Why do you shoot 11x14 ?

[Steve M Hostetter]

I'll just simply start by asking, "why"

PS for some reason I don't see a long thread here:)

regards
steve

[Mark Sawyer]

I haven't for some time, but when I did, it was because I wanted an 11x14 negative. Contact prints from a large negative can be wonderful.

[Heroique]

If I had to choose one size to make contact prints, 11x14 would be it.

Though it's not exactly 2:3, which I like, it's close enough for me.

Hiking the camera + tripod around wouldn't bother me as much as others.

Watching a landscape come to order on the GG is thrilling.

[Oren Grad]

So far I've done very little 11x14. But I've assembled the equipment I need, and figuring out how to rearrange my life to allow me to use it more is high on my photographic "to do" list.

For me it's mostly about making delicious contact prints, a little bit about seeing the world on the big GG.

[mdm]

Honestly, its a bitch. Look at Brett Weston, he published a 10 print portfolio of 11x14's and then decided he had no need for a penis extension after all, reverting to smaller formats. For me the sweet spot is 5x7 to 6.5x8.5, but 8x10, 4x5, MF and digital are all good enough and a whole lot less trouble, and you can make fantastic contacts from all of those too.

[goamules]

I'll finish by asking, why not? Why do you want to know?

[Tin Can]

Not yet, but I got a good deal on a Studio 11x14 Deardorff, so I will be soon. My new bellows are being shipped Monday, I am making a 11x14 GG at this moment, and I am waiting for some more holders.

I figure it's the last blast, or perhaps, 'The Last Picture Show' to steal a movie title.

I will enjoy learning a difficult and disappearing art. I will fail often, but I'm retired.

This project get's me out of bed and that's a good thing.

OK, back to the grinding. I did real good cutting glass for the first time today!

[StoneNYC]

Because that's the biggest negative I can manipulate in my dark bag.... Lol

Also it's the biggest negative I can fit in my developing tube.

:)

Someday when I have a darkroom, I can shoot 20x24 :)

Now THATS a contact print...

[Richard M. Coda]

Because it's there! ;) I have only used it three times, so my three images cost about $3000 each if you count the (2) holders, back (hybrid Canham back for Arca 8x10) and lenses (Fuji 450C and 600C). They are worth every penny, though. Hopefully I'll get to use it a little more now that my daughter is away at college and I have a little more free time.

[dsphotog]

'Cause 11x14 Xray film is less than $1 per sheet.

[StoneNYC]

'Cause 11x14 Xray film is less than $1 per sheet.

Yup $0.30/sheet is what I recently paid :)

[adelorenzo]

Honestly, its a bitch. Look at Brett Weston, he published a 10 print portfolio of 11x14's and then decided he had no need for a penis extension after all, reverting to smaller formats. For me the sweet spot is 5x7 to 6.5x8.5, but 8x10, 4x5, MF and digital are all good enough and a whole lot less trouble, and you can make fantastic contacts from all of those too.

Why do you say that an 11x14 camera is a penis extension? Seems like there are a fair number of 11x14 shooters out there, how do you know anything about their genitalia?

[Tin Can]

+1


Why do you say that an 11x14 camera is a penis extension? Seems like there are a fair number of 11x14 shooters out there, how do you know anything about their genitalia?

[Vaughn]

I use it for bigger contact prints (alt processes). The 8x10 is a lot easier...and being a newer beast than the 11x14, the 8x10 is more precise in its operation. But I plan on having both with me when I head over to Death Valley soon.

[mdm]

I have no idea, except I do have an 11x14 so perhaps I speak from cold hard experience. Or is that flacid.

[Mark Sawyer]

Why do you say that an 11x14 camera is a penis extension? Seems like there are a fair number of 11x14 shooters out there, how do you know anything about their genitalia?

Now let's be civil. If mdm is happy with his teeny-tiny little penis... um, I mean format, who are we to criticize? :rolleyes:

[goamules]

I guess I'll never know about mdm's parts, work, or thoughts again. Setting phazers to Ignore.

[jnantz]

because its fun to make a portrait with a negative that big ..

[bob carnie]

I have this beautiful 11x14 enlarger, I have moved up to 8x10 and someday when I have the cash I would like to buy a 11x14 camera , It would be nice to make
22 x28 silver prints,, 2x magnifacation now you are talkin.

[StoneNYC]

I have this beautiful 11x14 enlarger, I have moved up to 8x10 and someday when I have the cash I would like to buy a 11x14 camera , It would be nice to make
22 x28 silver prints,, 2x magnifacation now you are talkin.

I wasn't aware they made 11x14 enlargers... Do they make 20x24 enlargers too?

[jnantz]

Yup $0.30/sheet is what I recently paid :)

xray film is cheap, but it is double sided
and kills your fix 2x as fast ...
all rhe xray film i have used was textured
is yours stipple textured too?
paper seems cheap enough for me ...

[StoneNYC]

xray film is cheap, but it is double sided
and kills your fix 2x as fast ...
all rhe xray film i have used was textured
is yours stipple textured too?
paper seems cheap enough for me ...

I think one side is matte and one is shiney.

I've scored a corner (like edge notching) so I can tell which side is the shiny side and use that next time.

They do make some single sided stuff, which is still 1/4 the cost of regular B&W but still $80 for a box vs $30 for the double sided stuff.

I dunno, wanted to try it.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I shoot 11x14 and I always liked the print size so I built the 11x14. Since then I found that I like a 14x17 contact print so I built a 14x17 camera. The 11x14 is much easier to haul on my back than the 14x17. Personal preference is all it is. Also you can get x-ray film in 14x17 as well although I have about 150 sheets of "real" film as well. So why not shoot both!! BTW no penis problems at all. :-)

[Steve M Hostetter]

I'll finish by asking, why not? Why do you want to know?

I have my own personal love affair with this format. I made an 11x14 expasion back for my 8x10 Korona which I like to use and am very proud of.

I started this thread so that we 11x14 users could share our ideas pertinent to that format ... Please continue! :)

[StoneNYC]

I shoot 11x14 and I always liked the print size so I built the 11x14. Since then I found that I like a 14x17 contact print so I built a 14x17 camera. The 11x14 is much easier to haul on my back than the 14x17. Personal preference is all it is. Also you can get x-ray film in 14x17 as well although I have about 150 sheets of "real" film as well. So why not shoot both!! BTW no penis problems at all. :-)

I think the penis problem is the opposite, the "penis" car is something like a tiny BMW Z4 with a powerful engine, small, but shiney.

So I guess a toyo45 user would be normal and a deardorff would be compensating? :) lol

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I think the penis problem is the opposite, the "penis" car is something like a tiny BMW Z4 with a powerful engine, small, but shiney.

So I guess a toyo45 user would be normal and a deardorff would be compensating? :) lol

So what is my Porsche 996 Twin Turbo? I can get my 8x10 in there in the trunk and the 11x14 in the back seat! No 14x17 though!! Now that is a penis car!!

[StoneNYC]

So what is my Porsche 996 Twin Turbo? I can get my 8x10 in there in the trunk and the 11x14 in the back seat! No 14x17 though!! Now that is a penis car!!

Nice car! No Porsche are exempt... They are all small :) (except the Cheyenne but that's really not a Porche...)

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I can catch the light in a big hurry if I have to! Fun on the California mountain roads.

[evan clarke]

I like mine, it's a Chamonix, extremely rigid and light. My kit with three lenses, darkcloth and a filmholder is lighter than my 4x5 kit. I now have an 11x14 enlarger and so have countless options..alt, contact, enlargements, 11x14 polymer photogravures....

P.S. I like this camera so much that I bought an 8x10 like my 11x14 with an extra 4x10 back. The thing is so light that it almost floats in midair.

[StoneNYC]

I like mine, it's a Chamonix, extremely rigid and light. My kit with three lenses, darkcloth and a filmholder is lighter than my 4x5 kit. I now have an 11x14 enlarger and so have countless options..alt, contact, enlargements, 11x14 polymer photogravures....

P.S. I like this camera so much that I bought an 8x10 like my 11x14 with an extra 4x10 back. The thing is so light that it almost floats in midair.

You have me sold now that I know there's an enlarger, gotta know, is there a 20x24 to be had? Lol

[Tin Can]

You could be the first.


You have me sold now that I know there's an enlarger, gotta know, is there a 20x24 to be had? Lol

[Oren Grad]

You have me sold now that I know there's an enlarger, gotta know, is there a 20x24 to be had? Lol

IIRC, Tedd Soost, a Swedish pro who has used 12x20 among other formats for his personal work, used to work with a lab in Sweden that had cobbled together a 20x24 enlarger. I don't know whether it's still in service.

[StoneNYC]

IIRC, Tedd Soost, a Swedish pro who has used 12x20 among other formats for his personal work, used to work with a lab in Sweden that had cobbled together a 20x24 enlarger. I don't know whether it's still in service.

It's more a question of having an enlarging lens that could cover that, the rest could be made out of wood.

[Oren Grad]

It's more a question of having an enlarging lens that could cover that...

The big process lenses will do. Just don't expect to be doing this on a bench top.

[Lachlan 717]

Doesn't Clyde Butcher use a 12x20" enlarger?

[Tin Can]

Hasn't he also scaled down from museum size to living room size?


Doesn't Clyde Butcher use a 12x20" enlarger?

[jnantz]

tom yanoul in chicago used to have enormous ulf
enlargers as well i know he shot 12/20 and bigger
maybe he was able to enlarge 20/24

[alavergh]

Clyde Butcher's largest print size he'll print for order is somewhere around 52"x76". I know he uses his 8x10 camera a lot, but he also has the Wisner 12x20 as his we page says. I don't think he ever makes it a point to say when he uses the larger cameras. You can check out the website videos thou. There's a photo of him right by what I think is a huge copy camera that he's converted to a horizontal enlarger. It also says that each enlarger has an Aristo variable-contrast head.

Randy, I'm not sure what you mean by "scaled down" but from what I've seen, nothing has changed. He prefers to print large and detailed so you can scan it visually up close like you're actually there.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Honestly, its a bitch. Look at Brett Weston, he published a 10 print portfolio of 11x14's and then decided he had no need for a penis extension after all, reverting to smaller formats.

I know a woman who shoots 11x14, and as far as I know, she has no penis. I could ask her, if you like...:D

[rdenney]

Please, no further mention of genitalia.

Rick "getting complaints, and agreeing with them" Denney

[evan clarke]

You have me sold now that I know there's an enlarger, gotta know, is there a 20x24 to be had? Lol

Yup...

[evan clarke]

It's more a question of having an enlarging lens that could cover that, the rest could be made out of wood.

I made the riser for my 11x14 from 1/2" black foamcore and an led light panel..Made good prints with it the first day.

[Tin Can]

I saw your enlarger pics. Great ingenuity!


I made the riser for my 11x14 from 1/2" black foamcore and an led light panel..Made good prints with it the first day.

[evan clarke]

I saw your enlarger pics. Great ingenuity!

And it really works...

[Tin Can]

I bet it does! I am working on converting an 8x10 Calumet enlarger to 11x14. Not in a hurry yet, as my 11x14 camera rig is not ready.


And it really works...

[evan clarke]

I bet it does! I am working on converting an 8x10 Calumet enlarger to 11x14. Not in a hurry yet, as my 11x14 camera rig is not ready.

Ha easy! I did mine on a 5x7 antique Beseler.

[evan clarke]

Randy, you need to join us for an outing. Our large format asylum is basically centered in Chicagoland..We are all very serious.

[Tin Can]

I will this summer, but I no longer own a car, but I do rent a car once a month for 23.5 hours and do all errands with it then.

Nice days I ride a small motorcycle to Wisconsin with 5x7 camera or smaller.

Please let me know when you meet next.

Thanks for the invite!


Randy, you need to join us for an outing. Our large format asylum is basically centered in Chicagoland..We are all very serious.

[Tin Can]

I saw that, this Calumet has a big hole on top and will easily convert to 11x14. I was going to use a Fotar, but the Calumet is better in many ways.


Ha easy! I did mine on a 5x7 antique Beseler.

[gleaf]

Gosh I may have made a mistake at grabbing an only 8 x 10 camera. And Chicago land is only 6 hours away at interstate speeds. Would a 8 x 10 toy size Black Monster be welcome.

[Tin Can]

Evan your mailbox is full. I just registered for the LFA site and forum.

Thanks!


Randy, you need to join us for an outing. Our large format asylum is basically centered in Chicagoland..We are all very serious.

[evan clarke]

Gosh I may have made a mistake at grabbing an only 8 x 10 camera. And Chicago land is only 6 hours away at interstate speeds. Would a 8 x 10 toy size Black Monster be welcome.

It would, with enthusiasm..

[Tin Can]

My C1 will be green with envy. :)



It would, with enthusiasm..