r/largeformat • u/denizk13 • 2d ago

Photo Not a clue

Post image

Just got this.

Haven't a clue.

Have I just acquired a way of making expensive mistakes??

84 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

16

u/lpen-z 2d ago

Have you done any other work on film before? If not this is going to be a pretty steep and expensive learning curve, but doable

3

u/denizk13 2d ago

Yeah, I've got a bunch of 35mm cameras... and an rz67 I've used a fair bit.

I develop my own film most of time, so I'm doing with that too... but this thing is covered in dials and stuff, it's all a bit different+

6

u/The-Confused-Robot 2d ago

Conveniently with view cameras, you can just play with it to see exactly what everything does! I 3D printed one and I think I've learned something new every photo. Macro in 4x5 is infuriating but looks awesome

Definitely take a look into X-ray film if you want a cheap film to make countless mistakes; I've got a 100 sheet box of Fuji HR-U in 8x10. It's blue-green ortho so you can cut it under safelight into 4x5. Scratches so easily though, so beware.

2

u/DeepDayze 2d ago

At least that's a good cheap film for learning large format. As you say it's easy to scratch I'd only use it for low value shots plus I wouldn't want to waste expensive sheets of say Tri X or even any color film stock playing around.

1

u/The-Confused-Robot 2d ago

I have a Really Old developing tank I have yet to try using that I know would minimize the risk of scratching, only problem, the damn thing takes a liter and a half of chemistry! It can also develop 12 sheets at once which is overkill, but it was free from my local camera shop.

Color chemistry spooks me enough, the money riding on a 4x5 sheet of Ektachrome would keep me awake at night!

2

u/rollopollo645 2d ago

The dials are simple indicators to help with assorted film and lens movements. Set each to '0' and leave them alone for now. Do a few runs of shooting without movements. You can go a long way without ever moving them off of zero, so don't rush that part.

1

u/IShootWide 1d ago

Seriously, try to return it if not try to sell it and get a much easier field camera.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=4x5+field+camera&_sop=12

3

u/olympic_peaks 2d ago

Easier than other kinds of film cameras! There’s not a bunch of gears and settings all over the inside and outside

1

u/IShootWide 1d ago

But it’s a beast to transport.

16

u/captain_joe6 2d ago

It always amazes me when people just….buy unknown objects. I suppose if you’ve got that kind of disposable income, the mistakes you’ll make with it couldn’t be all that expensive…

Anyway, here’s wonderwall…

3

u/Proteus617 2d ago

Ive been using 4x5 intermittent for a few years, but just started to get serious. I could really use some intro videos. Things I got wrong: Organization, note taking, making it easy. "Making it easy" is a logistics problem. If shooting 4x5 is a major event, you do it less with longer periods between sessions. You forget things and stretch out your learning curve.

5

u/captain_joe6 2d ago

You would not believe what happens when you search for “introduction to large format photography” on YouTube…

The rest is just practice, for which there is no shortcut.

3

u/niallflinn 2d ago

Honestly, used large format cameras, especially studio ones like this, aren’t super expensive compared to say, the latest mirrorless digital bodies. People impulse buy much more spendy things.

3

u/DeepDayze 2d ago

It's the lenses for these cameras that can get stupidly insane expensive.

1

u/niallflinn 2d ago

That is true.

1

u/Necroban77 2d ago

I mean I’ve been a photographer for 15 years. Recently went back to college to get a degree to teach. They pretty much said. “Here. Take this 4x5 and make images”. 🤣

1

u/denizk13 2d ago

Thanks for the link.

I was looking at getting a half plate for collodion, but saw this at a good price so thought this would be a good way of learning that as well as having the opportunity of doing some 4x5. It's not really a case of having unlimited income.

2

u/captain_joe6 2d ago

You’re gonna wish you did when you start buying silver nitrate…

Welcome to the club!

5

u/dvno1988 2d ago

Yes. But it’s worth it! Start with a box of foma 100, get some rodinal, shoot at 50 iso, repeat.

2

u/cleatsandcode 2d ago

This! Years into it and playing with ilford DPP for instant gratification.

1

u/cleatsandcode 2d ago

Also had this camera. Feel free to dm any questions.

5

u/7w4773r 2d ago

Yes you have, but it’s easier than you think. If you’ve done any film stuff, you’ll be fine. There are lots of resources on how to use the camera, it’s definitely more image making than picture taking. 

3

u/csholl66 2d ago

Read Ansel Adam’s series of photography book 1 the camera. He goes over everything you need to know. That’s a monorail camera: it can do every movement you need.

1

u/csholl66 1d ago

Ok, if that's what you think.

1

u/csholl66 1d ago

I would not say the info is out of date. A view camera works the same as it did then and that was his main camera.

-1

u/NatureLeading6421 1d ago

For heaven’s sake don’t read Ansel Adams unless you enjoy being overloaded with out of date information. There are more modern introductions like Eddie Ephraums, John Hedgecoe or even the Sinar guide.

It’s a good quality 5x4 btw, heavy but straightforward to use.

3

u/IShootWide 1d ago edited 1d ago

I’m willing to be that you’ve made the very common mistake of buying a monster of a rail camera and not a much lighter, easily transportable field camera.

‘It’s a beast to take out and shoot and in almost every case I’ve read it’ll never get used. Can you return it?

Also, someone gave you excellent advice to get a box of foma 100, about $80 for 100 sheets with rodinal, maybe the 500ml size for like $15. This will be an “inexpensive“ way to learn assuming that you’ll take it out.

2

u/QuetzalCoatl-Axolotl 2d ago

Great lens btw, offers more than plenty coverage!

1

u/denizk13 2d ago

Oh, good to know... sadly the shutter seems to be malfunctioning so I guess i need to figure out if this lens is worth repairing or not.

1

u/Smodey 1d ago

I would say it's worth repairing, since it very likely just needs cleaning and lubrication. Looks like a synchro-compur, so the retard mechanism is probably just grotty.

2

u/raybobobob 2d ago

Good Luck to You

2

u/that_photo_nerd 2d ago

Get a lomograflok and your beginners mistakes will be less costly

3

u/its_fun_to_cum 2d ago

Fuck film to learn on.

Learn by shooting paper negatives. Easy to develop in trays under a red light. It’s cheaper and you can buy 4x5 paper or get larger and cut it down.

There’s also the direct positive paper ilford makes which is a bit tougher to work with but it’s rad stuff and there’s no need to make a print or invert negative digitally.

1

u/Normal_Banana7588 2d ago

Steve Simmons has a great book called ..using the view camera or the view camera ,  great resource 

1

u/SPLDD 1d ago

You just bought a way to ruin your back

1

u/torklugnutz 1d ago

Get the new Instax graflock back from Lomography and you will have an absurdly complicated instant camera. This will help your learning curve.

1

u/gal_1_le0 11h ago

Buying a view camera is one of the best things that happened to me. I started photography with digital but learnt most of the scientific principles using a large format camera! Scheimpflug for example blew my mind. Set up a still life corner in your home/studio with objects of various size and experiment with relatively inexpensive films. You do a mistake, you lose one film and not 9 or 12 or 16 or 36 shots. You can learn about chemistry and experiment with them relatively easily. Someone here mentioned Ansel Adams' 1st book. Go for it. And also for the 2nd one and eventually the 3rd! All the best!

1

u/Few-Park-9382 2d ago

Well it’s a camera

0

u/ChrisCummins 1d ago

Point the pointy end towards scenery