noobie, two questions, cambo and medium format

[northeast16th]

have shot medium format and 35mm, but now moving on up....to the sky....

i used to assist for an architectural photog and i seem to remember him using 120 film for his shots on a 4x5 camera. am i correct? is this possible? i'm thinking of getting a cambo from calumet as a starter, but i'd love to shoot 120 film instead of 4x5, but of course i'll need the rise and fall because i'll be shooting atget style architecture with it. are there adapters around to accomplish this?

also, for atget's city shots with buildings, does anyone know the approximate focal length he may have used? certainly it varied, but in general what would be a good starter lens for city work where you're sort of stuck being close in much of the time.

thanks so much for any words of wisdom,

scott

[Gordon Moat]

There are a few choices to use rollfilm on a 4x5. If the 4x5 camera allows removing the ground glass, there are some nice lever advance backs from Linhof, Horseman, Wista, and a few other companies, that will work nicely. On a 4x5 with a non-removable ground glass frame, you would want a thinner rollfilm back, like those made by Sinar, Linhof, or another company whose name escapes me at the moment.

I currently have a used Linhof 56x72 Super Rollex back for my 4x5, which I got through KEH (http://www.keh.com) in Atlanta. This is close to 6x7 medium format, except uses the Linhof "ideal" proportion. There are also 6x9 and 6x12 backs, as well as a few 6x6 backs made years ago. The Linhof 56x72, or a 6x7, gives you ten (10) shots on a roll of 120 film.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

[bvstaples]

Off hand I don't know what focal length Atget used, but it's barely relevant. What's more relevant is your statement that you'll shoot in close quarters, and the fact that you'll shoot on MF film. I would suggest getting a wide lens, such as a 90mm or even a 75mm. Image circle size shouldn't be too much of a factor, unless you plan to ultimately move to 4x5 sheets. Then you want to make sure your lenses have image circles that will allow for the movements you use.

Post your first shots...

Brian

[northeast16th]

i guess the question is this then.....

is there a camera that will take 120 film that i can use rise and fall with for architectural shots? all i'll really ever need are 6x7 negs (that's centimeters, not inches), or if i need anything bigger, then i'll make the step later on.

thanks again!

scott

[northeast16th]

sorry! i didn't read the previous post. that's good to know. are back sized standardized on most cameras? like would that insert work on the cambo i mentioned? like i said, noobie.

thanks again.

scott

[Archphoto]

120 rollfilm holders can be bought from Horseman and Shen Hao aswell.
Look for the ones that state For 4x5" international backs.

The lenses I have used were in the wide angles the 75mm SA and the 58XL, but 65mm SA is possible too.

The best thing you can do if you want 6x7cm on a 4x5 inch camera and you are looking for a lens is to look for what lenses are offered to 6x7 camera's, like the Pentax 6x7, the Mamiya RB 67 and the Bronica 6x7 and translate those lentgh to lenses suited for 4x5 inch.

Peter

[ki6mf]

The thing to look out for with a 120 lens, all lens in general, is if their image circles are designed for a 4x5 and allow for swings and tilts. If you check out the KEH in the description of the lens you should see (2X3, (4X5), (8X10) this means the lens fits that format camera. I have a 105mm Nikkor which is fine for my 6X7 camera and would work as a wide angle on my 4X5 provided I do no camera movements.

[Vick Vickery]

Scott, any view camera with a "universal" or a "Graflok" (not sure of spelling!) back can easily take a roll film holder or you can use the Calumet roll film holder that slides in like a sheet film holder on other 4x5's. The Cambo that you're interested in comes with a "universal" back and can use just about any brand of roll film holder that is made for 4x5 cameras. My personal preference is for the Graphic roll backs which I have in 6x7 and 6x9 sizes, but I had these from several cameras before I bought my Cambo.

I always shoot my architectural shots with the longest lens that I can get on the film I want to use, therefor you might see me using anything from a 65mm to a 215mm on any given shot, depending on how much room I have and what size film I've decided to use. My reason for using longer lenses where possible is that I feel that they "model" better (introduce little or no lens distortion) than do wide angle lenses...exactly the same reason portrait photographers use longer lenses. After all, architectural photography is a portrait of a building! :)

The Cambo will serve your purposes admerably as will many other view cameras.

By the way...welcome to group therepy! :)

[cowanw]

There is a Cambo to hasselblad back that will let you use a Hasselblad body and viewfinder on the 4x5.
Regards
Bill

[Gordon Moat]

Just for comparison, I looked into getting a smaller 6x9 view camera when I was getting back into view cameras a few years ago. What I found was that many 6x9 view cameras were near the weight, and price range of 4x5 cameras. The slightly larger 4x5 cameras provide more movement, in some comparisons, when you use a rollfilm back on them. So rather than get a dedicated 120 rollfilm view camera, I would suggest getting a 4x5, and then adding a 120 rollfilm holder to your kit.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

[Archphoto]

I second Gordon.

Peter

[Jim MacKenzie]

Remember that if you use 120 instead of 4x5, you'll need a shorter focal length to get the same wide angle of view. A 90mm lens is pretty wide with 4x5 film, but isn't at all wide on 6x7 cm rollfilm. You'll probably need a lens in the 40-50 mm range to give a significantly wide view on rollfilm.

It is slightly more bother to process sheet film, but the cost of the film is not terrible and it is not very difficult to use. The extra size makes for a great deal of enlargeability, which makes up for the extra hassle of processing. (The more experienced users on this forum will probably argue that the processing is not more bothersome :) but for me, it is.)

I have a 6x7 rollfilm back for my 4x5 but I have to confess I have never used it. (I got it as part of a used kit purchase.) It's not much extra bother to get that huge negative so I just shoot sheet film. One of these days, though, I'll give the rollfilm back a try.

[venchka]

I can't help but think that you are fighting a loosing battle. wide angle lenses for 4x5 cameras will not have the same field of view on roll film. It's exactly the same situation as current small snesor DSLRs: Crop factor. A 65mm lens for 4x5 is really WIDE. On 6x7 it's barely wide at all. I have a 45mm lens for my Pentax 6x7. That's wide-approximately 85 degrees angle of view. I would suggest two things: The shortest focal length lens you can find. I think there is a 47mm lens out there. Find a 6x9 roll film holder. Or 6x12. You'll need all the negative area you can get.

You could do the same with a 4x5 camera & film and a 90mm or 75mm lens. A lot cheaper and easier. And have bigger neagtives.

I was reading Jim's mind. We typed the same thing.

Expanding on Jim's roll film back idea: I bought one recently. So far I haven't used mine either. I will use it. One use I see: Films that I can't get in 4x5. On the other hand, I can use that film in my Pentax. Why did I buy a roll film back??????? I can get closer with the view camera. I knew there was a reason.

Good luck!

[venchka]

ps: When you have been a member for 30 days, go shopping in the for sale listings right here. Lots of good stuff comes and goes to deserving folks. Right now there is a Cambo monorail & 2 lenses for under $1,000. Add a wide angle and Bob's your uncle!

[venchka]

Check this out:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showpost.php?p=467716&postcount=1

[CG]

No reason you can't use a 120 roll back on most 4x5 cameras. I use a Toyo 6x9 back in my 4x5. Slips in just like a sheet film holder, just fatter. A 65mm wide angle works pretty well to get a wide view on 6x9, something roughly like a 30mm would be on 35mm cameras. A 50 on 6x9 would be the rough equivalent of a 24 on a 35mm camera.