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> Why 4x5 - Another in my "I'm just curious" series... |
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#1
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Why 4x5 - Another in my "I'm just curious" series...
I'm curious as to why others made the move to 4x5 and perhaps even more curious why others made the move to 8x10?
I'm also curious as to whether each of you found that you achieved the benefit from the move that you expected and whether you thought 8x10 would have been better than 4x5?
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An old dog learning new tricks |
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Rob, I moved initially to 6x9cm view cameras because I was getting frustrated by fixed lens camera systems. Now I know some systems offer shift lenses ( I have a 35mm shift lens for my OM1) but these are limited in the amount of movements offered and are only available in a couple of focal lengths. Basically it was down to image management at the taking stage. I soon desired the greater control offered by processing single sheet film. Although I had several backs they are still not quite as flexible as single sheets. Plus I love making contact prints and 4x5 is ok for this. Which leads me onto going up to 8x10, this was purely so I can produce larger contact prints and after attending a wonderful platinum and palladium workshop run by Ian Leake I was well and truly hooked and on a road of no return.
I should mention that I have no interest in producing larger negatives by enlargement. I want to do it in camera. Now if only I can figure out how to transport a 20x24" around town?
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"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson. Timespresent Arenaphotographers |
#3
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Movements, pure and simple. OK, so there's also the advantage of shooting single sheets (when that's not a disadvantage, that is ) but being able to control and maximise the defocus areas was of prime importance to me.
A better scan would show this more strongly I think, but this is still the best example of focus plane manipulation that I've done. (I think.)
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http://sandehalynch.wordpress.com/ |
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When I brought me first 5x4 I guess I was still on digital recoil, and wanted to get back to basics and start afresh. It’s a good way to slow down after machine gunning with a 35mm power drive. I’ve since brought a 10 x 8 because I’m attracted to various alternate processes that require contact printing, and I found 5x4 too small for that.
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Quote:
http://www.lotusviewcamera.at/popups/image20x24.html The Kawsaki Mule is also perfect. The camera can be mounted on the flat back and you just manouvre the quad to get your shot. And it will drive up any mountain to any location. http://www.kawasaki.co.uk/product.asp?Id=3404B738008 Go on, get yourself a nice little Christmas present
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An old dog learning new tricks |
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For me 5x4 is the sweet-spot. Small enough to carry around in a rucksack and the enlargers are widely available and fit in a normal room. If it were not for movements I think I'd just stick with MF as at the sizes I enlarge (12x16 is usually the max) I doubt there is much in it tonally between 6x6cm and 5x4".
8x10 has the downside that I don't see an 8x10 enlarger in my future so I would be restricted to contact printing. Which is not, I hasten to add a deal-breaker, but it does limit my options over what I can do with 5x4. |
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Quote:
Moving to 8x10 - a possibility later but only after I have mastered a few things I would say I have achieved a reasonable start with my 4x5 and POP work but have a lot still to achieve with the other alternative processes I wish to try. For me I would say starting with a 4x5 was the best move but I can now see the attraction of acquiring a 8x10 at some future date to do larger contact printing work with an 8x10 neg. Neil.
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"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle Neil Souch |
#8
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Quote:
__________________
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson. Timespresent Arenaphotographers |
#9
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Quote:
__________________
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson. Timespresent Arenaphotographers |
#10
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Quote:
Neil.
__________________
"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle Neil Souch |
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