Exposure duration control in the field when using an 8x10 camera with a barrel lens?

[Jay Decker]

Love with the aesthetic of photographs taken with old barrel lenses on 8x10 film and I would like to join the fun. However, there is one fundamental question hanging me up, so I thought that I would ask the experts. How do you control exposure duration in the field when using an 8x10 camera with a barrel lens?

[Jim Cole]

A hat, a piece of black mat board, two pieces of black mat board held in a v-split for fsater shutter speeds and of course, slow film.

Do a search on the "Galli Shutter" or "Galli Method" and you'll get some ideas.

Have fun!

[Jay Decker]

A hat, a piece of black mat board, two pieces of black mat board held in a v-split for fsater shutter speeds and of course, slow film.

Do a search on the "Galli Shutter" or "Galli Method" and you'll get some ideas.

Have fun!


Thank you very much for responding. Are you telling me that you think that is best to do what ever is necessary to keep the exposure duration long enough that you do not need mechanical shutter speed control? How long does the exposure duration need to be in order to rely upon manual exposure control, e.g., 1 second or longer? Do you just not shoot a lens wide open in bright light, e.g., a situation where you might need a 60th of a second exposure, or do you use ND filters to increase the exposure duration?

Jim - great photographs on your web site!

The Galli Shutter... hmm.

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/JimGalliShutter.jpg

[Lachlan 717]

Try a Sinar Auto Aperture shutter and a lens diaphram combination. Much more latitude for both shutter speeds and lens options (8 seconds through to 1/60th and any barrel lens that will fit the diaphram).

Of course, you will need a Sinar or a Horseman for this to be an easy option...

Lachlan.

[Jay Decker]

Try a Sinar Auto Aperture shutter... Of course, you will need a Sinar or a Horseman for this to be an easy option...

Have one these shutters that I use on my 4x5 Sinar P. However, I do not consider my Sinar P a camera that travels into the field well, and I think an 8x10 version would be even worse. There better 8x10 field cameras alternatives are there not?

[Ron Marshall]

Slow film or ND filters, and the lenscap.

[Jay Decker]

Slow film or ND filters, and the lenscap.

What exposure duration do need feel that you can achieve sufficiently accurate exposure control?

[Jim Cole]

Thank you very much for responding. Are you telling me that you think that is best to do what ever is necessary to keep the exposure duration long enough that you do not need mechanical shutter speed control? How long does the exposure duration need to be in order to rely upon manual exposure control, e.g., 1 second or longer? Do you just not shoot a lens wide open in bright light, e.g., a situation where you might need a 60th of a second exposure, or do you use ND filters to increase the exposure duration?


I seem to be able to pull off speeds as fast as 1/8 to 1/16 sec with a single piece of mat board lifted up then down as fast as I can. With the Galli shutter that you showed in the photo with two boards in a split, I can pull of 1/30 or 1/60 second by varying the width of the split. Believe me this is pure guesswork, but I've gotten perfectly good negs everytime I've tried. I started experimenting in my studio when I got my first couple of barrel lenses and used a black wool cap with times of 1 second or longer.

Give it a try...

PS. Thanks for the complement on my work.

[Jay Decker]

I seem to be able to pull off speeds as fast as 1/8 to 1/16 sec with a single piece of mat board lifted up then down as fast as I can. With the Galli shutter that you showed in the photo with two boards in a split, I can pull of 1/30 or 1/60 second by varying the width of the split. Believe me this is pure guesswork, but I've gotten perfectly good negs everytime I've tried. I started experimenting in my studio when I got my first couple of barrel lenses and used a black wool cap with times of 1 second or longer.

Give it a try...

PS. Thanks for the complement on my work.

Excellent! That's what needed to know... thank you!

[Andrew]

they still make packard shutters
http://www.packardshutter.com/