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A deep tank uses solution inefficiently, hence is only economical for replentished developers, not one-shots like PMK. A deep tank for 8x10 takes 3.5 gallons (14 liters)! I develop 8x10 in trays.
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Jim -- Are we talking about an "Omegaron"? The original post said "Omegaor", which I interpreted as a misspelling of Omegar, which I still say is "Ohmygod." The Omegaron you own may be another...

It's not a good buy. The "Ohmygod" lens is crap. IMO the enlarger is worth, *at most*, $200 w/o lens.

Invest in good lenses, such as Componon-S, Nikkor, or Rodagon. I found a beautiful 135mm...

You have magical powers. And you are not alone. I have discovered that I can still the ocean waters by setting up my camera to take a surf photo.

A peice of white plexi. But, as Mark point out, the light loss will be considerable. I suggest upgrading your head to a Chromega lamphouse, which will provide you with diffusion AND plenty of light...

Get a large frame backpack, the kind designed for serious hikers. I used to carry my 8x10 Deardorff, 2 lenses and 3 holders in such a pack--a Kelty exterior frame.

Then I developed bursitus in...

Kodak Black Opaque is the standard product for this task. It is really *opaque*, unlike Spotone.

http://www.ravenvision.com/rvapeter.htm

Tray process your b&w film in a darkened bathroom or kitchen. Contact print using some "alternative process" that does not require a darkroom. 4x5 gets you back to basics. Classical music instead...

I concur that portraiture with LF is challenging. I have done a lot with 8x10, now settled upon MF because of its speed, flexibility and moderate cost.

8x10 will give you something that no other...

"Just as nice as my Tri-x"? "...negatives as beautiful as Tri-x"? Uh, why not stick with Tri-X? I dabbled with T-Max films for a while, ended up hating them--soft, easily scratched emulsion;...

I would like to add that, unless you're practicing the Zone System, a meter reading should take you no longer than 5 seconds. That's about how long it takes me with my idiot-proof Minolta Autometer...

I have this attitude about meters, that unless you're practicing the Zone System, something not possible with color film, all meters need to have little white domes on them. In other words,...

I have both a 10" WF Ektar and a 14" Commercial Ektar for my Deardorff. Love them both.

http://www.ravenvision.com/rvapeter.htm

Let me put it this way: Fiber-base paper is like the finish on fine wood furniture, RC paper is like formica with phony wood grain.

Hang the prints on a line to dry, flatten overnight under a...

One camera for all those needs? An interesting challenge. Well, I guess it would have to be a Hasselblad. LF is out if you want to shoot weddings. Anyway, the jump from 35mm to LF would be a quite...

My comments on the Beseler 23C may be irrelevant to the 4x5 series, or they may not. First of all, I seriously question the integrity of a company that would produce a head so poorly designed as...

That should read "Minolta Autometer IVF" not IV

I recently bought a Minolta Autometer IV to replace my Sekonic L-398M Studio II. It's a great meter, very simple to use and dead accurate. But I now notice that Sekonic has dropped the price of the...

For many years I was a die-hard "Omega man." I worked in many pro labs in NYC and never saw anything but Omega D-series and a few Dursts. I personally owned a D2 and absolutely *adored* it. ...

It never ceases to amaze me what complex solutions many people use to solve simple problems. Prints can be dried quite effectively by simply hanging them on a line. The risk of contamination via...

Lee,

I think yours is an extremely worthwhile project. Women have been written out of history for too long.

I agree that contact printing is the way to go. But dont be intimidated by the...

The f/8 Super Angulons are great lenses, much cheaper than the newer f/5.6 or XL versions, an excellent deal on the used market. They won't cover as much as the newer versions but your Graphic...

Erik --

"I get an almost eerie image, as if it is more crisp and detailed than real-life."

Why don't you just GO WITH IT!? Photography is supposed to reveal, not conceal, though you'd hardly...

For medium format, my favorite films are Ilford Delta 100 & 400, developed in PMK. I often rate these films at 1/4 the suggested ISO and pull my development 25% to 40%, depending on how they were ...

I suggest a short, friendly lecture before the sitting about the realities of view camera photography, specifically that they have to HOLD STILL after the lens is closed and the film is placed into...

The "press focus" is a button or small lever on a LF lens that holds the shutter open for focusing. Most lenses designed for LF have such a button/lever, though a few have to be set at "T" or "B."...

Yes, it works fine. And the f/8 version looks quite good to me so far, a bargain at the $250 I paid for it.

Many people buy complicated lighting set-ups that they have no need for and no idea of how to use properly. My suggestion is to start simple: a 300 watt-second monolight (a self-contained,...

You got lucky! When shooting scenes with a high brightness range, my standard technique (for roll film anyway) is to overexpose 2 stops and pull my development about 30%. This gives a nice flat...

Does anyone know if a 47mm Super Angulon will work on a Graphic 2x3 with a drop bed?

"Oh one more thing I'm an adjunct faculty member in photo so you know i am broke."

The cameras the others are suggesting are fine, I'm sure, but very costly. Why not scout around for an old...

I keep three filters in my bag at all times, no matter which camera from 35mm, 120 or 8x10I am carrying: a #8 Yellow, a #15 Orange and a #25A Red (or their equivalents). Ironically, I have found...

Try Delta 100 & 400 in PMK Pyro (nominal starting time 10 minutes @ 70F), or Tri-X 4164 in Rodinal 1:50 (nominal starting time 9 minutes @ 70F). Incidentally, both of these combinations work well...

A friend of mine lent me an interesting old lens, dated '91 (1891!) an 8x10 Bauc h & Lomb Protar. The f/stops go from f/18 to f/90. It seems to have a focal leng th of about 5 or 6 inches, but no...

I think the 10" & 14" is a good combination. I own a 10" WF Ektar and I like it very much. I also own a 14" Commercial Ektar which is fine too. I have no experience with that particular Symmar...

Hieco Perma Wash and Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent are NOT equivalent. I'm no chemist, and Heico's formula is not published, but just a sniff of the two solutions will tell you that they're definitely...

I can't really answer your question, in fact I would be very interested to find out the answer myself. I use Perma Wash but, regardless, I wash EVERYTHING printed on fiber-base paper for at least...

Is this a problem? Does the bellows interfere with the light reaching the film? If not, I wouldn't worry about it. Anyway, they may simply straighten themselves out in time. I suppose you could try...

Ilford MC FB, both IV and Warmtone, are superb papers. I develop in Ektonol Type 2; Dektol is far too harsh for my tastes. Tone in Selenium 1:3 to completion. As for T-Max, good luck. I found it a ...

You can buy a large changing bag from Samy's in Santa Barbara for under $70. It's big enough for 8x10, small and light enough to carry.