Calumet 4x5

ksmattfish · Mar 14, 2004

As long as you leave the standards parallel to each other it acts just like any other camera you have, with no auto features.

Compose (with aperture wide open so you can see)
Focus (move front standard)
Meter and set f/stop and shutter speed (remember to close lens up after focusing)
Cock shutter
Insert film holder or Pola back into camera
Pull darkslide
Shoot pic
Return darkslide

The cool trick for landscapes is to tilt the front standard (lens standard) forward. This tilts the DOF so that your area of sharpest focus travels along the ground. You can get much greater DOF at lower apertures.

For architecture you can correct converging lines. Start out photographing a tall building. The sides slope towards each other as they get farther away. With a view camera you can tilt the back standard (film standard) and change this to the sides being parallel and perfectly vertical.

Both of these effects can be seen in the ground glass, so it's easier to do than read about. Although looking over a view camera book couldn't hurt.

markc · Mar 15, 2004

Wow! That's one mighty nice gift. Congrats!

It's cool that ksmattfish could serve up the info. Good stuff.

Chase · Mar 15, 2004

Thanks for the great info, I'm going to have to find an excuse to get out and play with it! Maybe I can pick up some cheap (relatively cheap that is) B&W film and process it myself, that way I can shoot and not have to wait too long for results (and hopefully pay less than the pola film).

voodoocat · Mar 15, 2004

I hear it's tough to not scratch the negatives. I'm sure ksmattfish will come by with some advice on the issue

ksmattfish · Mar 15, 2004

voodoocat said:
I hear it's tough to not scratch the negatives. I'm sure ksmattfish will come by with some advice on the issue

There are Jobo reels that will hold 6 4x5 negs, and then that goes into a light proof plastic tank. Then it could be hand agitated or rolled on a motorized base.

You can pick up sheet film hangers on Ebay cheap. These are metal holders. You use them to dip and dunk the film in square tanks. This has to be done in 100% dark.

I tray develop. I have 5x7 trays that I fill with the chems and shuffle the film (just like it shows on the Kodak website). This has to be done in total darkness. At first I did scratch a few. With practice I now scratch much less often. Don't try to shuffle more than 4 at a time to begin with.

I'm sure there are other ways. I have a thing called a Yankee Tank; don't buy one of these, it's useless.

ksmattfish · Mar 15, 2004

I buy Arista brand 4x5 film. It's about $40 for a 100 sheet pack. Brand name film goes for about the same for a 50 sheet pack.

If Adorama has house brand 4x5 available it's probably the same stuff; rumored to be Ilford FP4 and HP5 on a thinner film base.

Chase · Mar 15, 2004

I have a plastic developer tank that is supposed to be able to handle 4x5, but I have only used it for 35mm up to this point.

I guess I'm just looking for the most inexpensive way to learn, without being completely worried about damaging a few on my path to learing. Also I want to be comfortable that the camera is in good condition and that there aren't any strange light leaks or anything before I jump right in and take a chance on getting disappointed.

Any specific suggestions on things to look for/buy to put it through the cheapest trial run possible?

Jeff Canes · Mar 15, 2004

Chase said:
ks: now you just need to show up in monument valley with us to teach me how to use it!

When are we all going?

ksmattfish · Mar 15, 2004

Polaroid would be the easiest, although it is expensive (about $3 a shot).

You should be able to pick up a 20 sheet box of BW neg film at most pro photo places. You need a film changing bag/tent/box or a darkroom to load the film into the film holders. And then the same to take the film out, and get it into the dev tank. Remove a sheet in the dark and practice loading the reel in the light before trying it in the dark.

Chase · Mar 15, 2004

I have a film changing bag (somewhere) that has worked well for the 35mm developing I've done. Practicing the loading/unloading of film is going to be the most difficult part I think, maybe I'll get lucky and find some old film laying in the camera case. I haven't fully explored some of the goodies in there, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.