First 4x5 neg - wow!

[ChrisN]

Just pulled my first 4x5 neg (shot with the Speed Graphic) from the rinse - I'm so excited I had to share!

Now what do I do with it? I need to learn contact printing, and get a scanner that can handle 4x5!

For Keith - the Combi-plan tank from B&H arrived in four days - a record time! It's not perfectly water-tight, and drips a fair bit, so you need to process over a sink, and wear gloves or keep rinsing if your skin is sensitive to the chemicals.

This is cheap Chinese ERA 100 film. I only have DD-X developer, and wanted a slow dev time to ensure even dev, so mixed it up at 1:9 and guessed at 18 minutes dev time. Looks good so far! I shot two exposures and well dev the second after I have a good look at the dry negative.

 

[Finder]

Congrats. 4x5 is an amazing format. Even though they are small, contacts have a quality that are very sexy.

 

[Keith]

Hey ... congratulations. I suppose the slight leakage is not surprising seeing as that was the major criticism leveled at the Combi and as you say ... do the agitation over a sink and wear gloves.

Mate ... you are going to have to get a scanner to do 4x5. The hand held negative as nice as it looks is just not going to amuse us all for long.😛

I just ordered some 5x7 trays from Vanbar so I can have a go at tray developing and if the format gets adictive I will probably order a Combi. 🙂

 

[Todd.Hanz]

you'll have a rough time with 5x7 trays and 4x5 film...try some 8x10 trays, your hands will thanks you.

 

[venchka]

Chris, you're putting me to shame. I got my Speed Graphic ages ago & hevan't done anything with it. Shame on me!

You may have hit on a new art form. I lile the picture!

Used JOBO 25xx tanks and 2509n reel works! Cheap on ebay. I've run some practice sheets through mine. Hand rolling with the tank sitting on a bread pan in the sink. It works! Or, you can put a cork in the opening and do inversion agitation. Uses more chemistry though.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Just pulled my first 4x5 neg (shot with the Speed Graphic) from the rinse - I'm so excited I had to share!

Now what do I do with it? I need to learn contact printing, and get a scanner that can handle 4x5!

For Keith - the Combi-plan tank from B&H arrived in four days - a record time! It's not perfectly water-tight, and drips a fair bit, so you need to process over a sink, and wear gloves or keep rinsing if your skin is sensitive to the chemicals.

This is cheap Chinese ERA 100 film. I only have DD-X developer, and wanted a slow dev time to ensure even dev, so mixed it up at 1:9 and guessed at 18 minutes dev time. Looks good so far! I shot two exposures and well dev the second after I have a good look at the dry negative.

Welcome to the world of bigger is better!

 

[Finder]

If you can get 4x5 film hangers and deep tanks, that is the best way to hand develop 4x5 film. I have tried tray development. One sheet at a time is a pain and shuffling always has the risk of damaging the emulsion.

You don't need a scanner. You can use an enlarger. 🙂 Get an Omega D5 and a nice 150mm enlarging lens and you are all set.

 

[Keith]

you'll have a rough time with 5x7 trays and 4x5 film...try some 8x10 trays, your hands will thanks you.

😱 ... that was what I was recomended to use at the large format site. 😕

 

[wlewisiii]

Another one is hooked... 😉 Now try a couple of sheets of Velvia ... Yummy! Expensive, but yummy.

Most flat bed scanners can deal with 4x5's fairly well so keep that in mind when looking for a scanner.

William

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks all for the encouragement. I think I'd better stay clear of the Velvia for a while - strong stuff!

Hey ... congratulations. ...

Mate ... you are going to have to get a scanner to do 4x5. The hand held negative as nice as it looks is just not going to amuse us all for long.😛

Thanks Keith - how about this then?

 

[David Goldfarb]

Congrats!

When I tray process 4x5" (I also use hangers and tanks or the Nikor daylight tank, depending on how many sheets I have and what other formats I might be processing), I'll use 5x7" trays for a few sheets, or 8x10" if I'm doing more, or sometimes 5x7" for the developer and 8x10" for the rinse (I don't use a stop) and fix. To make it easier with 5x7" trays, you might prop up the far end of the tray a bit so the sheets slide toward you and stay in a neater stack.

 

[eric]

Thanks all for the encouragement. I think I'd better stay clear of the Velvia for a while - strong stuff!




Thanks Keith - how about this then?

That's a cool reversal!
I've been using BTZS tubes for about 1/2 a year now. Its pretty good especially with negs that need 50% or more dev times for Van dyke or Kallitypes that I'm doing right now.
For regular stuff and if I'm feeling lazy, or if I have more than 6 sheets, I'll use 8x10 trays.
I've been doing the method of emulsion down, which GREATLY reduces scratches. I've done 10 sheets at a time doing it.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Congratulations!

I really need to try some 4x5 with my Speed Graphics now 🙂

 

[P C Headland]

Congratulations.

You really do need to try some slide film in it though!

As for processing, the one I like is the Paterson Orbital. Only needs 100ml of chemicals to process four 9x12cm/4x5", two 5x7" or one 8x10". It's more like a daylight tray than a daylight tank. Even development and no scratches.

The best place to find them is ebay UK.

 

[cmedin]

It's always fun to make that first giant neg. 🙂 Contact printing is very very easy, you just need a light source (I did 4x5 contact prints just by flipping on the bathroom light), the paper, and a piece of glass... and chems/trays obviously!

When I did 4x5 I used this tank that came with a motorized roller deal; you'd load up to 4 sheets in, add the developer, toss it on the rollers. Can't recall the brand (though I still have it, will take a look if you're interested), but I do remember it didn't use a lot of chemicals which was nice.

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks all!

Eric - thanks for the tip on BTZS tubes - interesting system and very clever design with those caps holding the chemistry.

Wobbly - I will one day but the scanner will have to come first!

Rick - yes, you do!

PCH - I will try Velvia one day, but the thought of paying the lab for processing scares me! What if I get hooked on the stuff(!).

CM - I will jump into contact printing soon - I have a contact printing frame, courtesy of ebay, but need to get the paper and chemistry. Would your tank be a Jobo? I've read good things about them.

 

[Eric T]

Does anyone do large format with Polaroid film only? Is the quality of Polaroid film adequate for good depth of field and sharpness?
I want to move into large format but I would rather use the self developing film from Polaroid or Fuji. I want to shoot color and that is expensive to develop myself or even to have someone else do it.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Good Show, Chris! A Speed Graphic was my first 4x5 also -- careful, it's addictive. I have always loved the idea of a 4x5 rangefinder, neither my current Speed, nor my Tech IV have the proper cam installed. I remember taking a picture with a relatively inexpensive Congo brand 180 of some friends on the beach in San Fransisco. When enlarged, I could read -- grainlessly -- the lettering on the buttons of one friend's jean jacket. Zoiks! Have fun with it. The larger camera will slow you down (in a good way).

Eric: Polaroid instant negative film is slow (ISO 50, IRRC). It is great stuff, but a tripod is a must. Negatives are cleared with a sodium sulfite solution. To be clear: film grain is really not an issue with LF film. Depth of field will depend on the lens type and aperture.

Ben Marks

 

[MikeCassidy]

Buy a 4x5 tank it makes developing easier; Ebay has some.
I've used water and stop and definately stop is better than just water; especially if you are hand processing in trays.

I used a Spreed Graphic in the Army; its a great sturdy camera. Put it on a tripod and use some real slow film and Mircrodol at 1-3 and you can make prints as large as you want.

 

[venchka]

Can I play too?

Can I play too?

Finally, after decades of intimidation and procrastination, I have 4x5 negatives made with own two hands. And an awesome analog to digital hybrid technique. Negative sleeve held to window & captured with a Panasonic Digicam.

But seriously folks, this is Ilford HP5+, D-76 1:1, 10 minutes @ 70 degrees, Jobo 3010 tank hand rolled in my sink. The light leaks around the film I.D. notches are Operator Error. No fault of the Grafmatic holder. By the way, the Grafmatic holder and the Jobo 3010 are awesome!

Edit to add: The image on the left was exposed at ASA 400. The one on the right at ASA 200. Both processed as ASA 400.

We are having fun!