brian_alworth1

Found one! Ironically, it's a lab that I used to use extensively years ago: West Coast Imaging. They've downsized a bit and changed their name to Metal and Paper, but I had a nice talk with one of the print-makers there and it sounds like they're doing the sort of high-end, personalized printing that they used to do. Anyway I'm going to try them out (again).

 

Interesting story: I talked with someone at another lab (that a fellow photographer had recommended), and it turned out that they didn't actually do their own printinging....they were out-sourcing it to an out-of-state business and never even looked at the images! (so obviously they had no interest in looking at proofs, etc.)

I am looking for a high-end pro lab to make large metal prints from drum scans of medium and large format slides and negatives. But I want a lab that still does customer service. Every place I've seen uses automated roes software....does not accept (or send) proofs....doesn't accept phone calls. In fact there seems to be no human intervention at all. I figure if I'm going to spend several hundred dollars, I'd like someone at the lab to actually work with me at least a little bit. Are there still labs like that? I still have fond memories of West Coast Imaging.....

I've actually got a couple of M series lenses from the old days when I started with 35mm. From what I can tell, shooting with these lenses would be possible but somewhat difficult as you have to change settings and do stop-down metering, etc. I would spring for the 24-70 mm Pentax zoom, but I've read that it's not a very sharp lens...and also I am afraid I will miss the aperature ring. Just seems like a lot to spend if the first thing I'm going to do is dis-able the autofocus anyway.

Thanks for all the great and detailed advice. Was going to ask about using older "A" series Pentax lenses, though. Since I'm probably going to switch immediately to manual focus anyway, not really concerned about autofocus issues. In fact I'd really rather have an old-fashion lens with an aperture ring. My perception is that older lenses may actually be more robust anyway....altho some obviously sharper than others. But if I can find some used prime "A" lenses for sale that might be preferable? Any thoughts?

I am a landscape/fine-art photographer that is about to purchase my first digital camera. I've been shooting with a Pentax 67 (and Wista 4x5) for years and plan to continue to use them. I am probably going to buy the new Pentax K1 but am unsure about which lens or lenses to buy with it. I do mainly landscapes and always use a substantial tripod. Sharpness more important than speed. Was going to buy the new Pentax 24-70 zoom but have seen very mixed reviews on this. Maybe I should just buy a 24, a 50 and maybe a moderate telephoto? Looking for advice.

As a quick follow-up i got some of my 120 film back from the lab and the Pentax 67 worked fine. Despite the fact that most shots were taken below zero. I am now a believer in the camera and Varta lithium batteries.

I still shoot mostly 120 on old P67 and 6x7

cameras. However just got back from a trip

where i was shooting sunrise shots well below

zero and am now concerned as to whether the

old cameras were working. Thinking i might

get a Pentax K1 to use as insurance camera.

<p>BTW John you must be the other guy still ordering Velvia 100.... :)</p>

<p>Probably a good idea for next time. Either that or one of those remote battery cables so you can keep a battery pack in your pocket. I actually did have two cameras....but one was an old Pentax 67, and the other was an even older Pentax 6x7! lol My guess is that the first roll or two I shot each morning will be fine...but with more problems as the cameras and batteries cooled down. One thing that may help is that those old P67's are massive heavy cameras, especially with the lenses attached....so take a while to cool down.</p>

<p>Just got back from a week's shooting at Bryce Canyon, Utah. Great snow conditions but brutally cold. My sunrise shooting temps ranged from 0 to as low as -15 (F°). What are my chances of properly exposed shots? The camera (P67 MLU) sounded as if it were working normally (I'm now very familiar with the noises it makes). And while the battery light would fade quickly...after about one roll.... the mirror lock-up was still working for 2 or 3 rolls. Used a new lithium battery. But i keep seeing horror stories about blank film, shutter curtains not working, etc. Any thoughts? This was one of the first times I was envious of the guy next to me with a digital camera....getting instant feedback.</p>

<p> I am a long-time film photographer and still do quite a bit of medium (120) and large format (4x5)landscape photography. I am finally getting frustrated by my inability to market my work and am looking for a flatbed scanner that will allow me to digitize my transparancies and negatives. I am not so much interested in making high quality prints (I allow my labs to do that via drum scanners or old-fashioned darkrooms ) but am looking for something that will give me decent jpegs I can put on a web page, for example. I've seen the Epson V750 mentioned...is this still a good choice? </p>

<p>Thanks for the ideas! I had already considered using a securely fitting dowel or rod to fit into the 1/2" hole in the center column...and then also making a homemade wood or plastic 'quick release plate' of some sort to attach the camera to the dowel or rod more securely. It is of course a fairly large and heavy camera.</p>

<p> I've was recently given a beautiful old (1920s?) 8 x 10 Kodak with red leather bellows and brass lens, etc....and just found a very nice antique wooden tripod to complete the display. The issue is that the wood triangular center column of the tripod is without any sort of head or mounting device... though it does have a deep 3/4" hole with thumbscrew where some sort of hardware apparently used to be inserted. I am now trying to come up with a clever and stable way to attach the camera. Happily the camera does have a standard 1/4" socket on its base. <br>

I imagine that I'm not the first person to face this challenge. Any good (or bad) ideas out there? I am looking to use this as a display and not as a working camera, so it doesn't have to be something I can easily attach and un-attach. (I've got a Wista 4 x 5 for that!)</p>

<p>Marc- Thanks for the info about Badger! That's one that I was not familiar with. I did, however, stumble across a box of Velvia100F here close to home. A local camera store guy had a single box stashed back in the fridge for personal use, but he's willing to sell it to me. <br>

As a note- some of the web stores that show film as being 'in stock' turn out to be not in stock when you try to actually make a purchase. <br>

I guess the lesson here is to stock up when and if it's available...save it in the freezer. I've heard bad stories, however, from photographers that have tried to use out of date film even when it has been in cold storage.</p>

<p> My own rule of thumb after years of printing: For 35mm I don't go any larger than 8 x 12 (inches). With 645 shots: 16 x 20. With 6 x 7: about 24 x 30. With 4 x 5...haven't met the limit yet. This is using Velvia slide film, scanned on a drum scanner and printed on a top-notch printer by a pro lab. There are a lot of otherwise decent photographers in my town that use their own scanners and try to print with their own printers, and their stuff looks like crap, pardon the french.<br>

I echo the above sentiments about going larger format....once you've seen a good 6 x 7 Velvia slide on a light table, it's hard to go back. The problem now seems to be that manufacturers may be about to pull the plug on 120 film.</p>

<p>Have a photo excursion planned for mid-October with my Wista 4 x 5. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any 4 x 5 color slide film (of any brand) in stock anywhere currently. Looks like it will be a black and white trip...</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses. I've got a friend in town with a bunch of old film in his fridge, if things get desperate...as I've got a big trip coming up. My theory, for what it's worth, is that due mainly to the falling demand for 35mm film, the manufacturers are making all of their film in occasional big batches now and simply try to guess how much of each format to make. For whatever reason, perhaps, they simply underestimated how many of us still shoot sheet film...so this format ran out first. It just struck me as strange that Fuji, Kodak and even Ilford would all run low with "no estimate of new supply" messages on a couple of the web sites... In the meantime, maybe I'll try some of the other suppliers mentioned above. Thanks!</p>

<p> I just went on-line to order a box or two of 4 x 5 film, but was shocked to find that almost all of the Kodak and Fuji film was listed as 'unavailable'. This was at two different large retail suppliers. I am hoping that this is indeed a temporary situation...maybe they manufacture in cycles. But this was in both transparency and b&w negative film. Is it time to put the Wista on the shelf for good?</p>

<p>David- May sounds a lot better- warmer and less windy. (BTW- I'm a TV weatherman as well as being a photographer.) I was out at the Coyote Buttes one April day when a weather system came through. would estimate that the winds were blowing at about 60 to 100 mph for a couple of hours. On top of not being able to do any shooting, obviously...fine sand got into every camera and lens...even packed in my backpack. </p>

<p> I've got a cherry wood Wista 4 x 5 field camera...which I use fairly often...but I also like to display it on a shelf when I'm not shooting with it because it's so elegant. I started wondering if, in the long run, the bellows would stay in good condition longer if the camera were stored folded up...or if they would stay in better condition with the camera unfolded and the bellows partially extended. My gut instinct tells me that it's more the <strong>act of folding and unfolding </strong>that probably ages the bellows more quickly...and that it really doesn't matter whether it's stored folded or unfolded. But I was wondering if there was any other wisdom out there...</p>

<p>Beautiful area....but my experience is that the weather can be pretty active...read very WINDY...that time of year...which can be an issue especially for LF. Of course if you're down in the canyons you might be OK, but up on the buttes and mesas it can get a bit breezy, especially in March and April.</p>

<p>Jim- guess I'll have to be satisfied with the new KEH catalogue ;)</p>

<p>Where is this awesome camera store that still sells this sort of equipment? Are you guys in Tokyo? </p>

<p>Does anyone know if the PD finder for a 645m will work on the 645J? I've got a 645m that no longer works, but the PD meter seems to be still good, and am thinking of getting a cheap 645J as a back-up camera. The 645 line seems to have a bewildering variety of bodies and finders.</p>

<p>I finally figured out how to fool the camera into shooting without film, and the aperature operation looks like it's correct. My last idea is to run the camera down to the cathedral and see if Father O'Malley can do an exorcism.....</p>