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Old 6th December 2008, 06:18 PM
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Default 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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Old 6th December 2008, 06:38 PM
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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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Old 6th December 2008, 06:48 PM
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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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Old 6th December 2008, 06:58 PM
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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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Old 6th December 2008, 08:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Crone View Post
Now if only I can figure out how to transport a 20x24" around town?
No excuses, Lotus provide a trolly for doing exactly that:

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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Old 6th December 2008, 09:11 PM
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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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Old 7th December 2008, 09:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by percepts View Post
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?
I acquired a 4x5 to play around with contact printing and POP work. But at the same time got tempted, and side-tracked, by the low price of a nice De Vere 504 (with MG Head) so I added the option to enlarge my 4x5 negs at a later stage if I wanted to. To date this hasn't happened as I remain mainly interested in POP and other alternative contact printing processes.

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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Old 7th December 2008, 02:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mono-inthedark View Post
I acquired a 4x5 to play around with contact printing and POP work. But at the same time got tempted, and side-tracked, by the low price of a nice De Vere 504 (with MG Head) so I added the option to enlarge my 4x5 negs at a later stage if I wanted to. To date this hasn't happened as I remain mainly interested in POP and other alternative contact printing processes.

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.
Neil, how are your stocks of POP? I'm down to my last 30 sheets of 5x7". I emailed Simon R. Galley of Ilford and he informed me they are still working on the product with a view to reintroduce it. It's great stuff and I just hope it makes a return.
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Old 7th December 2008, 02:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by percepts View Post
No excuses, Lotus provide a trolly for doing exactly that:

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
If I buy one more camera I think the wife will divorce me
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Old 8th December 2008, 04:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Crone View Post
Neil, how are your stocks of POP? I'm down to my last 30 sheets of 5x7". I emailed Simon R. Galley of Ilford and he informed me they are still working on the product with a view to reintroduce it. It's great stuff and I just hope it makes a return.
Trevor, not many sheets left so will have to re-stock when I get started again. Hopefully the supply problem will have eased by then.

Neil.
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