Gumby
Veteran
I was hoping you'd get it for less but it sounds like you got a nice, complete, and working set of gear. Have fun with it!
Advice on Speed Graphic
- Thread starter gdi
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 40
- Views 5K
gdi
Veteran
Thanks - I am getting used to it and have shot 6 frames. Unfortunately I have been trying makeshift developing to avoid setting up trays and learning that!
I have been using this tortilla method mentioned in another thread and I have committed multiple Bonehead moves to screw up TWICE!.
First with 4 negs - I was trying to make sure I could get them to fit in the tank and removed the spindle in the dark to organize things. Left it in the darkroom - Developed - Stopped - Fixed - Rinsed - Opened the tank and saw it wasn't there- *&$%^#@!! :bang: In case anyone wants proof the Omega Handtank is not light tight without the spindle I can send you a few 4x5 negs.
So try number 2 - with 2 negs in a Paterson tank (yeah that was the problem - wrong brand! 😎) This time I put in he spindle, but somehow didn't tighten the funnel enough and as I was inverting it unscrewed. It popped up as I opened the tank to dump the developer! **#$@!%)!! :bang::bang: One negative totally screwed on the side where facing my workshop light. The other has a nice light streak through it!
So I negotiated an Besler print drum/roller today and it should be on its way in a day or two - so I can do this right (I hope!)
In the meantime - here is the only pitiful survivor - embarassing...
Last edited:
gdi
Veteran
Thanks for the info Al - I'll try to play around with the flash to see if it works. It came with an adapter to take small (M3?) bulbs...
Ducky
Well-known
- Local time
- 10:54 AM
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2006
- Messages
- 1,287
gdi; thanks for these comments. I used trays and got good results but thought about the tortilla method but decided on a Yankee daylight tank instead. Its on its way from Freestyle.
That's a nice shot you posted. I'll be looking for more. My first efforts were satisfying and I'll be getting out again soon.
Thanks.
Al Kaplan, thanks also for the good advice.
djonesii
Well-known
Ducky ....
I'm taking a different route to 4X5 with a converted Polaroid, but I'm looking for a daylight tank, can you let me know how Yankee works out. I've probably been reading the same threads as you, and I've come to the decisive conclusion that it works or not depending ....
Dave
I'm taking a different route to 4X5 with a converted Polaroid, but I'm looking for a daylight tank, can you let me know how Yankee works out. I've probably been reading the same threads as you, and I've come to the decisive conclusion that it works or not depending ....
Dave
gdi
Veteran
I hope to take a few shots in the next few days - I am probably cooling my jets till my Beseler Motor base and drum arrive. Hopefully by early next week - and , again hopefully, it is in good working order.
I can be shooting Arista Edu rather than HP5 for practice if it arrives today as expected.
Al Kaplan
Veteran
I concluded that the Yankee "cage" for developing 4x5 film was faster to load and less likely to scratch film than individual S.S. film hangers. On the other hand I thought that the "lift and drain" agitation was more efficent than rocking the tank. I eded up epoxying a plastic "lifting rod" (just a piece of plastic) to the inside of the center hole of the cage. Also at some point I glued the moveable top piece of the cage in place since I was only using it for 4x5.
I would say that the film holding cage is easy to load and works well but the overall system isn't what I'd like in a developing tank. Maybe a cap that allowed inversion agitation would solve the problems.
I would say that the film holding cage is easy to load and works well but the overall system isn't what I'd like in a developing tank. Maybe a cap that allowed inversion agitation would solve the problems.
BillBingham2
Registered User
gdi (Gosh Damn Independent?),
The big bulbs are wonderful from the perspective you can actually paint with the light. The last long enough you can move the light through an arc when firing. Electronic flashes go so fast you have to do multiple fires to get the same effect. I seem to remember something about the old Light Saber flashes could actually fire your shutter on some cameras. Not sure which or where, perhaps some of the other members might remember.
Your price was great. I myself am more of a Crown man myself, but 4x5 rocks. The depth of tones rocks.
B2 (;->
The big bulbs are wonderful from the perspective you can actually paint with the light. The last long enough you can move the light through an arc when firing. Electronic flashes go so fast you have to do multiple fires to get the same effect. I seem to remember something about the old Light Saber flashes could actually fire your shutter on some cameras. Not sure which or where, perhaps some of the other members might remember.
Your price was great. I myself am more of a Crown man myself, but 4x5 rocks. The depth of tones rocks.
B2 (;->
djonesii
Well-known
GDI ....
I'm waiting for your results, I've got some things on order, and really would like to hear both your shooting and developing experiences.
Dave
I'm waiting for your results, I've got some things on order, and really would like to hear both your shooting and developing experiences.
Dave
Al Kaplan
Veteran
Bill, before Star Wars invaded the imagination of some prop makers at some movie studio a lot of older camera shops would have "Junk Boxes" containing old Graflex side mounted flash units. The standard battery case took held a stack of 3 0r 4 D batteries, the end held a standard Edison base flash bulb, and the reflectors came in several sizes and were removeable. These battery cases were what became the basis for light sabers.
The side of the battery case had places to plug in cords and a little push button switch where your thumb would be if you were holding you camera by the battery case. A lot of photographers still had lenses mounted in shutters that weren't synched for flash, but wanted to use flash. SO! You'd take your lens to your camera repair guy, and when he mounted it on your camera's lensboard he'd also mount a solenoid on the lensboard connected to the shutter's release lever.
If everything was rigged correctly you could push that button on the battery case sending electricity to the solenoid, which would trip the shutter. Another cord between shutter and battery case would fire the flash bulb. External synchronizers were also available that would be actuated by the return path of the shutter cocking lever.
The big Edison based bulbs, as well as the smaller bayonet based bulbs, came in three synch varieties: Type F bulbs (fast synch) had a lot of the primer as a light source, but no metal foil. They weren't as bright, but the pulse of light would stop action fairly well. M synch bulbs used magnesium foil or fine wire wool in an oxygen filled bulb took about 1/30 of a second to reach maximum light intensity then gradually fade. FP (for "focal plane") bulbs were "long peak" and could maintain pretty much the same intensity as the slit in a focal plane shutter moved across the film.
As for brightness, those big Edison based could really put out the light, not a bad thing when film was maybe ISO 10. Back in the mid sixties my boss and I must have strung up a couple hundred yards of of ordinary electric light cord in the old Miami Beach Auditorium to fire a couple of Press 40 bulbs, in addition to the one on the camera. We were shooting from the balcony with a 65mm f/8 Super Angulon on a 4x5 camera and could stop down to f/11 with ISO 50 Ektacolor Negative. We made only three exposures because each time we took a picture we had to walk to the other end of the auditorium and climb a tall ladder to change each bulb. Those big bulbs were about a dollar each forty years ago!
As for painting with light, yes I guess it was possible, but the useful light duration of an FP edison base bulb was only about 1/8 of a second.
The side of the battery case had places to plug in cords and a little push button switch where your thumb would be if you were holding you camera by the battery case. A lot of photographers still had lenses mounted in shutters that weren't synched for flash, but wanted to use flash. SO! You'd take your lens to your camera repair guy, and when he mounted it on your camera's lensboard he'd also mount a solenoid on the lensboard connected to the shutter's release lever.
If everything was rigged correctly you could push that button on the battery case sending electricity to the solenoid, which would trip the shutter. Another cord between shutter and battery case would fire the flash bulb. External synchronizers were also available that would be actuated by the return path of the shutter cocking lever.
The big Edison based bulbs, as well as the smaller bayonet based bulbs, came in three synch varieties: Type F bulbs (fast synch) had a lot of the primer as a light source, but no metal foil. They weren't as bright, but the pulse of light would stop action fairly well. M synch bulbs used magnesium foil or fine wire wool in an oxygen filled bulb took about 1/30 of a second to reach maximum light intensity then gradually fade. FP (for "focal plane") bulbs were "long peak" and could maintain pretty much the same intensity as the slit in a focal plane shutter moved across the film.
As for brightness, those big Edison based could really put out the light, not a bad thing when film was maybe ISO 10. Back in the mid sixties my boss and I must have strung up a couple hundred yards of of ordinary electric light cord in the old Miami Beach Auditorium to fire a couple of Press 40 bulbs, in addition to the one on the camera. We were shooting from the balcony with a 65mm f/8 Super Angulon on a 4x5 camera and could stop down to f/11 with ISO 50 Ektacolor Negative. We made only three exposures because each time we took a picture we had to walk to the other end of the auditorium and climb a tall ladder to change each bulb. Those big bulbs were about a dollar each forty years ago!
As for painting with light, yes I guess it was possible, but the useful light duration of an FP edison base bulb was only about 1/8 of a second.
Last edited:
gdi
Veteran
Ok - a quick update...
I received a Besler motor base and 8x10 Drum yesterday and found it had no separator in the inner channel to allow it to hold multiple 4x5 sheets. So I had to hunt down a suitable rail to use - I found it in the form of plastic toy train rails and slid it in. I shot four frames and then loaded 2 at a time in the drum - it worked nicely.
The film was Arista Edu 200 and I used Sprint developer and adjusted - 15% for the continuous agitation. Three shots came out nicely and one looks like a slight light leak in the holder, kind of strange. I guess it could be uneven development.
A lot better than my "tortilla" experience! Except for the darn drum sliding off the rollers - I constantly had to tweak the bands around it to keep it rolling.
The negs are drying now and I will try to scan in the morning (scanning for now is photographing the negs with my Canon digital and macro lens!)
I may be looking at an enlarger tomorrow - so another learning curve!
I received a Besler motor base and 8x10 Drum yesterday and found it had no separator in the inner channel to allow it to hold multiple 4x5 sheets. So I had to hunt down a suitable rail to use - I found it in the form of plastic toy train rails and slid it in. I shot four frames and then loaded 2 at a time in the drum - it worked nicely.
The film was Arista Edu 200 and I used Sprint developer and adjusted - 15% for the continuous agitation. Three shots came out nicely and one looks like a slight light leak in the holder, kind of strange. I guess it could be uneven development.
A lot better than my "tortilla" experience! Except for the darn drum sliding off the rollers - I constantly had to tweak the bands around it to keep it rolling.
The negs are drying now and I will try to scan in the morning (scanning for now is photographing the negs with my Canon digital and macro lens!)
I may be looking at an enlarger tomorrow - so another learning curve!
ChrisN
Striving
Sounds good! I just finished my first attempt with 6 sheets in the Combi-plan tank. Note to self: take more time to be sure that each sheet is in it's own slot. I lost a neg because it was sandwiched up against another sheet, and only half the sheet got developed. But those big negs (the survivors!) sure look good. 🙂
gdi
Veteran
I have been playing around with mine - the flash works when I hook it to the "solenoid" outlet on the battery handle and then to the solenoid connector on the lens board.. Then as you indicated, I can fire the shutter and bulb by pushing the trigger on the flash.
I have and adapter for M3 base bulbs so I tested a couple I had - but not with film. Maybe I'll try that this weekend.
Thanks for the info Al - and by the way, do you know the push button on top of the lens is for? It is mounted right by the flash studs.
Last edited:
gdi
Veteran
Yes it is much more tricky dealing with the big negs than 120/135. I see that even my drying clips aren't right - they overlap a little of the frame. Are there special clips for sheet film?
ChrisN
Striving
That's probably the button to lock the shutter open. Cock the shutter, then press and hold that button while you release the shutter. The shutter should stay open, so you can view the image on the ground glass. Set the aperture wide open for ground-glass viewing. To close the shutter, re-cock it.
gdi
Veteran
gdi
Veteran
3 Test Shots
Please let me know if the third shot blotch in the sky looks like a holder problem, I know which holder it is , so I can retest it to be sure.
Thanks
Please let me know if the third shot blotch in the sky looks like a holder problem, I know which holder it is , so I can retest it to be sure.
Thanks
FrankS
Registered User
I don't know if I'm just fooling myself because I know you've posted 4x5 shots, but I think I can see a positive difference in fine detail on my computer screen. 4x5 rocks!
gdi
Veteran
There is a lot of detail, but these jpgs are shot with a DSLR and a lightbox - there is a good bit more to be had!
Gumby
Veteran
It does look like your holder is leaking on the third image.
The "UFO" in the upper-left of the second image might be something else, like an internal reflection. Call it a rising or setting moon and you'll have an award winning image 🙂
Once you get these issues resolved, consider including less sky in the frame in the future. These images, however, will crop nicely into 'pseudo-panoramic' format with not too much effort.
The "UFO" in the upper-left of the second image might be something else, like an internal reflection. Call it a rising or setting moon and you'll have an award winning image 🙂
Once you get these issues resolved, consider including less sky in the frame in the future. These images, however, will crop nicely into 'pseudo-panoramic' format with not too much effort.