jim_o2

I just had 10 4x5 E6 processed by Calypso. I have used them for several years. I gave them

my credit card number (on file) so I have a basic account. They only charged me for the

processing and UPS shipping. For C41 I used the Tetanol/JOBO press kit which worked great

for my 35mm. I use a JOBO processor.

I worked in Palo Alto near the Kodak lab in the 60s. I would leave my film off in the morning

on the way to work and pick up my Kodachrome slides at noon. They still look as good today

as they did then. It's too bad that digital will eventualy wipe out this process that took many

years of development to perfect.

I have used both Velvia 50 and Velvia 100 in Yosemite. Most of the time I would suggest not

using a polarizer. It will over do the color with the sky, etc. looking unreal. I would use it on

ocasion to bring out brighter color when desired. It may be useful if you get up to Tuolumne

Meadows where there is lots of granite. It ia a good tool to have in the camera bag along with

a warming filter since the sky if you get into the high country is very blue although if you use

scan the slides, use photoshop and print digitaly this can be corricted. Have fun. I was raised

their and go back at least 2 or 3 time a year and always hope for better photos.

The best approach is to buy one of the Jobo expert drums. I have used one for all of my 4 x 5

work for the last 5 years and have not had a problem. After developing and fixing I wash and

and use perma wash in an old 4x5 tank to completely clear the antihalation dye from the

back of the film that some people mention as a problem. I use several different film types.

Tmax-100 works very well in Tmax-RS developer at 9 to 1 at 75 deg. for about 9 to 12

minutes depending on the contrast desired. I also am now experimenting with Pyrocat-HD

and so far the results are promising. I use a Jobo CPP2 with a lift that I got off of E-bay a

number of years ago.

I use the light impressions archival 4 x 5 archival boxes and I cut sepparators from manila

folders for every 50 negatives/tranparencies. Some photographers additionally use light

impressions archival paper envelopes to hold the sleved negatives but I think this is

overdoing it.

A number of years ago I bought a dry mount press and have found it invaluable in by B/W

dark room. The double weight papers after drying on fiber glass screens are very curled and

about 30 seconds in the press make them manageable for storage or mounting. I talked to

another photographer recently who said that he does not dry mount on 4 ply board anymore

but dry mounts full frame, including the masked edge without trimming, on 2 ply board. This

way he can present a multi-print portfolio that is nice and flat with out final mounting. For

framing he then corner mounts on 4 ply mount board and overmats so the corner mounts

don't show.

I was just down at the Silver Conference in Pasadena last weekend. This question came up

and the opinion of the group was that today there is no problem with the x-ray machines for

the hand carried luggage but that the check baggage will produce stripes on the film. Your

film holders in carry on luggage should be just fine. Someone tested this last year by putting

film through over 20 times with no problem.