I unexpectedly find myself a large format shooter and need processing advice

sly · Nov 25, 2012

So, adelorenzo, got enough advice yet?

cepwin · Nov 25, 2012

LOL Sirius but ain't that the truth.....I'm nowhere near at your level and since joining I've both a Yashica 35 electro, debonair (similar to holga), Graflex 22, light meter, flash for Nikon FG, film, paper, etc. And yesterday I ordered a Patterson 4 tank that can develop 2 rolls of 120 or 4 rolls of 35

adelorenzo · Nov 25, 2012

sly said:
So, adelorenzo, got enough advice yet?

I'll take everything I can get.

Seriously though thanks everybody for all the really helpful replies. I'll try some different stuff and see what works best for me.

I'm still in disbelief about what I picked up. I paid $190 for a Toyo CX 45, Rodenstock 150mm lens, four film holders, 50 sheets of Tmax 100 and a cable release. Everything in like-new condition.

It turns out that my scanner (Epson 500) won't do large format so I'll have to make contacts and scan those, but for the time being here is a partial scan of my first-ever successful sheet of 4x5 film. The top and bottom of the frame are cropped by the scanner, unfortunately. I didn't have a lot of light for ISO 100 film so had to shoot at 1/30 which mean's it's not pin sharp but I'm still really excited about the possibilities of this camera. This is basically a straight scan all I did was a little bit of highlight recovery.

Bill Burk · Nov 25, 2012

adelorenzo,

Looks good already. Doesn't look like you need to rush into buying any processing equipment if trays gave you this kind of negative. Trays give even development. That is the standard I use to judge any processing results.

I process by tray and accept the occasional scratch as part of the deal. Many people who tray process use "slosher" inserts. I think they may help improve even-ness and reduce scratches.

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2012

mopar_guy said:
Steve, you forgot to mention that 3x4 Graflex and that 3-1/4 x4-1/4 film that I bought from you.:munch:

Yes, 1919 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" RB Graflex that turned out to be a shelf queen and a wonderful circa 1935 Certo Dolly SuperSport 120 6x6 and 6x645 folder with a sharp Zeiss lens. And several others that have come and gone.

Sirius Glass · Nov 25, 2012

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) wasn't Sargent Preston and his wonder dog King stationed at Whitehorse? Or was it Dawson?

adelorenzo · Nov 25, 2012

I've never seen or heard it but as it was a gold rush series I imagine Dawson City and places like Dyea (Skagway), Alaska or Bennett would have been central to the action. Probably less happening in Whitehorse.

adelorenzo · Nov 25, 2012

And, as it turns out, when you have a light meter you never use and then you decide to use it you should probably read the manual. It turns out to be perfectly accurate, I was just reading it wrong.

Stephanie Brim · Nov 26, 2012

Artistic double exposure is much easier with large format...which means UNINTENTIONAL is just as easy. MARK YOUR HOLDERS WELL. I have white label stickers that I use and I write EXPOSED very large on the ones I've shot along with the lens, the aperture, and the shutter speed.

Sirius Glass · Nov 26, 2012

adelorenzo said:
I've never seen or heard it but as it was a gold rush series I imagine Dawson City and places like Dyea (Skagway), Alaska or Bennett would have been central to the action. Probably less happening in Whitehorse.

Check out this reference: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182633/

Lars Jansen · Nov 26, 2012

Concerning processing, Jobo is still producing their tanks new. I always use the Multitank 2 (2520) with the sheetfilm reel. Works great both in the Jobo machines and when handprocessing.
Lots of second hand Jobo stuff I've seen being sold for near new prices, so don't dismiss buying new from them, if not to support them.

paul_c5x4 · Nov 26, 2012

Stephanie Brim said:
MARK YOUR HOLDERS WELL. I have white label stickers that I use and I write EXPOSED very large on the ones I've shot along with the lens, the aperture, and the shutter speed.

I just write the aperture & shutter speed on some small labels. I also use colour dots on each holder to indicate which type of film is loaded unless I'm going out with a single type.

Terry Christian · Nov 26, 2012

I have the Epson V600 and routinely scan 4x5 on it. You just have to scan one half of the neg, then move it over and scan the other half, and then use Photoshop's File > Automate > Photomerge command to combine them. Works like a charm!

chassis · Nov 26, 2012

I use BTZS tubes for 4x5 processing; they are easy and efficient. Chemical usage is 2-6 oz. of solution, depending on your agitation method. I use 6 oz. total solution, with D-76 at 1:3, so this is 1.5 oz. of stock solution. Pretty economical. I use semi-stand development for agitation.

The tubes are relatively inexpensive, less than $200 for a set. You can process one film at a time if desired, or up to 5 at a time.

The tubes can also be home made using black plumbing pipe. I have not done this, but it seems easy enough.

mark · Nov 26, 2012

Heh heh another one fell victim to the pusher man. You did not intend on taking that first hit of crack but you did. You are on the slippery slope now.

adelorenzo · Nov 26, 2012

Yeah I'm pretty much hooked already.

@chassis I think I'll probably try something like what you describe. Because I happen to have a roller unit with various size drums I'm going to figure out a way to get some film holders in there. I was thinking plumbing pipe of some sort.

In the meantime I'll process in trays and, f I don't end up with something that works, I'm leaning towards buying a Jobo multi-tank with 4x5 reels.

Stephanie Brim · Nov 26, 2012

It's a sickness. I don't really want to recover from it, though, unlike the stomach thing I've been dealing with since last night. Got the bug, though, to test out a new lens with a shot of my 10 year old Doc Martens. They're getting replaced by some new Made In England ones next year, but I may have them resoled anyway just because.

Shot is drying now.

adelorenzo · Nov 27, 2012

I made two contact prints tonight and they are sooooo nice... nicer than my medium format enlargements.

Next question will be to find out how this camera fares in the extreme cold.

JBrunner · Nov 27, 2012

adelorenzo said:
I just walked out of our local camera swap with a complete Toyo CX 45 setup in as-new condition. I wasn't planning to jump into larger formats at this time but I couldn't leave it there as the price was extremely low. I'm still kind of in shock, actually.

I am hopeful that I can fumble my way through loading and actually shooting this camera. I think I'll just try processing in my 8x10 printing trays for now, but I'm looking for suggestions for film processing?

Other than trays I also have various Cibachrome/Unicolor/Jobo drums and tanks in various sizes and configurations along with some kind of agitator system that I believe were used for color printing. Could I use that for sheet film?

Otherwise I'd like to know what people would suggest for a simple, efficient way to process black and white 4x5 film at home. If I do any color I'll send it to the lab.

Regards,
Anthony

You poor bastard.

Len Middleton · Nov 27, 2012

chassis said:
I use BTZS tubes for 4x5 processing; they are easy and efficient. Chemical usage is 2-6 oz. of solution, depending on your agitation method. I use 6 oz. total solution, with D-76 at 1:3, so this is 1.5 oz. of stock solution. Pretty economical. I use semi-stand development for agitation.

The tubes are relatively inexpensive, less than $200 for a set. You can process one film at a time if desired, or up to 5 at a time.

The tubes can also be home made using black plumbing pipe. I have not done this, but it seems easy enough.

And if you know someone doing some heavy arc duty welding, the BTZ tubes look a lot like the watertight tubes used to store arc welding rod on job sites.

They doing any pipeline welding in your area?

Len Robertson · Nov 27, 2012

Out of curiosity I looked up Whitehorse weather. I was going to suggest you get out today and shoot something since it looked like your last "warm" day for awhile (maybe months). I think the predicted high was 10 degrees, I assume Celsius. But then I went to your Flickr pages and saw you and your friends riding your bikes in 40 below weather! I think you can handle cold weather 4X5 shooting just fine. It will be interesting to see how the camera likes it. Once when I was much younger I did a shot at -10F. I set up and focused, then removed the lens and board and slipped them in an inside pocket to keep the shutter warm until I was ready to shoot (I was waiting for a train to come through). It looks like you have a lot of interesting subject matter in your area to use 4X5 on, especially the old mining equipment. Have fun!

Len

adelorenzo · Nov 27, 2012

Hi Len,

It's about -20 C this morning and heading down towards -30 C later this week, you must have seen a strange forecast. These are some of my favourite times to shoot as you get interesting phenomena like ice fog and sun dogs. Plus at this time of year it's pretty much 'golden hour' for the entire day, all 4-5 hours of it.

I'm used to shooting cameras in the extreme cold, my biggest concern is that the bellows or one of the control knobs will crack.

Regards,
Anthony

adelorenzo · Nov 27, 2012

JBrunner said:
You poor bastard.

I just want to point out that you are at least partially responsible for this. I watched all of your videos on youtube.

adelorenzo · Nov 27, 2012

I am just watching the ending of an auction where an older model, used Jobo multitank and 4x5 reel sold for 120% of the new model retail price. Are these things really that rare?

mark · Nov 27, 2012

You think that 4x5 contact is nice, wait till you get a 5x7 camera then an 8x10.

I unexpectedly find myself a large format shooter and need processing advice

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