Greets..

[Underaglassbell]

Good afternoon,

Figured it prudent to post a introduction of sorts

My name is Dan, I'm 26 and from Wales.

I've had a fondness for photography for about 8 years now.
- Initially it was just casual walk about's with a point and shoot digital, playing around with limited DoF options and less then great manual settings.

December 2005, I purchased a Canon 350D SLR on my way home from work one cold december eve and from that point just fell into photography like a day-dream.

After learning the basics with digital, I started to turn my attention to film and started shooting 35mm and 120.

I think for me it was Infrared that did it.
- I recall seeing my first HIE image and just falling for the 'look' of Infrared film.
Indeed, without question Kodak HIE/EIR is my favourite film (if pressed on the matter) - I can't explain it, I just have this deep affinity for IR film.

Well, a couple of years on and my 350D has been converted to an Infrared only camera, and I pretty much shoot nothing but film, mostly 120.

My workflow is a lot more refined and I have not long made the jump from 120 to 4x5.
I think the fact I have been using fully manual cameras for a couple of years made the transition a lot easier for me, albeit the first time I loaded a 4x5 holder was quite amusing.


My current 4x5 Set-up:

Graflex Speed Graphic [working Focal Plane Shutter]
Aero-Ektar 175mm with JoLo lensboard.
Optar 135mm lens - broken.

Tripod:
Manfrotto 475B with 229 Head

> Looking forward, I really hope to get a Fujinon 135mm f5.6 lens for general purpose
and alternate that with the Ektar and a 90mm lens of sorts.

As I am still building my camera (so to speak) I have only used it once (make sure it was all ok), and despite the horrendous sticky shutter on my Optar, I was able to use the Focal Shutter for my first images:








If your interested, you can find my other work on my flickr Page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/underaglassbell/


Kind Regards,
DaN

[Brian C. Miller]

Welcome to the forum! A CLA for your Optar isn't too costly. Most of us do it only when it becomes evident that something's really out of kilter with the shutter.

Good start with the images! If you use just a little bit of font tilt, you'll get the foreground in focus.

I love IR, too. Unfortunately nobody has made a film which comes close to Kodak HIE. There's a couple of emulsions out there, but nothing has HIE's response.

[Underaglassbell]

I'm going to pass on the CLA. While not costly I would rather just put the money toward a multicoated Fujinon 135mm.
- I don't like the shutter on the Optar, and no filter thread.

Font tilt? - hmm I can't say I have explored that area. Does the focus adjust on the ground glass or is it just a cause of tilting then hoping the final result will bring the foreground back into focus?

I have 10/15 sheets of 4x5 HIE and a lot more in 120 and 35mm. I should be good for a couple more years.

I actually like the efke IR film, it's no HIE, but I do like the lack of sharpness and the overall look one can achieve from it. I suspect when the time comes, I will fall back on the efke.

[Roger Cole]

I'm going to pass on the CLA. While not costly I would rather just put the money toward a multicoated Fujinon 135mm.
- I don't like the shutter on the Optar, and no filter thread.

Font tilt? - hmm I can't say I have explored that area. Does the focus adjust on the ground glass or is it just a cause of tilting then hoping the final result will bring the foreground back into focus?

I have 10/15 sheets of 4x5 HIE and a lot more in 120 and 35mm. I should be good for a couple more years.

I actually like the efke IR film, it's no HIE, but I do like the lack of sharpness and the overall look one can achieve from it. I suspect when the time comes, I will fall back on the efke.

You can use either front or back tilt to tilt the focus plane and get the foreground in better focus. Front tilt will not change the relative size of objects in the photo. Back tilt will, making closer objects appear relatively larger, because tilting the back changes the distance of that part of the film from the lens, while tilting the lens doesn't. Some people make too much of this but it is there, and some folks prefer to use back tilt if there's something in the foreground they want to emphasize, a rock or whatever, and front tilt if they don't want that effect.

You can see either very easily on the ground glass. Most books on view cameras cover the basics of camera movements, but I'm sure it's there for the googling on the web now.

I've never shot IR film but become interested in doing so recently. I'll have to try out the Efke. I'm not sure if it's worth buying up any HIE off eBay. The 35mm still isn't too awfully expensive, but I might form an addiction I'm doomed to have to withdraw from!

Welcome to the forum!

EDIT: Oops, just read the post again. I don't think the Graphic has back movements, but if you have the front tilt, it will fix that foreground focus. With those foregrounds being pretty plain it wouldn't matter whether you tilted the front or back anyway.

[Underaglassbell]

Thanks for the tip!
- I will use that the next time im out with my 4x5!


HIE is so expensive on the eBay, but occasionally you can get some quite cheaply around £20 a roll, with a decent expiry (08/09).

I purchased most of mine before it got discontinued, and some more afterward on the eBay, just prior to when the prices started spiralling out of control hah.

The 120 I purchased from a guy in Germany who purchased various rolls of uncut HIE/EIR infrared which he then cut down into 120 and sold for around $24 a roll (EIR) and $12 HIE - Expiry on the EIR is fresher then fresh! He did some in 4x5, but no longer an option (alas).

The 4x5 HIE I have is split, a contact on Flickr sent me some of her HIE for free and I purchased a box on eBay, apparently well stored so I'll give it a shot - Ideally 2005+ is the best for HIE, the 4x5 I have is 2001/2003 - Im optimistic I should get a couple of results from it.

The efke is rather cheap all things considered - 50 sheets for around €30 isn't bad at all. It does require a IR filter though, no 25A red like with HIE.

[Roger Cole]

You're right, it IS expensive.

Last I looked I saw some 35mm for about $20 a roll and thought it wasn't all that bad considering. Now the cheapest on ebay is $90 for three rolls. There are single rolls for asking BIN prices of $50 and $55!

I'll just start out in with something I can continue to get and afford.

Oh, and I'll have to get the IR filter. Just as well as I'd have to get a 25 too. I find a 23A gives similar results with less filter factor so that's what I tend to use for a red filter in normal photography. I use 3" acetate (cheaper and more durable than gels) filters in a holder, but I'm pretty sure I can get an IR that fits the holder, which is good since my LF lenses are oddballs.

[Robert Perrin]

Dan, welcome to the forum. In case you haven't yet explored the movements of a speed graphic, if you have the pacemaker model (with a body release and single knob focal plane shutter setting) the front standard has rise, shift, and tilt; unfortunately it will only tilt backwards (loosen the knobs on either side of the front standard base). To get a front tilt you must drop the bed (press the side struts). To recenter the lens you need to use the rise (knobs on the sides of the front). The drop-bed and tilt were designed to keep the bed from showing with a wide angle lens so the maximum back tilt in this configuration bring the front back to vertical. I can't speak to 4x5's but I can't find any tilt on my 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 anniversary model although it has a drop bed, rise and shift.

[Underaglassbell]

I'll just start out in with something I can continue to get and afford.

Absolutely, your in the position where you have not shot HIE, so don't have anything to compare the efke to. Which is in away a good thing.

I suspect those who are spending $50+ for a roll are doing so as it can be hard to let go of something you like and I have to say HIE, fresh is in short beautiful to behold, mores the pity it is now gone

That said, the efke is an Infrared film and In my opinion a VERY under rated one at that. The main difference is that it is slow, very slow, so chances are high you wont be shooting handheld with shutter speeds of 125/f8 in the sun. No more like 1+ second at f16 with the IR filter in play.
- But that is how it's made, it requires the IR to bring out the magic (as it were).

HIE - Handheld
Efke - Tripod (but then, how many people handheld 4x5+, not many I suspect)

The revised efke IR, now has no anti-halation backing. The absence of an anti-halation is critical to achieve the "blooming" effect reminiscent of Kodak HIE Infrared film.

In-short it's the closest yet to HIE in terms of look but it is most definitely it's on film with it's own hoof-print. A possible future classic maybe...

http://www.macodirect.de/advanced_se...IR+820&x=0&y=0

unfortunately it will only tilt backwards (loosen the knobs on either side of the front standard base).

Damn!
- I just went and checked. Just my luck, it only tilts backward I was quite looking forward with toying with that as I'm used to 'putting' up with out of focus foregrounds and whatnot coming from 120 & 35mm.
That said, I have a fully working FP shutter which I have to say was my main priority (after a lightproof camera of course).

The bed does drop, but not very far.

Can you by replacement 'fronts'? I.e is it possible to procure a front with a front shift and retro fit it to my Speed Graphic, or is that going to be too much faff
- It is worth noting I'm not exactly au fait with dismantling/reassembling things.

I have purchased a new Graflok back for my Speed, as mine is a little bent and I'm quite confident in simply taking one back off and putting on another


DaN

[Roger Cole]

Can you mount it upside down?

Seriously, too bad it apparently doesn't have swing either. My Tech III only has front back tilt, not forward. Most of the time I use back tilt (that is, tilt the back, not tilting the front back which would be the wrong way...) for focus plane correction but on the rare occasions I've preferred front, I've rotated the camera 90 degrees on the tripod (re-rotate the back as needed of course) and used the swing as a tilt.

[Underaglassbell]

Here she is: