scott_whitford

With B&W 092 filter, expose at EI 3 in full sun. I develop in Pyrocat HD 1+1+100 for 7 minutes at 75 deg F. (developed in Jobo tank with hand inversions - 10 sec agitation per minute)

 

Full Wood effect, good shadow detail, and very fine grain (for an IR film)

 

Scott

While I can't say that I've noticed the weak blacks, I HAVE noticed the surface condition you mention. I wouldn't call them spots or blisters...to me it's more like a canvas-type texture. Definitely not silky-smooth like the Agfa MCC I've been leaning towards lately.

Brian,

 

I was just shooting in WV last week with my 4x5. If you're in the northern part of the state, you should try to stop by Cooper's Rock State Forest. It's just east of Morgantown on 68.

 

There's an incredible view of the Cheat River Valley, but the real photographic opportunity is in the rock formations just below the overlook. It's quite spectacular - reminds me of the photos I've seen of the slot canyons out West.

 

Easy access via trails and you don't have to hike miles from your car. Plus, this time of the year the park is deserted except for the occasional hunter. Blaze orange on some article of clothing is recommended ;-)

 

I'll be heading back there around Christmas with my 8x10 in tow. If your visit coincides with that time frame, let me know and maybe we can hook up. I know of some good spots just across the border in PA too.

 

Scott Whitford

I finally caved in to my urges and bought an 8x10 camera - a crusty

old Kodak 2-D. My question is with regard to the rear extension rail

(which fortunately came with the camera).

 

On either side of the mounting screw, there is a small (~1/4"

diameter) hole and a set of matching holes in the bed of the camera.

It looks to me like the holes are for dowel pins to help align the

rail when in use, but there were no pins with the camera. Without any

pins, there is nothing to keep the rail from rotating about the

mounting screw.

 

So is my guess correct? Should I go out and buy some dowel rods and

size them to fit the holes to help align the rear rail?

I've read all the great things about developing 8x10 negs in ABC pyro

for contact printing (especially on Azo). The thing is, I develop my

negatives in a Jobo and I'm wondering if I should be using the ABC+

variety(?)

 

Can I expect similar results using ABC+ and rotary processing as I

would achieve using "regular" ABC in trays?

 

Scott Whitford (8x10 newbie)

In a recent thread several people recommended the Silvestri loupe,

claiming that its tilting feature made it great for peering into

murky corners of the GG while using a wide angle lens. This sounds

great to me, but when I looked at the loupe (6x version) on B&H's

website, I see that it has a rather unwieldy looking base. So, a

question for all the Silvestri users out there: Do you find that the

base interferes while looking at the extreme corners of your ground

glass?

 

Scott Whitford

Daniel,

 

The EI3 is with a handheld meter and includes the filter factor. Again, this is with a B&W 092 (89B) filter. With a red (25) filter, I was using EI12, but with marginal IR effects.

 

BTW, my processing time with PMK in a Jobo at speed P is 12 minutes at 21C. I dump & refill with fresh developer halfway through the time.

 

Scott

David,

 

I don't have any means of scanning a neg or print right now, but if you have any specific questions about the film, I can try to answer. I've gone through about 15 sheets of Macophot 820c in 4x5 in the past few weeks and I'm starting to get a feel for it.

 

In order to get a significant Wood effect, you're going to need a bonafide IR filter. I ended up with a B&W 092 (same as 89B I think). While I get the Wood effect with a red (25) filter on Konica IR750 roll film, it's not the same effect with the Maco emulsion.

 

For a developer, I started off with ID11 stock with OK results. Next I tried Microphen stock and got a little better shadow detail (not exactly a strong point of IR films, eh?). I guess the Microphen gives a little higher effective EI. Finally, I've settled on PMK Pyro. This does a wonderful job of taming contrast and yields exceptional highlight separation. With the 092 filter, I'm getting an EI of around 3. If you stick with traditional developers (ID11 or Microphen), just be sure not to overdevelop or contrast will get out of hand.

I'm going to cast a vote for the LensPen. Just about everything else

I've tried (microfiber cloths, lens tissue, etc) has been

unsatisfactory due to smears and *gulp* scratches and the

dreaded "cleaning marks".

 

<p>

 

Use the built-in brush to remove loose particles, and then genltly

swirl the pad end around on the lens to remove fingerprints, etc.

Mike,

 

<p>

 

The only IR film offered in sheets that I'm aware of is Macophot

Infrared. It's pretty expensive, though....about $58 for 25 sheets of

4x5 at B&H. They also make this emulsion in 8x10, but talk about

expensive!!!!

 

<p>

 

I've not tried this film, but I understand that its response is more

similar to Konica IR than Kodak HIE. If you search photo.net or

google for Macophot, you'll learn a lot.

 

<p>

 

Scott

Ed,

 

<p>

 

The latest version of this lens uses a 77mm filter...I think the

older ones used a smaller size.

 

<p>

 

I have the latest version and it is a great performer. It's a

wonderful lens for headshots, too...it focuses as close as 5 feet or

so. That's another major difference between the newer and older

versions of this lens - the older ones couldn't focus nearly as close

as the newer ones.

 

<p>

 

Other than the difference in close-focusing distance, I've heard that

the older version also performs very well - and can be picked up for

considerably less $$$.

Can anyone please tell me the filter size for the Schneider Angulon 90mm f/6.8? This is an older lens...not the Super Angulon. With a ruler it appears to be around 40mm, but B+W makes a 39mm filter and a 40.5mm filter and I don't want to buy the wrong one!

 

<p>

 

Thanks!

Eyecup: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?

ViewItem&item=1277484966

Mike,

 

<p>

 

I have the #2 and #3 auto extension tubes and the helicoid extension

tube for my 135mm lens. With all three, I get true macro...i.e. 1:1.

As someone else mentioned, d.o.f. really gets to be a problem, quite

a bit worse than you're used to with your 35mm gear. Also, the light

fall-off can make focusing a challenge. Having said that, I wouldn't

give up on your 135mm lens just yet; mine's incredibly sharp, all the

way down to f/32. For landscapes or environmental portraits,

however, you'll find that its out-of-focus behaviour (bokeh?) is

pretty ugly. It's pretty much a specialty lens.

This might be a tiny bit off-topic, but if you choose to rely on the dof markings on the P67 lenses, be aware that the hyperfocal settings are at LEAST one stop optimistic. For example, if you're shooting f/11, align the infinity symbol at f/8.

 

Scott

I hate to state the obvious, but if you keep your eye on eBay long

enough, you'll see one pop up here and there. Don't expect to get it

for cheap, though.

Sounds kind of weird, Franz. Someone out there might correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the film spacing has anything to do with the battery change. The film advance mechanism is a mechanical device and should function independently of the camera's electronics except for sensing the beginning and end of the roll. MF cameras are notorious for uneven spacing, but 8 frames from a roll of 120 is really bad. My P67II spaces the frames anywhere from 2.5mm to 5mm apart. The spacing on yours must be over 10mm??? I think I'd have it serviced.

here are a couple I've come across:

 

<p>

 

http://parallaxis.net/

http://www.artsandsphotography.com

 

<p>

 

I'm into B&W, so I particularly like Art's work.

Mark,

 

<p>

 

I'm pretty sure any of the Pentax waist level finders will give you

100% coverage (or you can just pop off the prism finder and use the

fresnel lens).

 

<p>

 

Now if you want TTL metering AND 100% viewfinder, that's another

story...

Giovanni,

 

<p>

 

I just looked at several rolls of film taken recently with my P67II,

and the spacing between frames varied between 2.5mm to 4.5mm; not

much different than yours.

 

<p>

 

I have not owned a previous version of this camera, but I've read

that the earlier models had problems with very irregular spacing.

I've also heard this about other types of medium format cameras,

namely Bronicas, so it must be fairly commonplace.

I agree with Steve...to get a head shot with the 135, you wind up

invading the model's personal space and it shows in the portait. And

yes, you do get a little distortion. Not much, but noticeable.

 

<p>

 

The newer 200 lens works very well for head shots. But I've found

that to get a really tight head shot, I still need to use an

extension tube (number 2 works well).