Shooting HABS/HAER Without Instant Polaroid/Fuji

[greenetee]

Hi everyone,

First time posting here, so bear with me. If this isn't the right forum to post this question let me know.

I haven't used 4x5 in about 5 years, and I "grew up" using Polaroid. Then I used Fuji when Polaroid bit the dust.

I have an opportunity to shoot a HABS/HAER job in the next couple of months. It's an old manufacturing plant without electricity, and I'm very comfortable shooting the exteriors without Polaroid, but for the interiors where we're going to have to bring in lighting I'm not quite as sure of myself. I haven't shot large format with just a meter in a looooonnnnnggg time. Does anyone have a source for 4x5 Fuji, or is it possible to convert a medium format Fuji back to fit a 4x5? That would be great, since mf Fuji is still available. And cheap. I know I wouldn't get the full view, but just as a way to check exposure would be great.

If there is no source for 4x5, and modifying a mf back isn't possible what are my options? I know, get out the old meter, and practice before the the job starts. I plan on doing that, but is anyone out there doing anything different? A friend suggested using my digital (Nikon D3) as my "Polaroid", and practice using the D3 as the meter/Polaroid in different lighting situations. Shoot some film and see if the exposures between digital and film match up.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.


Thanks!

[EdSawyer]

Get a Fuji PA-145 back or polaroid 405 back (Graflok 4x5) and use it with the 3.25" x 4.25" FP100C film. Both still easily available, should work fine.

[greenetee]

Get a Fuji PA-145 back or polaroid 405 back (Graflok 4x5) and use it with the 3.25" x 4.25" FP100C film. Both still easily available, should work fine.

So, I can use the a PA-145 back on my Horseman or Sinar?

[Oren Grad]

So, I can use the a PA-145 back on my Horseman or Sinar?

PA-145 won't work on a Sinar. You can mount it, but the darkslide will be obstructed because of the shape of the back. Don't know about Horseman monorails.

[Tin Can]

PA-145 won't work on a Sinar. You can mount it, but the darkslide will be obstructed because of the shape of the back. Don't know about Horseman monorails.

Horseman monorails also block, but it is just possible to bend the DS in and out. I didn't like doing it.

[vinny]

Rumors that fuji axed fp-100c which won't show tou the whole frame=useless.

Use a DSLR.

[Roger Cole]

Rumors that fuji axed fp-100c which won't show tou the whole frame=useless.

Use a DSLR.

Why is that useless? It's still readily available, albeit with some delay while stores replenish, and you don't need the full frame to verify exposure. He needs it for one job, not ongoing work, so if he can get enough for that job the discontinuation doesn't matter.

[vinny]

Why is that useless? It's still readily available, albeit with some delay while stores replenish, and you don't need the full frame to verify exposure. He needs it for one job, not ongoing work, so if he can get enough for that job the discontinuation doesn't matter.

Habs/haer work is b+w from what I've seen. Using instant as a meter is one thing, not seeing the whole frame when lighting the whole frame is silly. He already has a dslr and that can replicate the entire frame (close enough) for this type of work. B+w films have enough leeway if his exposure isn't dead on but having the whole frame is crucial.

[Kirk Gittings]

Habs/haer work is b+w from what I've seen. Using instant as a meter is one thing, not seeing the whole frame when lighting the whole frame is silly. He already has a dslr and that can replicate the entire frame (close enough) for this type of work. B+w films have enough leeway if his exposure isn't dead on but having the whole frame is crucial.

Yes I agree and test the setup before hand comparing the DSLR exposures against film and bracket exposures.

[Oren Grad]

3.25" x 4.25" FP-100C has just been discontinued by Fuji, and at least for now pricing and availability are volatile as current users are placing panic orders and sorting out how much they want to try to hoard.

I'd brush up on metering, and supplement with a digital camera as needed to help in visualizing lighting.

Note - I've moved and retitled the thread to better reflect its focus.