"Digital" Polaroid

[Two23]

I'm asking this here because the back I'm considering is a camera accessory. I've been shooting my Shen Hao 4x5 a lot lately, and I generally shoot at night. Really, I can't use my incident meter for this. What I've been doing is taking a shot with my Nikon D300 and adjusting the exposure until I get what I want, then use that setting for my Shen Hao. This is easy as most of my lenses are modern Copal. However, I'm now also using a Derogy Petzval. I've started to make some washer stops for it. I don't know for sure what the aperture is and have been shooting film and then send it in to see how it comes out. This is slow as it takes me a week to get sheets back. I've been looking at buying this adapter back for the Shen Hao, which will let me mount my D300 directly to the Shen Hao:
https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/..._detail&p=2859
With this, couldn't I just take the shots directly with the Derogy and find what exposure setting I need? Couldn't I also get some cool Petzval shots with my D300 too? How useful would this mounting plate/back be in reality?


Kent in SD

[toolbox]

Hi Kent,
Just out of curiosity, are you the Kent I see on FM with the night train shots over in the lighting forum? Just curious .

As to your question, I've used my DSLR for "TTL" metering with my 8x10 Calumet C1...it was easy because with the back off I could just hold the camera in there. My 4x5s don't have quite enough room to actually jam the camera in there, but I've still tried it, and it does work. Biggest problem at night would probably be adjusting for reciprocity, but for regular daylight (and flash) shooting it does work (at lest for my b&w tests I've done). YMMV, of course...

[Two23]

Hi Kent,
Just out of curiosity, are you the Kent I see on FM with the night train shots over in the lighting forum? Just curious .

...

Yes, that's me. I shoot at night in winter a lot, usually using flash. I've begun doing that with 4x5 b&w now. I've posted a shot in the "Image Sharing" forum, "Show us your trains"
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...=44308&page=21

I'm thinking that being able to quickly attach a D80 or D300 to my Shen Hao to ascertain exposure might be worth the $260. Especially since I'm getting into old lenses that use Waterhouse etc. stops. I love the Petzval and may well buy more lenses that are even older. My next lens might be an Imagon, and those might be a challenge to get an accurate exposure on for night shots.


Kent in SD

[Randy]

Since I pretty much (out of necessity) am into the make-it-yourself mode, this sounds like something that could be fashioned fairly easily...or am I missing something? An old extension tube mounted on a piece of masonite, mount the camera on it, remove the GG back and hold it up there.
Just a thought.

[Songyun]

maybe they should start making mounts for NEX-5 or GF2. The problem with DSLR is that the sensor is too deep inside the camera, The angel of view is really limited. Of course if you are doing macro work, it shouldn't bother you.

[Jim Jones]

Since I pretty much (out of necessity) am into the make-it-yourself mode, this sounds like something that could be fashioned fairly easily...or am I missing something? An old extension tube mounted on a piece of masonite, mount the camera on it, remove the GG back and hold it up there.
Just a thought.

I mounted a T-mount adaptor on a plywood adaptor as described above, and have almost never used it in the 10 or 20 years since then. However, it sounds like a practical solution to the OP's question. A T-mount adaptor might permit the use of subsequent generations of DSLRs while the original Shen Hao is still going strong. As Songyun suggests, the Shen Hao will have to be refocused, which might not work with WA lenses.

[engl]

maybe they should start making mounts for NEX-5 or GF2. The problem with DSLR is that the sensor is too deep inside the camera, The angel of view is really limited. Of course if you are doing macro work, it shouldn't bother you.

The entire body of a NEX-5 is smaller than a 4x5 frame, so it should be possible to make an adapter that mounts a NEX-5 and recesses it into the 4x5 camera. This means the sensor could be put at the film/GG plane, and compatibility with wide lenses retained. It could also be used to meter through the lens as the OP wants to do, and you would not have to refocus.

You'd of course have to build it yourself, and buy a NEX-5