Larger Format Photography

[Nikkornos]

And the best time to play 4x5! Not many amateurs in the past can afford to buy 4x5 cameras! If there's any blessing in the decline of film - it's the affordability of these equipment! Just hope that Kodak and Fujifilm will keep churning out their good stuffs!

Exactly.

The last time I wanted to go into LF the budget was away above 6k for a basic system. Still have the Ebony and Toyo brochure.

Not too sure about Kodak. But Fujifilm is going strong. The way China is consuming film, hard to believe Kodak is loosing out.

 

[Nikkornos]

I've bought a 4x5 Omega Prolab from the states. Because of its size, it's only partially back - the lamp house and the base is back, and I'm waiting for the rest to arrive with the container shipment of a friend who's relocating back to Singapore. For now, I have a Meopta that I bought some 15 years ago from Ruby, and a Durst that a photolab threw out when they decided that it's the end of wet darkroom for them.

I used to make use of a secondary school's darkroom. But since the teacher pass away, this is gone.

How big is the Omega Prolab? Where are your Durst and Meopta (still working?)

I know of a few Clubsnap old timers who setup LF darkroom in their flat.
Maybe we can talk off line.

The current trend is doing MF/LF film and scanned. I am not sure who really would do LF print. (I can do contact though).

 

[sfoto100]

That's a good idea! I find wet darkroom a very therapeutic experience, especially so when compared to sitting in front of the computer doing digital post processing. I believe many on this thread have prior wet darkroom experience, and it seems that SAFRA is still running darkroom courses. I wonder how many CC's still have darkrooms?

But otherwise, I'd be happy to share how it is done at the make-shift darkroom at my office. I figure I can get the 4x5 enlarger set up by mid-November, otherwise we just have to make do with 135 and 120 negs. I'll be out of town for the next 3 weeks, so if anyone is willing to share the experience in the mean time, please go ahead and organize one!

hi

i am keen to see how to do wet printing.

hope the sharing will be on

i got no LF or MF, but my nikon FM2 is on the way from ebay.. ;p

 

[zguy]

5 boxes of Velvia 50 slides are here !! i have PM those who ordered.
We now need E6 processing services..anyone ?

 

[wootsk]

Just gotten the new ground glass yesterday at some bad damage and used for some HK night shots before leaving for Macau this morning. PS as the hotel I stay at Kowloon needs to pay $$$ for net. Went to LF display at HK, gotten a book back and can share. Managed to molest a 20*24 there

5 boxes of Velvia 50 slides are here !! i have PM those who ordered.
We now need E6 processing services..anyone ?

You can ask LoSheng if he is ready. I can consider helping you develop 1 or 2 sheets if he isn't yet.

@Kgston

Ps, cannot get for you your stuff. There is one I saw on a shelf. (I decided not to get it as it is there for long on shelf for very long and there are particles in the bottle already)

 

[kgston]

Just gotten the new ground glass yesterday at some bad damage and used for some HK night shots before leaving for Macau this morning. PS as the hotel I stay at Kowloon needs to pay $$$ for net. Went to LF display at HK, gotten a book back and can share. Managed to molest a 20*24 there



You can ask LoSheng if he is ready. I can consider helping you develop 1 or 2 sheets if he isn't yet.

@Kgston

Ps, cannot get for you your stuff. There is one I saw on a shelf. (I decided not to get it as it is there for long on shelf for very long and there are particles in the bottle already)

No probs man.. I'll import some from germany..

 

[losheng]

How big is the Omega Prolab? Where are your Durst and Meopta (still working?)

This is picture of what the Prolab looks like:

This is not my set of course - just an image grab from Google. From the proportion you can roughly made out its size - it may look bulky, but the foot print is not much larger than the Meopta.

I know of a few Clubsnap old timers who setup LF darkroom in their flat.
Maybe we can talk off line.

I used to set up the Meopta in my HDB store room. Hot sauna comes free with the set up. That was before I knew prints can be developed in a drum on a roller (why didn't they teach these things in school?)

I have left the Meopta with a colleague that's setting up his own darkroom at home. The Kaiser (not a Durst - my mistake) is currently in my office. Another colleague has agreed to lug it home if one day we have to wrap up the make-shift darkroom at the office. The rest of the Prolab is in a container somewhere - the ship is due to arrive on 23rd Oct, together with my automatic film processor.

The current trend is doing MF/LF film and scanned. I am not sure who really would do LF print. (I can do contact though).

I can do LF print when the rest of the enlarger arrives obviously - but I only have the condenser head. There were a few units with color heads that went for as cheap as USD350 on sfbay.craigslist.org, color analyzer included. But alas, I couldn't find a way to freight it back in time. Also, I'm really afraid to further test friendships by asking my friends to drive 100+ km to and fro to pick up such a bulky item (the color heads come with really bulky and heavy voltage stablizers), and to arrange freighting. But I haven't given up hope on color printing yet - just give me time!

If anyone's interested - there's one last brand new LPL 4x5 color enlarger at Seng Cheong. From what I can see, the LPL is a much nicer set than the Omega's.

 

[losheng]

5 boxes of Velvia 50 slides are here !! i have PM those who ordered.
We now need E6 processing services..anyone ?

I'm working on it! Once the processor is here, I'll let everyone know!

BTW - I've managed to get in touch with person in charged of film supplies in Fujifilm Singapore. She sounded apprehensive that I want to place indent order for Velvia 50. She told me that at one time they had to write off a lot of 4x5 films because they expired before they could be sold. I assured her that amateurs are taking over the 4x5 scene from the professionals now. There aree so many of us that have to get them from halfway around the world when we can get fresher supplies from Fujifilm Singapore. (BTW - for those of you that have kindly agreed to share the lot of E6 chemicals with me, you'll notice that they were made in Singapore! The irony of the economics and cost structure is that many had to buy them from US or Europe when they are made in our own backyard!!) And I'll be happy to help market the film if she let me start with a small quantity - like a carton. There's no way I could possibly take on a pallet. She promised to get in touch with Japan to see if they are willing to ship such a small quantity to Singapore.

I've also asked her to check on the availability of Acros 100 4x5, which the 120 version was introduced to me by Philip Tay. He showed me the neg and said: "this thing's tone is beautiful!". I was skeptical and tried a roll - I think it's going to be hard to get me to try any other iso 100 film from now onwards. Immediately I ordered 100 rolls of 120 and one box of 4x5 from B&H. All these are schedule to arrive with the processor and enlarger - so let's just hope the Somalian pirates don't hijack the ship! (ok, that's a bit far fetched, since the stuffs were shipped out of the West Coast, its unlikely for the ship to take the longer route to come to Singapore ...)

 

[Nikkornos]

cros 100 4x5, which the 120 version was introduced to me by Philip Tay. He showed me the neg and said: "this thing's tone is beautiful!". I was skeptical and tried a roll - I think it's going to be hard to get me to try any other iso 100 film from now onwards. Immediately I ordered 100 rolls of 120 and one box of 4x5 from B&H. A

I have some 4X5 Acros from Japan but expired. Once yours come in please let us do some shoot together, maybe Botanical Gardens.
Then we can develop and scan, compare the results.

Fotohub said the professional stopped using 4X5, but they are not aware of hobbyists. There is definitely a vacuum now for this service.

 

[losheng]

I have some 4X5 Acros from Japan but expired. Once yours come in please let us do some shoot together, maybe Botanical Gardens.
Then we can develop and scan, compare the results.

Sounds like a plan! I don't think the expired lot will be much different, as long as they are kept refrigerated. I have half a box of Fomapan 100 left that I want to clear before starting afresh with the Acros. If anyone wants to try a few sheets of Fomapan 100, let me know - I'm more than happy to pass you a few. After trying the Fomapan 100 and 400, they just made me appreciate the Fujifilm and Kodak's stuffs more. Maybe Fomapans just don't work too well with Rodinal.

Fotohub said the professional stopped using 4X5, but they are not aware of hobbyists. There is definitely a vacuum now for this service.

I don't know if the final cost will be acceptable. Cost of chemicals alone for one-shot processing will work out to be a few bucks per run, whereas it might be in the order of tens of cents with the dip-n-dunk processors. But the latter needs a minimum daily quantity to keep the process stable, which was what killed it in today's market. Well, we will see - what's life without some risks!

 

[zguy]

I'm working on it! Once the processor is here, I'll let everyone know!

coo..u are indeed resourceful. meanwhile i am trying to a get a tetenal e6 kit but i am happy to outsource e6 developing

how many boxes in a Fujifilm 4x5 carton? 20 boxes or less i think it will be easily digest by us.
Of course more outings will encourage more shootings

 

[losheng]

coo..u are indeed resourceful. meanwhile i am trying to a get a tetenal e6 kit but i am happy to outsource e6 developing /QUOTE]

Nay ... just desperately wanting to scratch my own itch The tetenal e6 is a 3 step kit, which I can imagine is a lot easier for manual or semi-automatic processing. But since we all drink what we dump into the sewage these days, there's also the question of responsible disposal. (This again adds to the cost of 1-shot processing - probably need a tie up with a photo lab to dump the expanded chemicals).

how many boxes in a Fujifilm 4x5 carton? 20 boxes or less i think it will be easily digest by us.
Of course more outings will encourage more shootings

Beats me! The lady doesn't seem to know too! Yeah, I think 10-20 packs is doable - let's see what she comes back with!

 

[mamypoko]

Excellent, let me know as well! I am definitely keen! Just got myself a 4x5 RF camera, so will be shooting LF for a long time to come.

Personally I feel a few bucks per sheet is alright for me, works out to about $7-8 per sheet for color? Black and white I'm shooting at about $1-2 per shot including development (I use Shanghai at the moment).

 

[Shadowleong]

Condering the scale of things i dont mind stocking up on loads of B&W since im already half way thru my shanghai within a week. If losheng or wootsk willing to help process E6( for a fee of course) i will gladly take 4x5 slides to see this happen

 

[Nikkornos]

Digitaltruth Photo - The Massive Dev Chart B&W Film Development Database

Acupan 200 = Fomapan 200
Acupan 800 = Fomapan T800
Aiko Pan = Neopan 100ss
Agfa Silvertone = APX 400
Arista EDU (old) = Fortepan
Agfa APX 25
Agfa APX 200S/400S (old)
Agfa Ortho
Azopan
Classic Pan
Efke KB14/R14/KB25/R25 = Efke 25
Efke KB17/R17/KB50/R50 = Efke 50
Efke KB21/R21/PL21/KB100/R100/PL100(M) = Efke 100
Efke KB400 (old) = HP5+
Efke KB400 (2006+) = APX 400
Fine Art Pan = FP4+
Fomapan T200 = Fomapan 200
Fomapan 800 = Fomapan T800
FoMos
Fuji Neopan F
Fuji Neopan Presto (old)
Gigabitfilm
Ilford Universal


Massive Dev Chart Search Results
Film Developer Dilution ASA/ISO 35mm 120 Sheet Temp Notes
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 stock 64 6.25 20C
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 stock 100 7.25 7.25 20C
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 stock 100 5.25 24C
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 1+1 100 10.5 10.5 20C
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 1+3 100 17 20C [notes]
Neopan 100 Acros D-76 stock 200 10 10 20C

 

[zguy]

another LF or ULF guy for inspiration : Richard Learoyd
He using a camera obscura to make these positive photos.
There is a video of him giving a talk at International Center of Photography / Lecture Series Online
To find it, click on “videos” and then “2011″ on the menu bars on top.

[video=youtube_share;1zCXYm66Z1Y]http://youtu.be/1zCXYm66Z1Y[/video]

 

[Nikkornos]

Hello ZGuy

Are you suggesting we engage one of the models in this site and shoot with LF?

 

[zguy]

ha no I just suggesting that 4x5 is too small..

 

[Nikkornos]

Another very nice site by QT Luong, as communicated with Ah kang.


the Singapore Botanical Gardens will be nice to make out own Velvia slides.

National Botanical Gardens Pictures - Asia stock photos, fine art prints by QTL


QT is planning a trip to Vietnam. The country is nice, don't be marred by the negative news of local chinese tabloit.

» Classic Vietnam in Focus

 

[wootsk]

ha no I just suggesting that 4x5 is too small..

I have always been feeling that. The issue is always the damage in my pocket.

http://hcm.dchome.net/viewthread.php?tid=972704&extra=&page=1

There are some camera and lens listed. If you look carefully, 1 sheet of 20*24 cost around 100+ SGD:what: