Hello All

[RenoAmiens]

Hi,

Renaud from Amiens, North of France.
Beginner to large format .
I ' m currently using a Toyo 45G
Symmar convertible 150/265 and a super Angulon 90.
First shots ( and first tests )on Fomapan 100
I''m looking forward to learn new techniques.


I'v been developing and home printing my 120 and 135 negs for more than 20 years...

[Pere Casals]

Hello !
bienvenu !

I'm in the south side of the Pyrénées...

With your background in 135 and 120 you have a very good starting point.

I'm still learning about LF. Let me speak a bit about what you have in front of you from now.

First (IMHO) as you also may think, LF is not better or worse than MF or 135, for each advantage you have trade off, but LF contains an incredible set of aesthetic tools with a very well developed subculture, let me point a few famous shots I like and I consider a master usage of LF aesthetics:

http://100photos.time.com/photos/ric...with-elephants , (this is Paris ! see Art Market section, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Avedon )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonri...ez,_New_Mexico

https://karsh.org/photographs/humphrey-bogart/

About film, in LF you have a powerful tool: contrary to roll film in LF you have the opportunity to make a custom development for each shot, there are several recipes for that but in general you expose to have the shadow detail you want and then you develop N-3 to N+3 to have the contrast and densities you have previasulized before shooting. In general LF shots are more controlled than with rolls, with rolls you make a bracketing if a doubt is there, in LF you even may take 2 shots with same exposure to have a backup of an important image, you may even develop the first sheet as calculated and then perhaps you may develop the second a bit different from previous result.

You may know the DCB: http://www.ssnpstudents.com/wp/wp-co...m-Cookbook.pdf , but important information to excel in the LF cooking process can be found in Beyond The Zone System book, to have a good start.

With hybrid process (scanning...) the negative obtained is a bit less critical, but for pure optical prints an easy to print negative allows from better results from less complications.

About your gear, the 45G is a superb thing, and the glass you have is perfect to star with. The S 150 is a superb lens, just you should use a front hood in some situations as it is single coated, I use one and it is razor sharp, here there is some information: http://www.kenrockwell.com/schneider/150.htm

As you know the 150 is converted to 265 f/12 by removing the front cell, when converted you still have a very competent lens with some shortcomings, first you have to stop to f/22 to have well sharp corners, and you have focus shift, this is you have to adjust focus again after stoping from f/12 to f/22 for example, so you need a very light thight dark cloth to check focus at f/22 to see it, or use bright points in the scene, those shortcomings are only for the 265 conversion.

...but with the 90, the 150 and the 265 conversion you can do most of what can be done, I'd recommend you don't buy any glass until you exploit those lenses to their limits (if a limit is there), by learning the movements and practice you will know what additional specific glass you may want for your future photography, you may want a technically perfect glass to shot velvia landscapes into the sun, you may want a large circle for arquitecture, or you may even want a lens with a crack in the middle, like Sally Mann proved effective to take incredible images.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Mann

https://www.google.es/search?q=sally...w=1920&bih=993

[Old_Dick]

Welcome to the group. A bunch of really smart and helpful people. Other then shooting, you will learn much from this site and forum.

From NH USA

Bienvenu