View Full Version : 4x5 Handheld in the City
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 05:16
Gran View w/75mm Super Angulon
TXP in Barry's 2 bath developer
Cheese-n-Stuff
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3562990234_f2496eb9b9_o.jpg
Sunday Morning at the Bikini
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3562173485_93465096fd_o.jpg
City Center
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/3562989902_a220336903_o.jpg
How Free?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3562990040_3c163cf0d7_o.jpg
Pickett Wilson
05-25-2009, 05:48
Nothing beats a big negative for tonality.
I love the shot of the motel. And such great tonality.
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 08:06
Thanks guys.
I'm starting to get the hang of that Gran View camera (http://www.stevemphoto.com/photography/2009/04/sucess-nopejust-frustration-with-some-residual-hope.html), and large format in general. I only lost 1 shot to mistakes this time (badly loaded film).
On the down side, I dropped the camera from about 3 feet up. It broke off a piece of the elbow that holds the handle to the camera. The lens popped off as well.
I put the lens back on and was careful with it and it made it through another 3 shots till I was done for the day. I think a little super glue will keep me in business.
Thank God I didn't drop it on the lens.
Al Kaplan
05-25-2009, 08:41
Now you have me regretting selling my Graphic view II. I still have an old Speed Graphic with a Wollensack 90/6.8 Raptar Wide-Angle. I actually took it out a couple of years ago, complete with the side mount 3-cell flash. It attracted a lot of attention but carrying one all day would sure be an arm breaking chore.
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 09:03
Really nice shots Steve.
I would echo what the others say about the great tonality, wonderful.
Glad to see you got your internal flare problem sorted out.
Heh...I used so much black foam material in that camera, it's a wonder it doesn't suck all the light up before it gets to the film! :D
Todd.Hanz
05-25-2009, 09:06
beautiful results, love the look on that motel shot!
Steve: I missed it and didn't see it on your site, so forgive me if this is a repeat, but what is the VF you are using? This whole thing has me thinking (again) about shooting my Toyo 45A field handheld. I have a 90 and a 150, both would be good focal lengths for some "large on the street" work. So I'd need a finder or two that covered those two focal lengths. I don't want to fiddle with something like a Kalart rangefinder, just use scale focus or use DOF.
Love this series!
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 09:25
Steve: I missed it and didn't see it on your site, so forgive me if this is a repeat, but what is the VF you are using? This whole thing has me thinking (again) about shooting my Toyo 45A field handheld. I have a 90 and a 150, both would be good focal lengths for some "large on the street" work. So I'd need a finder or two that covered those two focal lengths. I don't want to fiddle with something like a Kalart rangefinder, just use scale focus or use DOF.
Love this series!
I have a CV21mm finder and CV angle finder w/21mm attachment.
They're fairly accurate on the long side, and I'm learning to estimate the additional coverage on the short side. The camera is, of course, scale focus. It does have a little magnifying glass on the back though that allows you to confirm focus through the ground glass without all the darkcloth/loupe effort. That has worked very well and is much handier than I guessed it would be.
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 09:27
One more grafiti shot.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3563756432_ee06dd3004_o.jpg
charjohncarter
05-25-2009, 10:46
Nice shots Steve. I thought they were going to be of San Francisco, the natives call SF 'the City' like it is the only one in the world.
Nice 50s-60s feeling. You're making me want to forgo Xtol and Rodinal in favor of Barry's. Does Barry's 2 bath care what film you throw in? How is it on box speed?
Where's that GPS guy who said you and your camera were doomed?
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 14:11
Nice 50s-60s feeling. You're making me want to forgo Xtol and Rodinal in favor of Barry's. Does Barry's 2 bath care what film you throw in? How is it on box speed?
Where's that GPS guy who said you and your camera were doomed?
Barry's mostly doesn't care. Actually, that "How Free" wall was on FP4. I just process the TXP and FP4 in the same tank at the same time and all is well.
4:30 seconds in my jobo on the rotating developing thingie for each bath.
I rate everything at box speed and it seems very good. I've developed PanF, FP4, Tri-x, TPX, Efke 25 and Efke 50...all at box speed.
I'm not very anal about that sort of thing though, so perhaps the results could be tweaked by a smart person.
GPS actually chimed in helpfuly when I was working out an internal reflection problem. Other than that, I've not heard from him. In any case, it doesn't seem to me that the $175 was wasted.
Wayne: Too many choices are not good, my friend. ;)
There's no reason Rodinal and Xtol can't give equally pleasing results. Personally I would be working more with Xtol were it not for starting an assignment away from home. So Rodinal would be a better choice -- the small bottle of concentrate is much easier to transport and use as one shot.
True enough. The Xtol & Rodinal are already in the cupboard.
I think there are operator issues getting in the way.
Wayne: Every time I think of not exercising the XTol, I think of Robert's (Honus) photos.
BTW, I bought two pristine Toyo 4x5 holders for the ... Toyo(!) today ... $15 each. They are well made, better than the others I have.
Steve: Thanks for the info on the finder. I have a Leitz 21mm finder, which would work for the 90. That leaves me a finder for the 150, i.e. 50mm equivalent. Should be easy enough.
One more grafiti shot.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3563756432_ee06dd3004_o.jpg
The one I like most. It could make an extraordinary looking great enlargement in anyone's living room.
Thanks for sharing,
Ruben
Benjamin
05-25-2009, 16:58
Considering the kind of work that you are doing, surely it wouldn't hurt to carry a tripod as well? Seems like you have the time, and it would probably help to make things a bit crisper..
Just my two cents.
Beautiful work. This makes me itchy to get a 4x5 Handheld. I have used the Horseman multiformat previously, but the bulk is too much carry around. Nice results from Barry's developer. I am having some difficulty getting the Sodium Sulfite required for Part A. :(
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 18:08
Considering the kind of work that you are doing, surely it wouldn't hurt to carry a tripod as well? Seems like you have the time, and it would probably help to make things a bit crisper..
Just my two cents.
Makes me want to get an 8x10 handheld. :angel:
I'm shooting at 1/125th to 1/500th. I'm pretty sure any lack of sharpness is not being caused by motion.
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 18:10
Beautiful work. This makes me itchy to get a 4x5 Handheld. I have used the Horseman multiformat previously, but the bulk is too much carry around. Nice results from Barry's developer. I am having some difficulty getting the Sodium Sulfite required for Part A. :(
Thanks,
Freestylephoto has the Sodium Sulfite (and everything else you need).
trev2401
05-25-2009, 18:37
awesome pictures.... (GAS setting in) could you provide some help as to what gear to get for Point and shoot 4x5s? I'm considering the fotoman 45s. Could you talk a bit about your granviews?
thanks once again.
dazedgonebye
05-25-2009, 19:11
awesome pictures.... (GAS setting in) could you provide some help as to what gear to get for Point and shoot 4x5s? I'm considering the fotoman 45s. Could you talk a bit about your granviews?
thanks once again.
The basic design of the gran view and Fotoman cameras are the same. The Fotoman is better built in every way. The Gran View's focusing helical is crude and the handle is a bit of landscape pvc pipe under a rubber grip (really).
Gran view cameras went for around $1k when they were being made new, but they stopped making them several years ago. The main redeeming quality of the Gran View is that I got mine used for $175 on ebay. It's the only one I've ever seen and with the bargain 75mm f5.6 lens, I'm shooting for about $450.
Here is the archived gran view web site:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050207135229/http://www.granview.com/
Fotoman ceased production recently. What you see is all there is. You might want to buy quickly. Speed Graphics (all sizes) and several other press cameras will do the same thing. More versatile too. Not as compact. Rangefinder equipped. Roll film holders available.
i like the graffiti shots too...
the Bikini Cocktail shots is interesting, we dont have bars like that much here (save one or two strip clubs in the city center, and even then they open mostly at night, and then on Fri and Sat night i think), funny how it looks a bit run down with the cladding and the 'N' and the 'I' fallen off...advert for $1 long distance is funny as well, and is that some kind of bicycle rack, is that to cater for people that dont drink and drive or perhaps the local high school kids hehe...so how about a shot of the inside of Bikini Cocktails :D :D
zenlibra
05-25-2009, 20:50
Great work, that motel shot is wonderful. It reminds me of the "futuristic" 50's.
veraikon
06-03-2009, 06:00
I like the "City Centre"
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
Steve - great work there! I missed this thread while I was away on holiday. You certainly have the camera well sorted out now. Another vote for "City Centre" - you've captured the style and the gentle decay wonderfully - it just wouldn't be the same in colour. Can you remember what shutter speeds and apertures are you using here? Depth of field/focus is very good.
Nice photos, pity they are a bit static, as a thought, you could try TX 400 in Diafine - very much foolproof to develop, and you get a real speed of at least EI 1000-1250, this should help you stop the lens down to f32 and shoot between 1/60-1/500, so that it becomes a gigantic point and shoot to try close up in a busy street.
Fotoman ceased production recently. What you see is all there is. You might want to buy quickly. Speed Graphics (all sizes) and several other press cameras will do the same thing. More versatile too. Not as compact. Rangefinder equipped. Roll film holders available.
What about Gaoersi? are they history too?
http://www.gaoersi-camera.com/cp_detail.php?id=8022&nowmenuid=3300&cpath=&catid=0
Best regards
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