jennifer_waak

Ken, I think you would have to get the long bellows to do what you want. I know that with the long bellows and the extension rail, that I can rack out my 300mm lens pretty darn far for some real closeup work (not my best idea ever, but let's not discuss that!).

Not sure if you are willing to consider a second set of bellows, but thought I would throw that out.

-Jen

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have an 8x10 Nagaoka with a 420mm lens that I'd be willing to loan you. I don't have a 450, but hopefully a 420 is close enough?!? I absolutely love your work, and am willing to help you out in the great experiment. I'm assuming you can rent tripods?!? Any chance I can get a print instead of a rental fee? :-)

Feel free to drop me an email if you are interested and we can sort this out.

-Jen

Sandy --

And I thought it was just me...

-Jen

It's definitely NOT a Discovery, or at least it doesn't look like mine (which I bought new a few years ago). The knobs on the Discovery look different (bright yellow and black). The biggest difference between the Discovery and the F-Lines (from what I know) is that the Discovery does not have a geared from standard, while the F-Lines do. There are different variations on the rail for the various F-Line cameras, which I make no claims to understand. And, some apparently have geared rise and fall (which again, the Discovery does not).

If you go out to the B&H site, you can get a pretty good handle on the different types of A-S cameras and see photos as well.

-Jen

Definitely, definitely, definitely buy VueScan, www.hamrick.com. It's far simpler than any other scanning program on the market and does a much better job.

The Epson 2450 is a good choice. It's probably fairly inexpensive right now. I bought it's predecessor, the 1640, shortly after the 2450 came out, and I really like it. I bought it directly from Epson for less than I could find it for retail (when I could find it). And don't be afraid of the refurbs from them.

-Jen

I do all sorts of things, hoping one of them will click. If you always shoot B&W, try color, IR. Play with some new filters. If you are generally a landscape shooter, do some urban work or portraits. Take your camera someplace new and don't leave until you've shot 4 sheets of film -- make it more interesting and don't let yourself move the tripod. I also find opening my favorite photography book or heading to the museum works wonders -- get some inspiration.

This may be a bit of blasphemy, but maybe try a different format for a bit. Go out with your 35mm (assuming you have one) and just go burn some film on something different -- you may find subjects you wouldn't have thought to use a full sheet of film on and I do find not needing the tripod to engage my creative juices on occasion.

My normal response would be to just walk away from it for a while, but it doesn't seem like that's an option.

-Jen

Jerry, the tripod block does indeed fit. The monorail does not, unless it is fitted into the tripod block (and to not do that would be just plain silly). I believe Jarrod has misread your question, as you say "tripod block for the ... monorail".

-Jen

Here's a link to our own Sandy Sorlien's site: <A HREF="http://www.sandysorlien.com/">http://www.sandysorlien.com/</A>.

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And, there's Paula Chamlee, of course. <A HREF="http://www.michaelandpaula.com">http://www.michaelandpaula.com</a> or <A HREF="http://www.paulachamlee.com">http://www.paulachamlee.com</A>.

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-Jen

If you needed a lens CLA'ed, you sent it to Steve.

If you needed a lensboard adapter, you sent it to Steve.

If you needed anything, anything at all, for photography machined or made, you sent it to Steve.

Not only could he make anything you could dream up and solve just about any photographic problem, but he was honest, fair, worked hard, and did extremely high quality work. His workmanship was unsurpassed. He charged a fair price. He was really one of a kind.

I know many others here had considerably more dealings with him than I did; he simply made me some lenscaps and Technika lensboard adapters. There are many posts here lauding his contributions and efforts.

http://www.skgrimes.com/ Check out his What's New section for some of his more interesting projects. In Large Format, where there aren't really any camera systems and ingenuity is required, Steve was the person you went to when you had "yet another hairbrained idea".

-Jen

I'm seconding what Ray said. You pulled the dark slide on the GG side for the first shot. Then, turned it over for the second shot and pulled the same dark slide. I could be wrong, but it makes sense at 3am.

-Jen

Ray, there are more answers to this post than you can shake a stick at in the archives.

But, having said that, I have the f64 BPX and love it. It is the only 8x10 backpack that I am aware of that can actually be carried onto plane (even with today's restrictions, I did it in Feb).

What it comes down to is what you intend to use it for. The f64 is great for me because it allows me to travel with it and walk reasonably short distances with it. It is not a pack I would use for anything more than a couple mile walk. If you are looking for a pack for day hikes, many people have found success with taking regular backpacks and wrapping the camera in something or building in a suspension system.

Anyway, as I said, spend some time perusing the archives where this has been beaten to death.

-Jen

I recently bought an 8x10 Nagaoka off of eBay -- you're right, there is no information available about it. The bellows go out to 22". It is lightweight, about 8 pounds. You're not going to be able to buy lensboards for it, but if you at all handy you can make some yourself. I made some temporary lensboards out of foamcore, which have worked great. However, looking for a more permanent solution, being less than handy, and wanting to be able to easily share lenses between cameras, opted to have Steve Grimes make an adapter for Technika lensboards, and an in the process of remounting all of my lenses on Technika boards.

In terms of movements, it has no front or rear shift, quite a bit of front and rear tilt (I run into bellows vignetting first), and limited swing both front and rear.

The front standard is geared, the back one is not. Rise and fall are not geared. It doesn't slide on the rails quite as smoothly as I would like, but I have been spoiled by an A-S.

I really like it. I think it is a good trade-off of price and weight and since most of my photography is done when I travel, the weight was important to me. My longest lens is a 420, so I haven't run into any bellows limitations yet, but if you use a lot of long lenses this probably isn't the camera for you.

-Jen

Here is a slightly older thread on the topic (a month or so ago). <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004XBU">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004XBU</A>

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-Jen

420 Repro Claron. I just picked one up from Jim Galli via eBay and it's a great lens.

-Jen

Ted, how about Kodak film in the Kodak holder? Or, get the Fuji holder for the Fuji film? People have had varying success with crossing brands, so if you are going to shoot pre-packaged exclusively I really think you should get the right tool for the job, which is the correct holder for the correct film brand.

-Jen

FWIW, I asked Ilford a year or so ago and they told me that the demand wasn't there. At least they were nice enough to answer me.

I totally agree, I would love to see it happen. I'm under the impression (as misguided as it may be) that sheet film demand is rising, be it ever so slightly, so perhaps another query would be worthwhile. I'm not sure what demand level would be necessary for them to consider it.

I wonder if part of their reluctance is because they only mfr B&W film? I don't use Kodak films, but my impression/hunch is that Kodak and Fuji's main push in making the pre-packaged films is for color film, which I would imagine is geared more towards the professional market, where the higher costs of the pre-packaged films can more easily be borne because the film cost is rebilled to the customer. And, once you have designed the film holder and packet designed and developed, adding one additional film is a considerably smaller incremental cost. Just my late-night musings....

-Jen

I'm going to second the vote for a tent, but I'm also wondering what your intended use is? I just bought the Harrison Pup Tent and am using it for both 4x5 as well as 8x10. It is not at all ideal for 8x10, but I had bought the "Standard" tent and found it far too large for traveling (so promptly exchanged it). The Pup fits perfectly in the top of my f64 BPX pack with just a bit of extra room for a lens or two. The standard would never fit into my pack along with the camera. And, since I like to fly with my camera, tent size was was really important to me. If I didn't have a darkroom at home, or planned on always traveling by car I'd go really big because the extra room is really nice.

-Jen

I had bought the standard tent, and promptly returned it. I swear I could have fit into it. And, for traveling I thought it takes up wayyy too much room in the backpack. It would not have fit in the top part of my F64 BPX pack (the Pup one barely does). Then, I read a traveling with LF article by Nathan Congdon who says he uses the Pup tent for 8x10. It is considerably smaller. I confess, I have yet to use it, but it's in my bag for my trip this weekend.

-Jen

If you read the book of Pyro, you will see that Gordon Hutchings raves on and on about the use of VC papers with PMK and encourages everyone to try it. Seeing how he basically invented the formula, it seems reasonable that this should be an workable combination. He does say, however, that "negatives calibrated for printing with graded paper will print softer on variable contrast paper". He also offers some tips for printing. I have a flight to catch or I'd include some of those tips, but the book is good reading anyway if you are going to be using Pyro.

-Jen

I'm with David. I use a Jobo drum (not expert) and the 2509N reels and throw the whole thing onto a Uniroller. Best thing since sliced bread. The Unirollers or Beseler's can be found for $30 or so if you are patient and shop around. I process 8 at a time and it's great.

-Jen

Did Kodak note that all film sales were down, or their film sales? To me this makes a big difference. I think LF is doing better than it was just a few years ago when I got into it, Bergger is a good example of this. I'm sure 35mm film sales have plummeted, but I just find it hard to believe that sheet film sales are declining as well. Yes, Kodak may stop making film, but I think there are other manufacturers that have and will fill that void.

Someone else raised the point that there are other professions that use film, medical radiology comes to mind. And, until there are tools out there that replace a good old chest x-ray, I can't see film manufacturing completely going away.

I suspect color is in much more jeopardy that B&W.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but I am enjoying it now and have no intentions of giving it up any time soon.

-Jen

David, according to Michael Smith, your reasoning is correct, it is the light our eyes can see best. It has nothing to do with film sensitivity. Are you sure your Wratten XI isn't a series and not a filter number? I thought all Wrattens were given numbers, and 11 is a shade of yellow. But, Series XI does exist as a push-on camera filter from what I can tell and from what I could find on the web are 5 7/16" diameter (and Per's bullet safelight is 5 1/2" in case that is where you are going, although that may work).

-Jen

I have the Discovery and really like it.

To address a few of the previous posters. The new Arca is to be released soon. According to what I could read of the German linkn someone provided, it will weigh 2KG and is 30% smaller. The trade-offs are listed in the other thread.

You can get an adapter (by Arca, Badger, or Steve Grimes) to take Technika boards so you don't have to carry around the 171mm lensboards. Very handy and highly recommended.

B&H has some of the best Arca information of anywhere on the web. The FStop does as well, but I find the B&H site easier to read.

Lastly, take a look at the rail before making a decision. The rail is 30cm, and one of the first things I did was buy the extension rail. It's really well made, but still something additional to buy. Another option is to get a telescoping or folding rail. I went with the extension, so I can't tell you much about it.

-Jen

Brian,

Someone above posted a link to footswitches. But, I'm proud to say I made my own. I'm not the handiest person on the planet, and had never done a wiring project before, but I put it together in about 20 minutes. It was less than $10 in hardware: extension cord, electrical tape, momentary on switch, and junction box to make it look pretty. I went to my local Ace Hardware, the guy that was working there helped me pick out everything I needed, gave me a 30-second tutorial and I was off and running. The hardest part was finding the momentary switch, I couldn't find them at the local big-box retails, but the local Ace store had 8 different types of "momentary on" switches.

-Jen

FWIW, Michael and Paula swear by nitrile gloves. From their web site: Nitrile Gloves: Best Manufacturing Co.

Nitrile gloves are impervious to hazardous chemicals, dry easily, and fit well with no slipping. Best Mfg. Co.is the manufacturer. They will refer you to a distributor in your area. www.bestglove.com

Also, Paula wears a respirator when using the PMK (both mixing and development). She has developed lung problems that she is convinced are from the years of darkroom chemicals. You can get them from many places, including your local big-box hardware retailer. Be sure to get the ones for "organic vapors". They run $20-30. She talks about this in the Azo forum on their web site. Different people have different tolerances, but I thought it was worth mentioning. I just started using Pyro and I bought a respirator; I was convinced I would hate wearing it, but it wasn't that terribly uncomfortable and I thought better safe than sorry.

-Jen