5x7 or 4x5, mark these as well.

 

Since the inside of the back is not exposed to the elements or prone to dirt collection, a pencil line for the grid will last a long time. You can experiment with line weight and density by selecting various diameters and softness. I've found the 0.5mm HB to work well.

 

Remember what Groucho Marx said about this whole business. "You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead."

A recent copy of View Camera Magazine has an excellent article on transparency films by Kerry Thalman. He describes current offerings by Kodak and Fuji in some detail and gives examples of each film with a photo. Both companies provide negative films as well and have a good selection of offerings for 4x5.

 

Black and white offers many more possibilities in 4x5 than color does.

Is there any way you can improvise or simulate an "outrigger" to go from the front of the camera to the tripod leg? A length of wood batten, an aluminum rod or a length of bar stock and two inexpensive "C" clamps (nylon zip ties or radiator hose clamps) may provide the answer to your problem. In 35mm a few years back I couldn't seem to get really crisp images all the time, some were and some just weren't. It wasn't until I used a friend's tripod that it finally made sense to me. If your tripod is good and you suspect a vibration problem, the head may be the culprit.

 

If you're certain that the focus on your ground glass is correct and the image is truly sharp, try to figure a way to triangulate the front of the camera to a leg and completely immobilize it. "There, now that is not going to move without a hammer" is what you should be able to say once you look at the setup and study any possible movements within the "system."

 

My "new" tripod is an old Bogen 3051 with the 3047 head. It weighs 17 pounds, is a pain to lug around even with the shoulder strap and, along with the camera in a back pack, provides robust cardiovascular workouts when just walking on level ground. Unfortunately, it is a bit light for the old 8x10 Burke and James, so I'm thinking a block of concrete with a 3/8" bolt imbedded in it will............

Daniel,

 

I think this is one of those topics in which there is a chain of causation and a weakest link. I would first check to see if the air handler in the room has a decent filtration system. What good is an ionic filter if, every time the air conditioning or heat kicks in, a cloud of dust is blasted into the room. An ionic filter will work well, but try to look at the room as a system and see where the majority of dust is actually being tossed into the air before you get an additional filter.

My understanding of pyro's toxic effects has more to do with the benzene molecule's ability to penetrate the body's "normal" defenses than anything else. Benzene has the ability to zip right through the skin, enter the blood stream and then go anywhere in the body in seconds. The skin's normal defenses are useless with this type of invasion, because it will not prevent the entry at all, acts just like a sponge. This allows the molecule to affect all parts of the body, especially the brain and central nervous system. Cancer is also a possibility.

 

I agree that one must take precautions against this type of exposure and penetration. Use gloves. Wear a respirator and work with the dry chemical outside where it will dissipate rapidly if some does escape. This is just common sense.

 

I got a warning bulletin about the hazardous nature of sawdust when I was running my cabinet shop some years ago (1980's). It went into grave detail about the disposal of this toxic substance and how to clean up a spill. A haz-mat team should be called in the event of a spill, precautions must be taken if....... I shudder to think of how many times I was exposed to this toxin. It was on my skin, in my lungs, nose and clothing for 25 years. Now I'm just waiting to die from my exposure to it so please be careful, although so far, I've managed to dodge the bullet. I'm happy to have something as relatively "safe" as pyro to work with in the meantime.

Ron, two things to add to the above pots.

 

First: Use distilled water for mixing the A&B parts to make your working solution. Local water quality varies a lot, so times will not match posted data if you use tap water.

 

Second: Do not use the "Pyro afterbath" with your development. It serves no purpose and can actually decrease local contrast. As Don has already mentioned, the usefulness of general stain in printing has no advantage. Since grain is a function of film speed and general stain acts as fog, to increase general stain can actually decrease contrast. The important stain is the stain which forms in close proximity to grain, not in the shadow areas where grain is already minimal.

Jari, try asa 200 and 14 or 15 minutes. This should be very close and give you a decent negative to work with. Once you try this, you may decide to change it a little bit, or leave it alone because it works.

I told you Mark Twain was right. tim

 

P.S. Sorry, couldn't resist. Q.F.

Joe,

 

The 8x10 tungsten film would be great to use at night in the city. Find a tall building or parking garage and compose a night shot with something interesting in it. You may want to spend an evening or two with a 35mm camera and a roll of 64t to practice first. Write down exposures and take notes on each one to see what you get with bracketing, then just use the 8x10 in a similar lighting situation to get a good image the first time.

 

As far as perspective alterations with 8x10 go, a little movement is a lot. The sales images you see with a view camera's bellows extended and twisted like a contortionist are not usually correct for taking a picture. A small amount of tilt, swing, shift or rise is usually plenty.

 

Caution: Playing with 8x10 can be addictive. The surgeon general has found it to be a cause for chiropractic therapy, financel counseling and large lab bills. You may decide medium format is too puny once you see the chromes on a light box.