Not new to 4x5 but 5x7 just isn't the same beast. I'm working at solving the problems, but let me enlighten you as to what I'm having trouble with. I have lots of work to do. Suggestions welcome.
1) Size and weight. I have a Burke&James Grover monorail. It's heavy, and it's straining my tripod. I'm old and weaker than in days of yore. And thus I'm limited to about 20 yards from my car. I should have done this as a young man. But you know all this.
2) Film problems. I like 4x5 Shanghai, so I tried a box of 5x7. Don't. It is NOT sized 5x7 and does not fit the American sized holders. The negative below is placed over top of a sheet of 5x7 Arista Grade 2 printing paper. The Arista (and some Ilford Ilfobrom I have at home) fit the holder perfectly. So I'll be experimenting with paper negatives until a box of 5x7 HP5 arrives. I've tried taping and other stuff with varying degrees of success, but I don't have much left so I'll let it ride. Avoid Shanghai in 5x7 unless you have the smaller Asian or multiple filmholders, which apparently this film is sized for. Correct me if I'm wrong because I don't know what I'm talking about. (There are 3 sizes of 5x7 holders. Didn't know that until a friend enlightened me.)
3) light leak or some kind of lens aberration, or perhaps a coverage problem. I haven't tracked down yet. Notice the area in the lower left of each photo, an area of lower contrast. And there is some flare on the upper right of the 2nd photo. Maybe it's the film sizing . . . that flare is not on the van picture but the tree is bent because of the poor fit of the film. Sorry for the crappy shots but I was just trying stuff out and not trying to take great pictures.
I'm developing the second batch tonight, and I'll post the results in this thread. I had about half the sheets fall out of the holder into the camera because of the sizing problem. The others seemed to stay in after being taped a little . . . . all of the paper negatives were fine.
I thought it would be similar to 4x5 but it's not. Different territory. By the way, for the record I'm using a 210mm Schneider Symmar convertible to 370mm lens.
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