Hello from Lost (Kristen in Virginia)

[ScenicTraverse]

Hello Large Format photographers!

My name is Kristen and I'm a total newbie in large format photography. In fact, I'm still researching my first camera purchase.

I currently shoot with a Nikon D800 and love it, but I find myself lusting for the ability to shoot film. As a landscape photographer, shooting large format seems like a natural place to go. I am heavily eyeing eBay for my first camera (sadly the for sale forum here isn't open for new members) and am fairly certain that I'm going to start with a 4x5 camera, maybe from Zone VI?

I've been reading like a wild woman to absorb everything I can, but am excited to start learning more from talking to other members.

Finally, if anyone has a good list of resources for large format photography places (shops that sell equipment or process film) that they recommend in the MD/DC/VA area, please let me know. The lists on Google are wildly out of date.

-Kristen

[biedron]

Kristen,

Welcome! I understand the desire to shoot film - I'm also a digital refuge and have been shooting large format for the last couple of years. My only regret is not taking the plunge sooner.

For online buying, this forum is a great place to start if you can wait the 30 days. Lots of people abhor ebay, but I have bought a lot on ebay without problems. Apart from ebay, a very reputable online seller is KEH http://www.keh.com/. Probably more expensive than here or ebay, but they typically underrate their equipment (what they call excellent you might call mint). Another very reputable online seller is http://lensfielders.com/. Like KEH, more expensive but very good quality and service.

Like others here will suggest, start with inexpensive used equipment, then decide what you really want in terms of a camera. Lenses are more important and will carry over from one camera to another.

Bob

[ScenicTraverse]

Bob

Thanks for those links, those are great resources. Out of curiosity... why so much distrust of eBay for camera sales? There is one auction I've been eyeing that actually looks pretty decent, particularly for the price but would be interested to hear any thoughts.

Kristen

[Brian C. Miller]

Welcome, Kristen! The best resource for learning about view cameras is to buy one and mess around with it. I started out with LF in the late 90s (1990s, not 1890s) and for my training with it I read Adams' The Camera, and ran a bunch of Polaroid film through it. The book is still available, there's lots of stuff on the site's front page, and there's more stuff on YouTube and various web sites. For instant film, there's Fuji FP100C, and the film holder is the PA-145 model. I started developing my own sheet film after I had a light-tight bathroom. Until then I had a lab develop it.

As for eBay, a number of people have had bad experiences, but by and large there's a lot that is bought through that site. I second KEH, and there's also Midwest Photo Exchange. KEH has a nice return policy.

Zone VI imported some very good cameras (I forget who they relabeled, Tachihara?). I started with a Graflex Super Graphic, which I still have and use. It folds and sets up very quickly, and the Wollensak Optar is a decent lens. I also have a Toyo 45AX, which one of the SG's successors (Toyo bought Graflex). A 135mm to 150mm lens is good for a lot of stuff, and I've made a lot of photographs with just my 135mm.

Unless you have a lab near you, you'll need to learn how to develop film. It's not hard, but it does take a little practice before you get good results. Also, some of the forum members here will develop film for minimal cost.

So welcome, and we're happy to help you with your entry into the world of large format!

[tracy]

hi kristen,

just to add to the discussion regarding ebay and keh. i bought my mamiya 7 and lenses for this and various lenses for my mamiya rb and c330 from KEH. never disappointed. received as described.

as for ebay, i have bought an old burke and james, 3 19century lenses (i do wet-plate), my lovely rolleiflex and various other vintage cameras and enlarger lenses. i have never had anything but excellent experiences. i do check their ratings. if under 98% positive don't chance it.

all the best,

tracy

[drew.saunders]

Welcome Kristen,

You probably came straight to the forum here, but there's a web page with lots of useful articles on the root site: http://www.largeformatphotography.info

Lots to learn there, that could keep you busy for quite some time.

Happy Shooting!

Drew

[C_Remington]

Wow. A Lady!!!

[ScenicTraverse]

Thanks all for the comments. I have actually been lurking here and reading the articles on the root pages for several days - along with picking up a copy of Ansel Adams' three books.

I've also been reading alot of threads here about the Chamonix, which people tend to see as a favorite camera, but I've also been looking at eBay on a few Zone VI cameras that seem to be reasonable deals with lenses and film holders included.

In terms of processing - I was of the impression that most folks actually did mail order processing? Is that not true? I live in the DC area, so I have to assume someone in a reasonable drive does process this film, but all the google searches I have done are forums that are 8+ years old with information.

And yes, a lady! :p Can't leave all the good toys for boys!

-Kristen

[msk2193]

Kristen,

Welcome. I just saw this today… Boston shipping is next day i think from DC… Panopticon Imaging Digital & Darkroom Specialist in Hingham MA
www.panopticonimaging.com

eBay should never be a concern as long as you buy from someone with a long history and all at or very near to 100% customer satisfaction. Just had a lens ship in from Spain that was completely as described and arrived without any issues.

[Nathan Potter]

A great welcome from another Texan (from Canada). You have suggested interest in two 4X5s, the Chamonix and the Zone VI. They are popular among 4X5 shooters and would be a good choice to start out with. If you are a landscape shooter you may want in the near future to use longer FL tele lenses so it behooves to check the bellows draw that those two cameras can supply. While a 150 or 180 mm lens can be considered a normal format the next logical landscape, long lens, might be a 360 or even a 500mm. On the other hand you may be a wide angle afficionado so a jump to a 90mm or better, a 75mm may be in your near future. Both the cameras mentioned should do fine for those two wide angle lenses.

Hey my first large format image was about 1942 as a little kid using a postcard folder around Concord and Lincoln MA. I've had 70 years of pure pleasure with a healthy helping of disappointment mixed in. Have a good trip with this film adventure.

BTW when I don't do my own processing I send chromes and B&W to Praus Productions in Rochester NY. It's the best process house I've found so far.

BTW also a D800E shooter as of about Jun 2012. For me it is a quick backup when time is critical; and the 4X5 is not convenient to use.

As time goes on it would be valuable to us for you to post some images here - we see few from women photographers.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[biedron]

For processing, I would give another vote for Praus Productions.

But there are many others, some of which can be found in this thread http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?96777-Where-To-Get-4x5-E-6-Developed. There is a place in Silver Spring MD called Dodge Chrome
http://www.dodgechrome.com that processes large format film, perhaps that is close enough to you.

Bob

[Leigh]

I live in the DC area, so I have to assume someone in a reasonable drive does process this filmHi Kristen, and welcome aboard! Nice to have somebody to keep these old codgers straight :D

For film processing I highly recommend Dodge Chrome in Silver Spring www.dodgechrome.com
They process sheet film up to 8x10, in black&white, E-6, and C-41. Excellent quality.
I believe they have a drop-off/pick-up location in DC, although I've never used it.

This is a serious lab, with the ability to do prints large enough to cover the side of a building.

There are few brick&mortar photo stores left where you can actually buy film and related stuff.
The big player in the area was Penn Camera, but they went Chapter 7 a year ago.
The sold three stores (Tyson's, DC, and Rockville) to Calumet, and closed their other eight locations.

There's a store near Dulles Airport that I dislike. I can't remember the name.
It's a huge place; 90% of the floor space is dedicated to backpacks.

If you range far and wide, Service Photo in north-central Baltimore has a good stock of stuff.
I bought my D800E there, and they had several in stock.

BTW, are you new to the area or a long-time resident?

Good shooting :D

- Leigh

[ScenicTraverse]

Hi All,

Thanks again for the great responses. I have been bookmarking the film links you guys sent and am very appreciative. The place in Silver Spring should do the ticket nicely and great to hear a local with experience using it.



There's a store near Dulles Airport that I dislike. I can't remember the name.
It's a huge place; 90% of the floor space is dedicated to backpacks.


Leigh - that place is called Ace Photo. I actually love them.... and it might be worth revisiting them. They did a major overhaul of the shop about 6 months ago to make it less of a junk room. They still have the back room which is a bit of a mess, but they literally stock just about everything. I also am most fond of their sales staff, particularly Frank, who is extremely knowledgable. There have been some big steps taken there to clean it up, so don't write them off completely! (But not sure how much LF they do, I use them for all my digital woes).

I am familiar with Penn Camera - I used to live next to the Springfield location and remember being somewhat bummed when it closed overnight. I also have visited with Service Photo in Baltimore, I purchased my D800 from them.

To answer the question about lenses, I am looking at something probably in the 90mm range as my first lens. With my D800 I primarily use my Nikon 14-24mm and a 90mm is closer to the 24mm side of things, so it should be a good starting point. Not sure how much telephoto work I'll do; I suspect any type of work for macro, etc would still default to the D800. The LF will be a compliment to my current system, not replacing it. I unfortunately do too much macro and wildlife to get rid of it completely.

Someone had asked for some images.... oy! All of my work is on www.scenictraverse.com, but here are a few teasers from a variety of my albums

90416 90417 90418 90419

From Left to Right: 1) Harpers Ferry West Virginia as seen from Maryland Heights Overlook. Notice the train coming out of the tunnel immediately below where I'd be standing... 2) Lincoln at night. I love this image because it was so hard to get; the Lincoln Memorial ALWAYS has people at it, but I waited at 2am for a break when I was able to snap this exposure (along with others). It took almost 2 hours to get just 6 exposures with no one in them. 3) An example of my macro work. I just like this one for it's warmth, but there are a zillion others on my website 4) Jefferson at Night. Same idea as Mr. Lincoln, except this monument isn't travelled nearly as often! (I tried uploading more, but the uploader was giving me fits. Ho hum)

I actually have another photo shoot for tonight if the wind doesn't get frisky to work on the Vietnam wall at night. I'd eventually like to have a series covering all of the monuments at night.

We are planning a trip to Alaska this year, so the LF might get to come with the digital if I've figured out what I'm doing by then! ;)

I also will be at Photoshop world in Orlando in April if any other LF photographers are going to be there - I know photoshop and LF don't exactly go together, but you never know right?!

[Tim Meisburger]

Good on ya mate! (I'm was born in Ft. Belvoir and grew up in Woodbridge, a most unlikely place for an LF photographer...)

Your work is nice, but will definitely benefit from the use of a view camera. Good luck!

[Peter Gomena]

There are so many cameras to choose from, do take time to do some research. For instance, Zone VI marketed four different 4x5" cameras before they sold their operations to Calumet, who added a lightweight model to the lineup.

There's the original Zone VI, which was a re-branded Wista or Tachihara, cherrywood body with chrome trim. The strut supporting the back standard was a straight piece of metal. This was succeeded by another model, also a Wista or Tachihara, cherry or, if I remember correctly, rosewood, with a curved strut supporting the back standard. The base on the second model may have been all metal or more metal than the first model. All of these weighed about 3.5 pounds and had a 12-13" bellows extension.

Then Zone VI collaborated with Ron Wisner to create an all-new camera. Mahogany and brass, 18" of bellows extension. It weighs about 5.5 pounds. This first model had a swinging latch to attach the back of the camera to the rear standard. This camera was modified over time and the swinging latch was replaced by a sliding latch system. The pinnacle of their production featured gold-plated brass hardware. After several years Zone VI was sold to Calumet. They added a lighter-weight model that featured anodized aluminum hardware.

I owned the original Japanese Zone VI camera for several years. It is a good starter model, light, compact. My complaint was that the front standard was a little wobbly, which created problems when I focused using a front tilt. I upgraded to a later mahogany/brass Zone VI model with the sliding latches when it was introduced in early 1990. I still own it and it is a fine camera.

Meet some LF photographers, talk with them (most of us are gearheads at heart and love to talk cameras) and get plenty of advice. Read a lot and shop wisely. Besides all the excellent recommendations given above, I see LF gear showing up on Craigslist from time-to-time.

Peter Gomena

[DennisD]

Hi Kristen,
You've done some excellent work and would certainly enjoy and do well with LF as well - considering your work so far. Very well done website !

If you're leaning mostly toward wide angle photography with LF, you would do well to consider cameras which have (or will accommodate) a bag type bellows or otherwise provide adequate bellows flexibility. I believe that for WA lenses less than 90mm, a bag type bellows is almost a necessity unless your bellows compresses well and you do not require any lens movement. Generally speaking, wide angle work requiring camera movements often asks for a little more give than a normal bellows might allow. It's a much better feeling when you have flexibility and ease of movements rather than having to struggle with a rigid bellows.

Many monorails allow for interchangeable bellows, but for field use, such cameras may be a bit more cumbersome to carry or pack. However, there are also field cameras which may offer a bag bellows or a very flexible bellows for WA use.

I personally use a Linhof M Technika, often with a 90mm lens. The camera is considered a "technical" camera as opposed to a "field" camera, but they are very similar. While the camera does not have a bag bellows, it has enough bellows flexibility when the lens is mounted in a recessed lens board (important for such lens use). There is a flip section of the camera body which provides for additional front rise and a drop bed as well. Many field type cameras will also offer similar features or equal functionality. All that being said about my own setup.... There are still a few occasions when I've felt a bit constricted, but it's very workable and I'm happy with it ! However, much wider angle lenses would not work as easily with the same camera model.

Good wishes to you in your exploration of LF and in choosing the camera that's right for you.

Dennis

P.S. LF and Photoshop do fit well together -- if you're so inclined ! (Beware, there are some here who may not agree. However, we manage to coexist !

Many LF photographers are scanning their work for digital adjustment in PS and printing on inkjet printers with wonderful results.

[John NYC]

You might also consider a lighter (though not light) weight monorail, especially the Sinar F2. I used to shoot 8x10 with a great modern field camera, and while I miss the extra resolution and smoother tonality of 8x10, the F2 is much more of a dream to use, especially when using movements.

[David Schaller]

While in 35mm photography and digital wide angle lenses are in some ways the most forgiving, in large format practice the wide angles present certain challenges that normal or slightly wide lenses don't. I would recommend that you start with a lens that has both more coverage and wider aperture than a 90mm, say a 135 or 150, to master focussing and depth of field. Then, later, move to the 90 after you have mastered the large format process. Normal lenses are plentiful, inexpensive and very useful in their own right.

[msk2193]

If you are a landscape shooter you may want in the near future to use longer FL tele lenses so it behooves to check the bellows draw that those two cameras can supply.
Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Ineresting you jumped into the longer lenses first for landscapes! 75 / 90 for me!

[ScenicTraverse]

So after plenty more reading on the variety of cameras, I am leaning towards a Chamonix. It seems that is the camera most often recommended to newbies like myself and they look to be a fantastic design. Now I just need to decide which one to buy (and if its worth waiting for the new one or buying a used one).

Thank you again to everyone who has offered some more advice, I really appreciate it all.

[sepstein17]

Yo Kristen....welcome to the nut-house called large format -- our world is different...I have a pretty mint Wisner 4x5 technical field with lens boards/backs/and even a lens.-- which can be discussed through a PM.

I'm now shooting 5x7 with a Deardorff with a 4x5 back also so the Wisner is rather superfluous. As far as developing film commercially - I strongly recommend that you BRING the film to the lab -- can never replace the images on lost-in-the-mail exposed sheets -- even with tracking.

Dodge Chrome Labs in Silver Spring, MD does excellent develop and proof work and then enlargements to meet your needs. PM me and I'll give you contacts/phone/address.
Welcome to a brave new world.

[Winger]

Welcome! from one of the probably few other women here. I fell into LF with a Cambo monorail that came with a 210. I usually use something pretty close to normal with other formats, but still seem to go to the 210mm with 4x5. No idea why.