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Thread: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

  1. #11

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    If you buy a used meter, you may want to have it calibrated by a competent shop.
    FWIW I send mine to Quality Light Metric on Hollywood Blvd., in, well, Hollywood.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  2. #12

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by xkaes View Post
    My advise? Avoid getting into the "NAME GAME" like so many do. As to loupes, there are many. I prefer 7X or 8X for higher magnification and more accurate focusing. Whatever you get, make sure it has an adjustable eyepeice (to focus for YOUR eye) and a neck strap so you will always have it ready.

    For darkcloths, the best is/was the WOODHOOD, but they have not been made in thirty years.

    For meters, here you will need to do some research. There are so many out there and it all depends on what type of metering you want to do. That might change over time. Whatever you do, get a used meter, ; you will save a TON of money. And don't pay attention to anyone's "This is the best". Garbage!!! I use a Minolta meter but it's no better than any other.

    Tripod? Again it will pay to do research and find one that meets your needs. Watch out for weight and look at the tripod features. There are two types of heads: panhead and ballhead. Different strokes for different foks. I've used both and the ball head is smaller, ligher and more flexible. But no matter which you prefer, there are MANY to choose from and there is no BEST model. But in any casae don't get a tripod or head that are bigger than what your camera needs.
    You left out one of the best choices for a tripod head. A 3-way leveling head like John Sexton uses.

  3. #13

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    Jul 2010
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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Your choice of loupe depends on what you want to photograph. I have a Nikon 7x loupe and a Schneider 4x loupe, I shoot portraits and I find that the 4x loupe isn't accurate enough for my needs because I am shooting at much closer focusing distances than a landscape photographer. What you intend to shoot makes a difference and people often offer advice without asking that question. I have a Boss screen on my camera which may have affected my choice.

    In the past I have used a Gossen Variosix F, a Minolta Spotmeter F, a Minolta Autometer IVF and currently have a Polaris dual 5. Any of those meters are perfectly fine. The only reason I bought the Polaris meter is that I ran over my IVF with my car when it fell out of my camera bag after a long days' shooting! I also have a Gossen Lunasix 3 Which I keep in my large format bag as a backup as I use my Polaris with my DSLR as well, this is also perfectly accurate.

  4. #14

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobias Key View Post
    Your choice of loupe depends on what you want to photograph. I have a Nikon 7x loupe and a Schneider 4x loupe, I shoot portraits and I find that the 4x loupe isn't accurate enough for my needs because I am shooting at much closer focusing distances than a landscape photographer. What you intend to shoot makes a difference and people often offer advice without asking that question. I have a Boss screen on my camera which may have affected my choice.

    In the past I have used a Gossen Variosix F, a Minolta Spotmeter F, a Minolta Autometer IVF and currently have a Polaris dual 5. Any of those meters are perfectly fine. The only reason I bought the Polaris meter is that I ran over my IVF with my car when it fell out of my camera bag after a long days' shooting! I also have a Gossen Lunasix 3 Which I keep in my large format bag as a backup as I use my Polaris with my DSLR as well, this is also perfectly accurate.
    With the Boss Screen it is very important that your loupe has a focusing eyepiece since the image forming layer on the Boss is inbetween the two pieces of glass that the paraffin layer is on. That can really complicate things since if your Boss was not made specifically made for your brand camera it doesn't lie on the actual film plane of your camera.

  5. #15

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Salomon View Post
    With the Boss Screen it is very important that your loupe has a focusing eyepiece since the image forming layer on the Boss is in between the two pieces of glass that the paraffin layer is on. That can really complicate things since if your Boss was not made specifically made for your brand camera it doesn't lie on the actual film plane of your camera.
    I have a Toyo and the Boss Screen is actually labelled 'Boss Screen for Toyo', although I admit when I first got the camera I was very paranoid that it may still may not have been fitted right by the previous owner. I had to photograph a significant amount of angled newspapers and dummy heads to convince myself that everthing was fine!

  6. #16

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobias Key View Post
    I have a Toyo and the Boss Screen is actually labelled 'Boss Screen for Toyo', although I admit when I first got the camera I was very paranoid that it may still may not have been fitted right by the previous owner. I had to photograph a significant amount of angled newspapers and dummy heads to convince myself that everthing was fine!
    When the backers of the Boss Screen were trying to market it originally they came to our offices with a sample of the original screen and the packaging for it. They came to us because we were owned by Gepe in Switzerland with a factory in the Netherlands and that was where Boss was and they knew our factory people.
    The original screen that they brought to us was about 12 x 15" and the packaging was Fran with a diagonal groove on one piece that the screen could be placed into so it would stand up. The idea was to use a projector to project an image on to the screen and to photograph the scene from the other side. And, since the image was formed on a layer of wax it was grainless. Much cleaner image then a piece of frosted glass or a screen.

    We really didn't have a market for that application but suggested that it could make a pretty good view camera screen, as long as they could get a wax formula that wouldn't reticulate from heat.

    We were then selling the Linhof Super Screen that fit about 6 or 7 different brands of cameras with just one size.
    So we sent them on to talk to Bogen and Ted Bromwell, Bromwell was the one that finally brought it to market.

    That was back around 1981 or 82.

  7. #17

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by John Kasaian View Post
    If you buy a used meter, you may want to have it calibrated by a competent shop.
    FWIW I send mine to Quality Light Metric on Hollywood Blvd., in, well, Hollywood.
    Or you can just use the f16 rule for free.

  8. #18

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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Quote Originally Posted by xkaes View Post
    Or you can just use the f16 rule for free.
    Then the OP needn't invest in a meter.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  9. #19

    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Meter: Sekonic 558 (for flash) and Pentax Digital Spot for everything else.

    Loupe: my eyes, but that's because I shoot 8x10 so it's big enough and I have 20/20

    Dark cloth: I have a black jacket that I like. Also, check the members made section. I had stone make me this really nice cloth made of Hi-Vis yellow as I often make pictures out in the woods and hunting accidents happen here, unfortunately.

    Tripod: GITZO series 3 with an Arca Cube






    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #20

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    Madisonville, LA
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    Re: First Tripod, Loupe, Darkcloth, Meter

    Pentax digital spot meter. I have two of the Zone VI modified ones. They're not cheap, but there's a reason as to why.

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