Author Topic: First steps into LF (Read 3579 times)

johann · « **on:** February 14, 2011, 07:03:46 PM »

Since I started wasting film, I was fascinated with large format. But I never dreamt to one day be able to experience it.
It was mainly Mojave and her debut with that branch of photography that made me jump into it. So, thanks, I don't regret it a second. What a marvelous thing.
Like my spiritual guide, I bought a (very) used Graflex camera. I also then invested in a Fuji lens. The one on the camera was broken.
This happened now a couple of weeks ago. I didn't get any satisfying results until last week-end because I was using a borrowed lightmeter that was underexposing by 4 stops (which I was not aware of until I brought in a d*****l camera). The negs were pretty thin.

So here are my first real pictures on 4x5 chinese sheet film :

Untitled by johann watzke, on Flickr

Blaxton · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2011, 07:31:01 PM »

Excellent first steps with the graphic, Johann. I especially like the first one.

sapata · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2011, 09:19:30 PM »

Wow... the last picture is fantastic ! So many details...
Congratulations !

Urban Hafner · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2011, 09:43:00 PM »

Great images Johann! Especially the last one. I see how I can't stay away from LF for very much longer now.

Urban

astrobeck · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2011, 10:06:19 PM »

excellent start and welcome to the LF pool!

The water's fine come on in!

I'm a user of the cheap 4 x 5 Chinese sheet film myself. I've wasted tons of it!

Yaniv Waissa · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2011, 08:20:07 AM »

really good stuff, Johann !! I'd like to see more images

LT · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:11:32 AM »

great stuff - welcome to the Large Side.

calbisu · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2011, 12:09:11 PM »

Johann, congrats!! Sure more images to come

Mojave · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2011, 05:06:00 PM »

Holy smokes Johann, those are amazing!!! I am so glad you jumped into LF because these are a joy to look at. I love them all but that second one, with the perfect selective focus on your subject and that delicious back light, is just to die for!!

Mojave · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2011, 05:06:58 PM »

Oh yeah, and what is this cheap film you speak of, and might I ask where you got it? I need more sheet film and the stuff you used here is gorgeous, cheap or otherwise.

Diane Peterson · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2011, 06:15:46 PM »

These are very nice..wonderful to have more imput about the LF..I also use my share of "foreign' film..I get mine off ebay..and have to say it works well..Of course I don't have a lot of experience so can't really compare films like an expert but the price is certainly right!

Mojave · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2011, 06:51:47 PM »

Hey Diane, can you tell me what kind you buy off ebay? I dont have a clue where to start.

Lino · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:36:56 PM »

very nice... also that chinese film looks very interesting.

is it fomapan?

tkmedia · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:40:20 PM »

most likely old ERA, Lucky or Shanghai? I know I can get shanghai for under $18 for 25 sheets.

Mojave · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:42:40 PM »

Thanks Tkmedia!
I have heard of Shanghai but not the other two. I will look them up.

tkmedia · « **Reply #15 on:** February 15, 2011, 10:36:26 PM »

ERA seems to be not as common on eBay, and ERA is sometimes a bit hard to search for as results for era show up. I have not used 4x5 in a few years. I did try some ERA in the past but was not happy with it, it was a bit curly, but I have heard that they did improve. I tried shanghai 4x5 and thought it was pretty good, but I hated their 120 rolls. just so darn curly. Never tried Lucky.

This is turning to a Chinese film thread.

Francois · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:14:19 PM »

Quote from: tkmedia on February 15, 2011, 10:36:26 PM

This is turning to a Chinese film thread.

Like this

中国照片

original_ann · « **Reply #17 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:56:35 PM »

Good lord, that last one smacks me right in the face! I love it!! Congrats Johann, oohhh the fun ye shall have!!

astrobeck · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2011, 12:13:50 AM »

I always buy mine from the bay, and it's ERA.

I've used lots of it, and like it a lot considering the agreeable price.
The guy I buy mine from is Isaac Chen. He's honest, fast and most of the time the film I get from him is just a little out of date, but has always been fine. Been buying from him for the past 4 years or so.

It's 100 speed so I use it for a lot of pinhole stuff.

Only thing is he doesn't sell a lot of film, so you just have to be lucky and catch him when he does.

Mojave · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2011, 12:34:02 AM »

Thanks you Tkmedia and Becky! Im going to search for that ERA film and see what I can find.

johann · « **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2011, 06:56:15 AM »

Thank you for the nice comments !
People are so nice in large format

The film I use is Shanghai GP3 100 iso. I got it for about 18 $ for 25 sheets. It's quite cheap and is quite a good film (especially for that price).

Mojave · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2011, 03:35:57 PM »

Awesome! Thanks for the info Johann! Im going to go searching for that on eBay.

Diane Peterson · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:11:14 PM »

Mojave..what astrobeck said..I buy from the same guy and have had nothing but good results...

astrobeck · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:20:46 PM »

and as of last night, he had some 4 x 5 Shanghai film listed.....

Diane Peterson · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:31:30 PM »

I just bought two boxes from him!

johann · « **Reply #25 on:** February 22, 2011, 07:30:35 PM »

Yep, that shanghai is great !

Here are two more shots made with that film :

Untitled by johann watzke, on Flickr

Mike (happyforest) · « **Reply #26 on:** February 22, 2011, 07:37:41 PM »

johann

That last one. Is it a prehistoric railway track?

Very Nice.

johann · « **Reply #27 on:** February 22, 2011, 07:55:13 PM »

Hahaha. It could be a really crappy railway track !
Nice one, happyforest.