New to LF but not photography UK

[pplpilot]

Well, ive just got my 6 velvia's back...

And...

Oh My God!! what have i been missing out on?

one was underexposed, about 1/2 a stop i reckon, another over by about the same, all of them were on the nail as regards to focusing, i suppose all that time practicing various scenarios in the garden has paid off, I found composition probably the hardest thing to get right, its not like wondering around with an slr or mf come to that....

Ive spent hours peering through my 10x loupe at the slides, i just cant stop looking at them (they are the first i've ever seen), the detail is just somthing else, as an experiment i took the same scenes with my D200 to compare, and in all fairness to the Nikon they are good but the detail in the slide is simply awesome, like you lot need telling!
In one example there's a barb fence running across the bg through some trees barely visible on the digital but you can make out the barbs on the slide!!
there's a 20x16 hand-printed Cibachrome on its way of the very first slide I shot along with a scan, ill be framing this one as its the one i popped my LF cherry with! not the greatest of image but hey its my baby and i like it, ill post it as soon as i get it back...
It's so much more rewarding getting 6 ok'sh slides back than 100's of ok'sh digital files, always felt cheated after a days digital landscape...

The postman has just dropped of a box of Acros and Velvia quickloads... im off out! ttfn.

[Pete Watkins]

Hi Chris, just try scanning a 4x5 and you'll see what quality really is. I can't afford the latest super Schneiders but the G-Clarons, Super Angulons and old the 203 Kodak Ektar that I have are good enough for me. Remember, it's a hobby not a race. The biggest problem when you're out and about in the UK is people asking daft questions and making you forget to do things (closing the shutter down before pulling out the dark slide is what I do most).
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Keith Cocker]

Chris,

It must be in the air in the UK at the moment as I've also just started this 5 x 4 journey and Steve Simmons book arrived from Amazon this week! I'm developing my own B & W but was wondering what to do about colour. Could I ask where you are getting your 5 x 4 Transparencies developed and - daft question - how do you get them to the Processors? In the dark slides or some other way?

[pplpilot]

Chris,

It must be in the air in the UK at the moment as I've also just started this 5 x 4 journey and Steve Simmons book arrived from Amazon this week! I'm developing my own B & W but was wondering what to do about colour. Could I ask where you are getting your 5 x 4 Transparencies developed and - daft question - how do you get them to the Processors? In the dark slides or some other way?

Sure must be something, when I first started looking to get into it 5x4 was plentiful and cheep, it seems the last month or two prices have soared, decent 90mm lenses are going for silly money, or is it just me, at the time I was looking comparing prices to good fast lenses...?

I'm using 2 places at the moment for transparencies, BPD phototech in Warrington - http://www.bpdphotech.com/

who the likes of Joe Cornish and Charlie Waite use apparently, the hand printed Cibachrome I’ve just had back from them is stunning.

I also use a lab just a short walk from me - http://www.palmlabs.co.uk/

I'm using quick loads so i just put them in a jiffy sandwiched between cardboard, I’m guessing for dark slides you would send them to them and they would return them? not sure might be worth calling them, both are very very helpful and accommodating particularly those new to LF.

[BennehBoy]

I've yet to send my first shots away to be souped, colour neg is going to peak imaging, trannies will be dropped off at my local lab, CC imaging in Leeds.

I'm hoping to get some quickloads soon also

[Andrew_4548]

Ben, If you're working around Huddersfield, there's also Leach Colour at Bradley. I've dropped trannies off at lunchtime and picked them up on the way home. No problems so far.

[BennehBoy]

Ooh, didn't know about them, do they do neg too?

[Andrew_4548]

Yes, they do - 1.89 per sheet plus VAT for C41

They don't do B&W neg but do E6 with a sliding scale depending upon how many you take in.

The easiest would be to register on their site then you get access to the full catalogue.

Andrew (Apple from t'other site)

[BennehBoy]

Ah hello And thanks - sorry to have sort of semi hijacked the thread!