Size does matter!

Just processed my first roll of 120 last night and man, those negs are a whole world away from 35mm! Using full 4800dpi resolution on my scanner makes for roughly 115 megapixels!...LOL

Here's a few of my first shots. Nothing special. Was just playing around trying to get used to the camera, parallax, and the dizzying reversed image viewfinder. These with shot with the Yashica 124G and Ilford HP5.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...09242007-1.jpg

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...09242007-2.jpg

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...09242007-4.jpg

Nice work, Aaron! Great job for a first roll. :thumbsup: The DOF differences take a little getting used to and you did a good job keeping those horizons level. I always had crooked horizons with my TLR shots.

Paul

Well, let's just say the level horizons had a little... ahem... help...LOL They actually weren't that crooked. Nothing like my first roll or 2 with the 35mm when I really wasn't paying much attention to it. Actually, shooting these I was having such a hard time leveling the horizon in the viewfinder that I paid extra close attention to it. Thanks for all your help and advice along the way Paul. Much appreciated :thumbsup:

Aaron

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Just processed my first roll of 120 last night and man, those negs are a whole world away from 35mm! Using full 4800dpi resolution on my scanner makes for roughly 115 megapixels!...LOL

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You have not seen negs until you shoot 4x5 or larger.

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Originally Posted by freygr

You have not seen negs until you shoot 4x5 or larger.

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So I keep hearing...LOL I would like to get there eventually but, I still have A LOT to learn. I was pretty blown away with the MF though. I had never even seen any MF film in person until last Thursday so this is a whole new world to me. Loving it though :thumbsup:

Lol. You have not seen high dpi until you see a 4x5 contact print from a 4x5 camera. It is unbelievable. Even from a medium format camera, resolution is incredible. Makes me want to take the H1 out of the basement now. Problem is film is sooooo expensive compared to my cheap D80. Ah well...

Very nice for the first time out Aaron. I started out with a Yashica TLR in my first photo class in college back in 1968. I bought a Mamiya C220 and shot wedding with it for about 10 years before going to a Mamiya 645. All the medium formates are gone now but I agree you sure got a nice neg to work with.

Thanks guys :D

fx, I agree, film is expensive. That's why I just buy bulk lots on Ebay of expired stuff. This roll of HP5 was part of a lot of 25 rolls for only $17 after shipping. Since I have some film, don't suppose you would want to send that H1 this way? I'll give it some use :thumbsup:

OT, I had looked at the Mamiya C series. I think a C330 might be next up for me. between the Canonet, the Yashica, and only having the 50mm for the Nikkormat, I'm missing a good wide angle. I have the Oly but, I dunno, there's just something about it that I don't like shooting with. Lots of people complain about the weight of the C-Series, how bad did you find it?

No problem with the weight for me but than you have to remember back when I was using it every camera was built like an anvil and weighted about as much.

Yeah - don't look at 4x5 and larger transparencies... You'll lose sleep trying to justify buying one!

If you're going to develop your own film, you might as well have a big negative to work with. 2-1/4 is several times larger than 35mm so you have more possibilities - just like a higher resolution digital camera. Glad you're having fun with it, looks like you're doing well!

Thanks OT :) I have no problems with a heavy camera. My favorite actually is my Nikkormat which is about 2 and a half pounds with the 50 on it. I like the extra heft of it. Just that's like the first thing everyone says when you read a review about them, that it's like carrying a lead weight around.

That's what I'm afraid of a_v :o I don't think I'll be heading down that road for quite some time though. I have my hands full working with 35mm and MF right now. Besides, I can't really justify a LF if all I'm doing is scanning negs. Now when I can get some sort of darkroom going and can start making prints, then I'll start thinking more about it :D

Nice shoots Aaron. Iam glad to see that you are getting thing ironed out.
Greg

Thanks Greg :D Yeah, I'm not sure what was up with it jamming that one time. Oh well, seems fine now. Hopefully my light meter will get here soon so I can really start playing with this thing. I've got a 5 pack of Kodak E100GX that has a date with some foliage :D

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Besides, I can't really justify a LF if all I'm doing is scanning negs. Now when I can get some sort of darkroom going and can start making prints, then I'll start thinking more about it

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Get a 4x5 enlarger, mount the head sideways and hang the paper on the opposite wall of the darkroom. Big, big prints... :D

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Originally Posted by another view

Get a 4x5 enlarger, mount the head sideways and hang the paper on the opposite wall of the darkroom. Big, big prints... :D

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I have this documentary on Ansel and there's this scene of him doing that with an 8x10 neg and making this HUGE print. Very mesmerizing to watch.

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

I have this documentary on Ansel and there's this scene of him doing that with an 8x10 neg and making this HUGE print. Very mesmerizing to watch.

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I saw a big Ansel Adams exhibit back when I was still using a real dark room, and I remember thinking, "where the heck can you find trays that big?!"

I was just thinking about that actually because I just ordered some more chemicals. Was trying to think of how much you would need to do a print like that. The one in the video is somewhere in the neighborhood 4'x5'. Was very interesting watching the process of him dodging/burning (at least I think that's what he was doing :o). Looked like a conductor...LOL

Check your local thrift stores weekly, if there are none in your area, frequent garage sales in wealthy neighborhoods. I just bought a minolta mod III for 39 bucks at a thrift store. I am finding used cameras and darkroom equipment dirt cheap at all the thrift stores. I still have not got the paper or chemicals because I am pressed for time as it is on my days off and I know I am slower than most in the darkroom.

4800 dpi are you for real?

Yep but, it does take a LONG time :mad2: A 35mm neg, at 4800dpi, takes about 3.5 minutes a frame. I just scanned these at 1200dpi which was more than enough resolution and that was still about 2 minutes a frame.

And thanks to a few of you above, I laid in bed last night thinking about the fun I could have with a 4x5 field camera :o

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

And thanks to a few of you above, I laid in bed last night thinking about the fun I could have with a 4x5 field camera

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Just doing our job... :D

A friend of mine has a 4x5, 8x10, 4x10 and 8x20 and recently mentioned selling some of them. Odds are if he kept anything it would be the 4x5 but... no, no, no - must resist!

I just keeping thinking about all those Speed Graflex or old 4x5 field cameras that sell for like $200 on Ebay left and right. Oh god, what kind of vicious cycle have I started myself on? :o

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

I just keeping thinking about all those Speed Graflex or old 4x5 field cameras that sell for like $200 on Ebay left and right. Oh god, what kind of vicious cycle have I started myself on? :o

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I can always show you what an 11 by 14 ground glass looks like!?! No I don't have any film holders nor have a camera for that ground glass, it is in a fixture I made to measure the image circle of some lenses, and I have a lens that will cover the glass even with movements. Now I have to mount it in a large barrel with an iris I purchased, but I still have to find a large parkard shutter for it as the ones I have are to small. Oh the joys of view cameras. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by freygr

I can always show you what an 11 by 14 ground glass looks like!?! ...

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Bring it on :D

Yes it does. I use a Mamiya 645 for stuff I want to enlarge to minimum 11x14. My family portrait looks like you can step into the photgraph. It is very different than what you're used to if you still shoot 35mm.