LF Newbie from Boston

[davidmarinero]

I started shooting APS-C digital, then tried 35mm film with a Nikon F6, and was amazed by the image quality of slides on a light table. I continued to MF with a Mamiya 6mf, and the joy of seeing those large slides is difficult to describe (I was ecstatic). Following this trend, it was only a matter of time that I decided to take the plunge into LF, so I have just received a Chamonix 045N-2 that I have yet to try. Yesterday night I loaded my sheet holders, so I expect to use it this weekend! :)

I have been following this forum a long time, and so far all my questions have been answered by existing posts, saving me from actually asking. It is now time I introduce myself!! Once I get my confidence with the format, it will probably be time to meet with some LF shooters in Massachusetts using the Groups & Meetings section.

David

[Bob Salomon]

Have you gone to E P Levine off of 128?

[davidmarinero]

No, I haven't yet. So far, I have bought all my equipment online: Adorama, B&H, KEH and eBay. Is there anything in particular you would recommend of them?

[Bob Salomon]

They probably have more used film holders then any other store. Also lots of new and used lenses and lots of expertise on large format. So they also have cameras.

[davidmarinero]

Excellent. Thanks for the tip!

[Ken Lee]

Welcome ! Some of us live in the Boston area, as well as others in Western Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut - even Eastern New York :cool:

We recently had a wonderful show and benefit organized by some of the LF Forum members. See http://www.nelfpc.com/rog-2012/ (http://www.nelfpc.com/rog-2012/)

[Oren Grad]

They probably have more used film holders then any other store. Also lots of new and used lenses and lots of expertise on large format. So they also have cameras.

Bob - sorry to say, neither the stock nor the expertise nor the interest in LF are anything like what they used to be under the last incarnation of the store, down at the waterfront on Drydock Ave. I can't in good conscience recommend going out of one's way to see the new store in Waltham if one's interest is primarily either LF or darkroom.

[Oren Grad]

No, I haven't yet. So far, I have bought all my equipment online: Adorama, B&H, KEH and eBay. Is there anything in particular you would recommend of them?

David, you can browse their used stock online:

http://www.eplevine.com/

Drill down through the menus at the left and you'll find a link that will bring up all their used LF stuff. Some of the prices are reasonable considering that it's a retail store, but some are way out of line, so do some homework on price levels for anything that looks interesting.

[Oren Grad]

And, not to forget: welcome to LF and the LFPF, and enjoy! :)

[Pawlowski6132]

Are you selling your F6?

:)

[davidmarinero]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and advice!

It is a pity that I missed the ROG at Middlesex, CT. The online pictures look truly amazing and I can only imagine the "real deal", to look at the prints.

[davidmarinero]

Are you selling your F6?

:)

I am not selling my F6!! I don't want to give up the convenience of matrix metering and AF just yet ;) It also clocks exposures up to an hour, which is a joy for night photography. And it has a portrait lens that I love, the 135mm f/2 DC, which might not be a Pinkham & Smith, but it is so much easier to use!

I will sell my Mamiya 6mf with its 3 lenses once I take some pictures of all the items and post an ad in the typical places.

[mlatterich]

David,

Welcome to the club. I just moved to Boston from California and managed to get my gear across in one piece. Darkroom is going to be ready tomorrow night.

Hope to see you at some of the future gatherings.

Martin

[mikezvi]

Hey I just thought I'd drop a note, I'm also a recent transplant (well, re-transplant) to Boston (also from CA!). I was sort of spoiled by Keeble and Schuchat there, where do you guys go thats closer to the city than E P Levine (that is where the guys at k&s sent me)?

[Ken Lee]

Another store - not especially for Large Format - is http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/. They have several stores in the area.

Also, Calumet (http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/locations-us/index.cfm)has a store in Boston.

[Oren Grad]

Hey I just thought I'd drop a note, I'm also a recent transplant (well, re-transplant) to Boston (also from CA!). I was sort of spoiled by Keeble and Schuchat there, where do you guys go thats closer to the city than E P Levine (that is where the guys at k&s sent me)?

There's nothing remotely approaching an LF "candy store" in the Boston area today. I get almost everything - hardware, film, darkroom supplies - by mail order now. Calumet in east Cambridge has gone almost entirely digital, though they usually at least have some film up to 4x5 and basic darkroom supplies (Ilford paper only). Hunt doesn't do LF hardware at all any more, though the mother ship in Melrose, like Calumet, can usually be counted on for film up to 4x5 and for basic darkroom supplies.

[mlatterich]

The only store that seems to have many large format goodies in the area is EP Levine, among the local ones I have tried. They have a great selection of second hand lenses and LF accessories. The film selection isn't that great, but a good to have for emergencies. Have to try their imacon scanner for some of my 4x5.

[sully75]

Calumet has film if you are in a pinch, it's nice to have it around. They have some 8x10 too, although I can't imagine buying that from there (I don't even shoot 8x10 so anyway...) They have basic darkroom chemicals too which is handy for me.

NESOP in Kenmore square did or might still have a decent darkroom program. If you take a class you can use the darkrooms, I believe. If you are into that sort of thing.

Boston's a pretty good city for photography, I think. The PRC of BU is a pretty great organization. Museum shows are pretty frequent and pretty good. The Weston Leaves of Grass show at the MFA was really superb.

Anyway, I have all used junk I got off ebay and I'm going to keep it that way. I'm glad I can buy film locally even though I rarely do. Stuff comes from B&H more or less overnight. And I don't shoot all that much, so I usually have good warning that I'm getting low.