My First 4x5!!

Well, I finally did it. I took the plunge after twenty years of film photography and bought my first 4x5 camera. Well sort of, I have owned an incredibly beat up Crown Graphic for over a decade and I've done plenty of pinhole photographs on sheet film, but this is my first precision instrument in large format and I couldn't be more excited.

I feel like I got a screaming deal. It was a camera on consignment at my local camera shop. A few hundred bucks got me a Cadet 4x5, ten film holders, a travel case, 150mm Caltar, 210mm Schneider, and even a few boxes of recently expired film. Everything appears to be in flawless condition.

I have read some negative comments about the Cadet having too many plastic parts but right now I am considering that a plus. Something a little more lightweight will benefit what I plan on doing with it and my first impressions are positive As far as durability is concerned. Plus, I think the red bellows are sexy. Just saying...

Strangely, what has me really excited is how easy it seems to find solutions to challenges when working with such simple camera design. For example, I didn't like the dark cloth that came with the Cadet so I went to the fabric store and bought something softer and easier to work with along with some Velcro. Five bucks later and viola!! My camera also only came with one lens board (for the no. 0 which only fits the 150mm lens, not the 210mm) but a local machine shop is able to cut me second lens board for the no. 1 for about ten bucks. Coooool!!

It kind of feels like being a photographer and a little bit of an inventor/engineer at the same time.

Anyway, I know I have a lot to learn and I plan on just jumping right in and falling flat on my face for a while. That's always part of the fun. Eventually I'm thinking a few good books might be in order. Anyone have any recommendations? Both technical and inspirational?

For a technical book, one that will be a reference for years to come, I'd go with Leslie Stroebel's View Camera Technique. One of the first books I had when I worked on my degree in commercial photography, and still a fantastic reference today.

Congratulations on your Cadet! Yes, it has a lot of plastic but that helps in keeping it very light weight.

The Stroebel book mentioned above is the definitive book on large format. It is highly technical. I of course recommend it but if you want an easier read you might look at "Using the View Camera" by Steve Simmons. It is not as in depth but very easy to understand. Get both books if you can.

APUG is great as we all know but you should also join Large Format Photography Forum. You will find many of us large format shooting APUG members there. If you want inspiration then check out the photographs posted there.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/

I used a Cadet quite a bit many years ago...overall, it's a really nice camera. The only thing I didn't like about the plastic parts--specifically the knobs--was that occasionally the rear standard would move on me when inserting a film holder, if I had done a tilt for example. I found that I had to really crank down on the knobs to keep everything secured. Nothing ever broke, but made me a little nervous nonetheless.

Have fun with your Cadet. It should serve you well for many years.

Alan Gales said:

Congratulations on your Cadet! Yes, it has a lot of plastic but that helps in keeping it very light weight.

The Stroebel book mentioned above is the definitive book on large format. It is highly technical. I of course recommend it but if you want an easier read you might look at "Using the View Camera" by Steve Simmons. It is not as in depth but very easy to understand. Get both books if you can.

APUG is great as we all know but you should also join Large Format Photography Forum. You will find many of us large format shooting APUG members there. If you want inspiration then check out the photographs posted there.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/

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+1 on Simmons' book. Let's keep the math to a minimum!

Don't give up on the Speed, I think the lens boards of the Cadet will fit the speed as well, then you have 2 functional 4X5 one for backpacking and the view. Although the Cadet is lighter not as portable a speed.

arealitystudios said:

It kind of feels like being a photographer and a little bit of an inventor/engineer at the same time.

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I know the feeling. I quite often find myself making bits for cameras (and occasionally, enlargers) so that I can use them. It might be a small knob one day and a wooden lens board the next or even a full set of aperture blades for a very old lens. Having a reasonably well equipped workshop helps to keep the costs down and the two interests match quite well.

You will also find yourself becoming a chemist as you delve in to some of the more arcane processes that LF allows you to follow (if you haven't already gone there).