Shooting roll film on a Crown Graphic, is that wimping out?

[Vick Ko]

I shot my Crown Graphic with a 6x9cm roll film back today, hand-held.

Okay, it was awkward. I have better ways to shoot 6x9cm (Bessa II, Super Ikonta 531/2, Fuji 690's). But I really like the convenience of roll film.

Is the only reason to shoot 4x5 cameras the 4x5 film? I am beginning to think so. I haven't gotten to loading up film & holders yet. The only 4x5 that I've shot is Quickloads and I have none left. And that was colour, so I didn't have to deal with processing.

I guess I just have to "bite the bullet" and do a real 4x5 shoot.

So for you, does shooting MF roll film on a view camera just defeat the purpose of using a view camera?

...Vick

[Terry Christian]

No, you're just fine and you needn't feel guilty about shooting roll film in a 4x5 camera.
Of course, people will give you many reasons why they shoot view cameras; but availability of movements are one of the major reasons, and few small or medium format cameras have the same types of movements as view cameras. So ahead and keep shooting roll film as long as you like, but be prepared for sheet film to rock your world once you get around to it!

[RawheaD]

I say Yes and no. I had/have a 6x7 and 6x9 roll film holders for 4x5. I just felt they were a waste. Why shoot 6x7 awkwardly on 4x5 when I can shoot my Pentax 67II? Why 6x9, when I can shoot with my Mamiya Universal or 2x3 Century Graphic (Fuji 690, you name it). There are cheaper and/or better alternatives out there.

With that said, you can also shoot 6x12 with nothing but a cheap-ish Da-Yi 612 roll film back. Now THAT is something you cannot do cheaply outside of a 4x5 + 612 back combination (think Horseman, Alpa, etc). There's even 6x17 backs for 4x5 (though I doubt the horizontal coverage would be 100%).

Buy a box of Shanghai GP3 and a Grafmatic back that can do 6 sheets at a time, and shoot 4x5 film handheld. THAT is a thrill

[Vick Ko]

Yeah, I got a Grafmatic a while back. Gotta figure out how to load it and whether it actually works.

And I gotta try to develop 4x5 in a daylight tank. I can't yet fathom standing in the dark, slopping negatives for 10 minutes in developer, 30 sec in stop bath and another 8 minutes of fixing.

[RawheaD]

Real simple; one of the best B&W you can get is Rodinal 1:100 stand so you really don't need any processor, don't even have to do a lot of inversion, and it's cheap to boot

[Jim Jones]

Yeah, I got a Grafmatic a while back. Gotta figure out how to load it and whether it actually works.

And I gotta try to develop 4x5 in a daylight tank. I can't yet fathom standing in the dark, slopping negatives for 10 minutes in developer, 30 sec in stop bath and another 8 minutes of fixing.

Turn the lights on after a minute or two in the fix, and sit, not stand.

[Terry Christian]

And I gotta try to develop 4x5 in a daylight tank.

I do the "taco method," four sheets at a time in a Paterson tank. Easy. Soon I'm planning to try the Unicolor drum method to see if I like it better.

[BrianShaw]

See post #2 for my opinion.

[Dan Fromm]

Vick, yes it is wimping out. What's wrong with that? I mean, you're the one you have to satisfy, not me.

Oh, and by the way, I shoot roll film on 2x3 Graphics, am not sure that doing that with a larger Graphic makes sense unless you're going to shoot 6x12. But, again, you're using your resources and you have your preferences.

Go and be happy,

Dan

[Old Guy]

. . . . But I really like the convenience of roll film.

Is the only reason to shoot 4x5 cameras the 4x5 film? ...Vick

I suppose each of us sees convenience in a different light. For myself, roll-film is just a big "rock-in-the-road". For some silly reason, when shooting roll-film, I always find myself holding off on developing and printing until the roll is mostly exposed. The way I like to work, it usually takes me weeks to fill a roll with worthwhile exposures. Sadly, by that time, I've done moved on to new horizons.

For me the convenience in sheet film has been that I can make a single exposure or two and immediately move on to developing and printing, with a minimum of delay. It sure helps to keep the momentum moving in one specific direction.