I'm getting close...

[venchka]

I saw no mention of a changing bag. Dark cloth? Loupe? Backpack to carry everything? I'm not too far ahead of h2oman and kinda need the same advice on minimum kit.

[Keith]

I also have recently jumped back into LF. I have a Shen Hao, a 90mm Rodenstock lens.
I use quickloads because I hike and find them so much easier to pack and hike with, although that said film holders are cheaper and I will get some soon for non hike photography. I feel it weighs less and it's easier to transport 50 quickload sheets that 25 holders. personal preference and me being a lazy bugger.
If your hiking I can't imagine carrying a changing tent also if you need to reload holders.

I use a Gossen meter. it's fantastic and is about 1/4 the size of any DSLR. I usually take a incident reading and go from there.

The filters is a hard one. You really want to go with a system like the Cokin P series if you can. You use rings for each lens and the holder slots over the len ring. It has a space for a polarizer although it has to be a ring mount like Singh-Ray and then the ND Grad fits on the front of the holder, The ring polarizer will turn independent to the ND Grad, hope you have a couple of hundred bucks hanging around. Expensive system but really is the best.

I don't use any filters at all, I shoot side lighting much more and if you shoot the right way in the right light you will not need filters at all.

I also have no loupe, and only recently pick up a custom made dark cloth, until then I used a t-shirt. So all I have is my camera, lens, light meter, cable release, dark cloth, and quickload holder and film and of course tripod.

[timparkin]

I've been moving to large format over the last few months and have kept a blog of the experience.. http://blog.timparkin.co.uk

[Alan Rabe]

On loading and unloading film. A lot of people use gloves to prevent finger prints from getting on the film. I find a product called "cots" is much simpler. They are little finger gloves that you get in the first aid section of drugstores. They just roll down over the finger. I use one on the forefinger and the thumb which is what I hold the film with. When finished just unroll them, they can be reused for almost forever.
Unloading film can be a bit of a pain, particularly if you have no finger nails like me. I have found that using a guitar pick to slip under the edge of the film in the holder lifts it up nicely. Just slide it in till it wedges the film between it and your finger, lift and pull it out.
But others are right, waste a sheet and just practice loading and unloading. Youll get the hang of it.

[J_Tardiff]

Another recent beginner-- I'll echo Frank's comments regarding Paul's gear (I don't know either of the gentlemen in question, but have found many of Frank's threads to be extremely helpful/informative).

The Osaka/Tachi + 150mm as a starter would be a great way to go and I couldn't agree more about keeping it simple to start. I have a nice Lee filter setup and a good collection of Heliopan B&W glass filters for my Hassleblad that I have been able to jury-rig for use on my Shen, but I really didn't start using them until I was pretty comfortable with my basic LF gear --- the less fiddling the better in the beginning!

I don't take a changing bag when hiking-- again, simplicity is key, there are a fair number of parts to keep track of as it is (sigh, I am really starting to feel old )

One more suggestion-- consider investing in a Polaroid 545 holder and some film to start. I found it invaluable as a teaching tool -- nice to get *some* instant feedback when you are trying to learn! Plus, you can eventually use it to proof in the field.

Good luck,

JT

[mrladewig]

I started into LF last spring when I bought a camera with two lenses and 12 film holders at a local flea market for $100.

Here is what I think you need.

The obvious - Camera, lens, lensboard and film holder, tripod and a way to mount the camera (maybe a ballhead and a quick release plate).

If you want to load your own film, then you need a film holder(s) for your format and most likely a changing tent or bag. I think there are instructions here on this site on how to load and unload film. This gives you the freedom of shooting any film available for 4X5. I agree that this isn't too hard and I agree that wasting one sheet to practice loading is and easy way to understand the process in the light.

If you don't want to load your own film, you can opt for the quickloads which are slightly more expensive and offer limited selections in film. But like someone previously mentioned, they are much lighter for backpacking. In this case, you need a quickload holder and the quickload film.

The other accessories are a focusing loupe and a darkcloth. If you will also be carrying a DSLR, you can meter with it, especially if you are doing reflective only stuff like landscapes. I take an exposure with it to determine if the metering results are going to meet my needs (review the histogram and the image) and if not, I apply some exposure compensation and take another shot. I know this is viewed as cheating by many, but I see a reason to carry both cameras right now, so I see no reason to not use the tools this way. I actually go a step farther in cheating in that I have almost duplicate sets of GND filters, so I can matrix meter with the GND in place to evaluate the setup.

If you don't want to carry the dSLR, then you'll need a light meter. The type depends on your needs. If you are going to be using strobes, then an incident meter will be better. If you are going to do reflective only, then a spot meter may be the best option. You can get a meter than will perform both functions like the Sekonic L-758.

You'll probably lose a few sheets along the way to problems like pulling the wrong darkslide. But it is really enjoyable when you get the hang of it.

Summarized in list form:
Camera
lens/shutter
lensboard for the shutter and camera
film holder, either standard or quickload flavor
changing bag for film if using standard film holder
loupe
dark cloth (I used a packable black golf rainjacket for a while, dumb looking but effective)
some way of metering
And FILM!

You might consider Fuji Provia or Astia if you want to start with slide film. These are a little more forgiving in exposure latitude and contrast than Velvia 50 or 100.

I think either the 135 or 150 focal length will suite you well to start.

[mrladewig]

I forgot about the filter questions.

You said you already have a Cokin set?

The P holder will work in most situations. I've even used my P-wide holder on my super angulon 65/8 with no blocking from the filter. I use the regular P holder on my 150/5.6 Symmar S with absolutely no problems. So there is not an immediate need to buy a 100mm series of filters (Lee or Cokin Z-pro) if you've already got stuff that works. If you can stick with the P size, its nice because they are less expensive and less bulky to carry. Many large format lenses have fairly small filter thread sizes compared to 35mm lenses. My 65mm has a 49mm front thread and my 150 has a 58mm front thread. Most of my 35mm lenses are either 58 or 77mm threaded (though I do have some 49mm threaded M42 lenses).

I personally use Hitech filters. They get the job done and no casual viewer is gonna know the difference between a shot taken with this filter and a Singh-Ray that costs 3 times more. There are some disadvantages with them which I'd be happy to discuss.

As far as stacking a polarizer and a GND, it sounds like you have one of the thin polarizers with no front filter rings on your current setup. Normally, the polarizer has threads on the front and the GND holder's thread adapter can screw into the polarizer same as the lens. With normal focal lengths (35mm and longer on 35mm format) this doesn't present any problems, but with wide angles it can become an issue. I tend not to use polarizers at wide angles anyways because they create an uneven effect on the sky.

Hope that helps.

Mel-

[Blueberrydesk]

Well, I'm in Yreka, CA tonight, so I've passed by Klamath Falls, but I'll leave the offer open for you for a day or two. Sunday my gear will go into the For Sale thread here, and if there's no takers, up to the auction block it goes.

I found Steve Simmons' book extremely helpful in teaching me what there was that was out there in terms of the basics, and Leslie Strobel's View Camera Technique was indispensable in learning a lot of the technicals. Simple is definitely better when it comes to starting out...

[h2oman]

Paul,

Please see the private message that I sent you.

Gregg Waterman (h2oman)

[Blueberrydesk]

Gregg, I've pm'd you back

Paul