Alan, if you're nervous about this part of the process (transferring sheets into boxes for mailing), you should check with the lab you plan to use and ask them if its OK to ship the film in the film holders, and let them ship them back to you with the processed film. That way you don't have to worry about taking the film out and putting it into a box for mailing. Just be sure to turn the key locks on the top of the holders to keep the dark slides in place and/or tape the tops of the holders to prevent them moving while in transit.
There is an advantage to shipping film in the film holders: if you have two or more film types to be shipped at the same time. You shouldn't mix film types in one box, as that is likely to confuse/annoy the lab personnel. But as I say, check with your chosen lab to get recommendations about their approved procedure. I'm sure some labs don't want to handle your film holders (and it may be inconvenient to have to live without the film holders for 2 weeks while you wait for their return).
I'd recommend removing a sheet from the box, reassembling the box, and then using this one sacrificial sheet to practice loading and unloading the film holder in daylight. That sheet is ruined, of course, but better than the whole box, and now you have a more practical 24 sheet box, with which you can load 12 holders (or 6 holders twice, etc.)
Practice in daylight, practice with your eyes closed, and then practice in dark, and then, when you're comfortable, load "real" film in full darkness (I use a changing tent, but I have no light-tight rooms in my apartment) with some degree of confidence that you won't mess up a whole box. I burned two sheets long ago so I could practice loading both sides, which you may still want to do.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/drew_saunders/
The difference between FP4+ and TMax100/400 -- very little to no difference at first, then as one uses and becomes familiar with all of them, the differences revel themselves quite nicely. In other words -- pick a film and have fun!
It is nice to have an empty box to put your exposed film in. I prefer to develop film right out of the holder, but not always possible. You can put exposed film back into the box of unexposed film, but one needs to have a sound system for knowing which is which.
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
If speed matters and cost doesn't, then try TMax 400. If speed matters and cost matters, then HP5+. If cost matters more than speed, then Delta 100 is a fine film. For me, it's a bit faster than FP4+.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
I started with the Foma 100, using the Stearman SP-76EC developer. I have a box of Tri-X 320 that I haven't opened yet, and some TMax 400. I've been using other films and developers on 35mm and 120. I've really liked HP5+ on those formats. At some point I'll try that on 4x5. Most likely I'll just end up pairing everything down to a few.
Last edited by alt.kafka; 15-Jan-2020 at 06:21.
There's some useful advice in the thread "Kit recommendations for a complete beginner"
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...plete-beginner
particularly regarding testing film holders. I bought used and found that one of them was leaky. Similarly, my bellows had a couple of leaks in it.
I think the step-by-step guide link you posted is a good one.
Also, after struggling with a home-made dark cloth, I upgraded to binocular viewer with a visor, and that makes the ground glass a lot easier to see.
-- Mike
If I'm not mistaken, I can see where the stitching was done. There's a line from top to bottom in about the middle of the page. The exposure looks lighter on the left side. https://www.largeformatphotography.i...=1#post1530406
Are there other programs available to stitch using a scan from the V600 of a 4x5? Which method do you use?
Flickr Home Page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/albums
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