I bought a 5X7 camera

Matt5791 · Nov 8, 2006

Further to my previous thread about the best route into LF I have now acquired an Agfa Ansco 5X7 camera - infact it was the one that I had previously seen on ebay and mentioned on the other thread, which got relisted.

So I'm on the look out for various acessories now such as film holders, lenses developing tank etc.

Should be fun!

photobum · Nov 8, 2006

Good luck Matt. I started 5x7 about a year and a half ago. Mostly because 8x10 Pt/Pd was so expensive. Then I was looking at those negatives and thinking, wow this would make a really nice enlargement.

Now I have a 5x7 Durst stuffed into the darkroom. Good 5x7 holders can be hard to find. They all seem to be beat up with 75 years of dust stuck inside. But the shape of 5x7 is just right.

Jim Rhoades

mark · Nov 8, 2006

Welcome to the addiction.

FIlm holders are not as bad as Jim states. Good ones can be had for a good price. Just be patient. All of my 5x7 holders are old wooden ones and they were very easy to clean, and work perfect.

I love the 5x7 aspect.

TheFlyingCamera · Nov 8, 2006

Welcome to the odd cousin in the LF family. I really like the format and the size now too. I'm actually thinking of selling off my 4x5 since I have a reducing back for the 5x7 as well. My only complaint/regret is that color emulsions are harder to come by for it.

Roger Hicks · Nov 8, 2006

Matt5791 said:
Further to my previous thread about the best route into LF I have now acquired an Agfa Ansco 5X7 camera - infact it was the one that I had previously seen on ebay and mentioned on the other thread, which got relisted.

So I'm on the look out for various acessories now such as film holders, lenses developing tank etc.

Should be fun!

Dear Matt,

Great! One of the three greatest formats in the world! (The others are half-plate and 13x18cm, all interchangeable in the same camera).

Forget about tanks though. Try a modified Paterson Orbital.

Cheers,

R.

Jim Noel · Nov 8, 2006

AS. FLying Camera" says, welcome to the odd cousin in the LF family. My trusty old 57 Deardorff is by far my most used camera. The compromise in size of negative and weight between it and my 45 and 810 Deardorffs makes it very attractive to me. ALso, I love the aspect ratio. It seems much more decisive when photogrpahing in vertical or horizontal.
I have never understood why it is the "Ugly SIster". It is beautiful for hand crafted images, and the enlarger is not too massive when I choose to use that method of printing.
ENjoy it!

athanasius80 · Nov 8, 2006

Welcome to the family. My first LF was a 5x7 Korona, I now seem to have 4 of them. 5x7 is a nice size, the contact prints are impressive on their own, and at least until the last couple years, it seems like the lenses were cheaper too.
Enjoy!

ragc · Nov 12, 2006

Welcome!

I shoot with a 5x7 Korona View and love the negative. You will be hooked badly very soon! BTW, I have found a good number of wooden and more modern metal and plastic filmholders inexpensively and in good working order on eBay. Just bid judiciously... all 16 of mine work well.

sanking · Nov 12, 2006

Matt5791 said:
Further to my previous thread about the best route into LF I have now acquired an Agfa Ansco 5X7 camera - infact it was the one that I had previously seen on ebay and mentioned on the other thread, which got relisted.

So I'm on the look out for various acessories now such as film holders, lenses developing tank etc.

Should be fun!

My condolences. My first view camera was also a 5X7.

The only problem is that the negatives you make with it will be so wonderful you will start to think that negatives from larger formats would be even greater. So you will eventually start thinking about a 11X14, or 7X17, or lord forbid, even a 20X24.

LOL,

Sandy King

John Kasaian · Nov 13, 2006

Congratulatioin! The Agfa Anscos are a fine cameras and like other have mentioned, used wooden film holders are a fine choice as well. Jim at MidWest Photographic should be able to fix you up if you don't want to wait to score on eBay (and the prices and service will probably be better from MidWest too)

Have fun!

Rolleiflexible · Nov 13, 2006

Roger Hicks said:
Forget about tanks though.

I hold Roger in the very highest esteem, but here I part company with him. I shoot a lot of 5x7 TXP -- see my avatar to the left. Typically I shoot 22 sheets of 5x7 in a session and process them in 3 Jobo expert tanks: 2 Jobo 3006s, and one Jobo 3005. The 3006s hold 6 5x7 negatives apiece. The 3005 has 5 tubes suitable for 8x10 negatives. I tape the long edges of two negatives together, making a single 7x10 sheet, and insert them both into a single tube -- that way I can process 10 5x7s in the 3005 at one time. The only drawback to this is that the antihalation dyes stay underneath the tape. I wash my sheets in a print washer, and after 45 minutes in the washer the dyes are all gone.

I find the Jobo expert tanks are a great way to process 5x7 sheets. I don't bother with the Jobo base units -- I let them turn on old Chromega and Beseler motor bases. The tanks are pricey but they are worth it.

Sanders McNew

Roger Hicks · Nov 13, 2006

Dear Sanders,

Fair enough, and the esteem is mutual.

The problem is that I was thinking about deep tanks with holders, or any other readily available tank that I had seen and used and the Jobo did not fall into either category. With your endorsement I may look out for the tanks in question!

In other words, I offer the same excuse as Dr. Johnson did for when a woman asked him why he defined 'pastern' as 'the knee of a horse': "Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance.

I'd still tout the Orbital for small quantities, though.

Cheers,

R.

galyons · Nov 14, 2006

I think that you will enjoy the aspect ratio. It really is a different perspective than the 4x5, 8x10 progression. Contact printing and enlarging make sense depending on the subject matter. Let us know how you progress!! But most of all go out and shoot!!

Cheers,
Geary

Christopher D. Keth · Nov 16, 2006

sanking said:
My condolences. My first view camera was also a 5X7.

The only problem is that the negatives you make with it will be so wonderful you will start to think that negatives from larger formats would be even greater. So you will eventually start thinking about a 11X14, or 7X17, or lord forbid, even a 20X24.

LOL,

Sandy King

*sigh* IT'S TRUE! ALL TRUE!!

Donald Miller · Nov 16, 2006

I am adding 5X7 into my stable of formats. I found a Wisner technical field with both 4X5 and 5X7 backs. Just waiting for film to arrive.

I think that this will probably be my most used format since I have enlarging equipment for 5X7 whereas my 8X10 is contact printed only.

c6h6o3 · Nov 17, 2006

TheFlyingCamera said:
Welcome to the odd cousin in the LF family. I really like the format and the size now too. I'm actually thinking of selling off my 4x5 since I have a reducing back for the 5x7 as well. My only complaint/regret is that color emulsions are harder to come by for it.

It's hard to believe that they still make this, but sometimes the gods do smile upon us. My favorite film ever is still made in 5x7, and by Kodak no less.

Ole · Nov 17, 2006

If you add few 13x18cm holders, there are even more film emulsions available. Even Kodak films.

Ted Harris · Nov 18, 2006

I'll add my endorrsement of the Jobo 3006 tanks, I use three of them. As for emulsions, Ole is absolutely correct. You cand see my chart on all the available emulsions at http://www.viewcamera.com/pdf/2006/5x713x18filmtable.pdf please note that Kodak has since discontinued all 5x7 color films. I am now updating the chart.

If I have missed anything please let me know.

Matt5791 · Nov 20, 2006

Thanks for the replies everyone.

my calculations show that 13X18cm is only marginally larger than 5X7" - so I'm assumng that the film holders have the same external dimensions and are therefore interchangeable with no modifications to the camera?

Thanks,
Matt

Ole · Nov 20, 2006

Matt, your calculations are correct. The holders are indeed interchangeable even if the film is not. Or - it's been reported that some 13x18 film cut on the small side of the tolerance can fit in some 5x7" holders without problems, and that some large 5x7" films will stay in place in 14x18 holders. I've never had that kind of luck, though...

Soeren · Nov 21, 2006

What is the status on 13X18 films?
I have seen Efke and Foma but how about Ilford?
Are there still colorfilms (Slides) in 5X7/13X18? Or will one have to step down to 4X5"
Cheers
Søren

Jerevan · Nov 21, 2006

The word on Ilford is that they supply 13x18, to my knowledge, in at least FP4. I think if you look at the availability list on their site, you can find out more. Velvia is available in 5x7 but I haven't looked for colour negative film, so I don't know about that.

BTW, Soeren, have you had any luck with finding a 5x7/13x18 camera yet?

Ole · Nov 21, 2006

Nordfoto.de still offers several Kodak slide films in 13x18, as well as HP5. I know that Ilford makes other 13x18 films as well - I wish they would set up a web shop!

Jerevan · Nov 21, 2006

Ole said:
I wish they would set up a web shop!

Amen to that. That would make things a lot easier for me, definitely. But I guess it might kill off the normal distribution net, which probably is why it hasn't been done.

Soeren · Nov 21, 2006

Last time I looked on the Ilford site they only mentiond 5X7". I took that as an update issue which you both kind of confirm.
My vote too for the Ilford web shop
Cheers
Søren

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