[LargeFormat] Seneca 5x7 Arrives

[Clive Warren]

At 5:41 am -0700 21/8/02, Rich Lahrson wrote:
>Hi folks!
>
>      My Seneca 5x7 arrived and it's all that I expected.  I've put it on my
>Tiltall.  The
>reworking with front swings allows the camera to be put sideways on 
>the Tiltall
>for
>front tilts as well.  He encluded  in the deal an adaptor for an Arca Swiss
>ballhead
>which cost as much as the camera.  Nevermind, the adaptor, however, allows the
>protection of the wood finish and the camera can be easily shifted 
>on the Tiltall
>without
>damage.
>
>     This is my first ever 5x7.
>
>     I'm looking for lenses.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Rich Lahrson
>Berkeley, California
>

Hello Rich,

Welcome to 5x7!

It is a format that is appealing for a number of reasons also much 
less expensive to keep the camera fed with film and you can produce 
some rather wonderful contact prints with the format.

I watched that Seneca go on Ebay and was very tempted but have 
recently made a deal with myself to sell at least one camera before 
buying another.

Anyway, hope that you enjoy the camera. Ole has made some useful 
suggestions for lenses. The old Wollensak Raptars are good lenses and 
there is plenty of modern 210mm glass that will do a good job for you 
at a reasonable price. Most 300mm non-tele large format lenses will 
easily cover 5x7 and there is plenty to choose from in that focal 
length. The 135mm Wide Field Ektar also covers 5x7 if those Seneca 
bellows will compress enough, or if you can find or make a recessed 
lens board.

You can also try some 6x17 panos using a spilt dark slide. 5x7 
trannie film is difficult to find here in the UK however B&W is 
fairly plentiful. The more people who use the format, the more likely 
it is that film will continue to be produced. Go for it!

Enjoy the new camera.

Cheers,
        Clive