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Tim_5855
10-Sep-2005, 01:06
I'm getting close to making a jump into the world of LF photography and I'm looking for some advice.

I was thinking of trying to get a speed or crown graphic, but I think I'm probably going to end up wanting to use more movements than available on the press cameras. So I'm no thinking of getting a calumet 540 - there is one on KEH at the moment for what I think is an ok price. Does anyone have any links to specific info about this model, or can anyone make any comments about it? Does this calumet have an international back that will accept roll backs, polariod film holders etc?

I just bought a lens on ebay - sort of an impulse purchase. To be honest I didn't really research it properly so I have no idea if it will be any use:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7542733284

As you can see it was cheap so either way it's not too big a deal. Does this lens actually have a shutter though, or do I have to buy one aswell? Anyone got any info about coverage (I'm guessing I wont be able to use too much movement with it) on 4x5 (assuming it is a large format lens)? Seeing as how cheap it was I guess the optics aren't that great, but I'm hoping it'll be ok to use when I get it (at least in some form) for experimentation and learning.

thanks
tim

Scott Rosenberg
10-Sep-2005, 02:25
tim, firstly, WELCOME to the wonderful and wonderfully addictive world of big film. i guarantee that once you see your first perfectly executed transparency on a light table, you'll why you didn't make the jump sooner.

as to your lens purchase, the first thing you'll likely need to do is have the shutter CLA'd. i've give Carol Miller at Flutot's a call. if you can't get her, Paul Ebel is also good. i'm sure others will chime in here, but i don't think the lens you bought will cover 4x5. a great table to check most modern lenses' coverage limits can be found here (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses/).

good luck, and have fun!
scott

Scott Rosenberg
10-Sep-2005, 03:04
hey tim...

i just re-read your question. the lens is in fact in a shutter... a compur shutter.

there's a couple of other atricles you should definately check out:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lenses-primer/

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/how-to-operate.html

Ole Tjugen
10-Sep-2005, 03:23
The Tessar 10,5cm lens is a "normal" lens for a 6x9cm camera - either a rollfilm camera, or a 6.5x9cm plate camera. The coverage is no more than it must be for those cameras, so it won't cover 4x5" - sorry. The sharpness is great, it just won't cover.

Furthermore since it's old enough to be marked in cm (and not mm), there is a possibility that the shutter threads will be "unstandard". But my guess is that it's a Compur #0 with standard threads, so at the very least you have a fine shutter! So now you can look for a 15cm Tessar or Skopar, or Symmar, or perhaps something different. I recently bought a 121mm Leitmeyr Weitwinkelanastigmat in one auction amd a 90mm Angulon with damaged glass in another, and ended up with a very fine WA lens for 5x7" for very little money!

Tim_5855
10-Sep-2005, 06:15
Thanks for the answers on the lens. Any thoughts the calumet 54o?

thanks

tim

steve simmons
10-Sep-2005, 06:59
B efore buying any more equipment may I suggest doing some reading, There are several free articles on our web site

www.viewcamera.com

in the free articles section.

Here are some books

Large Format Nature Photography by Jack Dykinga

User's Guide to the View Camera by Jim Stone

Using the View Camera that I wrote

When people make camera and/or lens recommendations to you ask them what they photograph. This will help you decide if their answers are relevant to what you will be doing.

Before you buy a camera you need to make several decisions and the article on our web site called Getting Started in Large Format wqill help with this process.

steve simmons

Mark_3632
10-Sep-2005, 08:16
No idea about the camera but have you watched Ebay for a while? Keh is great but the prices seem to be better on ebay most of the time.

STOP IMPULSE BUYING, it is the surest way to an empty wallet and not having enough for what you need. In other words it is the surest way to frustration before you start. Save the frustration for the weenie who sticks his camera phone in front of your lens to take a shot just like the "pro with the big camera".

Sit down, figure what you need and then buy. In my mind LF is the most rewarding format in photography, and the most addictive. Welcome.

John Barnes
10-Sep-2005, 08:40
I used a 540 while I attened Brooks, its a good little camera with lots of movements. Very good for general and small product photography with 90mm (4 inch) to 300mm (12 inch) lenses. Some wide angle work needs the bag bellows for movements, and the camera will not compress enough for a 75mm (3 inch) lens without the recessed lens board.

John Barnes

Mark Fisher
10-Sep-2005, 09:24
Having gone through this a few years ago, I'd suggest getting a camera that is easy to haul around and use if you plan to use it in the field. In reality, I could get along with front rise/fall and front tilt (although, rear tilt is nice). I'd prefer to sacrifice extreme movements for portability personally. The truth is that there is a fair amount learning that needs to happen and an easily portable camera will be used more. I'd also recommend getting a decent, relatively recent vintage 135mm or 150mm lens and stick with it. I had enough money to get a new Tachihara (I did not care about roll film backs) and a used 150mm and lots of film holders. It was definately the right decision for me. If I had a more limited budget, I'd have gone with the Crown Graphic and expected to upgrade at some point. For reference, I shoot mainly outdoors. If you shoot outdoors and expect to set up and take down your equipment away from a car, this is probably reasonable advice. If long lenses and studio work is more to your liking (or stick near the car), then forget what I said (-:

Carol Flutot
10-Sep-2005, 09:28
Hi Tim,

Carol Flutot Miller here, I'm out here in California and you can
find me at: www.flutotscamerarepair.com

Contact me if your shutter needs a CLA!

Ernest Purdum
10-Sep-2005, 10:21
If you go back to the home page, at the bottom you can go to a list of articles several of which will be helpful in selecting LF equipment.

Even better, though, is Steve Simmons suggestion to buy a book. Books are much cheaper than cameraas and lenses. The ones he recommends are all very helpful not only in purchasing but in using.

Best wishes for fulfilling LF photography.

Alan Davenport
10-Sep-2005, 10:52
I started with a Calumet 540 because I wanted to have a camera capable of any movement. I wanted to be able to use and understand what various movements could do. I still think that's not a bad way to get into LF, but it's important to think through what type of photography you want to do.

If you do mainly studio photography, architectural, urban, etc., then something like the 540 will do fine. If, OTOH, you want to throw the camera and a couple lenses into a backpack with your lunch and a buncha film, and go out in search of unknown landscapes, you're going to need a big pack and a strong back. In short, the 540 is heavy, bulky and hard to pack. Not that it can't be done; I made a custom 5" rail for mine, and using that I could get the camera and other kit into a Lowe Super Trekker AW.

I was going to sell my 540, but prices for them have plummeted to the point where I see nothing but red ink if I do. BTW, the price I see on KEH is outstanding IMO. You won't be disappointed at that price.

I hope the lens you bought will cover 4x5; a lot of 105mm lenses were made as normals for 2x3 cameras. But you didn't get burned there either, pricewise, so should be able to resell if need be. If the shutter is sticky but seems OK otherwise, do a search for do-it-yourself CLA using napthalene (lighter fluid.) Don't laugh, it works; I did my first one 3 years ago and it's still going strong, with decently accurate shutter speeds across the range.

The upshot is, there are few "bad" ways to get started in LF. My only regret is that I didn't do so years sooner. You're gonna love it.

Tim_5855
10-Sep-2005, 17:39
Thanks for all the advice so far.

I have done a reasonable amount of reading already, althought that may not have come over in my initial questions. (and I don't usually impulse buy either - just that the price was cheap and it seemed a bargain, oh well!)

Anyway, to qualify, I'm primarily interested in landscape photography, that's why I was initially considering a Speed Graphic, or Crown Graphic for portability (also for price - seems on ebay btw $100-250 depending on condition). I can't really afford at the moment a more expensive field camera such as Tachihara, Lindhof, a used ZoneVI etc. The reason I started to think about maybe a view camera like the calumet was that I think I'll need more movements than the Graphics can do.

I want to be able shoot scenes where I include both foreground elements and elements towards infinity. I'd also like to control perspective of objects (such as trees looking 'straight') for that I think I'll need both front rise and tilt. I understand the the front tilt is possible with a bed drop, and front rise is also possible on the graphics. I'm interested in using rear tilt abit too though - to emphasis the size of foreground elements. I'm used to shooting with wide lenses on a 35mm for landscape with a strong foreground element, so I'm used to that sort of perspective. Whilst at times it'll be nice to have the compression of a longer focal length (say 135mm) on LF whilst still having a large field of view, it'd be also cool to be able to do things with perspective on occasion.

I guess this is the other thing that attracts me to LF - ability to be creative with perspective. Although I think I'll probably use the camera mostly for landscapes, if I have something that has more movements I think I'm more likely to use it and experiment on other subjects. I don't print all that big that often, and at the moment the biggest prints I do are usually 13x19 which my 6 MP DSLR does well at. I do like the ability to crop to different formats easier with the 4x5 (for example cropping to a panoramic format with lots of detail without having to stitch several images)

I know portability is an issue with the Calumet 540 - but I generally don't tend to hike that far to subjects (usually only a few kilometres or so). I'm used to carrying a heavy tripod and several 35mm lenses (including a heavy 400mm prime) in my backpack and at the moment I'm still qite young (25) and fit. I may do ok if I minimise what I carry if I try to take a viewcamera with me to a location. Maybe not though.

Any thoughts?

thanks for all the info

Oh - one more question, what does CLA stand for? (assuming some sort of cleaning)

tim

Alan Davenport
10-Sep-2005, 21:22
Any thoughts?

Well, I packed my 540 around the Yellowstone geyser basins on the end of a tripod over my shoulder. That was before I figured out how to get it into the backpack... :o)

It all depends what you're willing to endure for the sake of the art.

John Kasaian
10-Sep-2005, 22:46
Tim,

I just started off a very good friend with an old Calumet 540. IMHO A great camera for very few $$$ By all means read Steve Simmons book and have fun with that new camera!

Welcome to LF!

Ernest Purdum
11-Sep-2005, 15:39
CLA applies ordinarily to shutters and stands for Cleaning, Lubrication and Adjustment.

John_4185
11-Sep-2005, 16:21
Tim: I want to be able shoot scenes where I include both foreground elements and elements towards infinity. I'd also like to control perspective of objects (such as trees looking 'straight') for that I think I'll need both front rise and tilt. I understand the the front tilt is possible with a bed drop, and front rise is also possible on the graphics. I'm interested in using rear tilt abit too though - to emphasis the size of foreground elements. I'm used to shooting with wide lenses on a 35mm for landscape with a strong foreground element, so I'm used to that sort of perspective. Whilst at times it'll be nice to have the compression of a longer focal length (say 135mm) on LF whilst still having a large field of view, it'd be also cool to be able to do things with perspective on occasion.

Yes, you had best begin on the cheap so that you can see what can really be done. For example, getting foreground and background in focus using, for example, rear tilt will create a less focused area in the middle ground. Stop down. A lot. A 135mm is somewhat wide, thus no compression unless you compare to a wide lens. You may be hard pressed to find an affordable 135mm lens that also has great coverage.

So, let us begin by finding a lens that corresponds close enough to your favorite wide lens for 35mm which also gives plenty of room for movements, then decide whether a Graphic has the movements you need. Remember, the 4x5 format has a different aspect ratio than 35mm; rather 'taller', giving a wider feel.

So, what's the 35mm format lens that you prefer?