Cheapest way to shoot 4x5? Film/developing

[engl]

I am about to receive my first large format camera, a 4x5 Crown Graphic. I have previously shot 35mm and MF film (6x6 TLR, 6x9 folder), but I have not developed myself.

While the price of admission isnt terribly high for LF gear, the cost per shot is relatively high, and Im not rich. Because of this, Id like to get the lowest possible cost per shot while learning, in order to get to know the format/camera/developing etc.

Self developed BW is pretty much given, considering my budget. I intend to scan these negatives on an Epson 4990 owned by a friend.

What Im unsure about is the cheapest film and development gear/strategy to use. Ive been reading around and my current plan is as follows:
Film: Fomapan 100 or ERA 100
Tank: HP Combi-Plan (Id really like to find one of these at a good price, I live in Sweden...)
Developer: Rodinal, 1:100, 1h stand developed (perhaps mix in Xtol?)

Is there anything about this that you think could be done considerably cheaper or better?

[Ron Marshall]

Arista, from Freestyle about the cheapest at $0.48/sheet.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190145...ets?cat_id=404

Get a Combi plan tank, some Xtol (1:3 is cheap), TF-4 fixer and Photoflow.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Cheapest method is tray development. Trays are cheap even in Sweden.

Whenever you switch film or chemistry you will have to relearn, so start with the chemistry and film you think you are going to use for a long time. Don't try to learn on one thing then switch to another.

If you are figuring out how to use the LF camera instead of just perfecting your development, then using printing paper as negatives could be cheaper and you get to use safelight instead of total darkness. Paper exposes around 6 ASA so it is slow, but will let you practice with movements etc. But your crown doesn't really have much in the way of movements... so might not be a big concern for you.

The cheapest way to learn is to be slow and mindful and make the most of every shot. When I go out I usually come back with 10 exposures in several hours.

[D. Bryant]

I am about to receive my first large format camera, a 4x5 Crown Graphic. I have previously shot 35mm and MF film (6x6 TLR, 6x9 folder), but I have not developed myself.

While the price of admission isnt terribly high for LF gear, the cost per shot is relatively high, and Im not rich. Because of this, Id like to get the lowest possible cost per shot while learning, in order to get to know the format/camera/developing etc.

Self developed BW is pretty much given, considering my budget. I intend to scan these negatives on an Epson 4990 owned by a friend.

What Im unsure about is the cheapest film and development gear/strategy to use. Ive been reading around and my current plan is as follows:
Film: Fomapan 100 or ERA 100
Tank: HP Combi-Plan (Id really like to find one of these at a good price, I live in Sweden...)
Developer: Rodinal, 1:100, 1h stand developed (perhaps mix in Xtol?)

Is there anything about this that you think could be done considerably cheaper or better?

The cheapest way is just to not worry about film or film holders!

Now you might think I'm fibbing but I know a photographer here locally that has some of the finest LF and MF hardware around but never loads film in his camera!!

Don Bryant

[stevebrot]

I am in the situation you are. I have assembled my 4x5 kit and have been shooting 120 roll film because I have daylight tanks for that format. For 4x5 I plan on buying Arista student film from Freestyle (initially) and doing tray development using a home-built "slosher" (See LINK and here LINK). For developer, I plan on staying with Edwal FG-7, since that has been giving me pretty good results in general and is very inexpensive when diluted 1:15.


Steve

[engl]

Thank you for the replies!

To Mr. Marshall:
Arista seems interesting, but due to the shipping costs to Sweden it ends up more expensive than Fomapan or ERA. From what I understands its actually Fomapan, right?

To Mr.Dahlgren
I forgot to say that I cant really get a room dark enough for development in trays, and Ill also be moving around a bit in the following months so Id like to have a daylight tank. This is very unfortunate, as the Combi-Plan tank costs 150$ shipped here in Sweden, which is approaching the cost of my Crown Graphic camera + lens...

As you say, my Crown is going to have limited movements, especially with the standard Optar lens. I think I will pass on using printing paper, but thanks for the tip.

To Mr.Bryant:
That does sound economical

[Tim Meisburger]

Dear Engl,

You are right to go with the daylight tank (then you only need a dark or changing bag to load it), but it does not have to be new. Try ebay there or in the UK. You can also look for a Paterson Orbital (which I use) which is useful for developing both film and prints. You can also get darkbags cheap on ebay.

For film, shipping from the states is exorbitant, so I get most of my film from Shanghai. Search Shanghai 4x5 on ebay and you will find several sellers. For me, it ends up costing about what folks in the US pay for the cheapest film from Freestyle.

Good luck, Tim

[Tim Meisburger]

One more point. For developer and other chemicals, I would go with those most likely to be available at home and wherever you travel, which would probably be d-76. If you fix on one film and one developer for a year or two, you can eliminate a lot of confusing variables.

[Patrick Dixon]

I'd recommend a Paterson Orbital too. You can process 1-4 sheets using very little chemical volume (I use 100-150ml) which makes it very economical. I use my chemicals one shot because volumes are so small.

[Ari]

I second Tim's suggestion of Shanghai; very well priced, and shipping, for those of us outside the US, is very inexpensive.
Pair it up with HC-110, and film costs about 50 cents per sheet, processed.
It also happens to be a very good quality film.