Where to get 9x18 film?
I haven't tried this myself, but I recently acquired a 8x20 camera. The gentleman that sold it told me that he shot transparencies with it and when I inquired on the film he told me that Kodak still makes an Electronic Output film that is really Ektachrome. It comes in 9 1/2 x 50' rolls and he cut it himself. I certainly believe this fellow, because he gave me 5 sheets of the film and it was not factory cut.
Regards, Pete
Did any of you guys see the article in View Camera a few years ago about the two guys that built two 9x18 cameras which were modified aerial cameras with the 500mm image circle Super Angulons on old Saltzman tripods. They were shooting construction projects in the west or something and making giant mural prints. There are no new original ideas. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
There is more to Clifford Ross than what the AP nitwit wrote. I have a copy of a 12-page document written by Ross describing his project and his R1 camera. It was given to me by a friend in the industry a year or so ago. Apparently his idea is to achieve greater levels of detail and realism in a photograph than have been seen before. (Not said in his story is his evident desire to make Struth and Gursky look like they work with Holgas...) The article says that he got his idea from seeing the "View Camera" magazine story about the Flint/Weissman camera, and worked with them, but decided to build his own camera in order to have precision movements. He also states "no over-size view camera had anywhere near the tolerances I was intent on reaching". So don't sell this guy short- he has a big idea and the resources to carry it out. It will be interesting to see if his pictures are worth the effort. I hope so, but I think of that Adams quote about 'there is nothing more boring than a technically perfect picture of a poor siubject" or words to that effect.
This guy definitely deserves some credit. The reporter who wrote the article on the other hand... Who wants to go egg her house?
Sure, he deserves some credit, but what exactly did he invent?
CNN did a 15-second blurb on this thing last week -- they seemed impressed that the camera could resolve "individual blades of grass." Imagine that! By the way, my B&J 5x7 camera IS one of those that only produces black-and white images. But that's because I can't afford color film.
Apparently his idea is to achieve greater levels of detail and realism in a photograph than have been seen before
Sorry Mark, but there have been banquet and panoramic cameras for many decades, I doubt his 9x18 negatives have more detail or realism than my 12x20 ones.
As to enlargements, there has been a guy for a few years already that will enlarge up to 12x20 negatives, of course this is for analog. I know little about digital but from what I understand a drum scan from an 8x10 negative can get just as much detail as his negatives if it is done at high enough resolution, if not how about an 11x14 negative..am I wrong?
This is a clear self promotion piece disguised as journalism written by an obvious recent journalism graduate. The amazing thing is that the editor did not catch the "cameras that only take B&W pictures" line...lol...
Slashdot has picked up on the same article. People might be interested or amused in the comments there: When 8 Megapixels Just Isn't Enough.
Unable to track down the reporter's e-mail address, I e-mailed AP pointing them to this thread and another on APUG.org. If I hear anything interesting, I'll post it here.
Jay De Fehr wrote: "I checked out his website, and while painfully slow loading, none of the images I saw were in color...."
I just did a quick look throughout his entire site. You are right. There is no color! Although there are photographs of his scribblings in his notebooks.
Oh, man, am I keeping my money in my pocket!! Owning a camera (and having the will to use it!) makes me so glad that I am not dependent on others for something to hang on my wall. He has a series which is titled "Grain." From the images, I think he means film grain, not wheat grain.
"There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept." -Ansel Adams
"It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." - Walker Evans
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