I am an Australian photo grad student studying in Minnesota since last September, when I started to play with a Crown Graphic and a 90mm Calumet which I borrowed from a dusty shelf in the art department. I have grown very attached to this and am thinking about buying a similar used rig for a trip to South America this summer. What I need is a cheap, portable durable 4X5. I feel very comfortable with the Crown which seems to be right for me both pricewise (a VERY important consideration for me) and I am also stuck on the wide angle as well. Maybe you can give me some advice? - What do you think apout the Calumet compared to to other wide angle lenses in terms of price, performance and suitability for the Crown? - Can you suggest where to look for a cheap used Crown and a wide angle lens. Do you know somebody else who I could contact? - While I am at it I should also ask you about my pet peev - the problem that the image disapears as soon as I shove in the film holder. The Crown I am using has an old Kalart rangefinder which doesn't help me much even if I did know how to adjust it for the 90mm lens. Is there any other rangefinder solution which would let me see more or less what is going on when I am about to fire the shutter? - Is it possible to get either a roll film or polariod back that fits on the Crown? Is this a stupid question? - Finally, have you or do you know of anaybody who has travelled with a Crown or similar camera in a backpack? The question that concerns me most is what is the best way to store and change sheet film for five weeks. I am thinking about just taking some sort of changing bag and storing my exposed negs in the same black plastic lined bags in the T-Max sheet film boxes they come in till I get back to my darkroom, though I am not sure how factors like humidity, heat and delay from exposure to development time will effect the film. Maybe I should just stick with my 35mm - but the 4X5 negs are so much more beautiful! Do you know anybody who has tried something like this. Hope to hear from you, Peter Lowe
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