newbie from uk wanting LF Advice

[RichieHall]

Hi,

i've been into photgraphy for a year now having never even picked a brownie, and have fell in love with it, had only tried digital until a couple of weeks ago i went on a workshop with Joe Cornish a very Good Landscape photographer from uk, he was using an ebony 45 i think it was called.

Having seen the quality and passion he had for the outdoors and landscape images he has produced I could completely empathise with him.

Please if someone has time and patience to give some advice on what i should be starting with i would really appreciate it, i know i need to get experience but feel the only way to get it, is to get up in them thar hills and coastal areas and living in one of the most beautiful places in theUK have lots to look at.

regards

Richie Hall

[Ralph Barker]

Hi Richie. If you click on the "LF Home Page" link in the menu bar, you'll find a series of articles that will help guide you through the LF decision process. Many of the issues involved vary based on individual objectives, preferences, etc., so there are really no universally-applicable answers.

Once you get started, you'll really see why we love this stuff. Enjoy the journey.

[Ron Marshall]

Ralph has just given you the best advice, read the camera reviews on the first page of this site. There are many excellent cameras available used at a signifigant discount from their new price. I am not familiar with stores in the UK that offer used LF gear but I am sure that someone on this site can direct you. Ebay UK often has good deals, but it is best to buy your first camera from a shop unless someone can guide you in your bidding.

Good luck!

[RichieHall]

Thanks alot Ralph, Ron, nice to see someone give some good advice, read some other sites where new guys had asked for advice and they were brutalised , thought it was an american thing i was wrong, will take onboard what you have instructed and will read up alot then have a go. Cheers lads.

[Capocheny]

Richie,

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step... :)

That said, I'd recommend you start off with something fairly basic and inexpensive in the way of a camera. As you play with the camera (and read and learn) you'll find things that you like and things you don't like about your camera. This is part of the learning process.

The Ebony is a beautifully made camera but will cost you an arm and leg. I'd suggest that you buy something more reasonable for the simple reason that LF might not be the be all, end all you're hoping it will be. Many people have tried LF photography only to find they prefer MF or some other format (35mm/pinhole, etc)

When I first got into LF from both MF and 35... I bought a camera via Ebay and fell in love with the entire process of shooting with one of these beauties. I've not looked back since! Like many of the others here on the forum... "the process" certainly has addictive properties! :)

Lastly, pick up a few books to study. I'd recommend the following:

1. Steve Simmons - Using The View Camera
2. Jack Dykinga - Large Format Nature Photography
3. Larry Stone - (Sorry, can't recall the exact title... but someone here will.)

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Dawid]

Hallo

For what its worth, here is my experience with LF. About a year ago I manage to set up my darkroom and started printing my own B&W prints from 35mm. Doing my printing I was soon frustrated with 35 mm and I decided to jump straight into LF, looking back it has been a very good decision. I know shoot most things in 4x5 - I found it very usefull shooting one sheet at a time, it allows you to treat every negative on its own.

After a lot of reading I got a Crown Graflex from the States on "the auction site" for about £120. Though some might argue that it doesn't have all the movements etc of a proper view/field camera I'm enjoying mine immensely - they are quite lightweight and compact, durable ( esp. the bellows ).Mine has a 135mm Optar lens which after a CLA works flawlessly and is sharp enough if stopped down. The difference compared to 35mm when making larger prints ( esp 16x20 and up ) as obviously amazing and rewards all the effort & time and money. Even though i might move up to more traditional LF cameras later I'm quite sure I'll always enjoy using the Graflex esp since I can handheld with HP5+ rated at 800 !

If you do your own printing and do not yet have a enlarger big enough I will def. recommend looking out for a Durst 138 on online auction sites in the UK. Every once in a while they go for low to very low prices and are the most wonderful machines enlarging LF negs.

Enjoy!

Cheers
Dawid

[Donald Brewster]

Good advice above for starters. Not exactly in your neighborhood, but many of us on this speak highly of the LF photo dealer Robert White in Dorset. He carries both new and used equipment. Check out his website at: http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/

[Brian Vuillemenot]

I second the recommendations of the books by Jack Dykinga and Steve Simmons. If you like Joe Cornish's work, I would definately recommend his "Light and the Art of Landscape Photography"- a very inspiring read. Of course, the first place to start is on the lfphotography.info site and this forum- there's a wealth of information here that you couldn't get elsewhere! Enjoy your journey!

[steve simmons]

Jim Stone wrote the book User's Guide to the View Camera.

There are several free articles on the View Camera magazine site

www.viewcamera.com

and go to Free Articles section.. LOts of info.

steve simmons

[David Martin]

I'm just getting into the whole LF thing and quite enjoying it - got me back into the darkroom processing film for the first time for ages.

I've done a lot of 35mm stuff before, picked up a Lubitel 166B for about a tenner 15 years ago and only got round to using it in anger a couple of years ago. Loved it, and several prints are on my wall despite the camera only really being good for up to about 12" square. So I wanted something to give good quality which meant MF or LF.

I spent a year looking at auction sites, reading articles etc before taking the plunge and getting a camera.
Picked up a Calumet 400 camera and lenses for not very much (less than 100 quid), supplemented with another lens. Was kindly sent an old shutter by someone on this forum.

I had some shots in mind when I got the camera and went through a significant number of sheets of FP4 getting that one shot (a night shot of a steep, narrow but dead straight cobbled lane) and gettign familiar with the camera. Shot a few more B&W images, then went back to shoot some I had done with the MF and digital in E6.
When I got them back I was gobsmacked. Absolutely fantastic to hold those 4x5" transparencies.

I tend to find shots with the pocket digital, then wait for the right weather, time of day and free time to coincide before committing to taking the crate of LF gear to the locations (I rapidly moved to Quickload after a bad experience with loading film holders which is more expensive but I find easier to use.) I'm prepared to spend some time setting up and taking a shot (one of the shots I realised I would need the camera on the top of the tripod so took a stepladder too. Another one I was on some rocks with a big tide so I had all my gear in a waterproof bucket and my wellies.. Preparation is the key. I like to know what and when the shot is so check directions, sun angles etc. There is one shot on my list that I intend to get in October, when the trees are the right colour. It needs to be shot in the early evening. Another will wait till spring when the top of the mountains has that dusting of snow but that one needs to be taken in early to mid morning.

And I'll soon be getting my hands on a scanner with which to get these images viewed/printed properly.

UK is a great place to photograph as the landscape is so varied and the history there goes back millenia. None of the landscape is natural - it is all manufactured so tells a story. It is unlocking that story or bringing the idea of that story to peoples minds which is what I like about a good landscape/environment photo.

[Capocheny]

Steve,

Thank you for the name. For whatever reason... I can NEVER remember the name of Larry Stone's book even though I can "see the cover in my mind!!! :)" His book has one of the best illustrations of "planes" that I've ever seen. This is especially beneficial/useful for those people who find it a challenge to imagine/visualize planes and how they work in a 3-dimensional perspective. Plus, his explanations are pretty grounded for easy reading... meaning nothing too, too technical in nature!

And, of course, your book... :)

Richie,

Donald B's recommendation of Robert White is an excellent one. If you're close by to their store I'd suggest you go in and chat face-to-face with a knowledgeable large format user. Get him/her to show you how the camera works. Invest a bit of time with them and, if they have rentals... rent one for a weekend, take it out and play with it! I can assure you that "learning-by-doing" will be a LOT easier than trying to strictly "learn-by-reading" and attempting to imagine/visualize the nuances!

And, if you do rent one... play with the camera and make sure you look through the ground glass to visualize the results of what you're doing! Put the camera through its paces at the extreme ends... that is, over-exaggerate the movement. For example, perform an over-exaggerated front tilt... then you'll "know" what front tilt means when people refer to that movement. Do likewise for swings, rise, and fall! This may sound really technical but if you take things step by step... it really isn't that hard at all!

Now, buying a digital back for a 4x5 on the other hand... THAT'S a challenge! :>O

And, don't forget to have fun in the process! :)

Cheers

[John Kasaian]

Lots of good advise here. If its landscapes your after, a very basic 4x5 should work. I don't know whats available in the UK. You might take a look at an MPP technical camera which I understand to be a copy of a Linhof Technika (certainly a v. desireable camera in my book!) Last time I looked into it there was quite a support group in the UK, much like Graflex has in the U.S.----just a thought in case the prices were in your area for Mpps are cheaper than the usual Tachihara/Shen Hao (which are cartainly very usable cameras but they seldom are found "used")
Cheers!

[David Rees]

Richie,

A UK-based LF group can be found at http://www.lf-photo.org.uk/. Apart from the website, and the forum (just getting started) the group holds regular get-togethers twice a year, where we photograph together (or separately, as each prefers) and socialise.

I started in LF only 8 months ago, and advice from one of the leading lights in the group was invaluable on that journey. I strongly recommend this group (which is free!) if you are in the UK, and into LF.

Regards,

David.

[RichieHall]

Thanks to you all,

absolutely love this site!! If i have gained anything from this site its to plan everything down to a tee, its not the equipment but what you, as the beholder see's and being able to capture what you see whether its that moment, mood, light.

I will be going out with my digital and taking shots and planning for when i take the step, looking on Ebay for a half decent LF camera kit and hopefully start trekking around with abig rucksack on, being an ex soldier the other thing i love to do.

Once again everyone many Thanks.


regards,


Richie Hall

[Ernest Purdum]

You've had some excellent advice, probably the best being to read and go slowly in purchasing.

One common error in choosing first equipment is to purchase a lens which doesn't allow for use of movements. For the work you intend to do, movements are not used as often, or as in as large a range as in studio work, but it is nevertheless very frustrating to need some front rise and find that your lens doesn't allow it.

[RichieHall]

Richie,

A UK-based LF group can be found at http://www.lf-photo.org.uk/. Apart from the website, and the forum (just getting started) the group holds regular get-togethers twice a year, where we photograph together (or separately, as each prefers) and socialise.

I started in LF only 8 months ago, and advice from one of the leading lights in the group was invaluable on that journey. I strongly recommend this group (which is free!) if you are in the UK, and into LF.

Regards,

David.