Musical Instruments

[JeRuFo]

Shot as a long exposure test for fomapan 100. I have experience and data up to about two minutes, but there is little out there beyond that.

Told myself I shouldn't take it too tight, but the negative holder cropped off more than I wanted anyway. The Yamaha sticker on the right and the hinge in the top left are well within the borders of the negative. I thought putting them in whole lend a bit of rest to the composition. I don't really have any experience with shooting still life and in hindsight I should have put more work into getting the composition just so, even for a test shot. A million things to learn still.

I shoot fomapan 100 pretty much like a color negative film. I place the darkest shadows on -2/-2.5 and let the highlights fall where they may (unless they get too crazy). I shoot it at EI 32.

Measured 6 min@f22 1/2 shot 100 minutes
Developed in XTOL 1+2 for 14m @21C with one inversion every 2 minutes.

Exposure turned out pretty much as planned.

[jcoldslabs]

The tones look really good; your exposure and development plan worked well. I've shied away from Fomapan in LF because of its poor reputation where reciprocity is concerned. I've been shooting some really slow films lately with indoor exposures in the 5-10 minute range, but 100 minutes? You are a patient person!

Jonathan

[JeRuFo]

An hour and a half is a bit extreme. I wanted to test it because I want to try a long exposure like that on a lanscape shot with some architecture in it during sunset. I definetely don't want to sit outside for that amount of time all set up and not get the exposure correct. At least here I could make dinner, watch some tv and then start developing the shot.

[rcmartins]

An hour and a half is a bit extreme. I wanted to test it because I want to try a long exposure like that on a lanscape shot with some architecture in it during sunset. I definetely don't want to sit outside for that amount of time all set up and not get the exposure correct. At least here I could make dinner, watch some tv and then start developing the shot.

I am also very interested in your results. I have tried something similar, but with different developers (R09 aka Rodinal and Pyrocat HD) and got much worse results with a contrast range way too expanded. Zone 7 ended on zone 11 with an exposure of 120 minutes. I did this test using both a step wedge and outside shooting.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but two things could justify the differences I see between this great photo of yours and my results. One is the developer. I have never used Xtol and don't know if for that dilution it is a highly compensating developer or not. The other is a possible difference between light contrast in the scene. My tests were of light scenes that spawned 8 to 10 (step wedge) zones. Was this a high contrast or low contrast scene? Thank you.
raul

[JeRuFo]

Mine was by no means a scientific test. I had never exposed foma 100 for more than 15 minutes and wanted to see if the contrast wouldn't become too much of a problem and if my estimated exposure times were at all accurate. I'm always happier flying by the seat of my pants than doing rigorous testing, so I'm not sure if I can be of any help to you. I only did this one shot and thought I could repeat it today if it didn't work out at all.
I was afraid the contrast in this shot would be too high. I placed the deepest shadows, in between the hammers (on the strings on the bottom left of the attached crop), at -2.5 (EI 32) and the brightest highlight (the keys on the bottom right) were at +3.5 at the start and at +3 at the end of the exposure. The shadows are exactly where I wanted them, there is still some room in the highlights for a bit longer development or an even longer exposure, but the negative looks good and contrasty as is.

I dilute XTOL and reduce agitation to try and tame the harsh shadows of fomapan 100, but I don't know how it relates to other developers in this compensating effect. You could try to dilute your rodinal further and do (semi-)stand development, but a 4 zone difference is a lot.

I attached some crops from the shot. It is a bit of a quick and dirty test scan, so excuse the dust.

[rcmartins]

I placed the deepest shadows, in between the hammers (on the strings on the bottom left of the attached crop), at -2.5 (EI 32) and the brightest highlight (the keys on the bottom right) were at +3.5 at the start and at +3 at the end of the exposure. The shadows are exactly where I wanted them, there is still some room in the highlights for a bit longer development or an even longer exposure, but the negative looks good and contrasty as is.

Great. The scene had an exposure latitude of 6 stops, and you managed to even slightly compress to 5.5 stops in density. Extremely good news - I was not expecting this to be doable with fomapan 100. Great news.

I dilute XTOL and reduce agitation to try and tame the harsh shadows of fomapan 100, but I don't know how it relates to other developers in this compensating effect. You could try to dilute your rodinal further and do (semi-)stand development, but a 4 zone difference is a lot.

I will try dilutions at 1:100 and minimal agitation for rodinal and semi-stand for pyrocat HD. It is true that when I tried to assess the reciprocity for fomapan 100 I was doing drum development which might not be the best approach. I have recently started trying semi-stand for Pyrocat and your results have gave me the urge to try.
Thank you.
raul

[stradibarrius]

This is a shot of a violin top being hollowed out or "rough graduations"
Chamonix 045F1, G-Claron 150mm f/9, TMAX 400, Rodinal 1+50

[alavergh]

Good idea strad!

Here's my piccolo (a Powell Custom). I was just messing around with some new hot lights when I took this last year, and trying out extreme movements for DOF control. I think it was with a 150mm G-Claron:

Cool! I've photographed my flute and piccolo too but never large format. I've got a Powell Conservatory and a Hammig Piccolo.

I know I'm late on commenting but search "Andrew Laverghetta Vivaldi" on YouTube and you should find it.

[Corran]

Nice! I also have a Powell Conservatory flute. Hammig was one of the piccolo brands I tried, but settled with the Powell.

Found your recording on YT, very cool. I actually performed the 3rd movement of the Vivaldi in a concerto competition and also arranged it for flute choir w/ solo piccolo in my later undergraduate years, about 6 years ago. Actually hey, found that mp3 on my server.... I meant to arrange the other two movements and try to get it published but never got around to it.

Where did you study?

[Jmarmck]

This is cool.

One of the most distinctive heads ever made. D' Angelico. This on an early Excel EX-DC.
TMY D-76 Nikkor 5.6/150


It is nearly that time of year when the early morning sun comes in my filthy glass doors and provides some wonderful light on the guitars. This will be my first year with a LF camera.