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Fresh dry plates in a variety of sizes
For those of you who'd like to try dry plate photography but the process of making and coating your own emulsion is just too intimidating, I would like to announce that I have begun offering for sale newly-made 4"x5" dry plates, packed 10 plates to a box, that I prepare during my coating runs as extras above and beyond what I expect to use myself.
The plates are of the correct thickness (~0.050"), and the emulsion is of "normal" spectral response, with a typical sensitivity that I've tested to be about ISO 2 (you can shoot it at faster speeds, but I haven't explored that aspect much). As such, you can tray develop it under a safelight. The emulsion is virtually grainless, and has a very nice balance of tonality and contrast. Different developers give different results.. I've settled on the higher contrast of HC-110 Dil B but it still maintains a nice tonality. Developing by inspection also opens up a whole new variable to explore which is not often available when developing negatives. I think you'll enjoy experimenting with the plates.
I've spent several years perfecting the coating technique, and the plates have come out nice enough and consistent enough in quality that I can dare offer to share them with others, but keep in mind that these are hand-made, which provides a certain ... character ... to the final product. In most cases, however, it is a pleasing effect, and I have made some very nice enlargements which have been put on display in local galleries, public buildings, etc. Many of the prints that are seen in my etsy shop (see below) are worth looking at as examples of dry plate photographs I have taken.
I am selling these to keep my wife happy about being able to cover my photography hobby expenses, restock my darkroom's beer fridge, and share the fun of a limited-access alternative process to the wider large format photography community.
Since I prepare the plates in my spare time, availability is relatively limited for now. I have set up a shop in Etsy so that I can post available quantities. I encourage you to purchase boxes of plates through there: https://www.etsy.com/listing/5812747...ates-10-plates
There's a way to get notification when I update the quantities, but I must admit I'm not savvy enough to know how to do that. If the quantity there is greater than zero, then I have plates available. Plate holders are available online at various sites.
Sold in boxes of 10 for $35 + plus shipping (cheaper than Kodak!). I can ship internationally, just ask me.
I'm more than happy to entertain requests for other sizes... I make 4"x5" plates because that's what I use (as well as 5x7's). I cut the glass from 12"x12" sheets, so I can make plates that are anything up to that size (the cost will be different, of course).
Once you get the boxes in-hand, please contact me and ask questions if you have any as you are using them. I want you to enjoy them and be successful! Of course, as you test the plates and use them, I am hopeful that you will share your results and testing.
Thank you for the interest
-Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Jason, congratulations on a new product. Questions: do the plates fit into a stainless film hanger, so that they could be processed in a hard rubber tank rather than a tray? What advice do you have on plate holders (brand name, things to be aware of, etc.)? Do plate holders fit into "normal" Graflock/international camera backs, or is a specific plate holder back needed?
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I think if they fit plate holders they will fit SS hangers. I sure will try that soon. Mine are shipped.
I have a Primo or Cycle 4X5 camera set with nice plate holders. Ball Bearing shutter is wonky, but not a problem.
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chassis
Jason, congratulations on a new product. Questions: do the plates fit into a stainless film hanger, so that they could be processed in a hard rubber tank rather than a tray? What advice do you have on plate holders (brand name, things to be aware of, etc.)? Do plate holders fit into "normal" Graflock/international camera backs, or is a specific plate holder back needed?
Hi,
Thank you! My hope is that more people use and enjoy dry plates, they are a lot of fun for such a little-visited alternative process. And that I earn enough for all my the effort to keep my beer fridge stocked. [emoji4]. Or at least cover my material costs. It's all in fun.
About your questions...
Stainless film hangar: I typically tray develop the plates in the darkroom under the (0C filter or equivalent) safelight, so I can keep an eye on them and develop by inspection if I accidentally under or overexpose (which, thankfully, doesn't happen as often now as it used to). That said, the closest I have to hangars is this:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ad3e053f29.jpg
Which they seem to fit just fine as you can see. I develop sheet film in an SP-445, so I just don't have sheet hangers and can't say.
The glass is 0.050" thick, so you can measure the inside width of the hanger with calipers and you'll know (please share your findings if you do). Of course, the hanger needs to be straight, so something like a yankee agitank won't work. In any case, I've always tray developed, since I wanted to see how the emulsion turns out while I was perfecting my coating technique. Have I mentioned that I prefer to tray develop the plates? [emoji4]
Plate holders: Any 4"x5" actual plate holder will work (take the film adapter out). Sometimes fitting the plate in will be tight, but I fit check the plates in a spare holder before packaging.
Here's how the old school holders I use fit in the Graflok back.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...38d6364d42.jpg
It works great (the lighthouse pic in my etsy store was taken with this setup), but just doesn't stick out very far so you gotta grab the dark slides with your nails. I've learned to deal with it.
Be aware of the rib stop position when you're sourcing plate holders.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...bc8d630082.jpg
Most have the rib stop in the standard location like this Seneca Century plate holder, but Rochester Optical Co (as one example I know of) doesn't, so just be aware of that when you're looking for a plate holder.
Also, for the Speed Graphic, I've measured the distance to the plate surface vs for film and found the difference to be very small..in fact much smaller than the variation in distance between lensboard to each corner of the ground glass! That was an eye-opener, and I spent the rest of that day aligning my Graflex. So you should expect the plate emulsion to be parfocal (or, more technically, within the practical Depth of Focus) with film emulsion.
Great questions, let me know if you have more. And, of course, I hope you try them out and report your results!
I'm always curious to know if other sizes are desired.
-Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
5X7 will be next.
Lets me try the first batch. :)
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I've been wanting to try wet plate for a long time, but the logistics of it are daunting! I'm after that glass plate look--blue sensitive and some halo. I'm assuming dry plate will give me that. I do have a couple of questions. First, I assume that with dry plate I can load the holders, take them out in the field & shoot, and return home to develop? How long do I have to develop once they've been exposed? second, it's cold (-25F) this time of year where I live. I'm thinking that as long as I don't allow the plates to freeze I should be OK? Finally, I've never developed any film in several decades. Do you have a website or link so I can see what I need and what the process is? I have a nice collection of antebellum lenses I'd love to try some plates with! ISO 2 will actually be a help here.
Kent in SD
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
The below makes sense if you read 223 signature in the post above.
German always looks and sounds so angry. So I let Google show me the joy.
"Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and praise these days,"
Then I look at the German and it all seems obvious! I guess these words are from Latin, I should have noticed that. I couldn't figure out English until I studied Latin for 2 years.
A favorite song of mine, mit organ.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Two23
I've been wanting to try wet plate for a long time, but the logistics of it are daunting! I'm after that glass plate look--blue sensitive and some halo. I'm assuming dry plate will give me that. I do have a couple of questions. First, I assume that with dry plate I can load the holders, take them out in the field & shoot, and return home to develop? How long do I have to develop once they've been exposed? second, it's cold (-25F) this time of year where I live. I'm thinking that as long as I don't allow the plates to freeze I should be OK? Finally, I've never developed any film in several decades. Do you have a website or link so I can see what I need and what the process is? I have a nice collection of antebellum lenses I'd love to try some plates with! ISO 2 will actually be a help here.
Kent in SD
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Two23
I've been wanting to try wet plate for a long time, but the logistics of it are daunting! I'm after that glass plate look--blue sensitive and some halo. I'm assuming dry plate will give me that. I do have a couple of questions. First, I assume that with dry plate I can load the holders, take them out in the field & shoot, and return home to develop? How long do I have to develop once they've been exposed? second, it's cold (-25F) this time of year where I live. I'm thinking that as long as I don't allow the plates to freeze I should be OK? Finally, I've never developed any film in several decades. Do you have a website or link so I can see what I need and what the process is? I have a nice collection of antebellum lenses I'd love to try some plates with! ISO 2 will actually be a help here.
Kent in SD
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the interest.
For taking pictures, think of the plates as being similar to film. You can go take pictures and then be lazy like I am and wait weeks before developing the plates. This was the major improvement over wet plate photography (where you had to take the darkroom with you) and led to a surge in popularity of the craft.
Recommended developing times and developer is printed on the box, although feel free to experiment. I treat the development process pretty much exactly like developing a print in the darkroom. You can use the safelight. Dev, stop (I suggest water stop), hardening fixer (I use kodak rapid hardening fixer), rinse, hypo wash, final rinse. Then, place somewhere to dry without hurting the emulsion. The only caveat is that agitation should be very gentle and carefully maintain same temperature throughout.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Randy Moe
"Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and praise these days,"
Then I look at the German and it all seems obvious! I guess these words are from Latin, I should have noticed that. I couldn't figure out English until I studied Latin for 2 years.
A favorite song of mine, mit organ.
It's the opening line from Bach's "Christmas Oratorio." It's my favorite Christmas piece. The libretto to the opening part of the first cantata:
Cantata for the First Day of Christmas
(Weihnachts-Oratorium I)
1. Chor
Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage,
Rühmet, was heute der Höchste getan!
Lasset das Zagen, verbannet die Klage,
Stimmet voll Jauchzen und Fröhlichkeit an!
Dienet dem Höchsten mit herrlichen Chören,
Laßt uns den Namen des Herrschers verehren!
1. Chorus
Celebrate, rejoice, rise up and praise these days,
glorify what the Highest has done today!
Abandon despair, banish laments,
sound forth full of delight and happiness!
Serve the Highest with glorious choruses,
let us honor the name of the Supreme Ruler!
My favorite performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98UjjwzJBFE
It's a remarkable piece. It caps what has been a remarkable year for me, considering I very narrowly escaped death last February. Auf, preiset die Tage!
So anyway, I don't want to put off doing things I've always wanted to do, such as shooting plate photography.
Kent in SD
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Listening now.
Classical music and LF are like old Cadillacs and Stout beer. All very enjoyable.
Glad you survived. I had a rough summer. And strive
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I ordered a couple of boxes. Looking forward to playing with them. 5 X 7 would be nice as well.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
I'm more than happy to entertain requests for other sizes...
Whole Plate, if you can do it without breaking the bank.
I still have the Eastman plate holders with film sheaths that got me started in WP long ago. It would be delicious, after all these years, to take the film sheaths out and use those holders as originally intended.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Another question. Looks like you deliver by mail. That means anything you send me will sit in my mailbox until I get home. It's forecasted to not get above zero (F) for many days where I live. Will the subzero temps harm the plates? Thinking about it more, your package will likely sit in an unheated truck for several days as it makes its way west.
Kent in SD
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Jim, thank you! Saw your order and I'll get them out asap. I do have 5x7 plates. I have a 5x7 plate camera, and the results are great. The only thing keeping me from offering 5x7 is lack of boxes, to be honest. The 5x7 plates that I've made so far are either in plate holders or the one old Kodak plate box that I do have. Funnily enough, during my last coating run I had a stack of 5x7 glass sitting there taunting me. I made four plates just for the principal of it, but only had room to store 2 of them. So I had to keep the two best and the other two were sacrificed to daylight. I brought them out to show my wife what basic emulsion looks like when unexposed (it's a pale yellow color). She wasn't as excited as we often hope our wives are about our hobbies, of course.. Anyways, I am working on sourcing boxes, and have some incoming for 5x7's. I'm doing the same for more 4x5 boxes but those are 2-3 weeks out.
Oren, I think that'd be awesome. I just finished making contact prints from whole plates that are in Brookline Historical Society's collection (my town). They were taken by an amateur photographer who picked up the hobby when she was in her 20s (~early 1890s), and she continued to take pictures for the rest of her life around the local area. She used a whole plate camera (I don't know what type it was). The set I made contact prints from dated to about 1900-1920. The prints came out great, and it was just awesome to think the process spanned a century. I posted some examples in the media section of photrio.org (old APUG). The prints are for our town's upcoming 250th anniversary..they will be scanned in and used in our update to Brookline's history chronicle (last updated in 1919). Anyways, I'll run the numbers for whole plate and PM you.
Kent:
Last winter my plate camera and plates would sit in my truck all day at work while the temperatures would drop to -5F (worst case that I saw, this was an intentional test), and they were just fine. This summer they'd do the same up to 100F+ measured in the cabin and were fine. But your temps are uncharted territory which I am eager to test for. Would you like to be a guinea pig? I would like to send you a couple of sample plates exactly how I would send normally. You can then use them as you would a normal order, and then develop them or send them back to me and I will develop them and we will see how they look.
My theory is that they will be fine like regular film would be under those temperatures (Mees writes in his book that the photon conversion process is independent of temperature). Historically, I know that plate cameras and plates were used in all types of weather. For example, they are known to be taken on at least some of the late 19th and early 20th C. polar expeditions. The photographs from Captain Scott's south pole expedition is one example. Ponting used plates. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Ponting So there's historical precedent that indicates plates in general will be fine at temperatures even below what you see, and it's just a question of verifying that fact. I am an optical engineer by profession, and as an engineer I naturally insist on verifying designs and theories with field testing. This would be a field test, with the hypothesis that they will turn out ok (as long as you do your part to expose properly!). The only thing I would advise is to let the package of plates come to room before opening the box in the darkroom to avoid condensation on the emulsion....just like you would for bringing film out of freezer storage.
How's that sound? I'd just need an address to send them to.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
May as well ask/dream for 1/4 plate as I have those holders and camera.
What I don't have is 10X10" holders or camera but do have a 10X10" Stainless Steel hangerless (meaning built in slots) gas burst tank. Medical or Scientific usage?
I could shoot 10X10" with my Levy copy camera, but let's not go there yet!
I assume you have a 'real' job. :)
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Am also interested in Whole Plate size
Greg
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Randy Moe
May as well ask/dream for 1/4 plate as I have those holders and camera.
I can make any size plates up to 12"x12", it's just a matter of calculating pricing based on material costs. I will calculate cost and let you know.
Quote:
I assume you have a 'real' job. :)
I do. I'm a lens designer, actually, with an engineering background. I have designed optics that are fielded or being fielded from the deep ocean to outer space and everywhere between. See my post on a lens design in the DIY sub-forum.
Currently I'm filling a role as director of engineering at a small company working in cutting edge technology.
So my engineering background and practical experience in making things for the real world has come in handy in figuring out the best way to make these plates. It provides a technical rigor and consistency for quality which has helped me as I perfected the techniques required.
Cheers,
Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Greg
Am also interested in Whole Plate size
Greg
Got your PM. I replied. Thank you for the interest!
Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
This is great news !
One question, do you include a green sensitizer (erythrosin like) to make it ortho, or is it color blind ?
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
Last winter my plate camera and plates would sit in my truck all day at work while the temperatures would drop to -5F (worst case that I saw, this was an intentional test), and they were just fine. This summer they'd do the same up to 100F+ measured in the cabin and were fine. But your temps are uncharted territory which I am eager to test for. Would you like to be a guinea pig? I would like to send you a couple of sample plates exactly how I would send normally. You can then use them as you would a normal order, and then develop them or send them back to me and I will develop them and we will see how they look.
My theory is that they will be fine like regular film would be under those temperatures (Mees writes in his book that the photon conversion process is independent of temperature). Historically, I know that plate cameras and plates were used in all types of weather. For example, they are known to be taken on at least some of the late 19th and early 20th C. polar expeditions. The photographs from Captain Scott's south pole expedition is one example.
Good enough for me! I forgot about use on polar expeditions until I watched the NG show on TV last night. I ordered a box on ebay. I have about a dozen pre-Civil War lenses and a few from 1865-1880 that I've always wanted to do wet plate with. I might still try wet plate this summer during a Civil War reenactment, but in the meantime I just want to jump in and start with dry plates. I would be sad if that turned out to be something I never got around to doing! (You never know....) All of my heroes shot dry plate--F.J. Haynes in Fargo, W.H. Jackson in Omaha, Solomon Butcher down in Nebraska, A.J. Russell in Omaha--on and on. If 4x5 works out, I will be interested in 5x7 plates as well. I have a dandy 1925 Gundlach Korona and several pre-Civil War lenses that work great on it!
Also need a link telling what equipment/supplies I need to process, and how to do it.
Kent in SD
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I'm in Finland (Close enough to the arctic i suppose :D ), i'll try to shoot atleast 2 plates in the winter weather here. (once the actual winter starts....it seems to be lame)
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Very good idea and I will be wanting to try this in the future, good luck with this, I am following this thread to see some printed results.
Bob
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pere Casals
This is great news !
One question, do you include a green sensitizer (erythrosin like) to make it ortho, or is it color blind ?
The current batch of emulsion (Batch #004) that I'm making plates from is color blind. I call them "normal" sensitivity, borrowing from the nomenclature of the late 1800s. I really like the look..I think that's part of the fun.
However, like any good engineer, I have a "development plan", and that includes orthochromatic sensitization sometime in the future. It also includes increasing the inherent sensitivity, and I'm currently mapping out the best approach to tackling those two related goals within my limited amount of time. I'm methodical in my development approach, which takes longer but will result in a better end product.
Funny enough, first on my list is sourcing boxes! Lol. Offering plates for sale so others can enjoy them sort of spontaneously materialized a couple weeks ago, and there were more people interested than I expected. So I'm running short of the used sheet film boxes I had. But I'm lining up a source and will need to pay for those pretty soon so I'm ok on that front.
I have been identifying sources of erythrosin (and other sensitizers) and doing my research. Assuming I continue to sell plates, that will help to cover costs for that type of development.
Anyways, lots of fun. I encourage you to try them out! If you need a different size, let me know.
-Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Thanks everyone for all the interest. I am very excited about this interest and am honestly happy to be sharing with others.
Looking forward to the reviews, and as I've mentioned before, please ask lots of questions as you use them. I want you to be successful!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bob carnie
Very good idea and I will be wanting to try this in the future, good luck with this, I am following this thread to see some printed results.
Bob
Yes, I'm looking forward to results as well. I can only print up to 16x20, and there are definitely better photographers out there than I am. At only 4x enlargment, the prints are still tack-sharp. I'd love to see the results from better photographers who can make larger prints.
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Kent, here are the instructions that I print on the box:
OPEN ONLY UNDER SAFELIGHT!
Plates are packed emulsion-side up.
Emulsion side is slightly hazy when viewing reflection of safelight.
Uncoated glass side will not be hazy.
Load emulsion-side up into plate holder.
Expose at ISO 2
Tray Develop under safelight 5 minutes in HC-110 Dil B or equivalent.
- 30 second agitation at start
- 15 second agitation every 1 min after.
Indicator stop bath or water Stop 30 seconds.
Fix in Rapid Hardening Fixer, constant gentle agitation
- Fix double clear time,
- Fix longer if needed to remove yellow stain.
30 second water bath rinse
Hypo wash 4 minutes if desired
Gentle agitation rinse in room temperature water
- 20 minutes if hypo washed
- 40 minutes if not hypo washed.
The non-emulsion “glass side” will have excess emulsion remaining from the hand-coating process. After developing, this excess emulsion can be removed with cloth dampened with dilute bleach, or Clorox disinfecting wipes or equivalent.
CAUTION: Edges of glass are sharp!
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Wow, just saw this! I am very happy to see this...I have a couple of projects in mind that I want to use wet plates but due to issues with getting a friend of mine to actually help me it hasn't materialized...dry plates were my backup plan but I hadn't gotten around to buying all the materials and such to coat them.
I see there is one box left...I'll buy a couple of boxes once you restock to save on shipping.
I also am interested in whole plate size as I already have a holder for my 8x10 at that size. Very interested to know what the price will be for those. Also, I am wondering if the emulsion might eventually be something you could offer as a stand-alone product, if that is something that would be doable for home-coating plates. I know there are some liquid emulsions out there already but if you have a competitive price, obviously that'd be a great alternative!
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
I have been identifying sources of erythrosin (and other sensitizers) and doing my research.
-Jason
Ortho sentitization with erythrosin is amazingly straight: http://www.thelightfarm.com/cgi-bin/...tent=18Jan2012
You can get it at ebay for few bucks, and it is a safe substance as it's food grade. (other sensitizers are not as safe)
One important thing Mowrey told is that it should be added to the emulsion while doing the addition, if it is done later if has half the final effect. So if you are doing nice plates yet then just by adding some drops of E at the beginning of the addition you can offer also Ortho flavor, nice for male portraiture. When you wash the emulsion the sensitization it is not lost, because the sensitizer Molecules that are effective are tied to the silver halide and are not washed out.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
OPEN ONLY UNDER SAFELIGHT!
Do you have any directions for which safelights are fine for your emulsion?
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
locutus
Do you have any directions for which safelights are fine for your emulsion?
Whatever you normally use in your darkroom for developing prints is fine. My darkroom has the classic 15W Kodak safelight with 0C filter.
-Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
locutus
Do you have any directions for which safelights are fine for your emulsion?
I has to be !
Let me say why, as a Dry Plate practitioner and Jason's protective customer...
When making emulsions the challenge is to make it sensible to green and red. Silver halide crystalls are sensible to blue and UV, very specific sensitizers have to be added to make it sensible to red. In fact those added sensitizers (particular aniline dyes for example) capture the photons and deliver the energy to the attached silver crystals, this is the way it works, as the crystals are not sensible to green and red, as only Blue an UV have energy enough to trigger a change in the silver halide crystal. So if maufacturer knows very well it...
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
Whatever you normally use in your darkroom for developing prints is fine. My darkroom has the classic 15W Kodak safelight with 0C filter.
-Jason
Thanks!
I kinda guessed any Orange/Red darkroom light would be okay but i thought to double check first.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nodda Duma
Whatever you normally use in your darkroom for developing prints is fine. My darkroom has the classic 15W Kodak safelight with 0C filter.
-Jason
That's just the thing--I have no darkroom. I load sheet film in my bathroom at night, which works well. I'll do the same with the plates. If I really get into this (a possibility,) I do have the perfect space in my basement that would make a great little dark room.
Now another question. How long do I have to process plates once exposed? I assume it doesn't have to be done immediately like wet plate.
Kent in SD
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Kent as far as waiting to develop, it's pretty much like film.
I've shot plates and have waited months to develop. They came out fine.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Jason,
I have a few plate holders, and will probably order a box or two soon. Have you thought of clipping the right corner, so that the emulsion side is identified, like notches on film?
Kumar
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Some of us load film in a changing bag or tent or on location, and it would help identify the emulsion side easily, no?
Kumar
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Hi Kumar,
That's great! Thank you for the interest. I'm going to be making more tonight, so the quantities should update tomorrow or the next. Last batch of '17!
It's a fair idea that I've considered before but decided against. It's sort of solving a problem that doesn't exist for normal or ortho plates, and the extra steps would just add more time to the process of hand-cutting the glass and ensuring proper orientation when pouring emulsion.
As long as you can view the plates under a safelight, you can tell which side is the emulsion side. The emulsion has a slight haze visible when viewing the reflection of the safelight. The glass side looks like, well, shiny glass (with the streaks and spots from residual emulsion that made its way to the back of the plate).
The plates are packed emulsion side up, so when you take off both lids and see the plates, the emulsion is on top.
Cheers,
Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
It's easy enough to identify under safe light. I haven't had any situations where I needed to identify the emulsion side of a plate in the field, but I suspect you could do it by feel; the glass side and the emulsion side feel slightly different.
Also, to those who were asking: my own fit in stainless steel holders for washing, etc., and I imagine Jason's do as well. That's how the finished plate washing (after development) is done for the workshops at GEM anyway...
Robert
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Jason,
Chamonix wet plate holders are made to take plates of their film sizes which are slightly smaller than real 4x5, 5x7 or 6.5 x 8.5 inches. Is this going to be a problem for your dry plates? Our wet plate holder can take plates up to 3 mm in thickness.
Thanks.
Hugo
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Hi Hugo,
It would be an issue as I cut them now, but I could adjust going forward. Or make Chamonix-specific plates. I would need to know the exact dimensions with tolerances. PM me and I can provide contact info to discuss further.
-Jason
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Jason,
The following are the openings of our wet plate holders. Your plates should be smaller in order to fit our holders. About 1-1.5mm on each side.
045---127mm x 100.5mm
057---177.5mm x 126.5mm
WP----215.8mm x 166mm
810---253.3mm x 203.2mm
Thanks.
Hugo
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I developed some plates last night. The truck is from batch #003 (the first round of plates I sold is from this batch). That's my town (Brookline, NH) Fire Department Engine No. 1, a 1919 purpose-built fire truck on a Ford Model T chassis. The Fire Department bought it with money from fundraisers like dances and such at the time, and they've owned it ever since. I took this in preparation for our upcoming 250th anniversary. I didn't do anything except scan it in.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/attach...19-jpg.192682/
This one is a crop of the photo above to a size equivalent to a 35mm frame. This gives you an idea of what the grain looks like. Ignore the dust from the scan.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/attach...il-jpg.192683/
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2 Attachment(s)
Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Here is a photo I took yesterday. I share it because I didn't want to exclusively show you "the best of the best". This is sort of in the category of "towards the middly-bottom" as far as plate quality goes. So (along with the other examples I've referenced) you get to see the range of quality in these hand-coated plates.
It is from batch #004 (the latest round of plates). This was a reject plate, because as a test I back-filled a hole in the emulsion at bottom center which you can see as a lighter blob-area due to the emulsion being thicker. The light curved artifact on the right-hand side is due to the dark slide I used having a crack in it.
Ignoring those, the photo shows what you could expect of frilling at the edges where the emulsion can start lifting from the glass. So when you go to compose a shot, you might want to take that into account. It can be a cool effect, but you can also crop it out of course.
Attachment 173211
and a crop equivalent to 35mm so you can get a feel for the grain (this is tray developed in HC-110 Dil B, 5 minutes at 68F). You can see my poor attempt at cleaning the back of the glass.
Attachment 173215
Going forward my quality will inevitably improve, but these two shots and the other examples I've shared sort of give you a snapshot of where I am today. Each batch, some aspect gets better. Anyways, lots of fun.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Congratulations !
It looks extraordinary !!!
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Impressive plate and good subject.
What was your exposure parameter?
addendum, for each plate shown
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
So I've gotten used to thinking in terms of Exposure Values (EV), so you'll have to bear with me if you're not familiar with how EV's work.
For the truck, EV reading on the ground was 10 and on the wall it was 14. This worked out to 8s at f/22 to properly place the truck in the mid-tones at ISO 2. I don't really trust direct readings off of bright red paint since the emulsion doesn't see red. I think it was reading EV 13 on the fender. I bracketed 5s and 10s just to be careful (there wouldn't be an opportunity to do-over), but it turns out my 8s estimate nailed the exposure.
For the lake scene, the EV reading was 14 which at ISO 2 calls for 1s exposure at f/16. So the snow and sky aren't blown out like they should be for plates. It was cold out there and I was in a hurry. If my brain had been working right I would have aimed to put EV 12 in the mid-tones at ISO 2 and exposed for 2s or maybe 4s. Ah well.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Thanks! Well done!
I have always thought EV was an unnecessary added complication foisted on us as a simplification.:)
I do see it's value on linked speed/aperture shutters for a few situations.
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Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
Thanks.
EV was really important when I was making batches that rated ISO 0.25 or 0.5, which is so low that my meter would not support.
I created an exposure vs f/# spreadsheet from the equation which converts EV(100) values to other ISO ratings, in this case EV(0.25) or EV(0.5). Printing out the spreadsheet table and sticking it in my notebook that I carry with me, I could simply meter the EV(100) off the scene and then read off my required exposure without having to buy some God-awfully expensive meter that supports that low of an ISO.
It was the simplest way to take the guess work out of estimating exposure for plates.
My meter supports ISO 2 just fine, so it's not as important now. However, I did gain the side benefit of being able to estimate exposure in my head just by gauging the scene brightness.
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
I can see the value of a 'cheat sheet'. :)
I will make one and lose it. All paper is lost by me.
I meter on 100 iso and use my fingers to count stops I need to compensate. Usually works...
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Re: Fresh 4" x 5" dry plates
The problem with EV is that some people used "fixed" EV, always in reference to ISO 100, or "movable" EV, adjusted to the ISO in use. Various meters do one or the other - the Pentax spotmeters use a "fixed" EV, while I think one of my old Sekonics adjust it based on the ISO setting. This is kind of like fixed or movable 'do' when using solfège in music.
Anyway...can't wait to get the plates I ordered :).