How to use Toyo 4x5

[Ann M. Souder]

September 3, 1999 I have an assignment due in one week using the Toyo 4x5 and I am having a hard t ime finding the help I need on the internet. What I need is a simple step by ste p tutorial on how to take a picture once the film has been loaded. Thanks for yo ur time!

[Sean Billy Bob Boy yates]

Insert film holder

check to see that it is seated properly

check to insure that all movements have been securely locked

check to see that shutter is closed

check to see that correct aperture has been selected & set

check to see that the correct shutter speed has been selected

cock the shutter

double check everything

pull the darkslide, being sure not to move the camera

wait a little

concentrate - remember the composition - check to see that all is as it should be - not too much wind, the sun hasn't ducked behind a cloud or come out from behind that cloud, all the lights on the set are on, the flash power pack is all charged up and ready to go, nothing left where it shouldn't be etc.

breathe deeply, relax

trip the shutter

put the slide back in

take the holder out and open the shutter

check the composition and make sure that all is as it was/should have been.

go to: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf

go to the library and get copies of Jim Stones, Steve Simmons, Harvey Shamans, Kodaks or Leslie Stroeble's books on view camera use

[Greg Lawhon]

Ann:

Your best bet probably is to head to a library or bookstore to find a copy of the Kodak's "Photography with Large Format Cameras" or Steve Simmons' "Using the View Camera." Both contain the step-by-step information you are looking for. I'm not aware of an online resource with that information, although it will be interesting to find out if others know about one.

If you've been to Toyo's own website, you might have seen that they do have an illustrated tutorial about camera movements (http://www.toyoview.com/LargeFrmtTech/lgformat.html), but not about the basics of loading film holders, setting the aperture and shutter speed, closing and cocking the shutter, withdrawing the darkslide, etc.

Good luck!

[Sean Billy Bob Boy yates]

try this link http://www.best.com/~bbarrett/Photography.html

[James Chow]

You can always use Fuji quickloads (limited emulsions...astia, provia, velvia, 64T, Neopan 80) if you don't want to have to load your own holders/contend with dust. Also, my lenses, which are current schneider models in copal shutters, don't allow one to cock the shutter unless the switch that locks open the shutter (for composing) is set to the closed position...this has saved me numerous times. :-) (a brilliant idea, IMHO.) If you use conventional holders, don't forget to flip the darkslide around to the black side when reinserting, so you know that side of the holder has been exposed.