new to LF: development, resolution

[dh003i]

Hi all. I'm new to large-format photography. I've been considering making a tilt/shift bellows for my Oly E-3 DSLR, but am also interested into venturing into film LF photography. Digital LF is way out of my price-range.

So I have a few questions: how does one develop film? I don't have a real dark lab area; are there places you can take 4x5 or 8x10 negatives for development?

Also, assuming scanned in at the limits of the film's resolution, what digital resolution do the large formats correspond to (4x5 or 8x10)?

[ic-racer]

So I have a few questions: how does one develop film?

Its not too bad. Just 3 relatively safe chemicals used with the film in a light tight chamber.

are there places you can take 4x5 or 8x10 negatives for development?

Yes

Also, assuming scanned in at the limits of the film's resolution, what digital resolution do the large formats correspond to (4x5 or 8x10)?

A transmission electron microscope would faithfully capture the outline of the silver clumps

[Ron Marshall]

Daylight development tanks are available, as are light-tight changing bags used to load the development tank. Have a read of the front page of this site, there is lots of useful info:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

A 4000 dpi drumscan of 4x5 will generate about a 16000x20000 pixel image.

[phaedrus]

So I have a few questions: how does one develop film? I don't have a real dark lab area; are there places you can take 4x5 or 8x10 negatives for development?

I actually had fun (and success) sending my 4x5 trannies to a large commercial lab through our local photo dealer. They still do it, and prices here in Germany are reasonable. 2€ per E6 sheet, IIRC.
Black an white development I do myself. You only need a lightless space for a few minutes, be it that you lock yourself in a closet or use a changing tent or bag. Development and fixing can be done in daylight conditions, for 4x5 I use a Jobo 2551 drum, it takes 12 sheets, for single 8x10 sheets I use an old Durst Codrum, originally meant for Ilfochrome prints.
Oh and by the way, once you'll see the tonality and presence of these large format pictures, you'll stop comparing to digital shots.

Christoph

[Paul Kierstead]

If you intend to scan your negs/trannies (and a moderately priced flatbed can do a pretty good job), and intend to do B&W, it is quite easy to learn and not too capital intensive. It is quite tolerate of process variation meaning you can get away with inaccuracy. As stated above, you can use a change bag and daylight tank; no darkroom required.

Doing colour at home is quite a bit more tricky and requires more capital investment (some kind of "processor" is require). I wouldn't recommend it right out of the gate. You may have labs in the area which will develop 4x5 or up.

The biggest change you will have to adjust to is a different idea; in LF, each shot is sufficient trouble and expense (particularly for commercially developed E-6) that you'll really want to take your time, be careful and take a good shot. It has significantly increased the quality of my shooting.

[The Dread Pirate Robins]

...
So I have a few questions: how does one develop film? I don't have a real dark lab area; are there places you can take 4x5 or 8x10 negatives for development?
...

I have no idea where in the world you are writing from, but there is at least one lab in my medium-sized city that will process 4x5 negatives. There are probably others, too, but this is the one that I am aware of.

[dh003i]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm from Rochester, NY. I know, home of many great things photography, but in the modern day, I'm not sure if there are places here that develop film larger than 35mm. The premier photo store in the area couldn't fix an aperture-ring problem with my 30-year old Minolta Rokkor 58/1.2, so I'm not so confident on 8x10s.

Not sure if I'll buy a used LF camera myself, or make one from parts; Raymond Kirby's website is awesome for diy LF designs. One issue for me is weather-proofing, so I'd have to think about if that's possible.

In the meantime, I will research LF and various issues (how do you do metering?), and try to make a view-bellows apparatus to attach my 35mm film lens (the aforementioned Rokkor) to my 4/3rds Oly E-3 body [35mm image circle is big enough to cover the 4/3rds sensor with room for movements, limited I think only by vignetting from the rear-element exit-pupil being too small for much tilt].

[dh003i]

A 4000 dpi drumscan of 4x5 will generate about a 16000x20000 pixel image.

Thanks. Would this scan resolution exceed the resolution of the film, however, due to graininess and scanning the individual pigments?

I once scanned an old picture of my parents in at the highest resolution on my scanner at work; granted, this is from the 1950s or so, and a picture. Looking at the results, I was actually seeing blobs of grayscale pigment occupying 4-10 pixels each (I forget, but they were significant blobs, about the size of an o in 10-12 point font on a 100dpi screen).

[Nathan Potter]

One of the best photo processing labs is in Rochester - Praus Productions Inc. Google for info. They'll do large format film development.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[ljsegil]

Second on the recommendation of Praus Productions (4photolab.com). They do any type of developing and printing and all formats (or at least up to 8x10). I've been very pleased with their work and level of service.
LJS