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tim o'brien
1-Dec-2008, 14:25
All,

I have my Deardorff 8x10 with the masking bar that fits in the front of the GG. Haven't used it yet.

First question... What do you all shoot with 4x10 film? I have done some 35mmx68mm on my rb67 so I know you can get some interesting skyline shots. Haven't found much else to do with it. Perhaps I am just long dimension photographically challenged?

Second... Anyone see any issues using the masking bar outside of the PITB factor of having to pull the GG back to change the bar after every shot? Those of you who use an 8x10 for 4x10, do you use a lot of movements to pull the image into the middle of the lens coverage?

tim in san jose

h2oman
1-Dec-2008, 14:32
Check out these sites of two LF forum members to see what to do:

http://www.kosoff.com/

http://www.colinflanarygraham.com/

Colin's work is 5x12, which is pretty darned close to 4x10. I'm not sure what format Brian is using, but it seems to range from 6x12 to 6x17 proportions for the most part. For panoramic shooting in general, I am also fond of

http://www.macduffeverton.com/

These three sites are where I would begin in a quest to start seeing things in a "long" format.

Enjoy!

climbabout
1-Dec-2008, 14:44
Tim- I use the same setup you have - in fact I used it this past weekend. What I generally do assuming you're shooting horizontal (which is what most panoramic format shots are) - I put the slider on the bottom and use front rise to get the image where I want it - then I make note which side of the camera I slid the holder in from and then just flip the back and move the slider back down for the next shot. This weekend I did some long panoramic mountains, and architectural shot and a covered bridge.
Tim

h2oman
1-Dec-2008, 14:55
So I'm curious, what is a "slider?" Is it just like half a darkslide? And if so, how does it prevent a bit of light from leaking along its edge onto the other half of the sheet of film?

I'm pretty new to all things LF, so forgive me if the question makes no sense or has an easy answer!

vinny
1-Dec-2008, 15:31
The slider, aka splitter board, he's referring to is a block of wood that slips into the inside of the camera back to block out 1/2 of the ground glass and film holder (when inserted). No issues with the splitter board with my use. Better than a split darkslide for several reasons like having the half of the gg you aren't using blocked out so you can concentrate on the proper 1/2. I also feel fewer mistakes can be made using a splitter board in regards to exposing, inserting/pulling film holder, and keeping track of which half you've exposed. Regarding movements, I do try to center the lens (when using wide lenses) on whichever half I'm exposing. This is usually feasible since many of my pano's don't have verticals that I need to keep perfect so I can tilt the camera a bit instead of correcting with movements.
The attached jpegs were made with a Wehman and a splitter board on 8x10 film.

vinny

Brian Vuillemenot
1-Dec-2008, 15:59
What to shoot with 4X10? Pretty much anything you want! Here's a few shots.

Vaughn
1-Dec-2008, 16:37
There are a couple examples here of my use of the 4x10...

http://www.anseladams.com/contemporary/vaughn_hutchins.html

I use a modified darkslide to take two 4x10's on an 8x10 sheet of film.

When using an 8x10 for 4x10, by using shift or rise/fall of the front standard, one centers the lens on the 4x10 section of the film. And that is relatively simple if one's camera has those movements...and especially if the front lens has axial tilt.

Hortizontals are easy to take both 4x10 negatives on an 8x10 film (if one is taking a second of the same image) -- one frames either the top or bottom half of the 8x10, takes the image...then one removes the back (after replacing the full dark slide!), turns it 180 degrees, and puts it back on the camera to take the second image.

Verticals have to be re-framed as usually one can not usually use an view camera when the film back opens from the bottom.

You might try cutting a 4x10 window (or smaller with the same proportions) in a piece of board. Use this to view the world and its light. See if you can find compositions that please you.

Vaughn

ChadLanc
1-Dec-2008, 22:33
I shoot with an Ebony 4x10.

My Website (http://www.chadlancaster.com)

tim o'brien
2-Dec-2008, 10:08
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have to drag the V8 out and try a couple sheets.

Those are some nice images. Let's see what kind of coverage I can get out of my 191mm WF Ektar.


tim in san jose

Daniel_Buck
2-Dec-2008, 13:37
here are a few of my 4x10s (masked 8x10s, two 4x10s per sheet). I often do raise/lower the front standard to line it up with my 4x10 mask, but I usually use some rise anyway, so one thing you can do is reverse your film back so that you put the film in the left-hand side, so that you don't have to keep adjusting the front standard up and down each time you shoot on the other side of the sheet.

I think it works great for landscapes! But I've also found that it works wonderfully for vehicles, since they are kind of short and long, the ratio fits pretty good, depending on how you use it. I really enjoy composing 4x10, it's quite different than the more square 8x10!

http://www.buckshotsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/layered_hills_01.jpg

http://www.buckshotsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/vara_08.jpg

http://www.buckshotsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/vara_10.jpg

And then one vertical shot, vertical compositions seem to be alot more difficult for me, but sometimes they work nicely,

http://www.buckshotsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/las_virgenes_01.jpg

Chauncey Walden
2-Dec-2008, 14:10
I built a semi point and shoot camera for my 121 Super Angulon with 4x10 in mind. The lensboard has 3 positions (2 would have been plenty, of course, but it was just as easy to make it 3 and I don't like to have the darkslide slot facing the sun) and I have a split darkslide for the 8x10 holder. The lens is set at hyperfocal distance for f/32. I use the back off my 8x10. The 121 was always somewhat of a pain to set up for 8x10 and that is now solved by the center position. I'd guess my favorite shot with it is the back block of rooms against the cliff at Pueblo Bonito at sunset although vertical saguaros look pretty neat, too.

David A. Goldfarb
12-Dec-2008, 11:30
Here's a recent 4x10" with the half-darkslide method--

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3103179918_7657ff3523_o.jpg

ChadLanc
13-Dec-2008, 10:55
http://www.chadlancaster.com/images/hir0001_med.jpg

Here is a shot from my ebony 4x10

Tom Schaefer
18-Dec-2008, 15:05
Some truly great shots
Thanks for sharing
Makes me want to go out and buy one

Does Arca make one
Thanks
Tom

ambroz
19-Dec-2008, 00:38
If I only shoot 4x10 landscapes:

1. Is it better to have a special 4x10 camera or to use 8x10 half darkslide? (No need for cutting 8x10 sheets on half, no E6 processing problems).

2. Currently I own a Sinar f2 4x5''. If I go for 8x10 (4x10 darkslide), is it reasonable to upgrade Sinar to 8x10 or is it better to sell it and buy another 8x10 camera?

Ambroz

Drew Bedo
21-Dec-2008, 05:23
What about full-length portrature? How about an artsy set of just arms and legs? How about a series of determined white-knuckled hands holdint; a tennis racket, a baaseball bat, a cricket bat, a fly fishing rod and so on...? You could do some experimentation with DOF and long objects ...the'Dorff has the movements to work with. Hey there are some nice shots on this thread. Thanks everyone!

<erry Christmas!

drew Bedo