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I think learning zone metering with a Pentax spot will be a nice learning curve for me. Can anyone with a Pentax digital spot tell me what kind of battery it takes? I've heard some older spot meters...

The lens I'm thinking of initially is a 90mm Nikon SW f4.5, or 8.0. Apparently these are quite big lenses and I wanted to check I'm still going to get decent movements when using it and be able to...

All very helpful, thank you! It seems as though many people are using slightly different systems and all getting good results. I do think the control and flexibility of the zone system are very...

Thanks everyone, this really is very helpful and quite fascinating!

Leonard; I mainly like to shoot landscapes, yes, and mainly in colour transparency (although I could be convinced to use colour...

Thanks everyone that's very helpful. Now, a few follow up questions, if I may?

- To everyone who's using incident, or a mixture of incident and spot metering; how are you checking that the...

I'm new to LF and was wondering what metering/ exposure evaluation techniques people are currently favouring in practice? I've always metered either with my camera's inbuilt lightmeter (either...

Thanks guys, yep I'm gonna order with universal bellows and a few other extra bits. Hoping he can get me into the January order, otherwise I guess I'll be on the lookout for a used one...

Cheers,...

That's great guys, thanks, I'm gonna contact Hugo and order one. I didn't realise you could slide the rear standard forward, none of the pics have ever shown that.

Cheers,
James :cool:

Thanks, excellent.

How wide-angle can one go without getting vignetting or similar from the bed being in view? Especially when using movements/tilt on front standard?

Going back to the range of movements with 90mm or wider lens; I will use a universal bellows if I get this camera, which seems to offer full rise/fall/shift. Can it use a good amount of tilt at the...

Useful review of the Universal Bellows. One question; I'm intending to use a Nikkor SW 90 f4.5 if I get this camera. I see you're getting a good rise/shift with these bellows; would I get this in...

OK I've had a good look at the Shenhao, but it's come down to either a Chamonix, or one of the Toyo field models (45A/AX/AII). I wondered if anyone has anything major against/for each? Does the Toyo...

I have a question on movements in the Chamonix before I make a final decision on that vs. Shen-hao, if I may.

Bear in mind I'm new to LF, so I'm trying to make sure I'm not going to buy something...

Thanks very much for that! The other camera I'm considering buying is a second-hand Shen-Hao HZX-45IIA, and users have been reporting to me that it handles WA lenses quite well (65mm pretty happily...

Ah, so true! This is mainly because I'm only just buying my first LF gear, although maybe I should join when I'm finally using it - then I won't look so out of place with a big light box on my back...

Thanks, I'll consider it if the cardboard method is not working out for me!

Oh yeah, and I'm gonna look the bees knees with that hangin' round my neck! :cool:

How would one calibrate it? I don't know I think it might be confusing to try and frame in a differet aspect ratio, although I suppose one might 'mentally mask' to a certain degree...

So possibly a 48x72mm hole and the focal length would be half the length measured on the string?

Thanks everyone!

Now I've seen images of what you mean, I think those cardboard cutout viewfinders with string are a brilliant idea. You just saved me about £150 :)

Does the same rule apply for...

I like it; practicality over aesthetics!

hm... 55mm... that's pretty short! almost 1/2 as short as the 90. I would say with the universal bellows it would be more difficult to move, but can't...

I noticed that too... figured it was a home improvement? ;)

That's what I figured; but is the Chamonix going to give me any movements, etc. with that 55mm on a universal, or WA bellows?

Thank you everyone, very informative! I'll check out the Linhof viewers, but I am interested in the 'home-made' types also. I'll second the request for some images of what you're describing though,...

Does anyone use a director's viewfinder, or similar device, to preview framing/lens choice when working in 4x5? I've come across several designs, but they're all used in the movie industry so the...

Regarding the roll back; if I were to eventually get one, I'd need a pretty WA lens to get equal coverage to a 90mm, if I were shooting something like 6x7. Would I get any reasonable movements,...

It certainly looks like you get a good range of movements from those universal bellows. It looks like they sag a bit from the removal of the front stiffening, but I'm sure that's just an outside...

A detachable back for different orientations would be fine.

Personally, I tend to 'see' more in wideangle, so I think a field camera which copes with wideangle lenses as standard would be OK for...

Thanks guys, that's very encouraging. It's sounding more and more like a great camera. I might be using either a Nikkor SW 90 4.5, or Fujinon 90 5.6, so it should handle those if it's OK with longer,...

Um... this may be a stupid question, but how exactly does one take a 'portrait' orientation photo in LF, as opposed to a 'lanscape' orientation? I take it all cameras have the ability to do this?
...

Thanks anderson, that's great to hear. Also on the question of useability, does the camera have 'zero detents' or zero marks so that one can return to a known zero setup easily?

I understand what...

I'm interested in buying the Chamonix 4x5, I was advised to ask some people who owned/used it how well it copes with a heavyish lens on? Something like a 90mm f4.5, for example?

Thanks.

Yep, all sounds sensible, including the practice with scrabble blocks before wasting any film!

Thanks, I looked at their site the other day, before I'd done any research, but I'll revisit! Glad you're having fun :cool:

Hi and thanks for all the advice!

Yeah, I'm definitely going with used lenses. I'll probably source from the US as there seems to be so much more on the market there.

I think something like 90...

Thank you, most helpful. So in fact the '35mm' lensboard hole and the Copal type are directly related? I guess this means I just have to make sure I buy a lens board with the correct diameter hole,...

OK just started looking at lenses on the KEH site as recommended. I have a few questions straight away:

1. They mention 'mount' type: i.e. some say '35 mount', or '4x5 mount', etc. should I only...

Thanks for all that advice, most helpful! And yes, you're right, I should have been more specific on prices, etc. Oh, and I live in the UK - I'm not sure the second-hand market here is so strong,...

Hi all,

I'm making my first step into LF. I've been shooting 35mm of various types (most recently Leica M and now 1DsMkii) for years, but I love my landscape work most. I noticed that many of my...