Greetings from Georgia

[EZzing]

Hellos from a new member. I love cameras as much as I like photography.

I shoot mostly 35mm and I use a few TLR and folding medium format cameras too.

I am so close to giving in to the large format urges. I look on Ebay and just love the look of the LF cameras.

I would like to start by using the search function to find out what equipment has been recommended to beginners rather than put members through that exercise for the gazillionth time.

I've come close to bidding on a few on Ebay, but I need to find out what film sizes will be easiest to find. I need to learn it all when it comes to LF.

I have plenty of time. I was forced into early retirement with health issues a couple of years ago and I've taken up photography and love every aspect of it.

I've lurked here for a couple of days and can't wait to get my hands on my 1st LF camera.

We are setting up a darkroom and we have a couple of enlargers along with the typical stuff, but I think I'll need something a bit larger than the besseler 23 and cadet we have so far.

I would like to find the "right" LF camera for a beginner soon. I know I'll probably end up "needing" more than one, LOL, as I enjoy shooting landscape and I'm learning portrait with my best friends as my subjects. (I have 6 dogs) that are easily bribed with a snack!

I sincerely appreciate any advice or suggestions of where to start with LF

Take care

My friends have called me zing for over 50 years so I answer to zing or Bill

[Gary Beasley]

Whereabouts in Georgia are you? I'm in the Atlanta area, East Cobb/Roswell.

[Capocheny]

Hi Zing,

Welcome from Vancouver, BC in Canada...

Once you shoot large format you'll be looking at your 35 and MF negs and thinking, "Man, these are small!"

To answer your question about which format is easiest to find... 4x5 cameras and film are the easiest to find. 8x10 is the next... followed by the other formats. 5x7 seems to be a hot commodity these days.

To learn more... pick up a copy of Steve Simmon's book. Or Larry Stone's. Or Jack Dykinga's. There's lot's of good ones out there. Alternatively, find a mentor who lives in your neck of the woods.

Cheers

[EZzing]

Hi Gary, I'm in Lilburn. Glad to meet someone in the area so to speak. Around Atlanta 40 minutes doesn't seem really far.

Capocheny, I am leaning towards 4x5 or a 5x7 with a back that adapts to 4x5. I have to admit that the 8x10 is really appealing. I've been reading a bit in the articles section here and the "closer look at a large format photo graph" from 1999 is enough to hook anyone!
I will probably start out with a 4x5 and use roll film if I can.


Thanks

Bill

[Gary Beasley]

I'd be glad to meet up sometime and let you have a hands on with 4x5 equipment. LF is a very satisfying format though not near as easy as your folder. I just got a 6x9 Ikonta for snapshots myself. Theres a few LF Apug members in the area and we get together for shoots occasionally, the last was to Raven Cliff Falls this summer.

[Brian Ellis]

I'm not sure about photographing dogs with a LF camera but it should be fun trying. :-)

Since the looks of the camera seem to be important to you, I'm guessing you'd want a wood camera. The prettiest wood camera I've ever seen was a Lotus. I also think the new Tachiharas in rosewood and nickel metal are very nice looking. And a well-maintained or well restored older camera such as a Deardorff 4x5 is a thing of beauty. I'm in a minority in not finding Ebonys particularly attractive but many people think they're great looking too. With those choices (there are several models of Ebony 4x5s ranging from about $1800 to about $4000) you have a range of about the most expensive new 4x5 wood cameras (Ebony and Lotus) and the the least expensive (Tachihara) plus something roughly in the middle (4x5 Deadorff). You also have a range of very extensive movements (Ebony and maybe Lotus, I'm not that familiar with Lotus cameras, I've only seen one) to basic but perfectly adequate especially for your uses (Tachihara).

The best place to start IMHO for learning about LF cameras is with a good book. I own most of the "how-to-do-it" books on LF photography and since you're near Atlanta it should be simple to find one in a local library. If you're searching by author look for Steve Simmons, Jim Stone, Leslie Stroebel, David Muench, or Harvey Shaman. The books they've writen on LF photography are all good. You can learn a lot on this forum and elsewhere on the web but when you try to learn that way it's kind of "hit or miss." A good book presents everything in a clear, systematic, logical manner. And since it sounds like you're over 50 you probably don't mind reading something that isn't backlit.

[darr]

I'm not sure about photographing dogs with a LF camera but it should be fun trying. :-)

Rusty, Arca Swiss 4x5, Cooke PS945, Polaroid 55

What Brain said is true! Rusty is a very unusual dog!!

Welcome to the forum Zing!

I have five dogs and I too use to live in the Atlanta area (Marietta/Woodstock). I went to photography school in Atlanta at Portfolio Center on Bennett Street. E-6 Labs is over there on 10/11th Street and you are fortunate as they will process your 4x5 film when needed. As far as recommending what 4x5 camera for start-up, well my first 4x5 was a Calumet, then a Crown Graphic, then a Wisner, Ebony and Arca. KEH will be a good resource for a decent used box and lenses. I know they carry a few Zone VI bodies from time to time and I usually buy anything used from them. I use to stroll in their store when they were on 14th street and after I sold my portrait studio gear off in 1998, I was still able to visit them over on Atlanta Road to view stuff prior to buying it. In Atlanta you do have a lot of good resources for LF.

I prefer a monorail box, and when I travel I take an Ebony 45SU, but if you like the folding type, Brian's recommendations are very good. I found my Wisner to be a bit flimsy and I did have an Ebony folder prior to the SU, but I like a monorail type design better. We all have our different likes and dislikes. As far as photographing your dogs, I say that will be a great lesson to pursue in LF! Just pick the one that will sit still the longest and I would shoot Polaroids for a while.

Kind regards,
Darr

[D. Bryant]

Hellos from a new member. I love cameras as much as I like photography.

I shoot mostly 35mm and I use a few TLR and folding medium format cameras too.

I am so close to giving in to the large format urges. I look on Ebay and just love the look of the LF cameras.

I would like to start by using the search function to find out what equipment has been recommended to beginners rather than put members through that exercise for the gazillionth time.

I've come close to bidding on a few on Ebay, but I need to find out what film sizes will be easiest to find. I need to learn it all when it comes to LF.

I have plenty of time. I was forced into early retirement with health issues a couple of years ago and I've taken up photography and love every aspect of it.

I've lurked here for a couple of days and can't wait to get my hands on my 1st LF camera.

We are setting up a darkroom and we have a couple of enlargers along with the typical stuff, but I think I'll need something a bit larger than the besseler 23 and cadet we have so far.

I would like to find the "right" LF camera for a beginner soon. I know I'll probably end up "needing" more than one, LOL, as I enjoy shooting landscape and I'm learning portrait with my best friends as my subjects. (I have 6 dogs) that are easily bribed with a snack!

I sincerely appreciate any advice or suggestions of where to start with LF

Take care

My friends have called me zing for over 50 years so I answer to zing or Bill

Contact Quality Camera here in Atlanta. They have the best selection of LF gear in the SE.

Don Bryant

[Kirk Fry]

Buy a good old gray 4X5 Calumet CC401 for $100 and a 210mm lens ($250 for single coated plasmat), three or 4 film holders, some sort of tripod (tiltall), light meter, a dark cloth and a loupe. Start taking pictures. After the first 100 or so you will really know what you want and can unload this stuff for what you paid for it (or not, I still have mine after 35 years). The Calumet will do everything except travel on airplanes well. (You can't take them apart easily.) The important thing is to just do it.

K

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome! Take the plunge. Go for an 8x10 with a 4x5 reducing back. You'll then have the best of both worlds.