[LargeFormat] Intro & Teaching Camera Advice

[Dan Kalish]

What do you find scary about 4x5 sheet film?

My personal opinion is that using a rollfilm adapter in a LF camera gives
you all the disadvantages of a LF camera (large, cumbersome, every step
takes a lot of time) with none of the advantages (large negative).  If you
want to use medium format film, use a medium format camera.  There may be a
place for 2x3 cameras but as someone else posted, don't take on too many
goals at once with the same equipment.

Doing all the dry darkroom work that 4x5 requires (loading the film holders;
removing the film from the film holders; loading a developing tank) is a
piece of cake.  Just last night I removed my second batch of exposed film
from film holders.  The actual process was easy.  What was hard was finding
the film I knocked over onto the floor.

> Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 10:08:13 -0400
> Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Intro & Teaching Camera Advice
> From: Jonathan Taylor <jtyr@sover.net>
> To: Large format <largeformat@f32.net>
> Reply-To: largeformat@f32.net
>
> Responses to Michael Briggs' responses
>
> >> Here are the uses I'm anticipating for this rig:
> >> 1)  classroom demo- cheapest Polaroid film possible
> >> 2)  landscape- Polaroid Type 55 (lovely Polargoo!), HEI, Maco, & Tri-X
> >> 3)  architecture- same as landscape
> >> 4)  limited studio- 120 roll chromes
> >
> > If you need to reduce the initial outlay, I would reduce the numer of
> > purposes,
> > at least for the time being.
>
> Good advice, but it's so hard to give up those ambitious projects I had
> planned for this summer.
>
> >> 1 Horseman Roll Film Holder 451 - 6x9cm Graflok Back         398.95
398.95
> >
> > I suggest omitting this to meet your budget and temporarily give up on
color
> > rollfilm.
>
> But 4x5 sheet film is scary! Honestly I know that many may consider this
> lame or heretical, but I might be more inclined to go the other direction
> initially-- 6 x 9. In a way I've wanted the movements more than the film
> real estate.
>
> >> These are "extras" that I really want but probably cannot afford.
> >> 1 Nikon Wide 90mm f/8 Nikkor-SW Lens w/ Copal #0 Shutter     699.95
699.95
> >
> > It is probably best to start with one lens anyway.
> >
> >> 1 Toyo-View 158 x 158mm Lensboard for #0 Copal                84.95
84.95
> >> 1 Toyo-View 4x5 Wide Angle Bellows                           369.00
369.00
> >> 1 Gepe 3.25" Cable Release Extension for Recessed Lensboards  17.95
17.95
> >
> > Does the 90 mm need a recessed lensboard for the Toyo when you are using
a bag
> > bellows?  If not, you don't need the release extension.
>
> The product specs seem to indicate yes, but of course I have no idea
whether
> specs translate into a real need.
>
> Thanks Michael!
>
...

Dan Kalish
Flushing, New York, New York, USA