I finally moved up to a 4x5 view camera. my question is that if I use a dark cloth or the prism could i use my Gossen meter to meter through the lens? I am using a Gossen Starlight that has incident metering with the diffuser protruding and with it recessed? If I can't meter though the prism could I used the meter with the diffuser recessed up against the ground glass? Any tips would be appreciated so I don't blow too much film with me new toy..

Thanks,
Magoo

I've never seen anyone try TTL metering with large format. Granted, I'm not an expert here - but you're spending so much time setting up a shot that I would use spot metering and base my exposure on several readings. There are lots of things to take into account though - bellows extension, filter factor, etc. so it can get confusing.

You might want to start with Polaroids to get instant feedback on what you're trying, that will be a quicker way to learn.

I finally moved up to a 4x5 view camera. my question is that if I use a dark cloth or the prism could i use my Gossen meter to meter through the lens? I am using a Gossen Starlight that has incident metering with the diffuser protruding and with it recessed? If I can't meter though the prism could I used the meter with the diffuser recessed up against the ground glass? Any tips would be appreciated so I don't blow too much film with me new toy..

Thanks,
Magoo

No TTL with 4x5. Dark cloth is to help you with focus of the dim screen image in bright light. Use a loupe for greater accuracy. Meter your subject is the way to do it. If you are based in a studio, then you have the luxury of metering everything from subject to foreground to background. One thing you must account for is how much bellows extension you have applied because it makes a difference to what your final exposure value will be.

A simple method (perhaps not, if you are used to a camera that does in camera exposure metering) is this...

Measure the length of the bellows extension
(from the front edge of the front standard to the rear edge of the rear standard)
Square the value you measured.
Square the value of the focal length of the lens.
divide the focal length value by the bellows extension value
The answer is your exposure compensation factor.

Below is an example of how to do this...

Bellows extension = 100mm
Lens focal length = 210mm

100 x 100 = 10000
210 x 210 = 44100
44100/10000 = 4.41

Exposure compensation required (open up the aperture) 2.25 stops although in mono film you may find that 2 stops will be accurate enough. Slide films will demand the greater accuracy. In the outside world (landscapes for instance) if you are shooting from the same spot and the light is relatively unchanging, you can make your calculations and stick with them. Rapidly changing conditions are not suitable for 4x5. The quality of the slide or negative will blow you away but the price is a much more considered (slower) approach to your work.

You can buy a meter that will take readings of various parts of the ground glass. Depending on your camera, you may find these expensive... $$$. Most people I know do not use them but work in the way I have described. A busy studio may find some benefit in using a ground glass meter (cell on the end of a stick that is placed in a slide that allows it to move over the surface of the ground glass) but I doubt it. A polariod back is usually the way to go in that situation.

Don't forget to open the lens once you have set the aperture or you will not see anything on the ground glass to focus with. Close the lens when you are ready to shoot, set the shutter and remove the dark slide. A cable release and a heavy tripod are essential when shooting outside. The tripod and cable release are also necessary inside but you will be using the flash to make your exposures.

4x5 is basic photography (shutter, aperture and focus) at its best. there is a checklist of things to do before you make an exposure.

1. Load film into the double darkslide filmholder. (this must be done in total darkness) Use the white side of the darkslide to indicate the film is unexposed. Once exposed used the black side of the dark slide to tell you that you have exposed the film.

2. Set camera on tripod with all settings on standards to zero.
3. Open shutter at preferred aperture (check framing and focus on groundglass)
4. Meter light from subject or choose studio flash based on flash to subject distance and film speed
5. Exposure compensation calculations (as detailed above)
6. Close shutter and set shutter speed
7. Set shutter (so that pressing it will release it)
8. Load film holder
9. remove darkslide nearest to groundglass
10. Make exposure
11. Replace dark slide with black side outermost
12. Remove film holder and replace on its other side
13. remove darkslide nearest to groundglass
14. make exposure
15. replace groundglass black side outermost
16. remove film holder (and repeat as necessary)
17. develop film.

I usually work with 10 double film holders. There are all of these steps to making a single exposure and it gets easier with time. Forget any step and the result will be no image. Aim for no more than 3 good images per shoot, if you are shooting for fun. It will take you a while to get comfortable and maybe an hour or more.

HTH