[LargeFormat] Big Old Cave
Leigh Solland (on Chickadee)
solland at telusplanet.net
Sun Jun 5 16:16:20 EDT 2005
Hi Mike,
> Wow, the really hard approach of cutting your own film etc. --
> impressive. I guess I went the "easy route" of just 4x5 sheets ;-)
Well, I couldn't find film to fit the 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 holders, so I bought
some 4x5 film to cut down. That disturbed my sense of "waste not/want
not", so I went looking for alternatives. Now I can make any size I
want, for WAY cheaper (I am poor), and I can even use the cutter to make
other things, such as backing paper for 116 rolls. It's much easier
than it might seem -- the only thing that makes it interesting is that
you have to work in total darkness. Makes me wonder if the companies
making film and paper ever intentionally hired blind people to work in
their dark factories.
> I started out with a Super Speed Graphic 45 (but hated the weight)
> since I've had a Crown Graphic 23 with 120 film for years, went on to
> a cheap wooden field camera (which was rather limited in movements)
> and have since graduated to a brand-new Arca Swiss "Field" Camera...
We always seem to find another one to buy, don't we? I have Speed
Graphics in 3x4, 4x5 and 2x3 now, plus a Busch Pressman in 2x3. (I have
decided that 2x3 is "medium format" if it is in rolls, and "large
format" if it is in sheets. How's that for arbitrary?)
> By the way, for B&W sheets, I am using a JOBO Multitank 2 (I think
> it's their 2521 model). It'll load up to 6 sheets and the development
> process by hand is just like a 135/120 tank (load in perfect darkness,
> but develop in normal daylight). I learned the hard way, though, that
> no matter what the directions say (or anything you read online), you
> need 50 oz. of the chemicals...
That's a good idea. I have a Paterson processing unit that has been
sitting in a box since I got it a couple of years ago, waiting for me to
start working in color. I hadn't thought of using it for sheet b/w, but
I will. Thank you.
> Sorry, can't help you on making positives, since I have never done
> that...
Richard Knoppow has suggested that I use paper
internegatives/interpositives/whatever. I think that is an idea well
worth pursuing, but I would still be interested to hear from anyone who
has used film for that.
Regards,
Leigh
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