First Large Format (Ignorance and Expense)

[Mal Paso]

Effects cannot precede their causes.

Works for mechanical stuff, not sure it applies to the Universe.

 

[Vaughn]

Works for mechanical stuff, not sure it applies to the Universe.

Ask any Tralfamadorian. They know.

 

[AnselMortensen]

....and so it goes.

 

[John Patrick Garriga]

JP, dry fire your 210 at all the slow speeds and see if this is an occasional thing. The real answer is the shutter likely needs cleaning. If you just bought it..... see if KEH will service it. If it's a Copal shutter..... Copal is the manufacturer....Schneider made the lenses....not the shutters.

It seems to have only happened at one second. It hasn't happened in a good long while, thankfully.

 

[John Patrick Garriga]

My goodness, a field camera may be in the near future. I'm a natural born pack-mule but when I loaded up all my gear it weighed about 50, 55 pounds. Somehow I managed to fit it in my bag, granted the camera was sticking out of the top and my tripod was dangling off to the side, and that didn't include my meal I had to stash in my tripod. The weight isn't the worst issue so much as the bulk, OH the bulk. I think I'll see how it goes with the Sinar for a while before I do anything else.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

My goodness, a field camera may be in the near future. I'm a natural born pack-mule but when I loaded up all my gear it weighed about 50, 55 pounds.

Ouch!

I carry a Wista DX, four lenses, six filmholders, spot meter, filters and accessories. My kit, plus pack, weighs in at just below 22 pounds.

My monorails are for studio/indoor use only. My lenses are all small, the largest being a Nikkor 90mm f/8. I like lightweight.

Doremus

 

[John Patrick Garriga]

Ouch!

I carry a Wista DX, four lenses, six filmholders, spot meter, filters and accessories. My kit, plus pack, weighs in at just below 22 pounds...

Doremus

FOUR LENSES!? I only carried two, a 210 and 300.

 

[GregY]

It seems to have only happened at one second. It hasn't happened in a good long while, thankfully.

Good to hear. With the cost of sheet film, it's a common habit to dry fire the shutter. I don't think i've ever used an LF exposure outside the range of 1/2 sec - 1/30th.... so all the other speeds would likely be out....

 

[Cedavis2nd]

You do not need to modify a camera to take dry (or wet) plates. You just need the right plate holder. (Not a FILM holder - a PLATE holder. Chamonix makes an excellent one)

+1 on Chamonix holders.

 

[MTGseattle]

@John Patrick Garriga How crazy big is your tripod if you can stash a meal in it? It's good to hear that you're out burning film.
I just scanned through this whole thread again, and I'm not sure what I would be thinking had I been given this breadth and scope of info prior to shooting or simply checking out the school's 4x5 and giving it a go as I did. No discredit intended towards anyone. There's a lot of valid and useful info in these 10 pages but view it through the eyes of a "beginner."

 

[Doremus Scudder]

FOUR LENSES!? I only carried two, a 210 and 300.

Well, I'll bet my four lenses together weigh less than your two. My usual kit consists of a Nikkor 90mm f/8 (the largest of the bunch), a small 135mm f/5.6 Plasmat, an Ektar 203mm f/7.7 and either a Nikkor M 300mm f/9 or a Fujinon A 240mm f/9. I have other lenses I'll switch in and out depending on where I'm working. For close quarters I'll add a Fujinon SW 75mm f/5.6 and leave out the longest lens, etc.

Doremus

 

[abruzzi]

Well, I'll bet my four lenses together weigh less than your two. My usual kit consists of a Nikkor 90mm f/8 (the largest of the bunch), a small 135mm f/5.6 Plasmat, an Ektar 203mm f/7.7 and either a Nikkor M 300mm f/9 or a Fujinon A 240mm f/9. I have other lenses I'll switch in and out depending on where I'm working. For close quarters I'll add a Fujinon SW 75mm f/5.6 and leave out the longest lens, etc.

Doremus

I love tiny lenses, especially the Ektar 203mm--one of my absolute favorites, and bought for $60 "as-is" from KEH. My 150 is either a G-Claron or a ƒ5.6 Xenar. Then a 100mm Wide Field Ektar. All combined probably weigth less than a 300mm Plasmat.

 

[RudyMerz]

@John Patrick Garriga Why is your backpack so heavy? My Lowepro ProTactic weighs 17 pounds with a F2, Nikon W 150mm, compendium bellow, 3 holders and other small stuff. If I add my tripod with ball head it is about 25 pounds.

Best,
Rudy

 

[Donald Qualls]

Maybe he's got an RB67 in there too...

 

[John Patrick Garriga]

Maybe he's got an RB67 in there too...

Close, I brought my Ricohflex vii. My gear is just heavy I suppose. My tripod head weighs a good few pounds I reckon.

 

[SodaAnt]

My goodness, a field camera may be in the near future. I'm a natural born pack-mule but when I loaded up all my gear it weighed about 50, 55 pounds. Somehow I managed to fit it in my bag, granted the camera was sticking out of the top and my tripod was dangling off to the side, and that didn't include my meal I had to stash in my tripod. The weight isn't the worst issue so much as the bulk, OH the bulk. I think I'll see how it goes with the Sinar for a while before I do anything else.

When I got into LF for landscape years ago, I thought a monorail camera was the way to go, so I bought a Sinar F1. After one trip, with all the associated gear I said uncle (and I’m 6’5” 250 lbs) and bought a field camera. The F1 was relegated to still life in the studio. I eventually upgraded to a Sinar P before selling the whole kit and caboodle and converting to digital.

 

[Sirius Glass]

When I got into LF for landscape years ago, I thought a monorail camera was the way to go, so I bought a Sinar F1. After one trip, with all the associated gear I said uncle (and I’m 6’5” 250 lbs) and bought a field camera. The F1 was relegated to still life in the studio. I eventually upgraded to a Sinar P before selling the whole kit and caboodle and converting to digital.

I brought a 4"x5" Pacemaker Speed Graphic which I can use for landscape and architecture on a tripod or hand held. I also have a 4"x5" Graflex Model D for kicks.

 

[Axelwik]

Close, I brought my Ricohflex vii. My gear is just heavy I suppose. My tripod head weighs a good few pounds I reckon.

There are ways to lighten the load. My 5x7 kit with two lenses and 2 or 3 film holders weighs about 10 pounds without a tripod. About the same for my 4x5 kit. I've found that bringing too much stuff, other than being a heavy burden, stifles my creativity. Keep it simple and you'll be rewarded.

 

[Rick A]

My goodness, a field camera may be in the near future. I'm a natural born pack-mule but when I loaded up all my gear it weighed about 50, 55 pounds. Somehow I managed to fit it in my bag, granted the camera was sticking out of the top and my tripod was dangling off to the side, and that didn't include my meal I had to stash in my tripod. The weight isn't the worst issue so much as the bulk, OH the bulk. I think I'll see how it goes with the Sinar for a while before I do anything else.

Seriously!?! My 8x10 kit weighs half that.