Progression to ULF ... yours ?

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 19, 2010

Michael Kadillak is getting a special order of Adox 25 in 8x20 going. I'm in on that one. For my 11x14 I have some film. Mainly Efke 25 and FP-4. I do have a boat load of green sensitive x-ray film that you can still buy for about 56.00 for 100 sheets. Got mine off of e-bay and spent about .04 per sheet. Doesn't get any cheaper than that. Check with freestyle for film in ULF.

Jim

nick mulder · Jan 19, 2010

Go to Badger graphics for 11x14" Provia

B&W I find here and there, search for large format suppliers then have a sniff around their websites or email them - off the shelf even at Silverprint in London - yup, ebay too

nick mulder · Jan 19, 2010

Jim Fitzgerald said:
Michael Kadillak is getting a special order of Adox 25 in 8x20 going. I'm in on that one. For my 11x14 I have some film. Mainly Efke 25 and FP-4. I do have a boat load of green sensitive x-ray film that you can still buy for about 56.00 for 100 sheets. Got mine off of e-bay and spent about .04 per sheet. Doesn't get any cheaper than that. Check with freestyle for film in ULF.

Jim

Jim,

That xray film looks interesting - concerned however that in sending it overseas it would be x-rayed ...

I understand in not being panchromatic that an EI is hard to discern considering different subjects etc... but what are you using to develop it and what EI are you rating it for what kind of subject ?

Kind Regards,
Nick

Bruce A Cahn · Jan 19, 2010

I started with 8x10, then 11x14, 12x20, 16x20, 14x17, all Wisners. My last one was an 11x14 Ebony.

willrea · Jan 19, 2010

2F/2F said:
Pinhole photography is the only way I have done ULF. It is too expensive for me otherwise.

That's my situation exactly. I'm currently building a 11x14 pinhole camera.

nick mulder · Jan 19, 2010

Once film costs are factored in over a reasonable amount of time the cost of a lens becomes negligible doesn't it ? I would have thought that especially if you don't need infinity coverage or fast lenses then there are hundreds of lenses that could fit the bill ...

yes/no ?

Mind you, pinholes, ok so we're talking wide angles ? Maybe lens choices are limited there.

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 20, 2010

nick mulder said:
Jim,

That xray film looks interesting - concerned however that in sending it overseas it would be x-rayed ...

I understand in not being panchromatic that an EI is hard to discern considering different subjects etc... but what are you using to develop it and what EI are you rating it for what kind of subject ?

Kind Regards,
Nick

Nick, I shoot the green sensitive at ISO 100 and develop it in Pyrocat-HD 1:1:200 dilution by inspection with a red safelight. The film seems to be high contrast and is great in soft light and in sun as well. The Pyrocat tames the highlights. I'm still experimenting with it in 8x10 and 11x14. Portraits and landscape so far. I'll attach a couple of images. I like the high contrast for the carbon transfer prints that I make. All of these are carbon prints.

Jim

nick mulder · Jan 20, 2010

Sounds like it should be good for Pt/Pd then ? (PMK Pyro)

But the X-ray issue - how to get around that ?

Atlo · Jan 20, 2010

to the people wondering about xrays, allow me to explain
my dad is a doctor and he tells me that an xray works by placing the film next to a rare earth sheet.
the rare earth sheet lights up under the xray and basically contact prints to the film.
the film has no special sensitivity beyond its orthochomatic-ness (not a word i realize_

nick mulder · Jan 20, 2010

ah - yes, I remember reading about this now !

Thanks for clearing that up Atlo

eclarke · Jan 20, 2010

I just took delivery of my Chamonix 11x14. I have been around a LOT of view cameras but never had a chance to see Chamonix in person and was concerned that many new purchasers on the LF forum were selling their 4x5s. my purchase was a leap of faith. The camera is twice as good as I hoped, an elegantly simple execution of the design and freakishly light. I bought 1 filmholder and it is just as good. I will post some pictures in the next couple of days and maybe do a video. I am halfway through scanning some old chemistry books and need to finish them before I do vids...Evan Clarke

coriana6jp · Jan 20, 2010

Evan,

I would really like to hear your impressions of the Chamonix after you have used it for a while. I went through this choice a year ago and ended up with a Richard Ritter camera instead of the Chamonix. I couldn't be happier, but I am still curious sometimes. Enjoy the camera and welcome to ULF.

Gary

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 20, 2010

Evan, welcome to 11x14! Wait until you hold one of those big negatives in your hands. The cameras are the tools so whatever one you choose really is not that big a deal I think.

Nick, the x-ray film will be great for pt/pd, your pyro too.

Jim

eclarke · Jan 20, 2010

Jim Fitzgerald said:
Evan, welcome to 11x14! Wait until you hold one of those big negatives in your hands. The cameras are the tools so whatever one you choose really is not that big a deal I think.

Nick, the x-ray film will be great for pt/pd, your pyro too.

Jim

Thanks Gary and Jim,
I'm 60 and not sure I could cope with a camera which was heavy. I can carry this thing around and I believe the kit will be even lighter than my 8x10 set which is lighter than my 4x5. I can't wait to make a negative, Jim, it will be the same kind of experience as my first 8x10 only better!!...Evan Clarke

nick mulder · Jan 20, 2010

Jim Fitzgerald said:
Nick, the x-ray film will be great for pt/pd, your pyro too.
Jim

Hi Jim,

I'm in contact with Carrie at the moment ... Looks like a go ahead

300 sheets I reckon

What was the expiry on the box you got ? Also, I wonder being a medical supplier if she has Collodion available, I'll ask ...

nick mulder · Jan 20, 2010

Datasheet if anyone is interested:

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/medical/brochures/pdf/index/XB_411E.pdf

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 20, 2010

nick mulder said:
Hi Jim,

I'm in contact with Carrie at the moment ... Looks like a go ahead

300 sheets I reckon

What was the expiry on the box you got ? Also, I wonder being a medical supplier if she has Collodion available, I'll ask ...

Nick, my expiration is 11/08. I have about 280 sheets left from a 500 sheet purchase. I sold 200 sheets to pay for my 300 so I'm virtually shooting 11x14 for free!! Gotta love it.

Jim

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 20, 2010

eclarke said:
Thanks Gary and Jim,
I'm 60 and not sure I could cope with a camera which was heavy. I can carry this thing around and I believe the kit will be even lighter than my 8x10 set which is lighter than my 4x5. I can't wait to make a negative, Jim, it will be the same kind of experience as my first 8x10 only better!!...Evan Clarke

Evan, I'm behind you by a year and my 11x14 kit when I go out comes in at about 45lbs. give or take. This is with 3 lenses and two film holders in an MEI backpack. My huge 14lb. Walnut tripod I carry in my free hand. I can't go as far from the truck as I used to but I keep myself in good shape so if I want to I can. Gets harder ever year. One of those baby jogger things is in the distant future.

Jim

nick mulder · Jan 20, 2010

Jim Fitzgerald said:
Nick, my expiration is 11/08. I have about 280 sheets left from a 500 sheet purchase. I sold 200 sheets to pay for my 300 so I'm virtually shooting 11x14 for free!! Gotta love it.

Jim

Nice work ! cheeky even

You mentioned shooting in the sun, which will be green laden but in terms of indoor - I'm assuming tungsten wont be so affective, maybe flash will be ok ?

the spec sheet doesn't go into spectral sensitivity ...

Ria · Jan 20, 2010

Looking back, my ascent into ULF seems almost inevitable. My first camera was a plastic Kodak. Some years later I inherited my parents' Kodak Pony, a "real" camera, with adjustments and decisions to make. Then the Pony retired as a result of the unavailability of 828 film and I got my first 35mm camera, a Ricoh KR-5.
I was quite happy with "miniature" film for a long time; then there was that fateful day. A friend showed me some medium format, (6x6 cm), negatives and it was all over but the shoutin'.
From medium format I went to 4x5 by putting together one of those Bender kits. I saw the 4x5 negs and thought, "This is plenty big."
Then I went to a camera show and sale and bought a 5x7 Kodak 2-D for $80. (I had just sold an unused 35mm camera for $80, so I took that as a sign.) An 8x10 followed shortly thereafter and a couple of years ago I got a Korona Banquet View 12x20. But that's as big as I plan to go. Really.
Ria

P.S. Anybody else out there with two X chromosomes shooting ULF?

Jim Fitzgerald · Jan 20, 2010

nick mulder said:
Nice work ! cheeky even

You mentioned shooting in the sun, which will be green laden but in terms of indoor - I'm assuming tungsten wont be so affective, maybe flash will be ok ?

the spec sheet doesn't go into spectral sensitivity ...

Nick, I still need to try more situations with this film. Some still lives are in order with my Fresnel for the tungsten or portraits maybe. The green sensitive seems to work in shadowed light very well. 3 stop range stuff. Contrasty light I just adjust development. Check out the thread on the LFF about x-ray film in the film and developing section for some additional info. One thing I know is that I have some very nice images with this film and some nice carbon prints from it.

jim

jgjbowen · Jan 20, 2010

Ria said:
P.S. Anybody else out there with two X chromosomes shooting ULF?

A few years ago I met Patricia (can't remember her last name for the life of me). She shot 7x17, but she just sold her 7x17 gear about a month ago.

Craig Griffiths · Jan 20, 2010

I started with 4x5, then tried an 8x10 and preferred it. Bought an 8x20 and liked that even more so got rid of the 4x5. I have just ordered an 11x14 and have the bellows for a 20x24 I hope to make soon. Why? I like a contact print and it has been a logical progression for me so far. As my eyesight goes the prints need to get bigger to be able to see them.

Atlo · Jan 21, 2010

i've heard you can use those wheeled coolers (sort of like a rolling bookbag) as an okay carrier for large format cameras and stuff.
also they are cheap. or something like that.

photo8x10 · Jan 21, 2010

I started with 4x5" after I read the Negative by Adams, and for lots of time I shot with this format, but I started to change my mind after an Andrea Modica's workshop where I watched for the first time in a 8x10" groundglass, althought I decided to change my camera after I saw an Edward Weston exhibition.I bought an 8x10" after some year I decided also to buy an 8x20". I contact print all my negatives on Azo or Lodima and sometimes, but now it's quiterarely in Platinum/Palladium.

Progression to ULF ... yours ?

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