Handheld 4x5 - what an experience!

[Patrik Roseen]

gps - I do not fully get it, but I sense I should know... could you give me some more hints either here or drop me an email.

[GPS]

Sorry for being kryptic - what I ment was wait (like I do) for the new Fotoman 4x5 P&S camera that is due in May and then you will have a tool that is light, has changable lenses and you can just enjoy this kind of photography. I think (LI even know it) that you are on the right path - there is a lot of photography that you can do with handheld 4x5 much better than with anything else. Cheers.

[Patrik Roseen]

Hi, This is one of the photographs shot during my first attempt doing handheld LF4x5. I did not stop down very much to be able to shoot at 1/100th of a second, thus the unsharp corners.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?p...467376&size=lg

Kind regards, Patrik

[Ralph Barker]

Looks pretty good, Patrik.

[Donald Qualls]

Well, I got my Speed, got the broken Compur shutter on my Skopar converted to a barrel (just dismounted all the shutter parts, leaving the aperture in the Compur case), and have shot my Speed some with the focal plane shutter, hand held. I *like* it.

[Phong]

Donald,

The lower left quarter looks "unnaturally" soft to my eyes. What gives ? Thanks,

- Phong

[Henry Ambrose]

Frank Petronio -- "Walter, I use a Super-D Graflex and dress"

Wow I bet that is some experience!
What color dress, bad boy?

[cyrus]

Using my handheld Polaroid 4x5 conversion has led to some interesting points
Example:
The absence of movements means that converging lines issue can become quite noticable on a 4x5 neg which seems to show it more than a 6x6. So, photos of NY skycrapers are not the best subject.

[Paul Coppin]

Having just spent part of the morning browsing through B&W's Special Issue (#44), I'm not sure issues of convergence, focus or motion blur have any particular relevence, especially if you are wanting to get published.... Like shooting with a pinhole, handholding a big slow camera is going to give you a grab bag of results, some of which will suit your fancy, some likely not (and is this different from conventional shooting?). I think some the comments about "appropriateness" of handholding 4x5 are, well, inappropriate. The proof of the pudding is always in the image. As long as you can afford the film, knock yourself out!

Edited to add: any technique that increases film usage is good thing... we need to keep manufacturers interested in making it...

[Ted Harris]

I got a sample Fotoman 4x5 PS from Paul Droluk the other day and the fit and finish look great. I am waiting for the arrival of a 75mm and 110mm cone early next week so I can put it through its paces using lenses that many of us might own. I'll post soe comments nd images here in as soon as I can and a full article in VC in September. The camera should be trickling into the distribution channels now.