My 4x5 View Camera Initial Experiences...

Written by Bruce Barrett (I can be reached at )
Document located at: http://www.brucebarrett.com/large_format/4x5_InitialExper.html

Table of Contents

• Synopsis
• My Background
• Caveats & Disclaimers
• Here We Go!
  • Renting Equipment
  • Buying film
  • Loading Film
  • Taking Your First Polaroid
  • Taking Your First QuickLoad shot
  • Taking Your First Print or Transparency
  • Getting Film Out of the Film Holders
  • Taking the Film to be Processed

Synopsis:

My Background:

Another option would have been a MF camera with a lens that tilts. This seemed like a very expensive half measure.

Caveats & Disclaimers:

Here We Go!

• Renting equipment:

  The 2 local places I can rent from have only a Sinar-F1 and Toyo (forgot which model) 4x5 monorail cameras. In both cases I rented the following equipment:
  • 4x5 camera, includes ground glass, bellows and a place to put the lens board.
  • Wide-angle lens (90mm, or so)
  • Longer lens (210mm)
  • Polaroid film back
  • 4 or 5 "regular" film backs
  • Tripod reducing bushing. This converts from the larger 4x5 tripod hole (3/8") to the smaller (1/4") screw.
  • Loupe
  • Cable (shutter) release
  • Focusing cloth (white on one side, black on the other)
  • Case
  • Manual (you may have to ask for this)

  You can expect this to run $50 to $60 for the weekend. You'll also want a light meter, thermometer (maybe, for timing Polaroid development), and a pen and notebook for taking notes.

  The lenses you rent will include shutters and lens boards, and be completely assembled. If they weren't, you'd need one of those large adjustable "H" shaped tools to remove the lens from the lens board. Every camera (or so it seems) uses slightly different (and incompatible) lens boards.

  The case will be quite large, most often built like a steamer trunk. It appears that these cameras were intended for studio use and the cases intended to be shipped by boat or air, not moved by mere mortals. Neither of the outfits I rented were "field" cameras and both are too heavy for backpacking. Both were monorail designs. "Field" cameras were not available for rent in my immediate area. I suspect that they're available in San Francisco and I'll try one of those too, someday soon.

  
  

• Buying Film

  I'll admit to being rather naive about this. My theory was to keep (almost) everything at ISO 100, thus minimizing exposure errors. The Velvia, at ISO 50, is the exception.

  QuickLoads/Readyloads vs sheet film:

  QuickLoads are more expensive (by about 50%!) and fewer film emulsions are available in them, but they also offer some significant advantages... Time to load drops from about 30 sec. or a minute per sheet to zero. They take less space than "traditional" film holders. There's no dust or fingerprint (is this even an issue?), etc. problems. There's lots of room to make notes on them regarding exposure, processing, etc. I have had some problems with light leaks for both the Readyload and "normal" holders.

  Polaroid B&W:

  I purchased some B&W and some color Polaroid to do test exposures. Although I found it possible to test exposures with Polaroid I don't feel that the Polaroid materal is sharp enough for me to be able to count on it for testing critical focus. You can easily use it to see if you're "way out," though

  I purchased PolaPan, ISO 100 B&W film. Comes in boxes of 20 sheets. One piece of film per packet. Make *sure* you keep this stuff from being bent or squeezed on the edges. My first 4x5 exposure was about 80% white due, I believe, to it being bent in transport before I exposed it.

  Polaroid Color: (PolaColor, ISO 100)

  I've been quite disappointed with this film. I think part of the problem with the first day's shooting was not paying enough attention to the temperature when I developed it. When the stuff pulls apart it looks real green. This gets better and better over the next few minutes, but if you're shooting sunrises you may not even have the 90 seconds it takes to develop, let alone the additional minute or two it takes for the color to stabilize.
  Polaroid has since come out with a "vivid": film that seems to do a much better job with colors... and it's more expensive.

  B&W print:

  I've used a very little T-Max 100. Comes 25 (and 100) sheets to a box.

  Color Print:

  I used Kodak Pro 100 (PRN). Comes 10 (and 50) sheets to a box. Also available in Readyloads, 20 sheet per box. Two pieces of film per packet.

  Color transparency:

  I used Fuji Velvia. Exposed at ISO 50. I used QuickLoads for the Velvia. I thought it best to experience both worlds. Velvia QuickLoads come 20 sheets to a box, 1 sheet per packet.

  
  

• Loading Film

  (This is fun?)
  Requirements:
  • A changing bag or darkroom (really dark!, much easier)
  • Film holders
  • Film in manufacture's light-tight box.
  • (Optional) One scrap piece of film, for practice.
  • Compressed can of air, for dust removal.

  Instructions:
  I suggest practicing this with a scrap piece of film first, in daylight, then in the dark (or with your eyes closed), knowing you can turn on the light with the practice film if you get stuck. Skip steps 3-9 and 16-19 until you move on to the real thing. Keep trying it till you get it down.

  1. Use compressed air to clean out dust from the film holders, especially the tracks that will contain the film and dark slide.
  2. Place the dark slides back in with the white top edge facing out.
  3. break the seal on - BUT DO NOT OPEN - the film box.
  4. Put the film holders and film box in the changing bag & zip up *both* zippers. Insert hands in the holes provided (you knew that, right?)
  5. Open the film box, you'll find the box is really 3 pieces, all of them look (feel) like lids. One inside the other and both of those inside the cover.
  6. Remove the cover (if you only broke the seal at one end you can use the other seal as a hinge.)
  7. Remove the inner "lid".
  8. You can now feel a foil envelope. Tear off one end of it.
  9. As you feel inside the envelope you'll feel the sheets of film and 1 or 2 pieces of cardboard the size and shape of the film.
  10. Take out a piece of film and feel for the notches. Move the notches to the lower right hand corner.
  11. Position a film holder such that the dark slide is on the left.
  12. Withdraw the dark slide about 1/2 way. Open the opposite end of the film holder (it's hinged). Insert the film under the film holding "rails" - CAREFUL not to get them in the dark slide rails!
  13. Get the film to seat all the way in and down. It should clear the little plastic lumps at the right side of the film holder (under the hinged flap).
  14. Close the film holder hinge. Make sure that it's flush with the rest of the film holder.
  15. Reinsert the dark slide, all the way.
  16. Turn it over & repeat. Film holders hold 2 sheets each.
  17. Repeat for all remaining film holders.
  18. Put the film back in the smallest "lid" and re-assemble the box.
  19. Pull out your hands & unzip the bag - you're done!

  
  

• Taking Your First Polaroid

  The Polaroid Back

  First a few words about the Polaroid back... There are 3 labels on a Polaroid back:
  • L - Load position, rollers open, use this for inserting the film packet and removing the dark slide. Can also be used in conjunction with the "R" release tab to remove a film packet without processing it.
  • P - Process, rollers closed, used for pulling Polaroid film out of the holder and squeezing the goo evenly across the picture.
  • R - Release, lets go of the metal strip on the end of the film packet. When the lever is in the "P" position the "R" release tab is depressed. For Readyload and QuickLoad film packets this tab is depressed while the lever is in the "L" load position to remove the film packet without squeezing it through the rollers.

  Set up the tripod about as you would for 35mm. Perhaps a bit lower because the center of the 4x5 is much higher off the top of the tripod than a 35mm camera.

  Exposure sequence... I'd suggest using this (or similar) as a checklist for your first few shots.

  1. Focus
  2. Tilt and or swing.
  3. Focus
  4. Compute exposure (light meter, bellows factor, etc.)
  5. Stop down lens
  6. Check corners (must see a circle of light at the lens, if you din't you'll need to either stop down some more or use less extreem movements.)

  7. Close shutter
  8. Set shutter speed
  9. Cock the shutter

  10. Set film holder to the "L" position. (See above description)
  11. Insert film (note the "this side toward lens")
  12. Insert the film holder. Usually there's a way to pull back the ground glass assembly and make a space large enough to insert the holder. Be gentle.
  13. Pull out the protective envelope. (Dark slide)
  14. Trip the shutter.
  15. Push the protective envelope back in. Gently remove the Polaroid back from the camera. This will reduce the chance of moving the camera when the film is extracted.
  16. Set film holder to the "P" (process) position, apply a little extra pressure to assure that the "R" tab is fully depressed.
  17. Pull the film out "at medium speed" - I've been using about one second for the entire pull, I've seen others do it in half that time. Pull straight out. In cooler weather pull slower as the goo is more viscous.
  18. Look at the temperature, process for the right amount of time, peal the packet apart. The times Polaroids gives you is the minimum amount of time. Waiting longer is OK too.
  
  

• Taking your first QuickLoad shot

  Set up tripod as before.

  Exposure sequence... I'd suggest using this (or similar) as a checklist for your first few shots.

  1. Focus
  2. Tilt, swing, etc.
  3. Focus
  4. Compute exposure (light meter, bellows factor, etc.)
  5. Stop down lens
  6. Check corners (must see a circle of light at the lens, if you din't you'll need to either stop down some more or use less extreem movements.)

  7. Close shutter
  8. Set shutter speed
  9. Cock the shutter

  10. Set the Polaroid film holder to the "L" position. (see description under Taking Your First Polaroid, above.
  11. Insert film (note the "this side toward lens") If you're using Readyload make sure the Exposure #1 is facing the lens. Again, for Readyloads pull on the shutter symbol labeled "expose", If you pull on the arrow symbol instead you will be pulling the film out and not make an exposure.
  12. Insert the film holder
  13. Pull out the protective envelope.
  14. Trip the shutter
  15. Push the protective envelope back in.
  16. Press the "R" (release) button & remove the film.
  17. Use the "EXPOSED" stickers (QuickLoad) provided to wrap around the metal end of the film envelope. This serves 2 purposes:
      1. Flags the film as exposed so you don't use it again.
      2. Protects against light leaks. Remember, not long ago the envelope and that piece of metal were not connected.
      Fuji provides these stickers. Kodak does not. Also kodak has 2 sheets of file per Readyload so you don't want to seal the end yet. Just mark the envelope.
  18. Re-insert more film (or flip and insert the Readyload packet) to try again or remove the film holder and set up the next shot.

  
  

• Taking Your First Print or Transparency

  (not QuickLoad!)
  

  Set up tripod as before.

  Exposure sequence... I'd suggest using this (or similar) as a checklist for your first few shots.

  1. Focus
  2. Tilt, swing, etc.
  3. Focus
  4. Compute exposure (light meter, bellows factor, etc.)
  5. Stop down lens
  6. Check corners (must see a circle of light at the lens, if you din't you'll need to either stop down some more or use less extreem movements.)

  7. Close shutter
  8. Set shutter speed
  9. Cock the shutter

  10. Insert the film holder
  11. Pull out the dark slide
  12. Trip the shutter
  13. Reverse the dark slide (black side now out, indicating exposed) and reinsert.
  14. Remove film holder.

  
  

• Getting Film Out of the Film Holders

  Unloading is the reverse of loading. Do it in the dark, put the exposed film in an empty three piece flm box. Be sure to label the box "exposed" and the film type.

• Taking the Film to be Processed

  Give the film to them in a light tight box, don't expect the box back (without asking).
  Have proof sheets made.
  Keep practicing & enlarge some of your images -- they'll knock your socks off!

I welcome feedback on this document and additional suggestions you may have.
(c) Copyright 1995 by Bruce Barrett, All rights reserved.
Last updated 10/26/95.
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