Does anyone shoot LF handheld?

darinwc · Apr 7, 2006

I love using the rangefinder on my Century Graphic to shoot handheld.

I've been thinking of gettign a 4x5 crown graphic or RB graflex to shoot on a monopod. Anyone here shoot handheld using a rangefinder, fixed focus, or LF slr?

philldresser · Apr 7, 2006

Ole shoots 5x7 handheld

Phill

removed account4 · Apr 7, 2006

hi darin --

i shoot my speed graphic and rb/series d (both 4x5) handheld.
i documented some buildings being knocked down in boston and providence just this way with a speed graphic ... (the hotel avery + the olde outlet department store )

the recent views of buildings in providence at night were all handheld with the rb.

i have thought of using a monopod with both ( thanks to ara g, i realize my tiltall is a monopod too ) ... but never done it ...

john

df cardwell · Apr 7, 2006

shot bicycle races with an 8x10 handheld.....

Dave Wooten · Apr 7, 2006

The Wave of the Future

Crown graphic with press shutter-re sets after each shot---90 mm angulon-vintage--at infintiy @ 10 ft or so, stopped down....I don't use the rangefinder, just point and fire....sometimes aim with the flip up sports finder, composition will become 2nd nature after awhile, it is really no big deal, SOP for news photographers for 50 years ... I do street stuff, you can practice with a 120 back, the beauty of it is people will think your nuts waving the graflex around and going through your loading routine etc... in my case they are probably not far off, have been using also 612 and 617 backs, the graflex is indeed the next wave of the future, it is the best, the most affordable system, and the most fun....everyone should have a couple, you can pack a roll back or two loaded, color and b and w, and also 5 to 10 4 x 5 holders, the camera you carry, loaded either open or closed, everything else fits in one "Blaze-On" bag, over the shoulder (I prefer the green one, you better call Matt right now!).......... Wee Gee is alive and well in the Mojave desert...stay tuned...... oops you said large format....sorry...

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 7, 2006

Sure--4x5" Linhof Tech V and 5x7" Press Graflex SLR. Here are some 4x5" handheld shots I've posted before (click the image to cycle through about a half dozen or so)--

http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/halloween

There are a couple of good threads on this topic at the lfphoto.info forum.

Dave Wooten · Apr 7, 2006

Hello Dave G,

Those are great!.....perfect example of the inherent quality of these formats! BTW I also like your "Suckling Pigs" shot, but can t remember where I saw it...

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 7, 2006

Dave Wooten said:
Hello Dave G,

Those are great!.....perfect example of the inherent quality of these formats! BTW I also like your "Suckling Pigs" shot, but can t remember where I saw it...

Here you go, Dave--

but this was with a 6x6 Voigtlander Superb TLR, if I remember correctly. Fairway Market and Columbia University have been buying up all the buildings on this street. I'm not sure if this sign is still there, but if it is, it won't be for long.

Pinholemaster · Apr 7, 2006

Yep

Speed and Crown Graphic cameras handheld.

It's amazing how spontaneously you can shoot with these cameras. Guess that's why they were press cameras!

Have fun!!!

ricksplace · Apr 7, 2006

You becha! Pre-Anny Speed with a 127/4.5 Ektar, viewfinder with the right mask, and the rangefinder set for that lens. I also have the dreaded "graflex" back. (you remove the gg to fit the filmholder -the kind with the groove down the sides) It also fits the bagmags. I have four. 12 shots each.
A steam train came through town about 2 years ago, and stopped at the local station. I shot two bags of negs (24), some while the train was moving, some while stopped, all handheld. I thought it would be fun to shoot the train with a camera from the same era. The bystanders thought it was pretty cool too. I have a 16X20 in my livingroom from one of those negs. I'll scan a few of them and post them as soon as I can get over to my brother's place. I don't even own a scanner. If you want to handhold shoot with a 4X5, I really recommend a speed graphic with a bagmag. No fumbling with film holders. Just fit the bagmag and fire away. Frame with the viewfinder, and focus with the rangefinder. Not much different than shooting medium format. Shooting at sunny 16, the focus is pretty forgiving anyway.

Since you don't use the gg, you have to remember to open the focal plane shutter to use the lens shutter. Don't ask me how I know this.

Rick.

ps.
The bagmag is sort of like a manual grafmatic. It holds 12 septums (thin steel filmholders). After exposing a shot, you pull a lever that moves the exposed septum into a leather bag. You then manually manipulate the septum back into the mag behind the unexposed septums. Each septum is numbered and you can see the numbers through a red window (like roll film) so you always know how many shots you have exposed. It sounds more difficult than it really is. It's simple and fast once you get the hang of it.

Dave Wooten · Apr 7, 2006

Thanks,
Dave,
that a classic, Suckling Pigs Sold Here, can't you just imagine that door "back in the day"!

also the halloween stuff is very very sharp, the one of the costumed bystanders especially....what light did you use? powder, bulb, or vivitar, quantuums?

bart Nadeau · Apr 7, 2006

With a bit of looking you can also find 18 shot film Graflex bag mags.

AZLF · Apr 7, 2006

Crown graphic. Mine has been stripped of its rangefinder and sports finder frame by a previous owner so I have to either focus on the fly or preset and use it as a somewhat large point and shoot. I have done both on different occasions.

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 7, 2006

Also a fan of Grafmatics, Kinematics and bag mags.

Dave Wooten said:
also the halloween stuff is very very sharp, the one of the costumed bystanders especially....what light did you use? powder, bulb, or vivitar, quantuums?

Thanks, Dave. Norman 200C pack with a GVI Vari-Strobe head and a plain 5" reflector on those shots. The GVI was the precursor of Quantum, I believe. It looks like something made out of Radio Shack parts, but it can do some fancy things like non-TTL auto fill flash and it takes all the Norman reflectors and diffusers.

John Kasaian · Apr 7, 2006

4x5 & 5x7 Graphics & 8x10 Gowland. Hey, it fun! I used the sports finder.

BrianShaw · Apr 7, 2006

Yes... SuperGraphic with 135 Optar using rangefinder and electric shutter release... 4x5 and roll-film backs.

paul ewins · Apr 7, 2006

4x5 Speed Graphics and 4x5 RB Auto Graflex. I've got the bag mag for the Auto but find it too awkward. I much prefer grafmatics.

Dorothy Blum Cooper · Apr 7, 2006

Yep! Crown Graphic handheld.

Aggie · Apr 7, 2006

Littman handheld

Ole · Apr 8, 2006

philldresser said:
Ole shoots 5x7 handheld

That's "shot", not "shoots". I was also shot once shooting 5x7" handheld...

I now limit myself to 9x12cm and 6.5x9cm plate cameras for handheld shooting.

jp80874 · Apr 8, 2006

Bob Herbst, ww.bobherbst.com shoots an 8x10 Hobo hand held. This is the camera he got from Bostick & Sullivan. He has not mentioned shooting his 12x20 old style "heavy" Wisner hand held.

John Powers

df cardwell · Apr 8, 2006

Is it time for somebody to start whining about not being able to tilt and swing and scheimflug ?

Nah. 4x5 is just a box, and is SUPPOSED to be shot hand held.

Now, does anybody shoot CIRKUT hand held ? WITH FLASH ???

.

Len Robertson · Apr 9, 2006

"Now, does anybody shoot CIRKUT hand held ? WITH FLASH ???" df - see this post: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) No mention of flash, although I've heard panning a floodlight as the Cirkut rotates. Flash might take a looong duration flash bulb.

Last weekend I used a 4X5 Crown on a monopod for the first time. It seemed to work really well; much handier than a tripod. I was at a horse-drawn plowing meet, and could set myself at a spot where the teams would come, then shoot as they walked into the field of the wire frame finder. Resting the camera on the monopod made it easier to concentrate on the subject. I could have used a tripod, but it was difficult to get three legs to "settle" into soft dirt. Also, around horses, there is always a chance of having suddenly get out of the way of some disaster and running is easier with a monopod.

I took regular sheet film holders mainly because I had some cleaned and was too lazy to clean a couple of Graphmatics. Big mistake. It was cold and windy and Graphmatics would have been much, much handier than regular holders. It had rained enough that dust wasn't a problem, but I can see Graphmatics would far more dustproof.

joneil · Apr 9, 2006

I often use a monopod with my crown and super graphics, and it works surpizingly well. I even get some movements in too, depending on the subject.

Also, I dunno if this counts as "cheating" in terms of hand holding, but I'll often lean against a fence, wall, railing, etc, when shooting 4x5 sans tripod. Lean against a wall while using a monopod can be almost just as steady as using a tripod.

joe

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 9, 2006

joneil said:
Also, I dunno if this counts as "cheating" in terms of hand holding, but I'll often lean against a fence, wall, railing, etc, when shooting 4x5 sans tripod. Lean against a wall while using a monopod can be almost just as steady as using a tripod.

joe

I'd say that's part of the technique--not cheating at all.

Does anyone shoot LF handheld?

darinwc

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