ULF Why do it?

[Craig Roberts]

ULF...

Would you believe the Flip Wilson defense, "the devil made me do it!" That's OK, I don't believe it either.

The story I like tell is the the 12 x 20 is my mid-life crisis. I couldn't afford a Porsche and no 20-year old would go out with me, so I decided to build a 12 x 20.

Reality: I had been printing negatives from my trips to White Sands. I rarely print bigger that 11x14 but some of the White Sands images demanded a larger presence. I didn't like the look of 16 x 20 and started cropping to about 12 x 20. Then the ULF camera madness started, why not shoot to size??? It has been 9-years, there is no hope left for me. I'll be back at White Sands soon with the beast (12 x 20).

Craig



part of the stable:

[Old-N-Feeble]

Is there supposed to be an image of sand dunes? I don't see any sand. I can't move my eyes away from the center of the photo.

[dsphotog]

Craig's camera makes that Majestic tripod look small.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Well Craig I must say that is impressive! Now not to compete but I'm so lucky that I was able to build 4 ULF cameras and two of them are 14 x 17!

I was also able to get a Porsche Turbo and my girl and I act like 20 somethings! What is not to love!

[StoneNYC]

ULF...

Would you believe the Flip Wilson defense, "the devil made me do it!" That's OK, I don't believe it either.

The story I like tell is the the 12 x 20 is my mid-life crisis. I couldn't afford a Porsche and no 20-year old would go out with me, so I decided to build a 12 x 20.

Reality: I had been printing negatives from my trips to White Sands. I rarely print bigger that 11x14 but some of the White Sands images demanded a larger presence. I didn't like the look of 16 x 20 and started cropping to about 12 x 20. Then the ULF camera madness started, why not shoot to size??? It has been 9-years, there is no hope left for me. I'll be back at White Sands soon with the beast (12 x 20).

Craig



part of the stable:

Good thing you typed "part of the stable" after the first pic

Also, did you build the subject matter in the first image or just the camera? Looks like a really nice design, small even, the framework I mean is really tight and so I would suspect easier to carry?

[Corran]

I was also able to get a Porsche Turbo

But, does the 14x17 and all accouterments fit in it??

[Jim Fitzgerald]

But, does the 14x17 and all accouterments fit in it??

Believe it or not it does fit!

[sanking]

Here is an image of me with a hand-made 20X24, from 1998 or 1999. The print is a palladium over cyanotype by my friend Sam Wang. He calls this one "Sandy and His 20X24." The lens I was using at the time was a very early 19" Goerz Dagor, but my best negatives with this camera were with a 450 mm f/9 Nikkor-M, which stopped down to f/90 or f/128 covered nicely for contact printing.

You can see more of Sam's work, including other examples of hand-crafted work, as well as his signature round figure and landscape work, at http://www.samwang.us

Sandy

[Tin Can]

Ok, who can show bigger than 20X24...

Looking good Sandy!

[StoneNYC]

Here is an image of me with a hand-made 20X24, from 1998 or 1999. The print is a palladium over cyanotype by my friend Sam Wang. He calls this one "Sandy and His 20X24." The lens I was using at the time was a very early 19" Goerz Dagor, but my best negatives with this camera were with a 450 mm f/9 Nikkor-M, which stopped down to f/90 or f/128 covered nicely for contact printing.

You can see more of Sam's work, including other examples of hand-crafted work, as well as his signature round figure and landscape work, at http://www.samwang.us

Sandy

Wait you're saying the 450 M illuminates 20x24 at f/90??? That's insane! I knew it covered 14x17 but didn't realize it could reach 20x24.

By the way nice design! Looks great!

Too bad you don't still use it :/ (I don't think?)

Fun shot