Sweet 5x7

K

Krzys

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Little prints are lovely too. Who is with me? I printed about 40 photos tonight and a lot are still drying.

Here are a few 🙂

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So is she coocoo? ;D

Other than snapshots, 5x7 is the smallest I like to print. But I did once win a contest with a 4x6 print that someone twisted my arm to submit. Go figure.

Anyway, lovely lady, interesting clocks, and a good format to print in. I envy you the time to print all those.
 
Why do you crop your photos?

This question has bothered me for a long time. I'm sure 5x7 is not a film size, is it? Why do you crop your pictures? I like the photos you've made, very nice, but if I have to crop because there is space in the photo I don't want, I keep the crop to the 2/3 format of the film, Medium Format aside.

So, why 5x7 and not 4x6, or some other 2/3 format?
 
Yeah, there's nothing like contact prints, is there? Except perhaps 3x off Linhof 56x72mm, almost exactly the old whole-plate size (6-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches).

Cheers,

R.
 
5x7 is my second most used film format (after 35mm). I almost always do contact prints, since I like small prints anyway. Also, I like the wider proportions better than 4x5, and like carrying the 5x7 camera around a LOT more than I'd like lugging around an 8x10 🙂.

As far as cropping... well why not? Whatever proportions look best in the print. If you can make something look better in the darkroom, well, that's still a skill and part of the work that goes into the photograph. It doesn't make the print any less authentic, but it can make it more effective. I don't always crop, in fact I usually don't, but it's just part of the options I have to make the best photograph I can, and not a tool I'm willing to give up, even if I don't generally need it.

-Brian
 
I had not heard of the 5x7 film/camera yet. My loss... I've only recently gotten into Large Format and didn't even think about all the different sizes in that realm, and I've only gotten up to 4x5 so far. My mind seems to have been stuck on 35mm and the variations of Medium Format.
 
Nice shots, Chris, that first one especially. Good use of a compelling subject and short focus to create a background. I agree it works well in a small print because the subject is so arresting, she is drawing the viewer into the picture.

p.s. enochRoot: wow!
 
Pirate said:
Why do you crop your photos?

This question has bothered me for a long time. I'm sure 5x7 is not a film size, is it? Why do you crop your pictures? I like the photos you've made, very nice, but if I have to crop because there is space in the photo I don't want, I keep the crop to the 2/3 format of the film, Medium Format aside.

So, why 5x7 and not 4x6, or some other 2/3 format?
Click to expand...

5x7 is a film size alright. Not as popular as 4x5 or even 8x10, but still available none the less (even if you may have to wait for Ilford to run their yearly batch of "peculiar" film sizes).

Roger forgot to mention it is one of his favourite formats.... 😱

EDIT: Roger corrected that mishap before I could reply....
 
back alley said:
i prefer smaller prints.

nice stuff.
Click to expand...

Agreed, both points. Nice images and I too like modestly sized prints.

5x7 negs work out great contact printed on either 8x10 or 11x14 paper, 8x10 being my preference. There is an intimate quality about the size, big enough to view comfortably without being agressively "in your face" they way some overly large images seem.

Also, this type of printing requires very little in the way of a darkroom. All you really need is a set of, say, 8x10 trays, a contact printing frame, and a small bulb for exposure. You can develop the film in the same trays for that matter, though with a different developer.
 
Pirate said:
Why do you crop your photos?

This question has bothered me for a long time. I'm sure 5x7 is not a film size, is it? Why do you crop your pictures? I like the photos you've made, very nice, but if I have to crop because there is space in the photo I don't want, I keep the crop to the 2/3 format of the film, Medium Format aside.

So, why 5x7 and not 4x6, or some other 2/3 format?
Click to expand...
I crop all over the place, sometimes planned (for bigger grain) or seen after. With 5x7 I am not very serious as they are just little test prints. To be honest the native ratio of 35mm film is much too elongated for my liking. When I am printing 8x10, 11x14 or 12x16 I will take advantage of the more pleasing ratio (to my eye).

I get annoyed at people who never crop their photos. Well I really get annoyed at myself since I always instantly see a crop which I prefer within their photo. Especially 6x6 negatives when 40% of the photo is pavement or negative space.

I don't take the original negative size very seriously as I usually compose with a slight crop in mind.

Of course there are a lot of folks who can shoot and print full frame for fantastic result. This fellow is a great example...and I believe he posts here on RFF too, http://sechsmalsechs.blogspot.com/ Right now I just have a slight allure to photos who give no clue to their original negative, no borders or ratios for the sake of it - a photo which has been printed for its own right, not became a camera framed it that way.

No doubt in a year I will be doing the exact opposite...it's all fun
 
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In the very first photo you posted the OOF areas are wild ... what lens?

Nice pics by the way mate! 😀
 
It's surprising that 5x7 isn't more popular; a good argument can be made that it's LF film.

Its' the smallest neg I find acceptable for straight contact print viewing, so you can do w/o an enlarger and it's got a nice frame ratio. In these terms, it makes more sense than 4x5 ('compact' 4x5 is a bit of an oxymoron).

A friend lives very simply with his a 5x7 field camera, 2 lenses, TriX and a small box with a tent, a light bulb and some chems in it.

- Charlie
 
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