Good morning, greetings and thanks

[csxcnj]

Hi everyone. I'm a long time lurker and learner on this site. I got my first view camera in March of this year, a Graphic View II. Since then I have added a Super Graphc and am awaiting the arrival of a Chamonix 045F1 and a Shen Hao 6x17 back.

I have a small assortment of lenses.
For the coming field camera: Super Angulon 90f8, Nikon SW 150f8 and a Caltar II-N MC f5.6. Maybe not the top of the line but they fit my budget.

For the View II I have a Schneider 135 f4.5 Xenar and a Nikon W 150 f5.6 that came with the Camera.

On the SG is a Graflex Optar 135 f4.7. I have a Calumet 6x7 roll film back and the Super Graphic Sports Viewfindr mask for this also.

I have used this and the Graflex forum extensively over the past year to come to the decisions I've made regarding equipment and as I start sorting out filters etc. will continue to do so. It was a confusing prospect when I first decided to try LF but without this forum I would still be scratching my head and waiting to make the first move/purchase.

Some may question the decision to get a View II for a first camera but it fit the budget, I love old equipment and I enjoy usung it. I'm sure another monorail is in my future but for now the View II will do.

WHY I AM SHOOTING LF

I started out with 35mm and I photographed heavily in the 70's and early 80's but had a 15+ year break. When I got back in to it in 2005 digital was "the thing" and I jumped right on board that bandwagon. Until I picked up a Nikon FE2 at a shop.....I still shoot digital for my railroad photography but that is about all.

I suffered a rear cerebral stroke from a job site injury in 2008. My balance, ability to focus, walking etc. was basically destroyed and it left me as powerless as a new born baby...with intense pain and nausea when I tried to even turn my head at first.

After 8 months of physical therapy I was deemed 95% recovered and cleared to work and drive. I had been told that I would most likely never be able to do either again. DON'T ever listen to that if you hear it.....I got away from those two doctors fast.

Part of my self planned therapy was walking my neighborhood with a camera and taking pictures to retrain my body's ability to balance itself and do two things at once. I used a manual film camera so that I would be forced to think and work to set aperture, speed and focus.

Since my recovery I have found the slower I go and the more I have to think, the more I enjoy photography. I moved "up" to medium format and loved its slower pace. I stumbled on this website over a year ago and the more I read the more I began to think that LF would really be the ultimate in slow, thought out photography. I have loved every minute of this journey including the frustrations and screw ups.

So thanks to everyone of you for your help. My apologies for the long winded introduction. I look forward to participating here. Mostly likely with some eye roll inducing noob questions but hopefully some day with some helpful contributions.

Cheers, Bob Smith

[Andrew O'Neill]

Glad to hear you've got your health back and are able do what you love. Look forward to seeing your work. Cheers!

Andrew

[csxcnj]

Thanks Andrew. I have some bits and pieces coming in over the next several days to round out the kit, including hopefully the 045F1.

I got to "meet" Bruce from photobackpacker through an email conversation, a pleasant experience. I have been practicing loading film holders with expired film to the point where I feel good about loading up for real and going out next weekend. I've also gone out with the View II and did dry runs setting up, metering, focusing, loading and shooting. I'm sure there will be fumbles when I go "live" but I'm also sure it will be fun.

Cheers, Bob

[photobymike]

dry runs ...get out there and waist some film man .... a dry run for me is when i have to pee bad and i cant find a bush big enough to hide behind.... i go to the park and take picture of the trees .... better than watching the paint dry at home

[csxcnj]

dry runs ...get out there and waist some film man .... a dry run for me is when i have to pee bad and i cant find a bush big enough to hide behind.... i go to the park and take picture of the trees .... better than watching the paint dry at home

Next weekend I start burning actual film.

So do you think a 3x7 bathroom is big enough to use for developing negatives?

[photobymike]

i do 2 sometimes 3 batches of film a day at the kitchen sink ...i dont have have a darkroom just a harrison tent. i use 4 jobo tanks and a roller for all of my processing. darkroom.... who needs a stinking darkroom.

[csxcnj]

i do 2 sometimes 3 batches of film a day at the kitchen sink ...i dont have have a darkroom just a harrison tent. i use 4 jobo tanks and a roller for all of my processing. darkroom.... who needs a stinking darkroom.

Now that is encouraging. I had someone who developed for me but retired from it. I tried a couple of labs but results were spotty. That was with medium formst and 35mm. So I'm going to give it a go myself.

[Jody_S]

I suffered a rear cerebral stroke from a job site injury in 2008. My balance, ability to focus, walking etc. was basically destroyed and it left me as powerless as a new born baby...with intense pain and nausea when I tried to even turn my head at first.

After 8 months of physical therapy I was deemed 95% recovered and cleared to work and drive. I had been told that I would most likely never be able to do either again. DON'T ever listen to that if you hear it.....I got away from those two doctors fast.

Part of my self planned therapy was walking my neighborhood with a camera and taking pictures to retrain my body's ability to balance itself and do two things at once. I used a manual film camera so that I would be forced to think and work to set aperture, speed and focus.
Cheers, Bob Smith

Part of my own recovery from botched knee surgeries and the resulting circulatory problems and infections was photography, it is very much a 'go-at-your-own-pace' activity that is well suited to physical therapy. But more importantly, I found, is the effect on mood. It is easy to start feeling down, depressed, that life is over. Photography is excellent therapy, and it has saved my life more than once as I went through difficult periods in my life, most recently a messy divorce right after a messy surgery that caused a bout of homelessness.

[Ari]

Welcome, Bob; as Mike says, you will need a minimum of equipment to process your own film, and you can do it as well or better than most labs.
No darkroom needed.
I gave up darkroom printing for digital printing a year ago; like many here, I scan film and print it out on an Epson.

[csxcnj]

Part of my own recovery from botched knee surgeries and the resulting circulatory problems and infections was photography, it is very much a 'go-at-your-own-pace' activity that is well suited to physical therapy. But more importantly, I found, is the effect on mood. It is easy to start feeling down, depressed, that life is over. Photography is excellent therapy, and it has saved my life more than once as I went through difficult periods in my life, most recently a messy divorce right after a messy surgery that caused a bout of homelessness.

Jody, glad you are on the up side now. Hopefully the knees are treating you well. LF is going to be good exersise, I plan on hiking to quite a few places with my setup. And the places I'll be going will for sure be good or my mood!