Two23
29-Nov-2019, 22:23
Since August I've been doing wet plate (tins) on most weekends and before the time change I was doing it several late afternoons per week as well. I think I've shot over 60 of them by now, maybe more. Even though temperatures on the Northern Plains are now dipping into the teens I am still doing wet plate from the back of my car. I started with 4x5 using my Chamonix 045n and a Lund holder (pain in the ass) and a Lund 5x7 silver tank (it's great!) A month or so ago I began mostly using a 5x7 Gundlach Korona and a Chamonix 5x7 holder (well made but not being true 5x7 makes it a bit of a pain in the butt.) My 4x5 collodion pours are pretty good and I've had no trouble with 5x7 either. While I certainly haven't mastered it I'm getting decent results. So far I've only done tin type but I would like to start shooting ambrotype and glass negatives.
At present I have no dark room but clearly see a need for one. For starters I really dread getting silver stains in the kitchen sink. My wife gets quite unhappy! I have a spot in my basement that would make a narrow but decent dark room. My long term goal is to get into contact printing and eventually albumin prints. I have no plans to get an enlarger.
I have a nice collection of lenses 1844 to 1865 and three of those will cover 8x10. Also have three rapid rectilinear 1870 to 1890 and I think all three will cover 8x10. I'd like to get into that format because it's big enough that I don't have to worry about enlargements. The camera I need must be very strong and have a large lens board--at least 6x6 inch. Since I only photo in the field it can't be really heavy and should fold up nicely to hike with. I'm ruling out modern cameras such as the Chamonix, Wista, etc. because they have small lens boards and aren't strong enough to hold a 5+ pound Petzval. The two cameras I've narrowed it down to are an Ansco/Agfa or Kodak 2D. Both are reasonable price, plentiful, have 30+ inch bellows and sliding tripod support, are strong, have large lens boards, relatively light and compact, and most are pretty. (I do want a pretty one like my Gundlach Korona.) I'd also like a 5x7 back as I could then sell my Gundlach Korona (reluctantly!) There are a number of costs involved with 8x10: new Lund silver tank, new Chamonix 8x10 holder (IF true 8x10!), film holders, dry plate holders, and more money for chemicals. I'll also probably end up buying a 14-16 inch Petzval for it too--a nice one made before 1880 and preferably earlier than 1865. I have a pretty sturdy Berlebach wooden tripod and am looking at Ries J250 heads. Will also have to make a new dark room tent for my Subaru Forester as the dark box I'm using now is barely big enough for 5x7. I am attracted to the 8x10 repro tailboard cameras but don't know if any are still being made since Star Camera seems to have dramatically slowed or stopped production. I also want a camera that's more flexible than a tailboard (film, dry plates, wet plates) and more compact I think. I have some excellent 5x7 lenses and will still shoot that format some I think, mostly because I love the lenses I have for it.
So that's my plan for the upcoming year. I think I'm up to it. I might even be able to sell framed tin types as a lot of people have been asking me about that. My quality seems to be improving every time I go out. Am I missing anything? How hard is it to go from 5x7 to 8x10, other than the additional expense? Any advice?
Kent in SD
At present I have no dark room but clearly see a need for one. For starters I really dread getting silver stains in the kitchen sink. My wife gets quite unhappy! I have a spot in my basement that would make a narrow but decent dark room. My long term goal is to get into contact printing and eventually albumin prints. I have no plans to get an enlarger.
I have a nice collection of lenses 1844 to 1865 and three of those will cover 8x10. Also have three rapid rectilinear 1870 to 1890 and I think all three will cover 8x10. I'd like to get into that format because it's big enough that I don't have to worry about enlargements. The camera I need must be very strong and have a large lens board--at least 6x6 inch. Since I only photo in the field it can't be really heavy and should fold up nicely to hike with. I'm ruling out modern cameras such as the Chamonix, Wista, etc. because they have small lens boards and aren't strong enough to hold a 5+ pound Petzval. The two cameras I've narrowed it down to are an Ansco/Agfa or Kodak 2D. Both are reasonable price, plentiful, have 30+ inch bellows and sliding tripod support, are strong, have large lens boards, relatively light and compact, and most are pretty. (I do want a pretty one like my Gundlach Korona.) I'd also like a 5x7 back as I could then sell my Gundlach Korona (reluctantly!) There are a number of costs involved with 8x10: new Lund silver tank, new Chamonix 8x10 holder (IF true 8x10!), film holders, dry plate holders, and more money for chemicals. I'll also probably end up buying a 14-16 inch Petzval for it too--a nice one made before 1880 and preferably earlier than 1865. I have a pretty sturdy Berlebach wooden tripod and am looking at Ries J250 heads. Will also have to make a new dark room tent for my Subaru Forester as the dark box I'm using now is barely big enough for 5x7. I am attracted to the 8x10 repro tailboard cameras but don't know if any are still being made since Star Camera seems to have dramatically slowed or stopped production. I also want a camera that's more flexible than a tailboard (film, dry plates, wet plates) and more compact I think. I have some excellent 5x7 lenses and will still shoot that format some I think, mostly because I love the lenses I have for it.
So that's my plan for the upcoming year. I think I'm up to it. I might even be able to sell framed tin types as a lot of people have been asking me about that. My quality seems to be improving every time I go out. Am I missing anything? How hard is it to go from 5x7 to 8x10, other than the additional expense? Any advice?
Kent in SD