Dilemma.

[Stephanie Brim]

I'm going to Colorado in October to visit my boyfriend's dad and I'll have the chance to have at least a day to drive across CO to take photos. I plan to take my Canon P and lenses with me along with my tripod, but I'd really like something larger format to capture the colors of the fall leaves.

Enter the EvilBay search. Someone is selling an Anniversary Speed Graphic with a Carl Zeiss Tessar 135mm lens and it has no bids on it as of yet with less than a day to go. The starting bid is rather low. This is why I needed to sell those cameras quickly...I don't want to pass up the oportunity to finally get into large format at such a low price.

But the basic conundrum is this: do I really need it? Is it the way I want to take my photography? I've always been interested in larger formats, particularly 4x5 and larger. Even looking at medium format negatives gives me a chill that looking at 35mm doesn't give me. I think that the acquisition of this camera would start a complete downward spiral into wanting even more large format gear, and this has nothing to do with belonging to APUG and their leaning toward the large...it's all about me wanting to be able to stick a negative on a light table and see every detail.

I probably wouldn't regret having this...I'd probably use it as much as budget for film allowed. But give me some opinions, will you? It seems I may be coming into more money now that I may be working at one of the in-town bars and things won't be as tight as soon as I get confirmation.

But yes, to the point: talk me into it, talk me out of it, tell me I'm nuts, etc. I want other opinions before I take the big plunge.

And yes, this one does come with the rangefinder...which technically makes it legal for discussion. 😉

 

[back alley]

october in colorado?

the fall leaves will be long gone i think.
here in edmonton we will likely have snow by then.

joe

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Doesn't snow as early here...there should still be some on the trees. Maybe not as many as I'd like. The main draw is the mountains. I've NEVER been anywhere close to mountains before. It's going to be an experience. Hoping to talk him into doing some hiking.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Steph,

Take the Ansco, a tripod, a shutter release and a few rolls of 120 Velvia. The learning curve on 4x5 is kinda steep and expensive if shooting color to start out. I think you want color for the autumn leaves.

But what do I know? I have 6 4x5's, a 5x7, and 2 8x10's. I'm not very smart about camera purchases🙂

Wayne

 

[Stephanie Brim]

It's why I want to start out small (so to speak 😀) with a Graphic and then graduate to something better and with more movements. Getting it now would permit me to shoot a bit with it before heading to Colorado, and the price is right...trust me. I haven't seen one of these so cheap, but the owner says it works.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

It may be cheap now, but I'll bet it goes up like crazy in the last 10 seconds of the listing.

There is a Calumet rail 4x5 for sale on nelson site for $80 shipped right now. You would need a lens but I know some one who might loan you one for the trip.

Wayne

 

[Stephanie Brim]

My friend at work may ALSO have one that I can buy from him. It belonged to his dad. If that's the case, I may have the camera I need anyway. It's just that this one has the Tessar, which I seem to remember hearing good things about.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Steph,

If you can buy the one from your freind at work that would be best. Tessar is an ok lens, I doubt that it is any better than an Ektar or Optar that normally comes on the Graphics. None of these allow for much if any movements on 4x5, but with the Graphics this is of little concern as they have very few movements. (Super Graphic is an exception).

Good Luck.

Wayne

 

[RdEoSg]

be careful about the color rendition with the older lenses. I don't know about the Tessar, but my old speedgraphic had a schneider lens which was awesome at b/w but sucked at color as it was 1950's coatings and such.. Something to consider anyways.. I sold mine in the end because even though there were those few times I used it. more often than not I opted out of taking it because I didn't want the extra weight. I always talked myself out of it, so I finaly sold it to help buy a lens or something.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I shoot more black and white than color. I much prefer black and white film over color, but worse comes to worse I CAN develop color at home by grabbing one of those nice little press kits. It wouldn't be perfect, but I could do it. I'd mostly be shooting Arista EDU Ultra 100 and developing it in Rodinal and perhaps a little Tri-X. Very little Tri-X. =p

 

[wlewisiii]

That one will go for a lot more in the end. The glass is probably fine, but I really wouldn't trust a rim set compur before a full CLA and maybe not even after. The Calumet Wayne mentions is a much better way to get into 4x5. Heck, I've got an ancient B&L Rapid Rectilinear in a Kodak ball bearing shutter you can have if you go that way.

BTW, 4x5 e-6 is an obscenely expensive proposition. Try only after you've made the mistakes that ruin 50 to 100 sheets while you're learning (read this: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/mistakes.html ) $2 per sheet + $2.45 per sheet for developing at the only lab here in Madison that will touch it makes mistakes much more painful than a single slide on a roll of 135...

William

Edit: the Arista.Edu Ultra 100 is an exquisite film and plays nice in Diafine at EI200... 🙂

 

[peterc]

Take the P and lenses for your B&W and put some colour in the Canonet.
Use some of the money you'd have dropped on the Graphic for some nice colour film and processing.

Peter

 

[amateriat]

Stepnanie,

To paraphrase the old saying about exercise, whenever I think about larger-format photography, I go and lie down until the urge passes. 😉

More to the point: if you really have a jones for working in 4x5, don't let me stop you. But if this ties in with photographing someplace you've never been, I'd be a tad cautious. This advice, of course, comes from a person whose bias toward 35mm has been cultivated over a quarter century (I had to pause for a moment after writing that...). When I felt the need for a bit more resolving power for a given subject, I simply switched to a slower-speed film than usual. But the key was that I worked with the gear I knew, and this allowed me a higher comfort level when traveling through new and different environs. Of course, this is my formula, not a universal one by any means. And you may have a particular creative itch that can only be scratched by exploring the possibilites of a different (in your case, larger) format. All I'm trying to say here is that it pays to think deeply about the changes you think you want to make, whether the timing is a good idea, and just what your expectations are from these changes. (And, yeah, don't forget the extra film holders.)


- Barrett

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Yeah, sigh.

Maybe I'll just wait a while. I have plenty of time before I go to Colorado. I don't really need anything now. And yeah, William, I'd never shoot E-6 4x5...that's an insane proposition. I probably wouldn't even shoot color negative at first. 😉

 

[photogdave]

I thought you were saving up for a car??

 

[Stephanie Brim]

This would be after selling various kit to get more kit, not spending any money that I don't have.

And with another job on the horizon, the car should be a pretty easy purchase. Forgot to mention that, really. 😉

 

[Rich Silfver]

Does it have a glaflok back?
- If not do you see yourself having to buy one? ($)

Does it have a fresnel screen?
- If not do you see yourself having to get one? ($)

How many filmbacks does it come with?
- How many backs do you expect you will need? ($)

Have you calculated the cost per roll (incl. development)?

What will you do with the negatives once you have them?
- Print/Scan?

If you've thought it all through I don't think I could advise AGAINST a Graflex Speed Graphics - as that's one camera I've always wanted to try myself.

I remember when I 'stepped up' to a Hasselblad. It had a significant impact on how much I enjoyed photography. Sometimes gear-change can really boost or alter ones perspective.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Steph... try medium format the next summer. Make it your goal, but now... it's not a good idea to take a camera you're not going to be completely familiar with (not as much as you're with the Canon P), to a place you don't know. Besides, it's a money issue. In fact, I frequently calm GAS attacks by asking myself the same questions from your initial post: Do I need this?, will I use it? Will I like it? Will I get good results with it? Will it make a difference in the way I photograph?

More often than not, the answer to all those questions is no.

Good luck wrestling with your GAS demons! 🙂

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I'm most comfortable with rangefinders of ANY kind, so perhaps everyone is right to say that I should just wait. I may pick up that Pentax Spotmatic I've been jonesing for.

 

[wlewisiii]

Rich has some good points there. That's a Graphic type spring back on that one. Major pain to use just about anything other than regular sheet holders. At least it's not a Graflex back... :bang: There won't be a fresnel so you'll at least want to buy a new Satin Snow ground glass for it. No sheet holders are included: they aren't cheap. Plus does your scanner do 4x5? Enlargers that can do 4x5 are not cheap either.

Don't get me wrong - an Anny Speed can be a marvellously fun camera to use. Mine would be the last camera I'd get rid of. Plus it's a great weapon if someone tries to mug you... 😉 Look to get a more recent one with a top mount RF & including some of the extras instead.

William