Quote Originally Posted by greenetee View Post
Hi everyone,

First time posting here, so bear with me. If this isn't the right forum to post this question let me know.

I haven't used 4x5 in about 5 years, and I "grew up" using Polaroid. Then I used Fuji when Polaroid bit the dust.

I have an opportunity to shoot a HABS/HAER job in the next couple of months. It's an old manufacturing plant without electricity, and I'm very comfortable shooting the exteriors without Polaroid, but for the interiors where we're going to have to bring in lighting I'm not quite as sure of myself. I haven't shot large format with just a meter in a looooonnnnnggg time. Does anyone have a source for 4x5 Fuji, or is it possible to convert a medium format Fuji back to fit a 4x5? That would be great, since mf Fuji is still available. And cheap. I know I wouldn't get the full view, but just as a way to check exposure would be great.

If there is no source for 4x5, and modifying a mf back isn't possible what are my options? I know, get out the old meter, and practice before the the job starts. I plan on doing that, but is anyone out there doing anything different? A friend suggested using my digital (Nikon D3) as my "Polaroid", and practice using the D3 as the meter/Polaroid in different lighting situations. Shoot some film and see if the exposures between digital and film match up.

Any and all suggestions are welcome.


Thanks!
greenetee

have you used your digital camera in similar situations
and rephotographed the scene using 4x5 & film was there an "adjustment"
in exposure needed or did it work out ? i would take these things into consideration
before using your Dslr as a meter, i know when i have used mine as a "modern polaroid"
the exposures were a little off. if you can, i'd bracket a little bit too with your film exposures.
habs jobs are fun, but once the job is done ... often times the building is too !
which means you can't go back and re-photograph what didn't work out.
good luck !