Deeper still...

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

Hi all,

Just looking for some sympathy here - I just returned from the US with a Shen-Hao 4x5 in tow. Shot and developed my first 4x5 film this weekend and apparently did everything right the first time around. Man, I love this camera... I can't believe all these movements.

Now I need a faithful mule to carry all that stuff.

Thanks for listening,

Antje

Trevor Crone · Mar 4, 2008

Hi Antje,

Welcome to the wonderful world of LF..........isn't it great?

Regards,
Trevor.

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

Trevor Crone said:
Hi Antje,

Welcome to the wonderful world of LF..........isn't it great?

Regards,
Trevor.

Yeah, it's certainly - big.

Antje

snallan · Mar 4, 2008

Nice one Antje, enjoy the camera.

Just beware the onset of "Format Lust". I loved my first 4x5 (still do ), but it didn't take too long before I bought a 5x7 camera. I thought that would do me, as I have a De Vere 507 enlarger, so obviously I don't need anything larger!

But now I have started drooling when I see full plate cameras come up on that auction site! But will that be large enough!! Why not 11x14, or, or, or 7x17!!! Oh NO! Where are the nice men with straight jackets, and padded cells when you need them!!!!!

Steve Smith · Mar 4, 2008

I know what you mean.

I have a piece of 5x4 sheet film on my desk right now as I am making plans to build a 5x4 enlarger! That should make me use my 5x4 camera more (and build another one).

Steve.

Barry S · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
...

Now I need a faithful mule to carry all that stuff.

Ha--the next best thing is a faithful male to carry your stuff. I thought I'd be happy with a 4x5 camera and one or two lenses. Within months I was looking at every lens listing and thinking about 8x10 and beyond. You start to think how nice those barrel lenses are, and then you think you might want a Speed Graphic for the shutter, and then you have to buy a bunch of Type 55 because it's going away. And so it goes...

keeds · Mar 4, 2008

Antje, it wont stop there. If I remember correctly you were after a HBlad system a while back, just like me. I've gone from that to 4x5 to 8x10 and am now waiting for Richard Ritter to build a 7x17 for me.... It's a very slippery slope, but it's worth it!!!!

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

snallan said:
Nice one Antje, enjoy the camera.

Just beware the onset of "Format Lust". I loved my first 4x5 (still do ), but it didn't take too long before I bought a 5x7 camera. I thought that would do me, as I have a De Vere 507 enlarger, so obviously I don't need anything larger!

But now I have started drooling when I see full plate cameras come up on that auction site! But will that be large enough!! Why not 11x14, or, or, or 7x17!!! Oh NO! Where are the nice men with straight jackets, and padded cells when you need them!!!!!

Steve, I appreciate your concern. But alas, it's too late. FAR too late. I'm already trying to hide my addiction from my husband... I told him that the Shen-Hao followed me home to the hotel one day. I swear he believes it... is there something like co-addiction in GAS, too?

Antje

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

Steve Smith said:
I know what you mean.

I have a piece of 5x4 sheet film on my desk right now as I am making plans to build a 5x4 enlarger! That should make me use my 5x4 camera more (and build another one).

Enlarger, there's an idea... I'm still hybrid at the moment, lacking a darkroom. Photography is wonderful, there's always room for, uhm, improvement!

Antje

snallan · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
Steve, I appreciate your concern. But alas, it's too late. FAR too late.

Noooooo!! Ah well. At least I tried!

Antje said:
I told him that the Shen-Hao followed me home to the hotel one day. I swear he believes it...

I know. Those cute little things just won't go home when you tell them to!

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

Barry S said:
Ha--the next best thing is a faithful male to carry your stuff. I thought I'd be happy with a 4x5 camera and one or two lenses. Within months I was looking at every lens listing and thinking about 8x10 and beyond. You start to think how nice those barrel lenses are, and then you think you might want a Speed Graphic for the shutter, and then you have to buy a bunch of Type 55 because it's going away. And so it goes...

I tried to harness my faithful male, but he refuses to carry anything more than my d*g*t*l equipment. I'm questioning my choice of spouse.

I *have* been eyeing Speed Graphics, but I make myself believe that you only need one large format camera. Yeah, right.

Antje

Nicole · Mar 4, 2008

Hi Antje, congratulations! Would love to see the result.

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

keeds said:
Antje, it wont stop there. If I remember correctly you were after a HBlad system a while back, just like me. I've gone from that to 4x5 to 8x10 and am now waiting for Richard Ritter to build a 7x17 for me.... It's a very slippery slope, but it's worth it!!!!

Yeah, and I know I could stop any minute. Really, I could.

You know, I still treasure the Blad, of course. Pathetic as it is, but that is my walkaround, lightweight landscape solution right now.

Antje

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

snallan said:
Noooooo!! Ah well. At least I tried!

I know. Those cute little things just won't go home when you tell them to!

You're doomed as soon as you look them in the lens, I tell you.

Antje

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

Nicole said:
Hi Antje, congratulations! Would love to see the result.

Thanks! As soon as I shoot something worth showing, I promise.

Antje

snallan · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
Enlarger, there's an idea... I'm still hybrid at the moment, lacking a darkroom. Photography is wonderful, there's always room for, uhm, improvement!

Antje

You could always try a little contact printing. 5x4s contacted using the Argyrotype, or Ziatype processes can be like little jewels. And the advantage is, you don't need a darkroom to do it, just dim lighting.

Oooops! I think I may be trying to lead you off down another trail from which there is no escape!

Antje · Mar 4, 2008

snallan said:
You could always try a little contact printing. 5x4s contacted using the Argyrotype, or Ziatype processes can be like little jewels. And the advantage is, you don't need a darkroom to do it, just dim lighting.

Oooops! I think I may be trying to lead you off down another trail from which there is no escape!

Yes. I should not have read that.

Googleing Argyrotype and Ziatype right now... What did you do!!!!! :rolleyes:

Antje

Trevor Crone · Mar 4, 2008

Don't forget POP (printing out paper). Wonderful little gems when contact printing 5x4.

snallan · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
Yes. I should not have read that.

Googleing Argyrotype and Ziatype right now... What did you do!!!!! :rolleyes:

Antje

Sorry!

And Trevor is right, PO Paper can give gorgeous results.

papagene · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
Yeah, and I know I could stop any minute. Really, I could.

You know, I still treasure the Blad, of course. Pathetic as it is, but that is my walkaround, lightweight landscape solution right now.

Antje

With a 4x5 and a 5x7 my Fuji GW670II & GSW690III are my "Small" cameras!!
Have fun and post some of your first photos from the Shen.

gene

phaedrus · Mar 4, 2008

Congratulations from me, too. My son has a Shen-Hao as well and he, being 14 and slight of build, got thoroughly fed up with schlepping it around before I lent im one of my not so old (don't ask!) photo backpacks. Now he barely minds being his own mule.

Jim Jones · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
I tried to harness my faithful male, but he refuses to carry anything more than my d*g*t*l equipment. I'm questioning my choice of spouse. . . .
Antje

Wise question. A good camera will last for many decades, and still function perfectly.

k_jupiter · Mar 4, 2008

Y'all have done it now. Here she has already bought the camera, now she realizes it's a lot cheaper to build a contact frame than an enlarger, next will come the realization that cyanotypes can be made with easily obtainable chemicals and a bit of sunlight, then she will realize that 11x14 contact prints look AMAZINGLY great!

Shame on all of you. *L*

tim (I got the GAS) in san jose

And yes Antje, you do need a Speed Graphic (5x7 if I had my way)

David Grenet · Mar 4, 2008

Antje said:
I tried to harness my faithful male, but he refuses to carry anything more than my d*g*t*l equipment. I'm questioning my choice of spouse.

I *have* been eyeing Speed Graphics, but I make myself believe that you only need one large format camera. Yeah, right.

Antje

Correction - one large format camera *per format*

I got my 8x10 in the post 2 days ago...

David.

Curt · Mar 4, 2008

You know a while back I just had to get one of those Shen Hao 4x5 cameras too, bought it from Badger Graphics, a great place. You could spend a life time with that camera and not need anything more. They have a roll film back for it too. 4x5 is often over looked in the scheme of larger format and ultra formats. It's a complete wooden field camera that does the job and travels nicely in a back pack. Have a lot of fun with it.

Curt

Deeper still...

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency