Austerby
Well-known
My Harman Titan finally arrived at the weekend - with the current demand levels they're as hard to get hold of as a new Summilux ASPH these days - and what a sweet, simple thing it is.
There's little more to it than the cone and the frame that it and the film holder fits in to, so you don't get an awful lot for the money, but it is made of high-quality materials and elegantly designed. It's minimalist and all the better for it.
I'm brand new to both 5x4 and pinhole photography so it's taken me a little while to get the hang of the film backs (I bought some second-hand ones), loading the film into the backs the right way, setting up the camera, working out the exposure (reciprocity failure compensation required), unloading the film, loading them into my Paterson tanks using the taco method. The developing and scanning were pretty straightforward after that.
I took a couple of photos in the garden yesterday on an overcast January day so nothing memorable in terms of subject, but I was very impressed with the sharpness of the images and its a very satisfying process to go through to produce the images. I'm hooked already and can't wait to take it to Venice at the end of Feb.
The images are on my Flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/vidwatts
There's little more to it than the cone and the frame that it and the film holder fits in to, so you don't get an awful lot for the money, but it is made of high-quality materials and elegantly designed. It's minimalist and all the better for it.
I'm brand new to both 5x4 and pinhole photography so it's taken me a little while to get the hang of the film backs (I bought some second-hand ones), loading the film into the backs the right way, setting up the camera, working out the exposure (reciprocity failure compensation required), unloading the film, loading them into my Paterson tanks using the taco method. The developing and scanning were pretty straightforward after that.
I took a couple of photos in the garden yesterday on an overcast January day so nothing memorable in terms of subject, but I was very impressed with the sharpness of the images and its a very satisfying process to go through to produce the images. I'm hooked already and can't wait to take it to Venice at the end of Feb.
The images are on my Flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/vidwatts
zzpza
Member
Nice results, looks like an interesting kit.
Did you get the one with the Ilford positive paper? The reason I ask it that my scanner can only do up to 120, so the positive paper interests me a lot as it wouldn't mean changing my scanner.
Did you get the one with the Ilford positive paper? The reason I ask it that my scanner can only do up to 120, so the positive paper interests me a lot as it wouldn't mean changing my scanner.
Papercut
Well-known
cool camera -- bet that would be darn near indestructible. Of course, it's about 15 times more expensive than the 4x5 pinhole I made myself but then I do have to worry about rain turning mine into a pile of mush! 
Good first results, btw.
If calculating reciprocity failure is getting you down, Fuji Acros is great film and needs very little reciprocity correction (some people say it needs none out to exposures of two minutes -- I give it some after 30 seconds or so but I haven't done any rigorous testing -- pinhole is very "seat of the pants" for me).
Good first results, btw.
If calculating reciprocity failure is getting you down, Fuji Acros is great film and needs very little reciprocity correction (some people say it needs none out to exposures of two minutes -- I give it some after 30 seconds or so but I haven't done any rigorous testing -- pinhole is very "seat of the pants" for me).
R
rpsawin
Guest
Very nice work. I looked at one of these at our local pro shop and was impressed.
Best regards,
Bob
Best regards,
Bob
rtphotos
Established
Hi Austerby,
Nice results on your Flickrstream!
Is there any possibility of using a Polaroid/Fuji instant film back on the Titan? That was something that was brought up early on and I don't think I ever got a clear answer.
It would be neat to have the option to shoot with other types of film backs.
rt
Nice results on your Flickrstream!
Is there any possibility of using a Polaroid/Fuji instant film back on the Titan? That was something that was brought up early on and I don't think I ever got a clear answer.
It would be neat to have the option to shoot with other types of film backs.
rt
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Not easily. You need to remove the clips that hold the film holder in place (two machine screws each). Then you can drop a 545 in place and secure it with two strong elastic bands. Same for most roll-film holders.
Cheers,
R.
sleepyhead
Well-known
Hi, I don't mean to be rude (at all), but I don't understand the point of using large, expensive, film to make not-particularly-sharp pin hole images. I have never done any pinhole photogrpahy, so please pardon if this is a dumb question.
sig
Well-known
The only reason you need is that you enjoy yourself doing it.
wblynch
Well-known
Perhaps you never built a crystal radio with a rock and a safety pin and a wire strung out over the clothesline for an antenna, either?
There's a lot of enjoyment in doing things very simply.
BTMarcais
Well-known
Actually, the point of using the larger film is at least partly BECAUSE of the sharpness restraints in pinhole photography. The larger the film size, the less you have to enlarge the image (if at all) for the final print, and the less unsharp the final image will look. If I enlarge my 6x9cm pinhole images up to 5"x7", they are (unsurprisingly) noticeably less sharp than my contact printed pinhole photos from 5x7 film.
-Brian
Chris C
Established
I'm impressed. Did you or will you shoot any direct positive paper? I recently sold my 4x5 kit to move to 8x10 but kept 2 of my better film holders for the purpose of picking one of these up. Loaded with direct positive paper I think it'll be a good way to teach the youngin' that he doesn't need to take 40 photos of the same thing with his Mum's p&s!
segedi
RFicianado
There is a certain obsession, myself included, with image sharpenss. No-AA filter for digtal sensors, Leica Lenses, etc. All which have nothing to do with the qualities that make up a great photograph. I'd include in those qualities, personal expression, uniqueness, creativity, influence and having something memorable.
If you take a look at what one outlet considers the 12 most iconic (read memorable and influencial) photographs of all time and notice how none of them need to be tack sharp.
http://swick.co.uk/index.php/2009/06/12-of-the-most-iconic-photographs-ever-taken/
4x5 is quite expensive and a bit too much work for me personally, but I enjoyed the OPs efforts immensely. And I encourage anyone with the motivation to continue in both large format and pinhole photography. While I will stick to medium format to make my own pinholes, despite the loss in what others may call Image Quality.
Oh, and that Titan sure is sharp for a pinhole!
Roger Hicks
Veteran
It's like religion. Either you get it, or you don't. I must say that I am closer to 'getting it' with the Harman Titan than ever before. I am, however, still some way short of fanatical.
Cheers,
R.
rtphotos
Established
Roger, thanks for the info on using the 545 back. I guess that would be the same for polaroid/fuji pack film holders, too.
rt
rtphotos
Established
Hi sleepyhead, Brian has already mentioned a few good reasons that some pinholers use large-format.
Besides the reduction of grain in enlargements, another reason pinholers may use the larger-format is that one can then do alternative process contact prints (cyano-types, etc.).
rt
lynnb
Veteran
thanks for posting the link to your pinhole images Austerby - as others have already remarked, the detail is surprising for a pinhole. I think the results you are getting (the Thames and the snow pictures) are quite beautiful.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Yes, though with many (? all) packs there may not be enough room to pull the dark-slide: you'd have to fit it in the dark, with the slide pulled, and leave it there. Or fit it empty, in daylight, with the slide pulled, and then load the film.
Cheers,
R.
zerobuttons
Well-known
Thank you for posting this, Austerby. I have considered acquiring the Harman Titan.
By the way: can anyone here tell whether something like this would fit the Harman Titan?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Widepan-6...?pt=US_Film_Backs_Holders&hash=item45f461a682
And which roll film would you use with such an item?
By the way: can anyone here tell whether something like this would fit the Harman Titan?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Widepan-6...?pt=US_Film_Backs_Holders&hash=item45f461a682
And which roll film would you use with such an item?
zerobuttons
Well-known
Most people would probably see most of the things discussed in these fora with the same wonder you express here......
Mackinaw
Think Different
OK, I'm interested. Any suggestions on what kind of 4 X 5 back I should get for this camera? Where to look for a back? I'm in the U.S.
Jim B.
Jim B.