Large Format photography group - From "zero to hero!"

So I've got a box of negatives and a copy of 'The View Camera operations and techniques' by Harvey Shaman which on first inspection seems a perfect beginners guide, so good to go.

Also got a box of direct positive paper to give that a try too. Not sure how much use it will be for practise and experimentation but the results I've seen elsewhere look pleasing.
 
Steve said:
So I've got a box of negatives and a copy of 'The View Camera operations and techniques' by Harvey Shaman which on first inspection seems a perfect beginners guide, so good to go.

Also got a box of direct positive paper to give that a try too. Not sure how much use it will be for practise and experimentation but the results I've seen elsewhere look pleasing.
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Just out of interest, does the positive paper give a stated ISO rating on the box? Also, might I ask where you got it from? :)
 
Steve said:
I just got it from ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harman-Direct-Positive-Fibre-Base-Paper-5-x4-Sheet-Box-of-25-For-Pinhole-/121126793245?pt=UK_Photography_Darkroom_Photographic_Paper&hash=item1c33b8301d

It's rated as ISO 3
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ISO 3?!?!?! 'kin 'ell!!!! I must have some. Too ebay!

"SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!"

wickerman said:
There's lots of useful info regarding Harman Direct Positive paper in a thread on the Large Format Photography Forum in a thread here http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?80271-Harman-Direct-Positive-Images
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Outstanding, many thanks for the link :)

I'll have a proper read of the thread later, but does anyone know roughly what the dynamic range of said paper is? I'm assuming something along the lines of 4-5 stops (I hope it's more!)?
 
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What do you use to develop that? I might get some to help itch the Pinhole scratch I've developed.
 
I'm hoping that standard film developers can develop it? ISO 3, even in Rodinal, would still be insanely detailed! Still interested to know the dynamic range of it though.
 
Woodsy said:
I'm hoping that standard film developers can develop it? ISO 3, even in Rodinal, would still be insanely detailed! Still interested to know the dynamic range of it though.
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Might be worth checking the tech sheets, saying that Ilford Multigrade dev is pretty cheap and lasts for ages anyway.
 
Nice link Chris .... I was lucky to pick up an Ebony 8x10 recently .... Looking forward to playing with it soon
 
So then good LF people! I am looking for a place to get some Portra 160 - the new stuff - from somewhere that doesn't charge £4.50+ per frame. Any suggestions / links would be much appreciated!
 
About your only option is going to be the states and a bulk buy from what I can see B&H have the best list price at the moment, well unique photo is 50cents cheaper a box but I wouldn't trust them to sit the right way on a lavatory seat.

Failing that try Allphotos in Worthing and see if you can get a bit of a Student discount
 
Woodsy said:
So then good LF people! I am looking for a place to get some Portra 160 - the new stuff - from somewhere that doesn't charge £4.50+ per frame. Any suggestions / links would be much appreciated!
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Cheapest I can find is £42.34 a box from ebay (including shipping fro France) so a bit cheaper than you found but not low enough to make me want to shoot LF colour film although I have some OOD readyloads in the freezer.
 
EdBray said:
Cheapest I can find is £42.34 a box from ebay (including shipping fro France) so a bit cheaper than you found but not low enough to make me want to shoot LF colour film although I have some OOD readyloads in the freezer.
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Cheaper than B&H by the time you add in import duty etc. I tend to try and pick up the OOD stuff from ebay.
 
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abbandon said:
If you buy in bulk quanties it will work out cheaper from the states.

Quite a few UK larger format shooters regularilly do this.
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It seems that you need to buy 6+ boxes to make it cheaper than the seller that Ed has linked to.
 
I have occasionally wondered whether TP folk might get together for a bulk purchase... not that i'm into LF, though.
 
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Lucky for me, I just picked up an OOD box of 50 sheets of 4x5 Fuji NPS 160 for £60 including shipping. Might have to open one of my boxes of C41 chemicals after all.

I will use them in one of my Graflok Backs with the 4x5 reducing back on the Canham.
 
Hmm, seems a shame that it's so damn expensive. I guess we could organise some form of bulk purchase from the states, but as a last resort. I guess I'll just have to look out for some cold stored stuff on ebay, or bite the bullet and get some new. I need to get me some mates that live in the US!

Macodirect have it listed at E48.50, which works out at about £40 ex del. Might bite the bullet some day, maybe once I've been paid again!
 
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Nguss said:
Very nice indeed. Are drum scanners difficult to use? I have had one for the last 2 years but have not used it once. I was thinking of trying to get it set up.
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Mounting the film properly isn't the easiest but as with everything it takes time to get used to it.
Most of the scanners out there are quite long in the tooth and don't have the most user friendly software that we would be used to now.

What scanner is it?
 
wow that is some detail
 
Nguss said:
Very nice indeed. Are drum scanners difficult to use? I have had one for the last 2 years but have not used it once. I was thinking of trying to get it set up.
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I have had mine since early September but it has taken me this long to get any meaningful scans, worth persevering with though.

Wet mounting pays dividends but is a bit of a chore to do. See videos on Youtube for wet mounting on Drums.

Steve said:
wow that is some detail
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I have just managed to get a 4000dpi scan of the same negative (had to remount the negative first though), working tiff file is 1.67GB
 
EdBray said:
I have just managed to get a 4000dpi scan of the same negative (had to remount the negative first though), working tiff file is 1.67GB
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I was quite suprised by the graininess of the fullscale at 2100dpi even granted that its HP5 not sure that there will be any advantage to scanning at higher resolution and it might well look better at a lower one.
 
abbandon said:
I was quite suprised by the graininess of the fullscale at 2100dpi even granted that its HP5 not sure that there will be any advantage to scanning at higher resolution and it might well look better at a lower one.
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You have to remember that the full image on the screen is the equivalent of a 204" x 144" or 17ft x 12ft @ 72dpi, I don't think the grain is too bad when you take that into account.
 
I tried to load the full size image from Flickr and my computer just ground to a halt and sulked.
 
EdBray said:
You have to remember that the full image on the screen is the equivalent of a 204" x 144" or 17ft x 12ft @ 72dpi, I don't think the grain is too bad when you take that into account.
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Well yes ........but if you print it at the generally accepted standard of 300dpi that gives something like say 44"X34" and it will have distinctly visible grain.
It is entirely up to you how you take your photographs and the reason behind them but one of the main reasons for shooting large format is the ability to make large prints with high levels of detail and no grain if you already have distinct grain structure at 2100dpi scanning it at a higher resolution does not really make sense hence my suggestion that it might look better scanned at a lower resolution.

I really am that suprised that it is grainy and will definetly be sticking to 100-125ASA films then.

I have posted this before but it won't hurt to post it again


8791218324_2e85c91f00_c.jpg



The your browser likes it size

My browser doesn't like it if it's all the same to you I'll just download it and look at in Irfanview or the like link.
 
I thought I'd post something thats an example of why you might want to shoot something with Large format not that its specific to Large Format per se but movements are inherent in most Lf Cameras

11690299883_735e05db85_c.jpg


Hurt me please size

I'm a Wuss I'll just download it link


A digitail shot from a standard camera taken from a similarish position

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Misty July Morning about 5AM for The LF shot Sinar F2 10x8 Provia 100F Nikon 150SW f32 and Heiopan Centre filter exposure abut 8 seconds I vaugely recall. Considrable shift to keep the perspective correct (impossible with a standard camera ... the left tower appears lower in hieght than the right.) litle bit of front raise to centre the reflection; something like 10 degree front tilt to attempt to get everthing from the reeds to the top of the castle in sharp focous which nearly but not quite works.

Not that exciting but does a least provide an illustration of some LF principles.
 
This is very helpful, a good example that illustrates some of the advantages we often hear about but probably don't understand!

(Mind you, I'd be happy with the 35mm film equivalent of the digital shot!)
 
I'm not going to try and look at the full size version because your shots break my computer :LOL: but that's a beautiful shot and a great example of the benefits of LF.
 
So what are the sharpest lenses to get on a lens board? Ive got a couple of Schneider lenses a 90mm Super Anguon and a 150mm Kreuznach and theyre fine but its just a niggling thought in the back of my mind that there are better out there. You know where you are with nikon lenses but i dont know anything about LF ones.
 
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