Potential LF convert needs advice!

[Brian C. Miller]

Andy, jump in with both feet and just do it. Put the drive into your mind, and never give up.

You don't need to enlarge the print yourself. There are plenty of good labs that can make huge prints for you. You just need to supply the negative.

The 4x5 negative has the most cameras, films and accessories for it. I have seen 30x40 prints from 4x5 negatives, and heck, I even saw a 6x8, Ilford 3200 to boot, enlarged at that size look excellent.

It isn't difficult to develop film yourself. If you don't do it, then there are a number of labs which do a lot of mail order business. The process is to "soup" the film in a succession of three chemicals, and then you're done. It's quick and easy.

For a 4x5 negative, you can get the HP CombiPlan tank for daylight development. This means you don't have to have a dedicated darkroom, just a large changing bag to load the film into the tank. Me, I blacked out my bathroom and develop in there. I use both trays and a Jobo processor.

First, get a camera and a lens. High quality cameras and lenses can be purchased for not much money at all. Even what is regarded as "bottom of the barrel" can produced absolutely stunning results. I have a Graflex Super Graphic, and the 135mm Optar lens can resolve bicycle spokes at two blocks. Years ago this package cost me $500, and I've seen them for less. A Calumet Orbit is a very cheap view camera, and Ansel Adams did in fact use one. Put a decent lens on it and go to work, no problem.

If you want instant feedback, you can use Fuji instant films. The PA-45 holder is currently available for $200, and the film packs cost $25 or so. The packs can also be used in the Polaroid 550 holder.

You'll need at least a couple of film holders, a changing bag, and a light meter. Oh, yes, and a good tripod.

Enjoy!

[aduncanson]

Revised:

I agree with Brian. Large Format is not so much more difficult than smaller formats as it is simply different. Loading film holders seems to be intimidating for some folks, but after a short while it becomes simple and trouble-free. Processing sheets in a daylight tank (I use a Jobo) is easy too. I really prefer being able to shoot 2 or 4 sheets and then go process them.

The technical stuff:
Negative to Paper distance = Focal Length X (2 + Magnification + 1/Magnification)

And the really technical stuff:
The above formula neglects the principal point separation distance for the enlarging lens which would be added to the distance calculated above. This separation distance varies with lens design and is not always easy to find but often is negligible. I can't find the principal point separation for a Schneider Componon-S enlarging lens, but for the very similar 150mm Symmar-S it is -2.9mm. If the separation distance is also negative (Rear Principal Point is ahead of the Forward Principal Point) for your enlarging lens then neglecting it will yield a conservative estimate of negative to paper distance.

More fundamentally:
Negative to Lens distance = Focal Length X (1 + 1/Magnification)

Paper to Lens distance = Focal Length X (1 + Magnification)

Both of these distances are actually measured to the appropriate Principal Point but the locations of these principal points are often not known and so many people recommend simply measuring to the aperture.

[andyedward]

Brian: thanks for your encouragement.

I want to do the developing and (eventually) the enlarging myself - this seems like half the enjoyment of shooting film! I have a large enough bathroom and the developing equipment doesn`t seem expensive. I go to a university which has a photographic department so I`ll check out their facilities [I`m on the wrong university course!]

I had considered using polaroid/fuji instant to check for correct exposure. My dslr meters, but LF doesn`t, so I`ll look into getting a light meter

[Corran]

PM'd you Andy.

[Alan Gales]

Andy,

You are right about crawling before walking. Start making 8x10 enlargements to start with. Scan anything you want printed large right now until you get proficient with printing.

Forget about the 35mm and just jump in and buy a large format camera. You can't learn to swim unless you jump into the water!

Alan

[winterclock]

I have to agree that you should just go for it. I started last november with a 5x7 camera, and find that the most important thing is to do it. Take pictures. Set some simple goals at first, work on exposure and focus. The more you work with the camera, the easier you can "see" what your results will be. There is a vast amount of information on this site to help choosing lenses, films and developers. It seems to me that if you really want the big negatives, then you might as well just jump in and do it.

[quine]

You should definitely do the printing yourself. For me, the majority of the effort (and the reward) happens in front of the enlarger. Shooting is easy by comparison. :-P

-andrew