Urge of ULF Panorama

[xkaes]

I guess you haven't heard of Clyde Butcher?

Yes, I've heard of him. While he and I both make 8 foot murals, he rented a 2,000 square foot room. I'm not so lucky. That's bigger than my entire house!

There are lots of photographers that make enormous murals -- much larger than mine or Clyde's. The size of the print determines the size of the darkroom. My point is that a mural does not require an enormous negative or enlarger -- and can be done without a 2,000 square foot dark room.

[wsit]

Enlargement is not a goal. Building an enlarger for 12x30 is beyond my wildest dream. Contact print 99% most likely

[Kiwi7475]

I am not one to suggest smaller formats … as you say we only live once and we should pursue our dreams.

That said I just want to make sure you’ve considered how/if such a large camera will allow you to photograph the type of scene/object you’re wanting to photograph.

There’s nothing worse than having purchased an expensive tool to then find that it’s too cumbersome or unwieldy to use systematically for the application in mind. I have used 11x14 and 8x20 cameras and I can say that I’ve found them very limiting *for the type of photography I’m interested in*. The weight, sensitivity to wind, and other factors have made me converge on 8x10 as the largest size outdoors — keeping the ULF for portraiture inside home. I’ve enjoyed taking them out in the field, and I still do occasionally, but I can’t phantom doing that on the routine basis that I take 8x10, 5x7, 4x10, or 4x5 out, which are far more practical tools. And I’ve accepted that if I need to make mural-size prints, they’ll be printed from a digital scan of the negative.

[interneg]

Why does it need to be a 12x30 contact print? Are you absolutely 300% sure that you can't do an adequately equivalent print (for your needs) from a 4x10 neg & enlarged 3x? An 8x10 enlarger is massively less trouble than a monster camera.

[xkaes]

Enlargement is not a goal. Building an enlarger for 12x30 is beyond my wildest dream. Contact print 99% most likely

Thanks for the clarification. In that case, get the largest camera you can, but the "portable" part is the biggest constraint that you will have. Jackson dragged 16x20' glass plates up mountains on the backs of mules in the 1800's when he photographed the American West. Have you considered that? If he could do it, ............?

[xkaes]

Why does it need to be a 12x30 contact print? Are you absolutely 300% sure that you can't do an adequately equivalent print (for your needs) from a 4x10 neg & enlarged 3x? An 8x10 enlarger is massively less trouble than a monster camera.

Exactly my earlier point, but I should have simply asked "What's the goal?". All we know so far is "panorama contact prints". When I think "panorama print", I always think of a print much larger than any camera.

I just don't "get" a 2 foot panorama contact print, from a huge camera when a 4X enlarged print from a 4x5" negative would be indistinguishable.

I'll admit that an eight foot print from a 2 foot negative could beat out an eight foot print from a 5 inch negative, but that's a whole different story.

Am I wrong?

[Hugo Zhang]

Chamonix makes 24x32 cameras. Most if not all of the users are making wet plates, probably due to the difficulties of obtaining films of this size. With inserts used within the holder, you can make smaller images of various sizes.

[Two23]

Chamonix makes 24x32 cameras. Most if not all of the users are making wet plates, probably due to the difficulties of obtaining films of this size. .

And cost. I once thought of getting an 8x20 camera and was thinking of making tin types with it. That would be cheaper than film and actually seemed to be more efficient than doing contacts from a negative. I decided against it because it's so windy here and just how many 8x20 photos do I need?



Kent in SD

[domaz]

Chamonix makes 24x32 cameras. Most if not all of the users are making wet plates, probably due to the difficulties of obtaining films of this size. With inserts used within the holder, you can make smaller images of various sizes.

You could also shoot paper negatives with a 24x32, Silver gelatin paper is still available on rolls. Maybe even RA-4 reversal if you want color...

[Two23]

You could also shoot paper negatives with a 24x32, Silver gelatin paper is still available on rolls. Maybe even RA-4 reversal if you want color...

That's a good idea. Landscapes don't move very fast so the slow speed shouldn't be much of a problem. Paper negs would be easier than tin types too.


Kent in SD