Hello, New to the LF and returning to film.

[MrJim]

Hello, my name is Jim. I've been enjoying photography for years since I was kid and my mom take me out with her. With my little blue 110 Fisher-Price. She then got me a K1000 to really learn, I eventually got to use her Canon, and occasionally her TLR. I kind of lost interest when I decided on my first "high end" slr, EOS system camera (should have stayed with K1000 I guess). So I was dormant for about 8 years or so, I started up again a year and a half back, figuring I'll give digital shot. Or a few thousand shots. Those few thousand shots are why I want to return to film. I don't enjoy how I at one time had amazing patience to get a good picture, to how I now just seem to throw a bucket of paint at a wall.

So here I am, I've always wanted to try LF, and a recent sale of equipment my awesome mom was able to snap up a toyo 4x5 in great shape, and a full array of backs, holders, a meter, cables, etc. I've picked up some material, "Using the View Camera" re-reading, "The Camera," and oh boy am I going to be needing some help. I'll try to keep the basics out and if I mess up that, sorry in advance. So I'll be picking up my 20+ lbs of gear on Sunday and try to sort that out, because all I know is it's a Toyo (not sure the model, as I wasn't picky at the price, over the phone purchase) and a 90mm f8 SA schneider... hopefully it's ready to roll, and I'm ready to dust off the rust.

[jp]

Welcome!

We used to have one of those fisher price 110s in the family; it did a better job than the fisher price kids digitals.

If you can develop B&W film yourself that will shorten the feedback cycle tremendously while you are re-learning. It's good you have books, but there is a wealth of info here on the Internet too.

[ROL]

So here I am, I've always wanted to try LF, and a recent sale of equipment my awesome mom...

Wish I had an "awesome mom".

[MrJim]

Wish I had an "awesome mom".

lol, The K1000 didn't have a working meter... I love her, but she can be a sadist too. Mind you, I was 12 at the time.

@jp thanks for the tips, hopefully the digital F. Prices have real flashes and not those cubes, that my parents must have loathed going off for what must have been the wierdest pictures ever. I'll definetly be lurking around the forums scouring for info.

:p I keep messing up on the random questions...

[Alan Gales]

She wasn't a sadist. She was just teaching you right. A handheld meter is much better than those center-bottom weighted reflective in camera meters. :)

Welcome to the club!

[E. von Hoegh]

She wasn't a sadist. She was just teaching you right. A handheld meter is much better than those center-bottom weighted reflective in camera meters. :)

Welcome to the club!

True. If was truly a sadist, she'd have made you meter with a DSLR. (evil winking smiley)

Welcome. Have you seen Dr Jimmy lately?

[Alan Gales]

Dr. Jimmy? He only comes out when I drink my gin.

[MrJim]

Dunno if I want a Dr Drinkin gin... unless he's a Dr of English.

Anyways, figured I'd mention what in the goodie bag I got today (lol, it's in a rubber maid tub). I know it's a toyo 4x5, monorail, looks like a G series, and it is fantstic shape. It only came with one lens. Sad, I was under the impression there were 2, not complaing the price is still right. It's a 90mm Schneider SA f8 with a compur synchro shutter. Total newb question but, do I have to set the shutter to bulb and bulb the shutter for focusing? 10 sheet film holders, 1 poloroid holder, 1 120 holder, a loupe, light meter (which my mom forgot, dslr'ing it for now I guess), a black on both sides corner weighted hood that weighs a ton, a coiled flash pc sync cord, and a tripod plate The last two were probably just in the box, I'm guessing. Today is cleaning everything up, as it hasn't been used in around 5 years. Checked for light leaks in the bellows, nothing. The lens mechanisms all work, timing I don't know about, but I'll get into that later. Now I'm on break from cleaning up the film holders. Maybe in a day or two I'll fire some test 120 or poloroid through it, as it's a bit cheaper than the 4x5 film... back to cleaning, dusty dusty dusty...

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome aboard, MrJim.

[E. von Hoegh]

Dr. Jimmy? He only comes out when I drink my gin.

When I'm pilled you don't notice him.