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My guess without seeing the plates is that they were overexposed/overdeveloped. Unlike gelatin silver prints which dry down (highlights become darker), tintypes will dry up and highlights can blow...

Are there any modern tailboard cameras that have a back for modern film and plate holders.
It looks like Stenopeika has one but I was curious if there were others?

Did you mix your stabilizer with tap water or distilled? I got spots with tap so I switched over to distilled and it made a difference.

If I mainly used only one camera and lens, I would have to explain to the wife why I own the rest of them. :)

If it hasn’t been mentioned yet, you should consider a commercial Ektar. They are brilliant portrait lenses.

Not to derail the thread but... Tracy, are you still making studio camera stands?

It really depends on what you want to shoot. I use a Nikon Nikkor M 450mm f/9 as my modern normal lens.

When you first start rinsing the plate, it will look slimy. Keep rinsing until the surface no longer looks slimy.

Kent is correct. The color is from too short a development time or not rinsing it enough before fixing.

I kept me concrete walls open. What ever you decide, I recommend you paint the concrete with a latex base masonry waterproofer. It will do an amazing job keeping moisture from seeping in from...

Vaughn, I haven't had a problem with the HF darkslide slipping when using Chamonix holders. I don't think they recommend their use for other holders.

It really depends on your subject matter. 11x14 would be more useful for a variety of subjects not being stuck in a landscape format. The film is more readily available and cheaper. I love my...

Old Mill
Chamonix 11x14
Nikon 450mm f/9
Ilford HP5
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50371977071_70bf6dc742_z.jpg

These look nice.
https://www.stonephotogear.com/filmstorage

I have the same problem with mine. The plastic track just wears out at the popular heights. For me, I changed the height of the base board to compensate. Not a great fix, but works for now.

I buy my glass from a local glass co. 3/32 is the thinnest stuff they have. Their cuts are pretty clean but I sand down the edges with sandpaper.
I have successfully made plates on plexiglass as...

You do not need old lenses. Modern ones work fine. f/5.6 or faster is preferable. Since exposure times are really slow, you can save money by buying a barrel lens and use the lens cap as the...

Are you talking about the "Color by Beseler" drums? If so, I have used the 8x10 and 11x14 drums. Does your 11x14 drum have the divider rod? If so you can process 2 8x10s at once. I tried 4 4x5s...

Those of you who are doing this... how are you focusing the LF cameras? Are you marking infinity during the day?

Blinking is so fast over the course of a long exposure that it won’t show up on the plate. I have shot still life and macros to about 6 min exposures. The plate gets harder to develop successfully...

I'm thinking of shooting some this weekend. I'll take a few photos of my set up then.

Ari,
I use a $20 children's 4'x5' tent in the back of my truck. The shroud is made of a light proof fabric from Freestyle.
I can make up to 11x14 plates with it. What is nice is the bottom is...

I am sorry I have read all the pages here. Why can't you see the plates?

You would also probably get less development errors if you developed for longer than 15 sec.

No problem. You will know all the developer is off the plate when it stops looking slimy. That green is especially awful on portraits. Not a healthy color for skin tones.

Those are development errors. You have to pour the developer on in a slow wave or it will start to dig channels into your plate and cause uneven development. The green at the bottom of the 2nd plate...

After pouring the collodion back into the bottle, I dab the pour off corner onto a paper towel. As soon as it stops leaving marks, it is ready for the silver bath.

Comets are caused by collodion in the silver bath. Filter your bath more frequently and they should go away. You are more likely to get comets If you put the plate in the silver too early. The...

I can use 1/60 with my converted Polaroid 900 (Razzle 900) on 4x5 with a 150mm.

I use an older 240mm Rodenstock Sironar regularly on my Chamonix 4x5 for portraits.

Is it wrong of me to consider mounting that flange to the back of a Chamonix board to do the exact same thing? I have an 18" Beseler opaque projector lens mounted to a Chamonix board that doesn't...

This is new for me. Just picked up an 18" Verito that is mounted to a board with 2 flanges. The inner one belongs to the Verito.
Is this common?
...

Love my Chamonix cameras. (045N-2, 8x10, 11x14) Can't say enough good things about them and the company (especially Hugo).
No experience with Gibellini.

I use a Beseler Series III 18 in. opaque projector lens for wet plate. It is around f/3.6. It covers at least 20x20. They are not expensive.
...

I got Dektol from Midwestern Photo Exchange in OH. Their website claims it is still in stock:
https://mpex.com/kodak-dektol-paper-dev-1gal.html

I don't think that is it. The glue from the plastic coating was leaving a residue that created patterns that were more obvious when plates were over developed. It was an easy fix to just wipe the...

Using the B&S kit to start is a smart move. There are so many variables in wet plate. Knowing the chemistry is mixed properly allows you to just focus on technique.

Paul's description is quite good. I would add that opalotypes also fall under the "wet plate" umbrella. Opalotypes are positive images in front of a white background (usually shot on white glass...

I scan with lid closed before varnishing. Occasionally, I get light wrapping around the edges of a plate if it isn’t completely flat with the lid open. I agree with Mark. It is best to scan before...

Teapot
4x5 Ilford Harmon Direct Positive paper
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49909062321_31423b1b9e.jpg