The Necessities: A look into a 4x5 photographer.

[pdjr1991]

I had a couple thread regarding advice for various subjects including a cheap budget, lenses, ect. They're all pretty much dead and beaten. I'm still craving for information and figured a thread like this would help me and others out. I would just like an incite on what people think is necessary for them to do 4x5.

Information should include...
Equipment (Camera, lens, tripod, light meter, ect even down to film holders!) and your reasoning behind why you use it.
Your niche in photography that brought you to use 4x5.
Your process!!!

Thanks and i hope this helps me and others out that are still pretty new to 4x5.

Preeda

 

[BrianShaw]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/matos-begin.html

 

[BrianShaw]

ignore the section on Polaroid film. OBE

 

[BrianShaw]

other useful information also available at:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

 

[pdjr1991]

other useful information also available at:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

Thanks! but i still would like to see some APUG'rs experience.

 

[pdjr1991]

ignore the section on Polaroid film. OBE

i was able to test some old 55, i miss it. I hope New 55 manages to get going because i'll certainly buy a lot. Speaking of which, please include what film you use!

 

[BrianShaw]

What "new 55"? That is just a dream in someone's mind. I'm not really convinced that anyone has started working IN EARNEST on such a product.

I use FP4+, HP5+ when I have to, and one of the old Kodak E-6 films but I can't remember which one right now.

 

[BrianShaw]

BTW, T-55 wasn't even Polaroid's best product. I think T-52 was. I find it amazing that lots of folks are flailing and wailing over the loss of T-55. It only did one thing at a time... and was too expensive for etiher one of them. T-52 was a much nicer product in terms of tonality.

 

[pdjr1991]

What "new 55"? That is just a dream in someone's mind. I'm not really convinced that anyone has started working IN EARNEST on such a product.

I use FP4+, HP5+ when I have to, and one of the old Kodak E-6 films but I can't remember which one right now.

http://new55project.blogspot.com/ I liked the concept, negative and positive. IF they had fixed the cons than it would have been a really great film IMO. New55 is looking to do that. I have some Kodachrome i managed to get and need to test!

If you don't mind could you answer the other questions i had like gear you use ect. thanks!

 

[BrianShaw]

Oh, that. Yes, I now remember seeing it. I hope, for other folks' sake, to be proven wrong... but to date none of the instant film revival efforts has been particularly successful. Call me a cynic; I'd agree with you that I am.

 

[BrianShaw]

You really need to to do your homework and chatting with folks might not be the best way. Have you read material at the links I gave you?

Kodachrome is a waste of time. There is no processing available. You need to remember that you are now in the 21st century.

 

[pdjr1991]

im aware. im also aware that freestyle carries an e6 kit. i would mainly shoot just for the experience!

 

[pdjr1991]

You really need to to do your homework and chatting with folks might not be the best way. Have you read material at the links I gave you?

Kodachrome is a waste of time. There is no processing available. You need to remember that you are now in the 21st century.

I found the most valuable information was always from people. Those links were very informative and i thank you for them any google or text book search would yield them. I want pure criticism from people who work with 4x5. i do not need a distant source, their all too common. Im fully aware and embracing the 21st century, im 20 .

 

[pdjr1991]

Oh, that. Yes, I now remember seeing it. I hope, for other folks' sake, to be proven wrong... but to date none of the instant film revival efforts has been particularly successful. Call me a cynic; I'd agree with you that I am.

impossible isn't doing too bad, there producing and selling. With New55 i'll side with the cynic but stretch for some hope. 20x24 still running!

 

[removed account4]

hi pdjr1991

while the polaroid films and new instant films are/were fun ..
they pretty much are not really the thing for people on a budget ...
from reading your other threads, you are a student on a budget, and it seems
that in the learning stage 3-5$ / sheet of film would be better spent loading your film holders
up with inexpensive film bought at freestyle, or photo paper, shooting paper negatives.
get a piece of dark-cloth from a fabric store, use that instead of something expensive
get a old sekonic meter or equiv. incident meter, or learn how to judge the light and do sunny 16 ...
find an old tiltall tripod, they are cheap and the best ...

i have been using a large format camera since around 1988 and still use the same accessories i bought
( and suggested you use ) then ... you can look at my website to see the sort of work i do.

at a certain point research is useless, and using a camera and gaining experience is more valuable.

have fun !
john

 

[BrianShaw]

I found the most valuable information was always from people. Those links were very informative and i thank you for them any google or text book search would yield them. I want pure criticism from people who work with 4x5.

OK, then let me add a few point to what John very clearly said. It's not about gear. Like John I'm still using all of the gear I bought in 1982 -- when I was a poor college student. Along the way I bought a bit more but not too much more. Get the basics. You don't need a whole lot of opinion. Opinion just gets confusing.

The material I pointed you to was written by people, for people. It is not "distant" etc. It is all written by experienced photographers. Use it to make a list of what you need and the capabilities that gear will need. Focus on the DO-able and the AFFORD-able. Experimenting before understanding the fundamentals is guaranteed to lead to frustration.

You already have a couple of cameras. What do you still need? What I (or anyone else) have or how I use it is of little consequence to your needs to get going. Have you thought of documenting your neighborhood, or portraits of your friends? With some experience like that you could post some pictures or descriptions of your working processes for more effective criticism or suggestions.

If you are looking for someone to "talk you through the process" of using 4x5, let me suggest you post a message seeking someone in your area. Learning by seeing and doing is much better for some folks that reading and talking about things. Or... post very specific questions rather than generic ones.

Good luck to you. Have fun. BTW, I use a Cambo monorail and a couple of different Graphic press cameras.

 

[BrianShaw]

p.s. APUG is a great forum with very knowledable participants. Same is true of Large Format Photography Forum. Both ahve their individual orientations but there is a lot of overlap. Many people participate in both forums. You might want to condsider doing that too.

 

[Mark Fisher]

First, I am not an expert (300-500 sheets shot maybe), but I just want to amplify John's comment. The best way and cheapest way to learn is to simply get the equipment needed (camera, lens/lensboard, film holders, a way to measure light, a way to develop the film, a darkcloth and a loupe)....and a whole bunch of cheap film. If you get everything used, you can resell it for what you paid if it comes to that. Someone telling you about it isn't the same as learning by doing. First, learn to properly load the filmholders...be meticulous about avoiding dust. Any particle will inevitably end up in the clear sky of your image. At the same time, set up a camera and just play with the movements without film in the camera for a few hours. It may also help to make up a short checklist for what you need to do with each shot. There are a lot of (simple) steps to shooting LF compared to 35mm. Then, go out shooting. You will make a lot of mistakes that first time so just go to the local park or someplace close. Develop and repeat until you use about 30-50 sheets then you'll be well on your way. Freestyle is your friend for inexpensive film.
The reason I was drawn to 4x5 is movements. I simply wanted to keep straight stuff straight. I have a field camera which has plenty of movements for what I need. Being able to develop everything individually was nice too. The reason I don't do more of it is simply being able to load the darkslides dust free when away from home. Spotting prints is hard. Scraping then spotting is harder!

 

[pdjr1991]

hi pdjr1991

while the polaroid films and new instant films are/were fun ..
they pretty much are not really the thing for people on a budget ...
from reading your other threads, you are a student on a budget, and it seems
that in the learning stage 3-5$ / sheet of film would be better spent loading your film holders
up with inexpensive film bought at freestyle, or photo paper, shooting paper negatives.
get a piece of dark-cloth from a fabric store, use that instead of something expensive
get a old sekonic meter or equiv. incident meter, or learn how to judge the light and do sunny 16 ...
find an old tiltall tripod, they are cheap and the best ...

i have been using a large format camera since around 1988 and still use the same accessories i bought
( and suggested you use ) then ... you can look at my website to see the sort of work i do.

at a certain point research is useless, and using a camera and gaining experience is more valuable.

have fun !
john

haha wise words, we kinda got off topic with the polaroid stuff. i just have a keen interest in it especially the cool work the 20x24 studios do.

 

[pdjr1991]

p.s. APUG is a great forum with very knowledable participants. Same is true of Large Format Photography Forum. Both ahve their individual orientations but there is a lot of overlap. Many people participate in both forums. You might want to condsider doing that too.

exactly why i want to hear from the people from APUG! I just want to hear some APUGer experiences i didn't think i would have that much trouble getting it.

 

[pdjr1991]

OK looks like i havn't really explained myself well...

I just want to hear your experiences and i plan on having my own and learning on the way. but its nice to hear what you APUGers have experienced with 4x5, your most difficult challenges, worst or best purchases, your camera and why you do or do not like it, what you photograph, steps and precautions you take, your favorite film, the list can go on and on and on. Im aware theres resources out there, i want to use you guys (and gals) as part of my resources cause what else is such a great analog community for?

For myself i plan on using my graphics as a field camera for now because its what i have. I plan on doing everything you can imagine, i have not found my niche in photography yet. Im really interested in landscape, any advice landscape photographers? For example i would love to hear from someone that does landscape and describe how they do it, what camera they use, would they recommend said camera and why. I understand my current equipment will do me just fine for the learning curve but it is always a thought to expand.

I hope this helps clear this up and thanks in advance for the advice and help!

 

[BrianShaw]

exactly why i want to hear from the people from APUG! I just want to hear some APUGer experiences i didn't think i would have that much trouble getting it.

From seeing posts of yours in the past you seem to get quite a bit of information from the people at APUG. What do you think you are not getting? I'm sincerely confused and frustrated too. I'd like to help you. You seem like a nice person but what EXACTLY do you want to know? The qeustions you asked in this thread are answered somewhere else. I told you where to go get that information but you seem to only want to learn in exactly the format you expect.

If you just want to hear other people's life story in LF, then you will continue to be frustrated.

Why don't you tell us about YOU and what you want to accomplish with LF. I'd like to hear about your high school reporting days, and your experiences now in college. If I had a clue as to what you are doing, have done, and want to do then maybe I could tell you about some of my experiences that are relevant. I doubt you really want to know about some of the stuff I did photographically in the past since it likely has no relevance to waht you might want to do!

As my wife always says, "sometimes you need to give a little [information] to get a little."

 

[removed account4]

exactly why i want to hear from the people from APUG! I just want to hear some APUGer experiences i didn't think i would have that much trouble getting it.

what kind of experience are you wondering about ...

loading paper and film ?
camera movements ?
making portraits ?
offloading and processing ?
making mistakes ?
making prints ?
pneumericalizing your negative ?
focusing ?

i wouldn't consider myself a landscape photographer , but a generalist ...
i make portraits on commission, photograph buildings and sites on commission,
and document whatever i can, whenever i can ... sometimes with a large camera, sometimes
with a small camera ...

the most difficult thing i have had to overcome regarding using large format photography is the ease of
forgetting to stop down the lens, or close the shutter after focusing ... and loading the film in the holders
the right way.

other than that it is almost easier than 35mm or digitroll, or a medium format camera ...

if you are a little more specific, you
could probably find a few months worth of reading material by using a keyword search
here on apug and on the large format site ... apug has been around for nearly 10 years
and the large format page for well over a decade ..


have fun !
john

 

[BrianShaw]

what kind of experience are you wondering about ...

pneumericalizing your negative ?

John... please start there. I'm curious too!

 

[removed account4]

John... please start there. I'm curious too!

hi brian

it isn't an easy process to master ...
the film (or print) is translated by a beam of strong light
and converted into ether so people who are not able to see, touch and experience
with the physical object are able to experience the fruits of one's labor through
an artificial means ... like plato's shadow on the cave wall ... for some
the shadow is every bit as real as the original, physical object ...

pnumericalization is truly a mystifying process ...