Greetings from Southern Oregon

[gaylandd]

I did a lot of 35mm photography as a teenager and in my early 20's. I was introduced to LF by a photo instructor in college and had a limited oportunity to test the waters, but what I say intreged me. - THEN CAME KIDS - and most hobbies were put on hold for the last 15+ years. Now kids are mostly grown and I can try again.

I just purchased (last night) a LINHOF COLOR KARDAN 45S w/Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar 5.6/135 convertible to f12/235 mounted in a copal No O. I hope to have it in hand by the end of the week. I will be trying to gather the necessary accessories to make this a functional setup.

If anyone has any input for me on necessary accessories, manuals, tips, etc. Please feel free to e-mail.

I have found a great deal of info from the LFPHOTO site already and I am looking forward to many hours of reading and many more hours of shooting.

[Colin Graham]

Howdy and welcome. One of the best accessories I ever came across (cheapest too) is a pair of those +3 reading glasses from any corner pharmacy. I could never use a loupe very well. Congrats on the Kardan, sounds like a nice camera.

[Brian Ellis]

I've owned two Linhof cameras but not the Kardan. But if it's made by Linhof I'm sure it's excellent. As for accessories: Tripod and head, dark cloth (I like the BTZS hood sold by The View Camera Store more than a traditional horse blanket), light meter (the Pentax digital spot meter is very simple to use and very good but also expensive), film holders, maybe a Readyload holder or Quickload holder or a Polaroid 545 instead of the plain film holders depending on whether expense or convenience is uppermost in your mind, a loupe (I like the Peak loupes with a square rather than a round base for easy use in corners and edges of the ground glass). I don't know about a manual for the Kardan but any of the books devoted to large format photography by Leslie Stroebel, Steve Simmons, Jim Stone, and others are very good. Check out your local library to see if they have anything about large format.

That's about it for the essentials. And if money is a concern there are ways around most of these - black tee shirt instead of dark cloth, 35mm or digital camera instead of light meter, magnifying glasses or old 35mm camera lens instead of a loupe, etc. Good luck, where in southern Oregon are you?

[Ralph Barker]

Welcome to the LF Forum, Gayland, and to the "dark slide".

If you click on the LF Home Page link in the blue navigation bar, you'll find a number of articles that will be helpful, including "What equipment do I need?" and "What are the common mistakes, and how to avoid them?".

There are also a number of threads with references to various books you may find helpful.

[Robert Brummitt]

Welcome to the Forum!
This is a great site to be in. I get alot of questions answered here and fine all sorts of ideas as well.
There is a new group of photographers meeting down your way. (I'm in Portland Oregon.) They are called Southern Oregon Photographers' Forum. They have John Wimberley as one of their leads there. If you're interested I can arrange you to me them though John or with Geri Mathewson. Another fine photographer.
Anyways, welcome to LF again.

[roteague]

Welcome from Hawaii. I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera. Oregon is a pretty place, lots of good photo opportunities.

[GPS]

The good thing is that you haven't forgotten your hobby - that's a good sign! Good photography must have good roots!

[gaylandd]

Thanks everyone for the greetings and information. I actually live in Sams Valley, an unincorportated area north of Medford and east of Gold Hill.

-- Robert Brummitt -- I would be very interested in local contacts. Let me know the best way to make contact.

I am looking at several tripods on e-bay and would like opinions.

The first is a SUNRAY "large format" tripod w/9x6 1/2" platform head. I don't have any details on it, but it looks very heavy.

Next is a Manfrotto 3021BN w/Manfrotto 3030 head. The Manfrotto is a little shorter than I might like (I'm 6'2") and I am not sure how sturdy it will be for the Linhof (8+ pounds).

The last one is a Giottos MT8180 w/a MH-3000 head and Manfrotto 394 base plate. It looks like it would be a good choice, but with over 2 days left in the auction it is over 5x the price of the others.

Over the next week or so, I will be purchasing the necessary pieces and parts for my setup and look forward to any advice given.

Would my questions be more appropriate in the "Cameras & Camera Accessories" forum? If so, I will continue this thread there.

Thanks again for everything.

[Robert Brummitt]

PM sent to you regarding the group. They don't have an offical website but you have the contact information. Let me know anything else you might need?
RB

[Uri Kolet]

Welcome from the Canadian Rockies; my first 4x5 was a Linhof Kardan STE monorail with a Rodenstock 210 Sironar-N, probably the only Linhof with a defective zero scale on the rear standard that didn't line up! Great fun nevertheless, Cheers, Uri