New article: the 5x7 format

[Steve Feldman]

I have recently acquired a 5x7 back for my 4x5 / 5x7 B & J wood view. I'm trying out the new Freestyle offering of Arista.edu 5x7 B & W ASA 200 from Hungary. It's not on their web site but available in the store. A 25 sheet box is $14.00. First shot at 200 ASA was way under exposed. 2nd test at ASA 100 was much better. I soup in HC 110 B 68 deg. 7.5 min. for N. N+1 looks about 10 min. N+2 about 15 min. Haven't tried N- yet. Contact prints look pretty good.

(I am not associated with freestyle in any way).

[Ole Tjugen]

Good article. I've been using 5x7" for many years; first with a Linhof technika, now with a Gandolfi Traditional. I also use 6.5x9cm, 9x12cm, 4x5", 18x24cm and 30x40cm - but 5x7" (and 13x18cm) is my favorite format.

[bglick]

QT..or others.... I too have long contemplated the benefits of one single format, vs. both I currently shoot. However, I know 5x7 film is not plentiful, but my biggest concern is 8x10 film becoming extinct.... its my guess, 4x5 outsells 8x10 by at least 50:1. So once film divisions start loosing money, I can see this happening. In the Studio, where 810 film used to hail supreme, I can see the high end digital one-shot backs, and of course the scanning backs being a serious threat, as 810 was often a bit overkill to begin with. Any thoughts on this?

[Percy]

Interesting that I should find this post the morning after making my first contact print in 5x7!
I searched for and found a 5x7 camera for exactly the reasons implied by Mr. Luong's article: although I love
my 8x10 Orbit, it's just a tad heavy for long treks, and 4x5 is a bit small for contact printing, which is my
preference. Contact printing 5x7 w/FP4....exquisite!

[CXC]

"Compared to 4x5, 5x7 is almost twice as large. The image on the ground glass is nice and big to look at, but not so big that it becomes difficult to see as a whole, like in 8x10."

This is an interesting point that I hadn't really thought about before: what is the optimal size ground glass for composition. Clearly related to certain measurable quantities, such as how far away do you stand to focus your eyes on the glass, and do you wear glasses. And do you want to be able to see the whole gg at once at this distance (for most of us, probably yes). I have recently been struggling under the darkcloth with 8x10, precisely because in order to see the whole gg, I need to back up from ideal (i.e., minimum) eyeball-to-glass focus length. Moving back and forth under the (sagging) cloth, in the wind, what a drag!

On the issue of weight, my 8x10 pack is about the same as 5x7, because I don't carry the 2 shortest lenses. The point being that the camera weight is a third or less of the total, so unless you are a gram shaver it need not be fatal. Bulk is another story, however. Especially for monorails: I have carried my Toho 5x7 monorail in a backpack, but can't really imagine carrying an 8x10 monorail that way.

[bglick]

What is exact dimensions of exposure area of 5x7 film holders?
Do they vary much between makers?
Does Toyo still make 5x7 holders?

Bill

[Glenn Thoreson]

I got a 5X7 Speed Graphic expressly for the purpose of making negatives big enough to make contact prints. I want to try making albumen prints.

[Mike Colt]

Couldn't agree more. There is a dramatic difference between 4x5 and 5x7 contact prints. The first time I made a 5x7 contact print I spent a day trying to duplicate the sharpness and luminosity on an enlarged print. When I gave up I realized I had already made a good print, just a bit smaller than I was accustomed to. Matted and framed these 5x7 contact prints are very nice to look at.

[Jay DeFehr]

5x7 is a great format, frought with inconvenience. To choose 5x7 as one's sole format seems to me an exercise in masochism. I am satisfied with a 5x7 reducing back on my 8x10 for occasional use. By the way, Tuan, I have an identical tripod to the one your posing with on your home page. What a beast!

Jay

[Peter McHugh]

I was very interested in the above topic. I used a 5X7 camera for macro photos as a metallographer and when I retired purchased one for myself. I quickly abandoned it as a practical replacement for serious photographic work because of the difficulty in finding film for it.

Most of my work would be macro, landscape and astro photography. Through some experience with the latter I have begun to rethink how my 5X7 could be used:

-Three exposures on B&W film of the same subject. One using Red, oneGreen and one Blue. I realize this would only be good for stationary targets or astro targets which can be tracked. Until I became well aquainted with Photoshop CS2 I wasn't sure this would be a practical approach. Now I am beginning to think it would be worthwhile trying.

-Black and white film is economical and easily processed. The other thought I had was to bypass the film stage and go staight to print paper in the camera - If the light level is a problem, very long exposures can compensate? Is reciprocity going to be a problem?