New, Trying to Cypher LF

[akfreak]

Well, I have been taking pictures since I was a little boy, I have a large collection of 35mm and digital Olympus gear. I also have a ton of old Takumar glass. That Pentax glass led me the MF via a 645 that I currently own and love to shoot.

Fast forward to last month. It seems LF keeps peeking it's head in my direction. I live in Las Vegas and was visiting the new City Center project and saw some of the most amazing images I have ever seen. All said to be taken with a swiss Arca 8x10 in a galley from Rodney Lough Jr. The sales men there surely dont know how to take images like that, They were all so bright in color and rich in detail. The human eye cannot see that kind of detail or those colors. They claim to have no post-work. Ok, however I now for sure there are ways to drag a shutter and keep pouring in the vivid colors to a piece of film. They all say No post, the images are all exactly as they looked when the image was taken. I am sure during development one can change the final result. Their statements for sure tell me they know nothing about photography.

Next was a piece on PBS I saw on a woman named Sally Man. She used a LF camera and used what seemed to be Glass plates as film. She coated them with some yellow solution using a special technique to drain the extra solution back into the bottle, then some how exposed them to silver nitrate (I think) making her own glass film plates. It was amazing. Well I want to do this, I want to be a part of what is happening. I am sure every photographer sees the final image differently before they set up and take a single shot, so I at least have this in common with them.

The images moved me, So I am here. I know nothing, I have nothing but the journey begins here. So I say Hello, My name is Tom and I am a photholic!

What is the cheapest way to get into LF photography. Please dont say a Slide and a Pinhole box. LOL.. I also know LF and Cheap dont go together, However I dont deserve a Swiss, a Linhof, Hasselblad or a $3000 Sinar X what could one expect to start collecting pieces to build a LF kit

Thanks and Hello

[jp]

welcome!

LF and cheap do go together, for now until everyone catches on. Cheapest way for 4x5 would be a speed/crown graphic (often comes with lens) or a monorail camera (versatile, but heavy). 8x10 would be an old kodak 2d or burke & james probably. Lens choice will probably be something 30-80 years old found used here or ebay and will depend on what styles you want to do.

Add film holders, tripod, film, darkroom or changing bag, chemicals, scanner or used enlarger and things do start to add up. You need most of those things for any type of DIY photography.

What's expensive about LF is film. It's like using a black powder rifle instead of a 22; you use fewer shots as you are more careful, and you can have fantastic results and fun in the process.

[sultanofcognac]

Hi Tom,

I use an Arca Swiss Model A Basic 4x5 view camera and will never sell this beauty - although I also have a Plaubel Peco Profia 8x10 view and a Shen Hao 4x5 field camera.

The price difference - since the Shen Hao was brand new this year it was about $200 more than the whole Arca Swiss rail camera setup. The Plaubel I bought about five years ago and paid about the same as the Shen Hao but received a 4x5 reducing back and bag bellows too, with about five lens boards.

…the morale of this story - just take your time. Don't go for the first camera someone suggests. Look at what is available. Find a few cameras and styles you think you may like, then troll this forum, searching for those exact cameras and read - do lots of reading. Do you want a foldable field camera, a larger view camera (as above, more versatile, better movements but heavier - although manageable) or a press camera, such as a speed/crown graphic, with almost no movements?

Do a search on Google for view camera and look at the photos. You will know what you like when you see it!

Visit this link on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_camera

Read "The View Camera" by Steve Simmons, to begin with, and "View Camera Technique" by Leslie Stroebel. These will explain what different camera types can do. If you settle for something because it's on sale you may end up with the wrong 'type' of camera an be limited in applying your vision.

I suggest you take your time, ask questions and read/research before you spend any coin.

. . . and have fun ;-)

Cheers,

Johnny

[Vaughn]

Definitely research...which it seems you are doing.

What size format do you want to start with? If wet plate is your goal, perhaps 8x10 would be the place to start, though this would be unusual. Most often folks start with 4x5, get the bug and move up in format (at least I did! 4x5 to 5x7 to 8x10). I'd go larger if I could afford it -- might eventually!

Many inexpensive 4x5's out there. The older Calumets rail cameras (both 4x5 and 8x10) are good and cheap these days.

Have fun!

Vaughn

[Brian Ellis]

Hi ak - There's a ton of information here about getting started in LF photography. Just use the search function for terms like "newbie," "getting started," that sort of thing. As far as cost goes, you can spend about as much or as little as you like. It certainly is possible to acquire a used 4x5 camera and one lens, maybe two, for under $1,000. Good luck and feel free to ask questions here any time, there are plenty of people here who will tell you how much they know about everything. : - )

[akfreak]

thanks everyone, what a warm welcome. I am going to go with 8x10 from the start. I want to learn how to make glass plates and devlop my own B&W. I am going to go very slow, When I decide on what camera I want, I am going to buy it in pieces. The Belows, The rails, The GG, The lens, The release, ect... If I can find a few things all in one package I will consider it, However this is going to be a Jorney for me, I plan to go at a snails pace and read everything. Thanks for all of your responses. I look forward to making new friends and taking some great images. Tanks

[Brian Ellis]

thanks everyone, what a warm welcome. I am going to go with 8x10 from the start. I want to learn how to make glass plates and devlop my own B&W. I am going to go very slow, When I decide on what camera I want, I am going to buy it in pieces. The Belows, The rails, The GG, The lens, The release, ect... If I can find a few things all in one package I will consider it, However this is going to be a Jorney for me, I plan to go at a snails pace and read everything. Thanks for all of your responses. I look forward to making new friends and taking some great images. Tanks

I have to ask - why would you want to assemble your first LF camera from pieces? I guess you might save some money but good grief, getting started in LF photography can be difficult enough, especially when combined with glass plates, without trying to also assemble your own camera. I'm not particularly handy myself so maybe I overestimate the difficulty. But it strikes me that the odds of finding all the required pieces and fitting them together into a good working camera is going to take a long time.

[goamules]

Welcome, and a lot of the fun is the journey. For wetplate, I recommend you buy one of the guidebooks from Coffer, the Ostermans, etc. Do a little research on the Collodion forum (http://www.collodion.com/forum/default.asp), and you'll find a lot of answers. Remember this; don't assume the quickest responder has the most accurate answer. Discover what the consensus is for format size, lens type, plate holder method, chemicals....or better yet, do as I suggest and get a manual.

[Vick Vickery]

Lots of cheap entries available in 4x5...the Calumet 400 series and the Graflex (and other) press cameras have been mentioned, and I would add that I picked up a Cambo view camera for less than $200 a while back from eBay. Basic 135mm or 127mm lenses most often are included with press cameras, but you'll need to purchase a lens for most view cameras...150mm lenses ("normal" focal length +/-) can usually be found very reasonably from a wide variety of sources. You'll also need a few sheet film holders, a tripod able to handle the weight of the LF cameras, light meter, etc., but you might already have some of this with your other equipment.

Have fun, and welcome to group therepy! :)

[akfreak]

Tt took me a while to make it to LF but I am here and my digital stuff only gets to play when Money has to be made. I am addicted to old stuff now

[John Kasaian]

Get a copy of Using The View Camera by Steve Simmons. 4x5 is the less costly and probably the most versatile of large formats, but is 8x10 has hold of your passion don't think that you have to start with a 4x5. You can put a 4x5 back on an 8x10 camera and make your mistakes with less costly 4x5 if you want. Probably the less costly 8x10 cameras you'll likely find are Anscos, Kodaks, and metal Calumets. Film holders are pricey even used I like the black wood ones marked Graflex Made for Eastman Kodak. Plastic Lisco Regals are usually pretty nice as well. Buy a stack of them from a reputable dealer so you can exchange any "leakers" For glass plates you'll need plate holders which is a different sort of critter---you get them wherever you find them (often at antique fairs) Your best bet is taking a workshop to learn the techniques---Photographer's Formulary usually offers a few every year. I think Bostick & Sullivan still do also.

Have fun!