Large Format Landscapes

[Steve M Hostetter]

Shades... Overlooking Sugar creek in Shades state pk. 8x10 115mm (I think) 4721 film in D76

[Jiri Vasina]

For all my recent work I have masked my ground glass to the golden ratio, on both 4x5 and 5x7.

If I had the big money, I would work in 5x8, which is very close to the golden ratio. I'm sure that someone could make a 5x8 back at a reasonable cost, but the big expense would be to purchase or make a large enough number of 5x8 film holders.

The price for the film holders is the most serious drawback. If they were not so pricey, I'd have more than 2. But on the other hand, I'd not be pressed to find a way to use regular 13x18cm/5x7 holders in the camera...

[Nana Sousa Dias]

Nana, I develop all my LF films in 2830 print drum. I think the the 3063 tank of yours could be used to develop the 5x8 size too. My drum has ridges on the inside, which allow either placing 4 13x18cm (5x7") sheets with the shorter side of the film along the axis of the tank (and the longer side bent around the circle of the drum). It's also intended to develop 2 sheets of 8x10" with the longer side along the axis of the tank - and 1 sheet 8x10" is 2 sheets of 8x5" placed next to each other So if you load the 8x10 film in the tank in the same way, you could also develop a 8x5" (5x8") film.

Try cutting a paper and loading it in the developing drum...

The 5x8" format is a very nice one aestheticaly. The only downside is the high price of the Chamonix holders - but this is relative, and subjective too.

Ken Lee has presented some extraordinary work in this format in the past 6 moths (+-) among others (sorry for not mentioning by name, I can't remember them at the moment).

(Btw., I'm looking for a way to develop my quarter plate [3 1/4 x 4 1/4] films - they won't hold in the 2509N reel, and are too small to be placed in the 2830 drum. Does anyone of you have a way to develop them in Jobo tanks, or a non-expensive dedicated way? Thanks)

Well, after thinking a bit about 5x7" and 5x8", I decided to go for 5x7" because of a "little" detail I have forgotten, wich is the fact that my enlarger is a Durst 139G wich can deal with 5x7" negatives, maximum. I still enlarge my photos and use fiberbase baryted paper, I don't enjoy inkjet (at least, for this week, because we never know what comes next!!!!).
I've been watching the Chamonix 5x7 black walnut horizontal model, I enjoyed it a lot, it's small and light and I can build a 4x5 back for it, if they don't sell one of those.

[Jiri Vasina]

Nana, be careful, the "horizontal models only" usually have fixed back so it might be difficult/impossible to make a reduction back for them. From my knowledge, it's not possible to have a regular reduction back (like the one I have for my 5x8 camera, which is here). You can easily build a back for the horizontal/vertical model in any size, but not for the horizontal only. That is the price you pay for the camera being lighter and smaller...

Do check with the factory, if it's possible.

[Nana Sousa Dias]

Nana, be careful, the "horizontal models only" usually have fixed back so it might be difficult/impossible to make a reduction back for them. From my knowledge, it's not possible to have a regular reduction back (like the one I have for my 5x8 camera, which is here). You can easily build a back for the horizontal/vertical model in any size, but not for the horizontal only. That is the price you pay for the camera being lighter and smaller...

Do check with the factory, if it's possible.

Thank you for the advise but, I had been watching that closely and, if you look well, you can see that the back on this horizontal model has the very same lockers on the upper borders of the back, that the normal model has. I think the back is detachable, but not rotatable, because the back is rectangular, not square.
http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/_images/57c.jpg

[Jiri Vasina]

Yes, from that photo it would seem you are right. It seems to be detachable.

I have just checked the 5x8 horizontal only model pictures and they lack the lockers - so my previous comment might concern only the 5x8 model, and not the other.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Down on Wildcat Creek, 8x10 165mm Schneider fujichrome processed myself Myself and a friend just about froze when the wind came up but had a blast

[Steve M Hostetter]

McCormick's Creek state park, 8x10 fujichrom 300mm GR Dagor

[Steve M Hostetter]

Crescent City,Ca Marina 8x10 210mm 5.6XL just going home

[Bruce M. Herman]

I apologize for my tardy replies. Darn day job!

Thanks to you all for your generous comments.

David, the largest print that I've made to date is an 11x14. Please contact me offline if you're interested in a print of this size or larger.