Split darkslide on 4x5?

For diagnostic reasons, could you show the whole negative? Also your modified darkslide?

Vaughn

Why do you bother with all this darkslide cutting business?? What about just taping a piece of black plastic or card across the back - right in front of the GG? That way you can nicely preview what you'll get on the GG -and it'll be consistent with the view on film. Just flip it around for the other side. I had no problems doing this before.

Sparky said:

Why do you bother with all this darkslide cutting business?? What about just taping a piece of black plastic or card across the back - right in front of the GG? That way you can nicely preview what you'll get on the GG -and it'll be consistent with the view on film. Just flip it around for the other side. I had no problems doing this before.

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Sparky,

That's outrageous! Do something simple and logical! Where is a moderator?

Good suggestion! I wish I had thought of that! Meanwhile, I'd like to figure out what I did wrong here. I'll try the in-camera matte on my old calumet 4x5...

Here are the full neg scans (contrast jacked way up so you can see the edges and rebates and the cut and whole darkslides. The holder is a fairly modern Riteway, composite holder that appears to be in good condition. The camera, however, was the "bargain of the century" find in the thrift store thread and I haven't used it that much, so there are LOT of variables here. I will reload and try this with my calumet, which I am sure it is light tight.

It is all a matter of time, which I don't have a lot of...

Kino...

That helps a lot.

First, you cut your darkslide just about in half -- that is why you don't have any unexposed area between the two images on the negative. If you try it again, you want to leave more darkslide than you cut out...that way the strip along the center of the neg never gets exposed because the modified slide covers it in both orientations. If the slide is 4" wide, you want to cut out only a 1 7/8" wide section.

Second, unless you load your film differently that 99% of LF users, your light leak occurred not at the flap end, but at the other end of the holder (the handle end). Usually the film notches are at the flap end.

So one possible source of light leak was when you removed and inserted the slides. Since it is an old camera, the springs might be a little weak. In your haste, you might have pulled slightly towards yourself as you pulled the dark slides out -- allowing light to sneak in between the holder and the back. In any case, you need to get into a completely dark room, get a flash light (mini-maglights with the top screwed completely off work best), put a film holder in the camera, take the lens off and stick the flashlight inside the bellows. Let your eyes get use to the dark and see if you have light showing anywhere around the film holder or thru pinholes in the bellows.

Sparky -- nice idea! For ease of use, it is about 6 of one thing or a half a dozen of another...or 3 pairs of something else!LOL! I have found the modified darkslide to be very straight forward and easy to use -- it sure takes a lot more effort to explain than it does to do!

Vaughn

Vaughn said:

Sparky -- nice idea! For ease of use, it is about 6 of one thing or a half a dozen of another...or 3 pairs of something else!LOL! I have found the modified darkslide to be very straight forward and easy to use -- it sure takes a lot more effort to explain than it does to do!

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It seems the only real downside is that the matte is SLIGHTLY further away from the film than would be a darkslide - but for me - the increased complexity and liability (dust, etc... not to mention mechanical awkwarness) would be worthwhile. I haven't done this for about 20 or so years - but I'll try to find on of my negs and scan and post it.

Sparky said:

It seems the only real downside is that the matte is SLIGHTLY further away from the film than would be a darkslide - but for me - the increased complexity and liability (dust, etc... not to mention mechanical awkwarness) would be worthwhile. I haven't done this for about 20 or so years - but I'll try to find on of my negs and scan and post it.

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Your method would not work at all with my 4x5 -- the back is not removable (bail back on a Gowland Pocket View) without first removing 4 screws and removing the springs...something I would not do in the field, but I see how it would be easier with a camera with a removable back.

But to each their own. I have been inserting and removing darkslides for 30 years -- it is really no big deal for me, certainly not a complex manuver. I like the way one can make a split moment decision to go panaramic, or return to full-negative, without fiddling with the back off the camera. No tape residue in the camera, etc.

I haven't found the image yet, but I am playing with the idea of putting two different 3.5"x10" images on a negative that I would actually print together as a pair...especially two verticals. I was thinking of landscapes, but full-body portraits might be fun, still lifes even. If anyone "steals" this idea, let me know how it worked!

Vaughn

Vaughn said:

Your method would not work at all with my 4x5 -- the back is not removable (bail back on a Gowland Pocket View) without first removing 4 screws and removing the springs...something I would not do in the field, but I see how it would be easier with a camera with a removable back.

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The Pocket View doesn't have removeable lensboards? Seems you could just rack it in to minimum extension and go from there(??).

Sparky said:

The Pocket View doesn't have removeable lensboards? Seems you could just rack it in to minimum extension and go from there(??).

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On my model (marketed by Calumet in the 80's) is about a 4" lensboard, with a 2 7/8" hole behind it -- no way can I get my hands through it! I might be able to approach it like you suggested -- but that would be turning the whole deal into a major operation -- with a much greater chance of getting dust and tape all in the wrong spots (not to mention the card itself!!

It would be easier to take the GG off and approach it that way -- and a hell of a lot easier to use a modified darkslide that I spent time on once in the comfort of my home, than mess with sticking a card in out in the field...then having to remove it...everytime I want to make a panaramic. The light could be here an gone by the time I got the job done!

But as I said, a whole different story with a removable back! I'll keep it mind if I want to do a specialized panaramic size with the 8x10. I could center one 5x10 or 6x10, for example, by using two cards.

Vaughn

Makes sense Vaughn - I wasn't really meaning to dwell on it... just curious.