Hello from the arctic circle!

[Fusiobear]

Hello everyone, I'm from Finland, near the arctic circle. I've been interested in niche types of photography for some time now, mostly IR photography and astrophotography, but MF/LF is completely new to me. So that's why i am here, to soak up all the information i can.
I don't actually own any LF, or even MF, cameras but im sloooowly slowly accumulating knowledge and hardware. I'm at the point where i should be able to dive into MF this summer so it felt appropriate to make an account to this forum. Hopefully this time next year i will be able to dip my toes into LF but we shall see.
I don't own any fancy equipment, almost contrary. Cheap digital pocket camera that i use for IR, Canon 1000D DSLR for my telescope, and Pentax Spotmatic F for 35mm film. So not the latest or greatest but good enough, gets the job done and as long as i get enjoyment from the process that's all i need.

[Tin Can]

Welcome!

Spotmatics are forever

I shoot Pentax MX

[ic-racer]

There was a post recently promoting the very reasonable suggestion that beginners in large format read a good book on the subject. Although a good suggestion, I fear a book on LF is going to be harder to find than a used 4x5 camera.
Do you have access to any LF instruction books?

[Ulophot]

Welcome. You may wish to know about https://www.camerarescue.org/ in Finland, an enterprise dedicated to acquiring, repairing, and reselling film cameras. They also have started a school for camera technicians.

[linhofbiker]

To get into MF/LF fairly inexpensively I would get an old 4x5 camera that you can attach a back for 120 film. Get one lens like an old Symmar 135mm and a tripod. If it doesn't work out for you, it can be sold for about what you paid.

BTW I love your country of Finland. My wife and I camped outside Helsinki and drove to see Russia and go to St. Petersburg but failed because we hadn't got a visa.

We were driving a Renault 16 and there were Renault service places in Finland just like most other countries in Europe.

The year was 1970 and we traveled all over from Lisbon to Helsinki and down to Istanbul camping the whole time. We traveled 15k in 5 months, we were 25 years old and married 2 years.

[Fusiobear]

Do you have access to any LF instruction books?

Locally no, i don't think so. Book on the topic would be nice, on the internet all the information seems to be scattered around so it would be nice to have a dedicated book on the topic. Have to keep my eyes open, both in local fleemarkets and on the internet.

[Fusiobear]

To get into MF/LF fairly inexpensively I would get an old 4x5 camera that you can attach a back for 120 film. Get one lens like an old Symmar 135mm and a tripod. If it doesn't work out for you, it can be sold for about what you paid.

BTW I love your country of Finland. My wife and I camped outside Helsinki and drove to see Russia and go to St. Petersburg but failed because we hadn't got a visa.

We were driving a Renault 16 and there were Renault service places in Finland just like most other countries in Europe.

The year was 1970 and we traveled all over from Lisbon to Helsinki and down to Istanbul camping the whole time. We traveled 15k in 5 months, we were 25 years old and married 2 years.

That's a great idea, thank you. I own a 3D printer so my plan is to make my own 6x12 camera with LF lens. Something like the Kraken 612. It would give me the possibility to take MF pictures while owning an LF lens which i could mount to a 4x5 if/when i so choose.
Thank you also for the kind words towards Finland. We might no have picturesque mountains, thanks to the iceage flattening the whole country, but we have a lot of forests and even more lakes. They call Finland "the land of a thousand lakes" for a reason. My plan is to go around Finland this summer shooting panoramic pictures of the landscape.

[linhofbiker]

That's a great idea, thank you. I own a 3D printer so my plan is to make my own 6x12 camera with LF lens. Something like the Kraken 612. It would give me the possibility to take MF pictures while owning an LF lens which i could mount to a 4x5 if/when i so choose.
Thank you also for the kind words towards Finland. We might no have picturesque mountains, thanks to the iceage flattening the whole country, but we have a lot of forests and even more lakes. They call Finland "the land of a thousand lakes" for a reason. My plan is to go around Finland this summer shooting panoramic pictures of the landscape.

I would love to join you with my 4x10 outfit (just kidding - can't afford it right now). There is a guy in Norway who 3D prints a 4x10 camera and other sizes. He sells on Ebay.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome to the forum, Fusiobear!

[Fusiobear]

Welcome to the forum, Fusiobear!

Thank you, this forum seems extremely warm and welcoming which is awesome to see.