Finally assembling my 4x5 kit

[Wolfram Malukker]

I've been working on getting this together for a while now. I have acquired the following:

Toyo 45A with rotating back, needs new bellows: Paid 122$, opened the box and found a new bellows kit inside the camera!

Ilex 7.5" lens in Ilex #3 shutter. (I mounted the barrel lens into the shutter, all measurements between this particular barrel and shutter matched)
Schneider 135mm lens in Copal 1 shutter, shutter liked to stick but after exercising it it's fine now
Schneider convertible 150mm/265mm in Synchro-Compur, 1/400 sticks badly and doesn't work all other speeds work.
Goerz Red Dot Artar 9 1/2" refitted to Ilex #3.
Ross Wide Angle Xpres 5 1/4", not fitted into a shutter yet. Need to figure out how to disassemble to clean the grease off the rear group, lots of haze. No scratches though, and I'd like to keep it that way!

Sekonic L-478D lightmeter. I don't have the spot meter attachment yet, time will tell if I really need/want it. Still gotta learn to use it as it is!

And the final bit-the tripod. I have a tripod that I use for my smaller cameras, but it is a bit too floppy for how heavy it is. The legs only go halfway up, then the column goes up from there. I have purchased a used Gitzo GT-1932, which from everything I can find is rated for 16kg, and my camera is 3kg, so I hope it will be stable enough for the job.

I am thinking I will put the 135mm lens, the 7.5" lens, and the 9 1/2" lens on lensboards for now. Those shutters work, and the lenses are clean.

I do not yet have a dark cloth, and I still need to install the new bellows.

I have a few more Ilex lenses, but I think one or two at a time is all I will carry for now. Any suggestions on things I need to get/fix/do yet?

 

[xkaes]

Sounds like a great outfit. I recently got a Toyo View C at a great price. I sold the lens that came with it, so I actually made money. And like you, the bellows needed replacing. But unlike you, a new bellows did NOT come with the camera, but I was able to get one with the money I made, and managed to install it -- I did it myself and used the old bellows frames.

As to the meter, I assume it has a white incident dome. That's all you need, unless to want to go down the "spot meter rabbit hole".

 

[gbroadbridge]

Sounds like you have put together a great kit. You have a lot more than I have in that format.
Definitely you can start with that lightmeter. I have a spot meter but these days just use incident readings.

You need to think about processing equipment

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

Processing-wise I have some paterson tanks and 3D printed film holders, one that holds 3 sheets, one that holds 6 sheets but not the way I want, and a 4-sheet version that I've been dabbling with for a while.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Processing-wise I have some paterson tanks and 3D printed film holders, one that holds 3 sheets, one that holds 6 sheets but not the way I want, and a 4-sheet version that I've been dabbling with for a while.

Way to go ... I've been using trays for years, but sometimes it gets a little tedious in the dark.

 

[blee1996]

Processing-wise I have some paterson tanks and 3D printed film holders, one that holds 3 sheets, one that holds 6 sheets but not the way I want, and a 4-sheet version that I've been dabbling with for a while.

Be aware of some 3D printed film holder for Paterson tank: they look like will work well, but might have some under-development issues near edges. You can run some test sheets first before committing to more important sheets.

On the other hand, Mod 54 reels works well for me in Paterson tank.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Any suggestions on things I need to get/fix/do yet?

Got a focusing loupe ?

 

[mshchem]

This is expensive example, look around and you'll find these.

Kodak 4x5 Hard Rubber Developing Tank, 3 4x5 Sheet Film Hangers | eBay

An original Kodak 4x5 developing tank in a used, but good condition. 3 stainless steel film hangers for 4x5 negatives also come with the tank, in good condition.

www.ebay.com

 

[bdial]

A dark cloth is easy if you have any fabric stores left in your area. An alternative that works well is a black or darkly colored xxl or xxxl t-shirt.

 

[Kino]

A dark cloth is easy if you have any fabric stores left in your area. An alternative that works well is a black or darkly colored xxl or xxxl t-shirt.

I once saw a young man use a black, fleece hoodie as a dark cloth. He simply grabbed the bottom of the hoodie (while wearing it) and turned it inside-out, leaving his head in the hood.
He literally wore his dark cloth! Not a long term practical solution, but in a pinch...

 

[Tel]

My advice: stop thinking about gear. Pick a lens or two, mount those bellows and go out and shoot!

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

Got a focusing loupe ?

Yes, I have a Peak 7x loupe that I use in the machine shop often.

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

My advice: stop thinking about gear. Pick a lens or two, mount those bellows and go out and shoot!

I've already mounted the camera with no bellows on my current tripod, and it was very wobbly. Thus, as soon as I get this brand used tripod in, I am going to go do exactly that!

 

[gbroadbridge]

I've already mounted the camera with no bellows on my current tripod, and it was very wobbly. Thus, as soon as I get this brand used tripod in, I am going to go do exactly that!

Long shutter release cable and a calm day.

 

[btaylor]

I once saw a young man use a black, fleece hoodie as a dark cloth. He simply grabbed the bottom of the hoodie (while wearing it) and turned it inside-out, leaving his head in the hood.
He literally wore his dark cloth! Not a long term practical solution, but in a pinch...

I was out a few months ago and there was a pretty stiff breeze, darkcloth blew all over the place and acted like a sail. The inside out black tee shirt worked a charm, however.

 

[Peter Schrager]

film holders??

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

I've got 5 good film holders, and I have some 15" shutter release cables. I will try to find a longer one, if they don't suit me weekend-after-next, when I get a chance to go shoot it.

Next weekend I have to go move my little brother.

 

[Rod Klukas]

Got a focusing loupe ?

On focusing aids, do not go above 4-5x, with 6x the ceiling. Around 2-4x best. At 6x you just begin magnify the grind on the ground glass and/or the fresnel. This interferes with clear focus of objects in scene.

Just good view camera technique.

Be well,

Rod

 

[abruzzi]

On focusing aids, do not go above 4-5x, with 6x the ceiling. Around 2-4x best. At 6x you just begin magnify the grind on the ground glass and/or the fresnel. This interferes with clear focus of objects in scene.

yup. I have a number of loupes, but I find the inexpensive Toyo 3.6x loupe works the best.

 

[haw]

The great thing about the Toyo system is there are many useful accessories. Highly recommend a reflex viewer or focusing hood in addition to the dark cloth. Maybe a Toyo 67/69 roll film back so you can use 120. And maybe a changing bag for loading film in the field.

 

[Rick A]

I've already mounted the camera with no bellows on my current tripod, and it was very wobbly. Thus, as soon as I get this brand used tripod in, I am going to go do exactly that!

Weigh your camera with the heaviest lens you own and choose a tripod that is rated for at least 2-3 times more than that for stability. I use a tripod that's rated for 33 pounds plus a pan head rated for 26 pounds for my 4x5 and 5x7 cameras. My 8x10 sits on a tripod rated for 44 pounds. Decide if you want carbon fiber, wood, or alloy legs, wood and CF legs dampen vibration better but generally cost more, set a budget.

 

[Wolfram Malukker]

I worked out that the camera with the heaviest lens I have is 7.2lbs, including a filmholder and the dark cloth hanging on it. I bought a 3 section tripod rated for 15lbs, made from basalt fibre so it's lighter than aluminum but has similar damping characteristics to carbon fibre, and it was a nearly new unit from the wear I can find.

I've got the Toyo, my Schneider 135mm lens and 10 sheets of Plus X loaded for my week long trip to the mountains, (among the other cameras, just in case!) so we'll see how many sheets I can mess up in a week!