doug_paramore

Neil: Hope you haven't bought one of those heads. They are despicable

heads to try to print with. I never tried to print black and white

with one, but we used to have one in our color darkroom that I really

learned to hate. I know that it is difficult to burn in the edges or

to dodge while color printing, as the colors shift. The bulbs burn

out pretty often and are expensive to replace.

<p>

Happy New Year,

Erique: Why not keep the Linhof and just buy the Shen-Hao? You would

be better off financially, if you bought the Linhof new. You will

lose too much on the sale of the Linhof. I just cannot find a reason

for this trade that makes sense. If you were selling the Shen-Hao to

buy a Linhof, it would make more sense. The Linhof is a lifetime

camera for serious photographers and the Shen-Hao is a beginner

priced camera. I use a technical camera and 2 view cameras and like

all three. My technical camera is the British MPP, which is a copy of

the Linhof III, and I have a Graphic View II and a Tachihara. All are

different and I like and use all three. They each fill a niche, just

as having the Linhof and the Shen-Hao would for you.

<p>

Happy New Year,

Oliver: Check out the Midwest Photo Exchange (MPX) web site. They

usually carry a good selection of used older lenses. You might send

them an e-mail for current in-stock listings.

<p>

Regards,

I regularly use contrast filters under the lens with my standard cold

light lead. I cannot tell you exactly what contrast grade they

produce, nor do I care as long as the print looks like I want it to

look. I do know that the lower contrast filters produce lower

contrast prints. It may be a slightly higher contrast than with the

light designed for filters. In any case, a little experimenting will

show you what the filters do. I have also not noticed any loss of

sharpness with the filters under the lens. It doesn't show up in the

prints nor under the grain focuser.

<p>

Regards,

Adrian: I have a Tachihara and love it, but I am not sure I would

recommend it if you have not used view cameras before (you didn't

say). I have found mine a pleasure to use and it is a well made

camera. The reason I hesitate to recommend it is that the back is

designed to slide back and forth in a type of slider arrangement and

it is very easy to get the slides "cocked" on the rails, thus adding

a bit of back swing. Same for the front...it easy to get it cocked on

the rails. Although the rails are marked with numbered marks, it is

still easy to get a bit of swing in the front. This system makes it

esy to use lenses of different focal length, but for a beginner who

does not understand the importance of centering everything it could

create a lot of screwed up pictures. That is the only fault I have

found with the camera. Even with a lot of experience using view

cameras it still takes a bit of attention to set it up centered. I

love the camera and would recommend it but not to a beginner in using

the view camera.

<p>

Regards,

Joe: A lens is a lens is a lens and doesn't care what it is mounted

on. The lenses on the old folders will work within limitations. Most

were three or four element designs and you may find you run out of

coverage if you use much movement of the lens board. Some of the old

lenses which were based on the tessar formula can be quite sharp at

smaller aperatures. Give them a try for general photography. Use a

lens shade, as many of the lenses are not coated.

<p>

Regards,

Kevin: I took my old Betax to the camera store and tried several

until I found one with a long enough stroke to cock and trip the

shutter. Forget the lightweight release cables. They won't last until

you get home on the Betax. Incidentally, I have two of these

shutters. The one I am using has an internal socket plus the outside

threads. Check yours out. The other one of mine does not, and I have

not found a release. You may be able to rig up an outside release on

the lens board if yours does not have the internal threads. Also, a

well equipped camera repair shop may be able to cut internal threads

for you if needed. I'm sure Steve Grimes could do such work.

<p>

Merry Christmas,

GreyWolf: Good job on the review. Thanks for taking the time to do

it. The photographs are excellent also.

<p>

Regards,

Mako: I bought the Versalab washer about four years ago and have

found it to be a great washer. The thing is indestructable and will

do a bunch of prints at one time. I think at the time I bought mine

it was less than $200. I was considering builing one until I ran

across a writeup on the Versalab. As stated earlier, by the time you

buy plexiglas, cement, hoses, etc., you won't save much if any by

building it yourself. Especially if you have to rent or buy the

needed tools.

<p>

Regards,

Ed has the right approach for a permanent fix, but Sandy is right

about using gaffers tape when you need a fix in a hurry. I have seen

posts on this forum where some have used a plastic goo to repair

bellows. Look in the archives and you may get some good tips.

<p>

Regards,

Keith: I can usually get a print I like in about four tries, starting

from scratch. I start with a test strip of at least half a sheet of

8x10, get the overall exposure time, then make a full 8x10 work

print. From the work print I can decide what the print needs, and by

referring back to the test strip I can determine the seconds of

burning in needed to get me in the ball park. Then I make that print

and see what fine tuning needs to be done. The fourth print is

usually pretty close. It takes longer when changes in contrast are

called for. Also, I will look at the print after it dries to see if

it dried down too much, and make another print if needed. The key for

me is to standardize processing times, keep the developer fresh and

the familiarity with my own setup and neg developing. Even then, I

may go back a week later, look at the print, and wonder why I didn't

see something that needs fixing. As stated earlier, experience and

familiarity with your stuff speeds up the process. There just ain't

no easy way if you are gonna make prints you are proud of.

<p>

Merry Christmas,

I attempted to make a photograph of one of my dreams, but my wife

came in and made her put clothes on.

<p>

Merry Christmas,

Aaron: Criticism is akin to listening to the President speak on

television, then having all the dumbass reporters get on the air and

tell us what he really said and meant because they think the audience

is too stupid to listen and understand. In doint the art shows with

my photography, I have learned the true value of criticism. If the

criticism is good, I get a ribbon and a check from the judges. If

bad, I get nothing. I have showed at larger shows and got a first

place and then go to another, smaller show, and not even won an

honorable mention. Critics have their own likes and dislikes just

like you and I have, and their opinion is no more important. Most

critics are self appointed or hired by a publication to fill a hole

in the page. Tolerate them, but don't put too much weight to what

they say.

<p>

Regards,

Take the camera down to your local auto parts store or machine shop

and see what size nut screws on to the shaft. It really sholdn't be a

problem to determine the size of the shaft.

<p>

Regards,

Bruce: I have washed mine in the hangers for years and have not had

any problems. Since swithing over to drum development, I still remove

them from the drum and wash them in the hangers. Use either a film

tnak and dump the water to remove the settled fixer, or use a siphon

to remove water from the bottom of the tank. For 8x10, I have an

extra tank with a hose attached through a hole next to the bottom and

held just above the level of the film with a wire.

<p>

Regards,

I'm with Charlie. I had shot a bit of 35mm and 2 1/4 square, but was

never really happy with the results. I finally got together enough

money to order one of those $99 Calumets and really got hooked on LF.

Incidentally, $99 was a lot of money then...more than a week's wages.

After that first Calumet, there has seldom been a time when I didn't

have a 4x5. I have owned the usual lineup of 35mm cameras over the

years, including several Leicas and Nikons, plus numerous twin lens

Rolleis and such. I used them a lot, but always missed the big

negative in the darkroom. Even with the smaller stuff, I always shot

with an LF frame of mind...trying to get the best image possible.

About 10 years ago I began to LF as my primary camera, with

occasional 35mm or 120 shots. I have not regretted my decision. I

like taking the time to compose and shoot with the larger stuff.

<p>

Regards,

Adrian: I have the 180 about the same vintage and have found it to be

a fine lens. I only shoot black and white with it and it has proven

to be plenty sharp and contrasty. I have used it converted a couple

of times, always with filters, and it is fine for prints up to and

including 11x14. Enjoy it.

<p>

Regards,

Peter: Have not been able to determine to what extent Australian law

has over Cristmas and New Year greeting originating in the U.S.

Pending a determination from my attorney in the U.S., I wish to

extend to you a tentative Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, subject

to withdrawal on advice of said attorney.

<p>

Happy holidays "Down Under".

Midwest Photo Exchange can usually supply ground glass to fit your

camera.

<p>

Regards,

Wayne: I have seen bubble levels in home centers and RV centers that

you could lay on top of your tripod's camera plate. One I saw was

about 2" in diameter, with the bubble level in the center. It should

fit in your shirt pocket nicely. If you use a flatbed camera, you can

lay a small level on the bed. It might not be as handy as a bubble

level on the tripod, but it will show the camera is leveled. My old

Ansco 8x10 has a swinging pointer on the side that shows when the

camera is level front to back. Don't know why it isn't on modern

cameras. Incidentally, you may can find a stick-on small level for

the camera. I am like you...I can't see the level on top of the

cameras as I like to raise the camera's ground glass to eye level.

The small levels are cheaper than replacing a tripod head.

<p>

Regards,

Ron has it right: "Go make some fine images and enjoy the lens." I

also think the Komura is a tessar design, which is one of the great

lenses for large format. It doesn't quite have the coverage of a

plasmat, but with a 210 that isn't a problem. The tessar design is a

sharp lens with good contrast. Learn to use it, enjoy it, and welcome

to the world of large format photography. Prepare to be shocked at

the quality.

<p>

Regards,

Stephen: A clothes iron will work. Don't overdo the heat and take

your time. You need to use a piece of mount board between the iron

and print to even out the heat. Keep the iron moving. I suggest the

Seal Colormount tissue, as it requires less heat. You may be able to

find a used drymount press fairly cheap as I did.

<p>

Regards,

Have you checked the archives at the end of the question list? It may

have been moved there after a couple of months.

<p>

Regards,

Neal: It must be the season that brings all these great thought-

provoking posts to our forum. You mention Ansel Adams and his great

shots of Half Dome, etc. Thinks of this though...when you go to

photograph Half Dome, you have one or two days, you take what

lightings conditions nature throws at you, and do the best you can.

Ansel lived in the park for years. He was shooting in his own back

yard. If the light wasn't right, he could go home and drink coffee

until conditions improved. That doesn't take away from his

photography, but it sure makes things easier. As for me, I live in

the coastal plain of Alabama, where there aren't any hills over a

couple of hundred feet and certainly no great vistas stretching for

unlimited miles. Yet, I have make some good photographs by

concentrating on the small segments. I feel that I have make people

look at our area with a new appreciation. I am not a world famous

photographer, but my work sells reasonably well at the art shows

simply because I work hard to show that our part of the South has a

beauty of its own. I would be as lost photographing the Western parks

as Ansel was when he tried to photograph the South. As for Weston's

pepper series, he got a lot of flack, including some from Ansel

Adams, for photographing "vegatables". Have you priced a pepper print

lately?

<p>

As photographers we can't always capture the overwhelming beauty of

great scenes, but we can intrepret and sometimes show things the

average person would never notice or think about.

<p>

Regards,

Aaron: I am willing to bet that among your work you will find some

fine images. Go back through them with an open mind and give them

another good look. And forget about comparing what you do with

someelse. You aren't in the same place and you don't have the same

mind. Your mind might be better. Also, you don't know how many

hundreds or thousands of negs Atget tossed in the garbage can to get

the ones he kept. Even Saint Ansel said he had thousands of negs he

had never printed. I suggest that you go back through your body of

work, select a few negs that you like, and really concentrate on

making a super print from each. Toss out all the "good enough" prints

and make super prints. Then mount them and mat them properly. Prints

always look much better properly displayed, whether in a book or

proper mats. I honestly think you will find your work is better than

you think. All of us at times get frustrated, but the key is to get

in the darkroom and keep at it. You don't know how many times ol'

Atget banged his head on the darkroom wall because a print would't

bend to his will easily. The time to be most critical of your own

work is when you are making the first prints in the darkroom. Then

correct what is needed to make a fine print. One of my best ways of

getting back on track when I'm in a slump is to give myself a self-

assignment to get the best picture I can of a particular subject. The

subject matter is not important, but getting back to the basics and

trying my best to make a good image usually perks me up again. Above

all, forget about Atget or whomever and concentrate on your own body

of work.

<p>

Regards,