alpshiker

Get the 450C Fujinon if you have the bellows, you won't be disappointed. It's a great lens.

If I remember it right, dropping the sheets in water with no agitation for a few minutes will help get more details in the shadows. I never used a proper stop bath for film, but used the old exausted fixing bath instead. But I can't say I ever was a B&W specialist, so don't take my words too seriously!

Ow, ow! I stumbled across this thread last night and was most surprised and delighted. Thank you, thank you!

 

One of my good friends always tells me: "Paul, the problem with you is that you are not consistent. You present a very

good image and next is one that shouldn't be here". This summs up probably the early remarks in the discussion. I have

learned through my years that an objective assessment can be more constructive than a complacent critique and it would

take more to offend me. But I have learned never to talk negatively alone. You know: a tap on the back and a quick in the

pants kind of balance. And as several pointed, any form of art is subjective and touches the eye that is sensitive to that

particular form of art. By the way, my friend too has images on his website that I would think are a bit short of his talent,

but that's probably because I did not feel the vibration that he felt when he decided to take that shot.

 

My website work wasn't done with commercial (I would have died of starvation long ago!) or fame preoccupations in mind.

I just wanted to present a journey in time and space that includes some of my photography on the region where I live, as

well as some personal thoughts, and try to convey a sense of wonder for the simple things of life. That's also why I

decided to give a place in my portfolios to images that are not particularly spectacular but who speak to me, and hopefully

to someone else in some mysterious way. For as it was pointed above: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

 

As for my texts, whether you like them or not is personal. But I would probably redesign my website a little differently if I

had the time and say less and mean more. By the way, if you liked it, make sure you come back in two weeks or so to see

the two new portfolios! A last word about postcards: I have used that word pejoratively but I was wrong. As someone

mentioned, there are beautiful tastefully crafted postcards. Thanks, particularly to Ken, for showing your appreciation! Others have written privately to me and I know I can count on a good bunch of friends out there!

 

Paul Schilliger

"shoot what you love, it doesn't matter if it sells or not."

 

I wholeheartedly agree. In fact I see two aspects in the life of a photographer: He takes pictures that he invests of himself in but they won't sell, and he takes pictures that will sell but are just mere postcards to him. But as the time goes on, if he does well and by earning recognition, the two tendencies should eventually merge, ...at least that's what I hope! ;-)

I have adapted the back to fit a Tech IV and it works great. Ellis didn't sell me his patent pending idea so I had to figure my own. Fitted two small pieces of brass (not much space!) with a protruding screw on each side of the Canham, so it fits same as the GG assembly. Added two sections of nylon tube to increase the bail opening, and that's it. What's interesting compared to a dedicated panoramic camera is that I didn't have to purchase a lens. Even the 47XL should cover and up to 600mm with a Wista extender. Here is one taken with a more reasonnable 110XL. Good luck!<div></div>

I should have specified: when using 3-4cm or more for product/interiors.

It is needed on 4x5 if you use shift/rise.

That's the most refreshing post I have read for a long time! Your upside down dream experience is something I cannot identify to, but in some way, I have noticed that a format change can significantly improve some images (right-left). Also using a blurred out of focus screen view can sometimes help balance a composition, as the view isn't perturbed by details but "focusses" (excuse the pun) on the main points.

Yes it seems that they did it right... in the good ol'time. Protecting a $$$ lens with a twenty cents cap is nonesense. More rigid caps is what photographers have wanted for decades now. Maybe plastic is a better choice sometimes, not to feed and shelter any fungus in a moist environment. But 90% should be okay with the velvet-leather caps.

I have found that a 360mm lens is very useful for landscape shots. I have an old Apo-Ronar in Compur. It has a clear advantage of weight and size over the newer Copal #3 version and the single coating is okay. In between, a 210 or 240mm would be useful too.

Yes, it's easy to monitor the duration of the 1 second exposure and compare it to another shutter. All the speeds up to 1/8 have the same rating of about 2/3 of the supposed speed. Above, it's impossible to check without a device, which has been on back order at Calumet Photo since last autumn.

 

I assume that the Compound works on an air pump system. Would the air leak at the join of the piston and cylinder? Is that the part that needs cleaning? Is any lubrication helpful or must it be avoided?

 

Thanks! Paul

This is not at all a bad idea and I'm pretty sure I saw once a software that does exactly that, but using a small digital camera will produce questionable results. In fact, when you will start to blend the edges, you will see that the images does not overlap each other correctly. This is due to the deformation the lens induces on the edges of the frame and is especially accentuated with wider lenses. What would produce better results would be to scan portions of the image produced by a large format camera, by displacing the back on the different sections. But then you might ask: is it worth the effort. And if the scene changes during the process, lighting, sky, it will be difficult to have a homogenous result.

>The compound shutters are EASY to maintain

 

Scott, I have this 360 in compound too but have not used it yet cause the shutter is inaccurate. Speeds are maybe two thirds of the rated speed. Do you know if it can be fixed?

I just want to point out the inner bellows flare problem with long extensions on 4x5 field cameras. I have used the Wista extender on my Linhof Tech. It added 10cm to the 400 or so this camera can reach. But I soon noticed some flare on some slides taken with the 450mm, particularly when there was a bright source of light ahead such as a white sky. So extension can be used but cautiously and with a good shade or compendium. The cameras that have big bellows, such as my Toyo monorail are better on long extension.

Oh yes, if it's only for low resolution catalog and not for large format printing, a digital camera can do the trick very well. I just did this too, with my flower slides. Had about 3000 to catalog and scanning was out of question. I got myself a used repro stand and fitted the Fuji S2 directly connected to my computer. I placed the sleeves on the light table while the software was automatically taking a shot every ten seconds. It worked very well, but I had to create a custom profile for the camera in order to deal with the exaggerated contrast of the slides and to have accurate colors.

Ted, something that comes to my mind: If this is the first time you use this camera and if it's been bought used, you should also check for pinholes. They can be very small and have great effects, and are often ignored by second hand camera traders. The best way I know to do that, out of filling your camera with water and looking for leaks ;-) (I shouldn't say such silly things now that I have been granted the Atlas icon) is to stretch your bellows in the dark and use a small flashlight to lit the angles from the inside while you look if there is any light coming through. Always worth the effort.

The best way would probably be a high resolution profiled digital back, using a copy stand. A flatbed scanner gives good results but sometimes exacerbates the defects, especially in very dark tones. Flare is also a problem in deep blacks, as well as any finger marks on the glass.

Could be a defective holder. I am not accointed with Grafmatic holders.

Have you taken all the precaution not to displace the holder while pulling the envelope and pushing it back? Is your holder fully inserted and does the spring back not prevent to do so? (Happens on some cameras with some rollfilm holders). No paper sticker in the wrong place? My first holder was a Kodak holder and somehow it got bent, giving way for light leaks. Got a Fuji QuickLoad and shot without a single fog. By the way, it reminds me of my start with LF. I too was tempted to let it go but I'm glad I held onto it!

The Wista with a long rail sounds a good possibility. My friend uses one with the Nikkor 360-500-720mm. I use a Toyo VX-125, light monorail, with a custom extension kit for up to 600mm non telephoto lenses. It weighs 3,8Kg with the extension, 2,6Kg in it's basic 300mm configuration. But you would be lucky to find one second hand. A Canham would take you to 450mm which is a very useful lens, probably the most used.

It looks as the light could be entering at the join between the holder and the back, provided that you inserted the holder on the left side of the camera and from under for the vertical frame. I once had put small paper stickers on standard film holders. Ithought the place where the holder makes join to the back, besides the small ridge that fits in the camera groove was a nice spot for a sticker! I got exactly what you have. Not sure hoewever that your device might not have another problem, but you could try this to make sure the join is not defective: I had placed some very smooth join foam in the groove on my camera (should be thin and smooth, in order not to prevent the holder from fully sitting on the camera back) and this had reduced the problem... until I thought of removed the stickers!

Would the 305 G-Claron be in the same basket? I have one (SN 12 601 737) and I cannot notice any yellowing of the back element. But I have a Xenar 6.1/ 210 (S.N. 14 322 376), relatively modern lens, who has a developped a bold yellow tint in it's back element.

 

As far as my lenses are concerned, the champions are two older Asahi lenses for the Pentax 67 (105-150) which I had stopped to use because of their amber coloration. I will try to bleach them through UV exposure. Thanks for the tip!

 

Thomas, would you suggest that having these lenses, for instance in my bedroom cupboard, is hazardous for our health?

Tim, If you are looking for a lightweight solution (for 4x5 / 5x7), I just purchased a Photoflex changing room from Badgergraphic and it's only 1 1/2 lb. The floor size is an oval of 20x16" (could be too tight for 8x10) but the walls are straight up (cube). It folds in a second like the Photoflex reflectors and holds in a 20" circular bag 1" thick and seem very well made, with two layers. It's also inexpensive.

What more, the same CF can be used on the 47, 65, 80, 110 mm, although technical specs would advise a two stops CF for the 47 and a 1 1/2 stops for the 3 latest. Half a stop doesn't make a lot of difference and I use the two stops CF (easier to calculate for compensation) on the 3 lenses I have (haven't had the $ for the 80XL yet and still using a Super-Angulon 90 who's CF and pola weigh together as much as a lens). Using a CF on the 110 is advisable when much movement is used. They will also take the same additional polarizer, I just found a nice B&W pola with 86mm fitting for the CF and 105mm front rim on Ebay. But the first trials show that a compendium is needed to avoid flare with all that extra glass added. My 110 is contrasty and not soft wide open. The 80XL softness issue seem to be tied to an early batch.

Mad? Not at all. Genius? Maybe... But you have been beaten on the line. Try type Zork in the search box above. They also have a website but I can't find the address right now. Did not Horseman made such a device too?