thomas_taylor2

 

 

 

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First SF Bay Area Alternative Photographers Get Together

<br /><br />If you are an alternative photographer creating images from hand coated emulsions that you coated yourself, then lets get together over coffee to show and discuss your images and the challenges that they presented and how those challenges were overcome. This is not meant to be a gear focused discussion but an image focused discussion. I currently print in 5 of the historical processes: Cyanotype, Kallitype, Salt Paper, Uranotype and Van Dyke and am prepared to bring 1 represented print of each process. <br /><br />Lets shoot for Saturday, 10 September @ 10:00am. I have a large east bay Starbucks in mind but am open to location. If interested, send me a PM here or an email from my website below. I look forward to meeting you and seeing your work.<br /><br />Thomas</blockquote>

 

 

 

 

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<a href="http://www.spiritsofsilver.com/" target="_blank">http://www.spiritsofsilver.com</a>

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<p>Another choice, perhaps not the <em>lightest</em> but certainly close, is the Toyo 45CF weighing in at under 3.5lbs. This is a well constructed and very durable camera that will handle 90mm to 300mm lens on regular 100mm lensboards and a 75mm lens on a recessed board with the front bed dropped. The camera folds-up with a normal lens attached. The camera has been in productions for several years now so used ones are popping up on E-bay and other boards. This is a handsome camera and to keep it looking good, I wrap mine with a Domke wrap. <br>

The cons are that except for the drop bed feature (15 degrees) there are no back movements and the Fresnel is an optional purchase. In my case I have 3 other Toyo camera with Fresnel equipped backs so I just swap out the backs which only adds the weight of the Fresnel which is minimal. For normal landscapes, cityscapes, buildings, houses and interiors - typical subjects for bicycle touring - the cameras movements are adequate. <br>

With this or similar cameras your greatest challenge will be finding a suitable tripod to tour with. </p>

<p>H1N1</p>

<p>Not an Chromagentic RA-4 print. You need to stablize the negative but not the print.</p>

<p>I recently used a Schneider Tru-Circular Polarizer in combination with a Cokin 007 IR filter (same as R-72) with Ilford 200 SFX and got good IR effect. I used the polarizer because I needed to knock the shutter speed down as I was using a soft focus lens @ around <em>f- </em>4. </p>

<p>Thanks a million, Ronald and Jennifer, for your enlightening replys to my inquiry! I appreciate the time you have taken to address my question.<br>

After posting this afternoon, I stopped by a Calumet store and purchased a GTI PDV E-1 print viewer which a smaller version of the one I used at college last fall. One question and this may sound like a very elementary question, but what would the colors on a contact sheet appear "unreal" if over or under developed by 15 seconds?<br>

Thanks again and Keep Shooting,<br>

Thomas</p>

Anyone out there familiar with printing RA-4 in a Jobo machine? <br /><br />The Jobo processing manual places the time in the developer at 1 minute or 60 seconds whereas the Kodak data sheet has it at 45 seconds specifying Kodak paper (I'm currently printing on Fuji Crystal Archive Glossy). I have found Jobo to be in lock step with Kodak with regard to processing times and chemistry volumes (C-41) and it even amended its earlier manual to go with the Kodak recommended volumne of RA-4 chemistry per sheet. I'm wondering if there has been a change since the manual was last printed dropping the developer time down to 45 seconds from 1 minute. I am using the following Kodak RA-4 chemistry:<br /><br />Kodak Extacolor RA Developer Replenisher RT with Developer Starter.<br />Kodak Ektacolor RA Bleach-Fix & Replinsher.<br /><br />Also, if you have Ra-4 printing experience, can you suggest a starting filter pack for Fuji Crystal Archive? I'm printing with a Beseler 45S color head. The Beseler manual suggests a starting filer pack of 90Y, 50M, and at a recent Comunity College they used 45Y, 45M with Saunders enlargers and heads.<br /><br />Thanks and,<br /><br />Keep Shooting!

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FWIW, I called Beseler about 30 days ago and left a voice mail inquiring about the availability of the Adjus-Table. Received a call back from Vickey - I think that was her name - who said that the table wasn't in stock but that they where going to stock it again. The Beseler direct price for the table is $754 she said. Adorama and B&H advertise the table for $584 with Adorama offering free shipping. I just bought a used one in good condition on Ebay for $400 with shipping. Set the table up Tuesday.

 

Thomas

I hace also read of the 100ml of stock solution per 8x10 sheet (ot its equivalent) requirement and verified this with a darkroom printing instructor.

 

Kodak does not recomend dilutions beyond 1:1 for its Xtol developer. However I routinely develope 6 sheets of 4x5 Acros in a Jobo 2500 series tank (1500 ml capacity) with Xtol at 1:3 using hand inversion. I follow Fuji's advise and continuously agitate for the first minute and 5 seconds every minute thereafter. To keep the math and measurement simple, I mix 1600 ml of solution.

I've been shooting Fuji Acros and developing it in Xtol 1:3 with constant agitation for the first minute and 5 seconds each minute thereafter for 14 minute total (at 68F) and the grain is practically invisible in the focuser.

I've never see that on 35mm film but I have on 4x5 sheet film when I first started processing my own. If you flex the film violently, a static discharge will develope which is visible. I had it happen a couple of times when I first began processing quickloads: After pulling the sheet out of its envelope, I would throw discard the envelope left in the right hand and then tear the envelope retainer off the sheet. If that was done a little too much sudden motion, I would see a little flash of light and a spot of fog just like yours would be on the negative. Now I carefully avoid any sudden jerks or bending the film.

Bruce,

 

I use the 45mm and 55mm on my P67II. Slim type circular filters will not vignett with those lens but you can only use one at a time. I ended up solving that problem by switching to a Cokin Z filter holder and 4x4 filters. Now I can place two or more filters on the lens without vignetting.

 

Thomas

Yee,

 

The Nikkor-W 135mm has an allignment pin which prevents the lens from roating when mounted on the board. It may be that the lens was mounted on a board that wasn't predrilled for this pin. Look at the alignment of the lens on the board. If the lens is flush, then it was mounted correctly. If not, then it was mounted on a board that wasn't predrilled for the pin. If the latter is the case, simply remove the rear element fom the lens and remove the pin. You'll need a tiny screw driver or the thin blade of a pocket knife.

 

Thomas

I have projected a cardboard mounted 6x7 slide as long as 30 or more minutes at a time in the Cabin (150mm lens) with no ill effect.

 

The advantage in plastic mounts, whether glass or glassless, is that they are easier to insert (you just drop them in but I guess one could go thru the extra trouble of trimming the CB's somewhat), remain in sharp focus from one slide to the next, and are inexpensive compared to plastic. The glass versions protect the film from fingerprints, sratches, etc., and therefore are worth the extra cost for mounting an 'important' slide.

25-cents for a 6x7 mount is cheap. Currently a Gepe 6x7 antinewton mount will run you about $26 new for a box of 10 mounts (it used to be $16 a couple of years ago). 6x6 and 6x4.5 mounts are a little cheaper. I believe that I paid $20 for a box of 20 6x4.5 Journal plastic mounts without the glass. The plastic mounts are a tad easier to insert into the projector (they just drop in and its usually not necessary to refocus) as the cardboard 6x7's are larger but the cardboard mounts work and project fine in the Cabin which can project all formate from 135 to 6x7. The Cabin also has a assessory carrier that will enable you to insert a film strip instead of a slide. Foolishly I never got it when it and the above mentioned mounts were readily available. Now everything is hard to find. I don't think that Gepe makes medium format mounts anymore and the cardboard mounts, made and distributed but Inkjet Arts in SLC are no longer available.

I have been projecting 6x7 slides for several years now with a Pro-Cabin 67Z projector using Gepe Anti-Newton glass mounts and cardboard mounts with excellent projection characteristics. The Gepe mounts are expensive but the cardboard mounts (if you can find them!) are cheap - about 25 cents per mount.

Hi all,

 

What's a good starting time for developing 120 and 4x5 Fuji Acros in Xtol 1:3 @

68F?

 

The DigitalTruth tables show 14 minutes for 135 but are blank for 120 and 4x5?

Any experience with these two films in Xtol 1:3??

 

Thanks,

 

Thomas

I use a 90mm F4.5 Grandagon on my CF with a flat lensboard. Although I haven't tried the 75mm f4.5 Grandagon on the CF yet, I believe that it will work with a recessed board as long as you drop the bed.

Another vote for the 75mm. It's big and takes a 82mm filter but its field of view is oftentimes perfect.

Forgot to mention: No, you don't need a roller. Just be consistent in your procedure i'e., agitation and time. Tip: Push the top of tanks lid down (to prevent leakage during agitation) and start the timer when you start pouring the developer, etc.

Although hand inversion requires more chemistry, the results are great as long as you are consistent.

Marc, You didn't mention whether you were processing B&W or Color.

 

If B&W then you can use a Jobo 1510 or 1520 tank for 120. The tank will hold up to 2 reels (for 35mm) or one reel for 120/220. You can process by hand inversion and obtain excellent results. For 4x5 use the Jobo Series 2500 tank with 2509-N reel. It will hold up to 6 sheets of film and you will get excellent results with hand inversion.

 

If, on the other hand, you are doing color, E-6, then you will need the CPA-2 or CPP-2 to process film larger than 120/220. I purchased the CPA-2 new from a local camera store at the end of the year but have been shooting 120 B&W exclusively since then and haven't yet used the CPA.

Tito,

 

I have a Toyo Robos and 75mm f4.5 Grandagon N and couldn't bring the camera into focus without using a recessed lens board and bag bellows. Using both, I now have no problem with focus or movements. The bag bellows will work for all lens up to at least 150mm. My Schneider 210mm needs more bellows.

 

This brings up my question of: What is the best way to carry (i.e.,pack) a 2d bellows while hiking??

I also have the 1348 (less than 3 weeks now) and purchased the Arca-Swiss Z1 ballhead. The Z1 is the improved (and lighter!) version of the B1.

<<When you focus halfway on the rail between where a near point and far point come to focus, and you choose your f-stop on the basis of the distance on the rail between those points (called the focus spread), then your depth of field will encompass everything from the near point to the far point. >>

 

I TOTALLY agree!!

 

AS Micahel has pointed out, there are no distance marking on LF lens and that is because you focus by extending the bed which has an associated extension scale but not an associated aperature scale because the camera bed doesn't know what focal length you are using. So, although I haven't used this method on LF yet, I would assume that the best way to go about it would be to mark the near and far points on the rail with a pencil and then stop down accordingly bu using a mfg's DOF scale for that lens.