New member from Italy

[teofilatto]

Hello everyone,
I started shooting film three years ago, and as my passion has grown, so has the size of the format. So I just got my hands on a 4x5 camera and I am looking forward to start using it, but I still need some components to complete the kit and be ready to shot. I decided to join this forum to get the best advice available on the planet!

I shoot a lot of 135 format; in fact, I have little spare time and too many young children that represent 90% of my current photographic subjects. The little format enable me to get 1 decent shot out of 50 with relativelsy little worries about costs. However, sometimes I happen to be lucky enough to shoot portraits in medium format, and my hope and goal is to use the 4x5 camera mainly for portraiture.

[xkaes]

WELCOME to the FORUM.

It sounds like you will have lots of subjects and fun with you 4x5.

Tell us more about your camera and how you came to have it? Did you find it in an attic or was it obtained through a long process?

[Tin Can]

Yes, welcome!

[j.e.simmons]

Welcome, post often.

[Ulophot]

Benvenuto!

One of the wonderful characteristics of little children is that they grow, and as they do, they become more susceptible to being photographed with large format cameras, something undoubtedly on the mind of the Creator in the beginning. In my days as a professional portrait photographer, it was not the children who couldn't sit still that troubled me so much as the ones who, as a result of years of endlessly having parents tell them constantly to "Smile for the camera -- let me see your teeth" -- were practically incapable of an honest smile. It made me sad.

I used 35mm for the majority of my total negatives and transparencies as well over the years. Perhaps you can improve your ration of good images in that as well. It will be good training for 4x5.

With 4x5, strobe is, of course, one lighting possibility, though you'll need studio strobes for the requisite power unless you choose to shoot wide open with fast lenses. The strobe has the advantage of becoming the shutter speed, thereby freezing any action unless the ambient light is sufficiently high to allow blur during, say, 1/60 sec or slower. My choice, coming back to photography a few years ago, was to get back to natural light as much as possible, after years of using strobes. The challenge is considerable, but why lead a boring life?

I look forward to hearing your reply to xkaes's question.

[Leszek Vogt]

Welcome to LF forum.

[teofilatto]

Thank you all for the warm wellcomes.

The camera is a Sinar P, that came with four lenses, 75 - 100 - 150 and 210mm.
How I came to have the camera? I am honest, no great reasoning behind this choice, I am simple minded! A mixture of impulse, and a subsequent chain of match events. All started about 3 years ago when, after using digital for some 8-9 years, I bought my first film camera (Olympus OM1) almost on impulse. I really don't remember what went through my mind at that time; maybe I saw the photo of a great master, or simply liked the idea to load a canister into an old camera... as a matter of fact, after just few days the OM1 was sitting on my table.
After, I started developing my B&W negatives, later on to print with an enlarger and to accumulate cameras.

Very recently I realized how much I like how the prints form LF negatives look, maybe the exhibition of Edward Weston and his sons I just saw has some responsibility…. Life is short, and would like to try what is in my possibilities before it is too late. I sell stuff I don’t use and buy new one; luckily the film market is alive and this trade works and is also fun. So, I met this guy who worked as a professional photojournalist and printer who sold me the camera, and now is offering me one of his enlargers to print up to 5x7. And that’s how I got the SInar. Unfortunately I don’t have the shutters, so I am looking for a Sinar copal DB shutter to use with all lenses, but it seem to be quite a rare piece of equipment, and therefore a bit pricey.

I have a strobe light with softbox I already to use for portraits, and I believe I will use it with the new camera. I think the farther I will carry the camera is in the garden to experiment with natural light. But we will see….
Now I need to buy the remaining stuff to start taking photos and develop. I will search the forum and be sure that i will bother you with my requests for advice.

[John Kasaian]

Welcome aboard!

[Alan Klein]

Good luck and welcome.