michael_mahoney1

Jacque - it's more of a cyan blue, and I don't have a color checker

exactly, but I can get color info from Photoshop. I've been using the

same daylight balanced Logan PortaView box for years, and the problem

is not there - other transparencies on this same box are fine. I

haven't made any prints, and printing is not really a concern, as

most of my final output is a digital file. I've tried a warming

filter today, and that will help, as the blue trannies look much

better on the table when seen thru the 81b, but still the cast should

not be there. Incorrect processing is probably the culprit, but I've

tried two different processors with the same results, and we have no

other 4X5 E6 processors close to me at all - in fact the second

processor is in another province, and has a national reputation for

high quality work. The mystery continues ......

Thanks, Steve, I have had the same problem at two different

processors.

I'm getting a fairly pronounced blue cast on the majority of shots taken with a Schneider 90 F8 SA. I thought it may be the film, Fuji RDP 111, but the color cast also appears with Agfa RSX 2. I've tried various amounts of over/under exposure but the cast persists. I can take it out in PS, but would rather have a good original - anyone offer suggestions? This color appears in both shade and sun shots, so it's not the blue cast associated with open shade shots. I'm going to try an 81b filter tomorrow to see if that helps, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same experience?

Sorry, Theo just saw the "digital" in your question, so I really

don't know if I've given you the correct info or not - does anyone

know if there is a difference with the digital vs. regular lenses?

Theo - a higher magnification lupe will not help your focusing, most

recommend 4X lupe. When using movements, your plane of focus will

change, along with the shape of your DOF - to obtain a sharp image

across the whole film area may require additional movements, or

stopping down - there are articles and threads in this forum on both.

There are many basic principles on how the shape of images change

with back movements, and how your focus plane/DOF changes with front

tilts/swings. Try looking through some of the previous threads and

articles - also a good book is Leslie Strobels "View Camera

Technique". If you could be more specific in the type of focusing

problem you have, I'm sure someone here could help you.

Clark: If you're coming from another format, the basic rules for

large format still hold true - you're depth of field increases as

your aperture becomes smaller. And yes, you would need to adjust your

exposure time if you change your aperture from F8 to F16. Simple

examination of the groundglass will show your depth of field increase

as you step down, you can also see it change as you apply movements.

The "best" aperture for DOF depends on what you want from your chosen

DOF. If by best you mean the most, it would be your minimum aperture,

but diffraction would have a negative impact on image quality by

then, so that's a tradeoff - that subject has been covered lots here.

Merklinger has a web site with video clips showing how your DOF

changes as you apply movements, and Leslie Strobel's " View Camera

Technique" covers same. You may also want to look at any number of

resources on basic exposure and camera setting techniques.

As long as the camera is not moving about after you've focused, the

lens and film holder would probably have more impact on sharpness

than the camera body.

Wayne - Have you checked with Robert White? He has excellent prices

on the Arca Swiss Discovery, and the camera is a pure joy to use,

that's probably the reason you see so few used ones available.

Never really thought about this as an "eye" thing - I usually leave

the actual camera setup until after I have the composition already in

my mind. it's about 80% working without the camera finding the right

composition, with both eyes open, then the remaining 20% with the

camera working out focus, movements, metering, etc. I've always

assumed this was the way most photographers did it - but I'll check

out the "eye" theory later today - enjoy your vacation.

the program I use is Photoshop 5.0 Limited Edition, which is a common

bundle with new scanners and digital cameras. I bought a low end UMAX

scanner for 149 C$, and got the software free with it. if your final

output is digital prints or web, try the software before spending the

CF bucks.

you can effect a gradual darkening toward the center of an image in Photoshop, perhaps replacing a center filter for most applications. The steps are: select gradient tool, go into its options, select 'radial, foreground to transparent', and play with the grad tool. you can select different colors, and opacities. I've evened out a number of half to full stop differences with no problem, and I've really only been working with it for a few hours - with more experience, I'd be hard pressed to see the need for a center filter.

Theo - I've been using an 055 with the discovery, and it's solid

enough. I have just ordered an 029 head to replace the 168 ball head,

which was strong enough, but I found it a problem with leveling. I've

had an 055 for many years, and it's seen use in all conditions, with

35mm, medium format, and large format. just bought a new one in fact,

as the center column on my old one had developed some play.

you should consider the disturbing effect of convergence that you

will get on many of your wide angle shots if you use a camera with no

movements. rent a LF WA lens, and you can always crop for the middle

of the frame and enlarge if you need a longer view.

Mark, regarding your Photoshop solution, I'm wondering about the

exact steps you'd take to acheive circular light balancing in the

gradient fashion a center filter would. I have Photoshop Elements,

which came bundled with a low end scanner, and just know am realizing

I need a CW filter for my 90SA F8. I'd rather use the Photoshop

software if I could acheive the same result - but I don't know how to

do it! As always, any advice would be appreciated.

With your 90mm SA you may want to budget for a center filter. See

archives for light falloff issues on this and other WA lenses.

My previously tight and snug rear geared focus knob has suddenly developed an unusual amount of vertical play, more than a quarter inch either side. This seems to be an internal looseness as the knob itself is on tightly. The looseness persists even when the focus lock knob is turned in tight, but not when the locking knob is turned out tight. Is this a cause for concern?

I've been asked to take some family group photos. The group will include grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, numbering eleven. Now here's the part that makes me nervous - I've not shot this large a group before, it's outside, and I'll not have a chance at a reshoot. I'm planning to use 35 for the essential shots, but would also be using 4X5 for two or three "special" shots if they evolve. I've arranged to use a park, so settings will not be a problem, but I'm wondering about effective or standard poses for this type of group. Any suggestions?

A Discovery fits into the provided soft case, 15 by 13 by 10 inches,

and the monorail is 30cms long. I can carry the whole kit, meter, two

lenses, a spare bellows, film holders, etc. in the provided case with

ease. For farther trips afield, a Lowepro Photo Trekker comfortably

takes the Discovery by putting standards at 45 degrees, and it almost

lies flat. There's ample room for both camera and accessories. I

can't imagine easier setup out of either case - you can leave a lens

mounted, so it's just a matter of taking out the camera, and mounting

on the tripod. I needed a camera equally at home in the studio,

location, or field, and the Discovery handles all three.

Pete: this is disturbing information indeed, and I wasn't aware of it

in the least - and I'd used a Pentax 67 system with older lenses

until recently. Am I safe in assuming that newer lenses are OK?

Mario, I fashioned a focusing hood of quarter inch thick plastic top

and bottom, and vinyl cloth on the sides. It fits into the slots on

the back of my Arca Swiss nicely, and was cheap to make. You can make

a BTZS style darkcloth out of nylon or cloth, and they do a great job

of blocking ambient light from below. A good solution is simply a

tshirt, with elastic cord fed through the waist. I'm having the most

success with a golf bag head cover, which is a light black nylon, and

already had elastic drawstrings on both ends. It folds back nicely

when you want to use the loupe, and it's quite small - folds up to

about the size of a package of cigarettes. I originally used

a "horseblanket" style, but found it a hazard in windy or warm

conditions, and it didn't block light from below. Hope this helps.

I'm a relative newcomer to large format, and read all the precautions

about dust, and thought it would be a constant battle, but it's been

anything but. I've yet to encounter a dust problem of any kind, and

I've started to get rather careless about dust prevention and still

haven't seen the dreaded dust. I'd be willing to bet most problems

are related to the humidity in the location where you shoot. I'm on

an island, it's frequently cloudy or raining, and the relative

humidity is always high. Ensure your loading/unloading area is

somewhat humid, run the shower for a few minutes prior and see if

that helps. I also insert and remove the darkslide VERY slowly, to

prevent static which may agitate any existing dust. Hope this helps.

I'm new to large format, and noticed fogging on the RHS on some of my

initial shots. I looked at my notes for those shots, and the sunlight

was on the side of the holder where the darkslide fits. I'm now

shading the darkslide slot during exposure and the problem is gone. I

don't know if that's you're problem, but I think generally Fidelity

has a good product.

Andy - try http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html

While cleaning out my basement, I came across an old golf bag, unused for many years. Looking in the bag, I discovered a lightweight nylon gizmo which I used to cover the top of the clubs .... It's black, has drawstrings and ties at either end, and even has a small cut in one end to fit my neck! voila - the perfect fitting darkcloth.

I just got my Discovery from the good people at Robert White, U.K.,

and my mounting block is the "dovetail" kind, designed to fit into an

Arca-Swiss head, and the rear focus is certainly geared. Maybe

different models, or perhaps newer features?