LF on a Budget!

[pdjr1991]

Im definitlely on the lookout for a really nice tripod. My main reason for a spot meter is to learn and use the zone system. I probably do not have to worry about film holder for the REST OF MY LIFE! I have like 35 plus. I just got fifteen today (Thanks again bjsmith7474 ! what a great deal) I have alot to thank for Freestyles being in buisness. They are by far my favorite online store. Film is super cheap their and i believe they give discount to students.

 

[premo]

I'm sure the tripod you chose will be fine. I've only used 3 makes of tripod for LF work, tiltall, ek wooden, and my fovorite, the ansco wood with crank elevated post. The tiltall worked great for my speed graphic and ROC folding box 5X7. But it was just a little wiggly with my ansco 5X7, so I found a ansco wood with crank elevated post, which had a large table on the top. If you really are on a budget, freestyle is a great place to get stuff. I have always bought my ortho film there. I shoot arista ortho at weston 20, and with the packard shutter set at instant, gives me exposures that look thin but print well. I develope in dectal plate and paper developer at 1 to 24, 5 oz plus i drop of glycerine under a dull red safelight. I develope by inspection, agitating gently, but steadly for as long as it takes. That's the way I've done it for about 60 years, except 30 years ago I bought a used weston master meter, which I have found easy to use for zone photography.

 

[pdjr1991]

@ premo. Thanks for the advice. I was actually looking at an Agfa Ansco exactly as you described. I want to pick it up and we'll see how it goes. Like i said, Freestyle is my favorite place to shop. B&H is much close but i always wait the 5 days for my package from Freestyles. Could you please explain what ortho is? ive been curious but havn't looked it up yet. Thanks

Preeda

 

[premo]

Pleased to oblige. Orthochromatic film is sensetive to all colors except red. Ortho film has finer grain than every pan film I've ever tried. Ortho from Freestyle is the least expensive LF film I've found. You can develope it by inspection under a ruby light. Because it is inexpensive, you can shoot a lot more of it. I don't mean that you should load up 10 or more film holders an blast away. I've taken more than three film holders out with me only once. When I find an interesting composition out there, I spend a lot of time finding the right point of view (MY right point of view) and then set up and shoot. I'm lucky to find two shots in a workday. With the ansco 5X7, I learned to pre-visualize, which means to me to see what I want on the negative before I shoot it. Sometimes I use the front but mostly use the rear standard adjustments to get on the ground glass what I pre-visualize. I've also, in my previsualization, "seen" how I want the shadows to appear and then expose to get the shadows I want, then develope with a ruby safelite until the highlights are where I want them. You will have to work on this as the hypo tends to dull the highlites a little. I use a plain water stop bath. Hope this helps.

 

[pdjr1991]

sounds like a good film to learn on. So it HAS to be sensitized under a redlight to work? What are the pros and cons of using ortho? Thanks

 

[pdjr1991]

Is there a reason you use water as a "stop bath" ?

 

[Rick A]

Orthochromatic films do not have to be sensitized to red light to work. The fact is, they render red as black, and red filters have no effect on it.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Acid stop baths are fine for metol-based developers. If you are using pyro-based developers (Pyrocat HD, PMK, ABC Pyro, etc), the acid serves as a reducer for the stain (the stain is a desired effect of the pyro developers). You use a water stop because it's (relatively) chemically neutral and doesn't impact the stain. You can still use it with other developer types because it works the same way with metol based developers as it does with pyro developers - it dilutes and removes any residual developer. It also reduces the chemical shock of transitioning from a basic developer to an acid stop and back to a basic fixer.

 

[M.A.Longmore]

Thank you everybody so far. Keep the advice flooding. I would really like a good USED light meter. Spot metering would be nice. As for a tripod, i have seen some with a very larger surface area for the camera to sit on on the head. I would like something like that. TO me alot of these ball heads, and even video heads do not have the surface area i would like. Im the type of person that is better safe than sorry. Thanks again!

Preeda Dulyachinda

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Hi Preeda,

If you are still considering a lightmeter, I would recommend the
Gossen LunaPro. I recently got a great deal on eBay, $8.00 for a LunaPro,
$20.00 for the Gossen Variable Spotmeter Attachment. Your actual cost may vary, I was persistent for a month, and the right combination came my way. So now I'm " Spotmetering " accurately at 15, and 7.5 degrees, and all that for less than $30, If your wallet is cooperative you can also try to acquire a Sekonic L-398 M.
It's an excellent meter for incident, and reflected readings, a basic meter
that doesn't need a battery. Mine is 30 years old, and still deadly accurate !


Ron
.

 

[premo]

Yes orthochromatic films record red---as black. When I said it is not sensitive to black I was trying to simplify my response to someone just starting out. I use a water stop bath because it slows down the developement in one part of the image faster than the other parts. I'm having a senior moment, and can't remember if it lets the developer work longer in the shafows or highlites. I never thought of the "shock" effect of acid stop bath. We are using what was origially orthochromatic lithographic film here, so I use whatever it takes to get more mid-tones, or maybe I should say more apparent mid-tones.

 

[pdjr1991]

Thanks everybody. Lost the auction to the Agfa Ansco tripod but someone put another one up! Ill prob try to snag it. Didn't ansel adam use one?

 

[premo]

Pd jr; I mislead you, misadvertentally. No, you don' sensitive the film under a red safelite, it's already sensitised from the factory. You can load your film holders, and develope exposed film under a red safe light. This is what makes it easy to use, and to learn with. After you use it for a while it becomes easy to make the transition to panchromatic film. I do almost all landscapes, and ultimatly it is your vision of what you see that matters. Then you choose your technique to get the results you want.

 

[premo]

I hope you can find an ansco or 2-d eastman as they are pretty tough and rugged cameras. A burke and James tailboard 5X7 is also good.

 

[M.A.Longmore]

Thanks everybody. Lost the auction to the Agfa Ansco tripod but someone put another one up! Ill prob try to snag it. Didn't ansel adam use one?

.
Hi PDJR1991,

I hate to be a Nit-Pickin Nellie ....
But, if the name of a tripod is capitalized { Agfa Ansco }
Then, the name of the photographer should be typed correctly,
and capitalized also { Ansel Adams } Thanks !


Ron
.

 

[premo]

Geez, and I was just invited into the Long Island group!

 

[M.A.Longmore]

Geez, and I was just invited into the Long Island group!

.
Hi Premo,

Hopefully You, and PDJR1991 will be on your best behavior
during the probationary membership period ...

I'm Just Saying ...


Ron
.

 

[pdjr1991]

.
Hi PDJR1991,

I hate to be a Nit-Pickin Nellie ....
But, if the name of a tripod is capitalized { Agfa Ansco }
Then, the name of the photographer should be typed correctly,
and capitalized also { Ansel Adams } Thanks !


Ron
.

Why yes and Mr. Adams deserves alot of respect. any word if im correct or not?

 

[M.A.Longmore]

.
Sorry PD,

I am not familiar with the tripod.


Ron
.

 

[premo]

Who am I on probation with? I guess I offended some-one with a little joke. I re-read it, still seems worth a chuckle to me.

 

[2F/2F]

Used Bogen tripods are $100 to $200 with heads, in excellent condition. I suggest looking at 3033, 3030, and 3050/3051 models (in order from lightest duty and lowest price to heaviest duty and highest price). IME the 3033 handles a 4x5 just fine, and is very lightweight and quick to set up. The other two are more solid, and my first choice unless weight is an issue. A good tripod is one of the most important photographic investments you can make. I'd suggest getting something that will last you.

As for light meters, Sekonic/Brockway incident meters from anywhere in the past 60 years are steals on the used market, and are some of my favorite meters. I also have a spot meter, but if I had to choose just one, it would be an incident meter.

If you need a flash meter as well, you may wish to purchase a combination incident/reflected/spot/flash meter. I prefer a separate meter for each type of metering, but that is just me.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Who am I on probation with? I guess I offended some-one with a little joke. I re-read it, still seems worth a chuckle to me.

You're not on probation. That was a joke that fell flat.

 

[premo]

Oh---okey, my excuse is that I am pretty new here--and don't know the form!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Oh---okey, my excuse is that I am pretty new here--and don't know the form!

This is NOT on of those websites that kicks you butt for the smallest mistake.

Steve

 

[premo]

That's good to know--thanks!

 

[M.A.Longmore]

No Excuses Necessary

Oh---okey, my excuse is that I am pretty new here--and don't know the form!

.
Hi Premo,

I was just trying to crack your nuggets.
I don't use smilie face thingies, so my sense
of " humor " can some times be misunderstood.

Pardon My Manners


Ron
.