Hi from NW London

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vanman
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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by vanman » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:32 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Joanna,
I agree with Andrew, older uncoated lenses are really worth a look. You need to shade them in bright light but think of the cash. LUC and Packard shutters are readily available. Dallmeyer were making Packard design shutters over here under lisence and these are available. You can't fit a SA 65mm lens onto an Ebony field camera but you can on a Wista 45DX. These come in at about £500 on the second hand market. I tend to place Ebonies and Harley Davidsons in the same bracket, put them on a plinth in the front room and light them up with nice spotlights.
For real bargains I would recommend The Large Format Photography Forum, which has been active for many years unlike this forum (whatever you might read in the photographic press). In the last 5 years I've bought a superb Burke & James 5x7 camera. It came with a 4x5 back, the extension rail, 4 lens boards and a B&J device that enables you to point the camera at 90 degrees either up or down. All that for $250.00. I also bought a superb and very useable 1926/7 Ansco 4x5 / 5x7 for $100.00. I had to pay £100 for a new set of bellows but a few Ebony lensboards would cost nearly this.
Vanman.

Cuddle an Ansco for economy.

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Andrew Plume » Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

vanman wrote:Hi Joanna,
I agree with Andrew, older uncoated lenses are really worth a look. You need to shade them in bright light but think of the cash. LUC and Packard shutters are readily available. Dallmeyer were making Packard design shutters over here under lisence and these are available. You can't fit a SA 65mm lens onto an Ebony field camera but you can on a Wista 45DX. These come in at about £500 on the second hand market. I tend to place Ebonies and Harley Davidsons in the same bracket, put them on a plinth in the front room and light them up with nice spotlights.
For real bargains I would recommend The Large Format Photography Forum, which has been active for many years unlike this forum (whatever you might read in the photographic press). In the last 5 years I've bought a superb Burke & James 5x7 camera. It came with a 4x5 back, the extension rail, 4 lens boards and a B&J device that enables you to point the camera at 90 degrees either up or down. All that for $250.00. I also bought a superb and very useable 1926/7 Ansco 4x5 / 5x7 for $100.00. I had to pay £100 for a new set of bellows but a few Ebony lensboards would cost nearly this.
Vanman.

Cuddle an Ansco for economy.

that's a great post 'vanman'

yep, definitely great value there, Ansco's are well worth a cuddle I think too - heaven knows what a 5x7 Ebony with a 4x5 back would cost.................and the wretched VAT too

andrew

vanman
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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by vanman » Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thanks Andrew,
Two minds think alike, it's gotta be good.
I forgot to mention that Eskofot and Repromaster lenses are modern lenses and as they won't screw straight into a shutter they sell at really low prices. There were some on the Large Format Photography Forum about a week ago. They were in The UK and priced very reasonably.
Vanman.

Cuddle an Ansco and save a fortune

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Andrew Plume » Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:34 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

vanman wrote:Thanks Andrew,
Two minds think alike, it's gotta be good.
I forgot to mention that Eskofot and Repromaster lenses are modern lenses and as they won't screw straight into a shutter they sell at really low prices. There were some on the Large Format Photography Forum about a week ago. They were in The UK and priced very reasonably.
Vanman.

Cuddle an Ansco and save a fortune

thanks indeed 'vanman'

the repromaster lenses tend to be really cheap to pick up, therefore very good value and I recommened them to anyone on here who may be interested

regards

andrew

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Susie Frith » Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:52 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Chaim and welcome to the forum.

Unlike most folks here I do use a depth of field chart, but one which can be used after any adjustments (movements) have been done. Here is a link to a more refined one that I use, which is also by Linhof.

http://www.linhof.de/download/depth-of-field-chart.pdf

Basically, you just focus on the near point and read the distance to the standard from some convenient datum. Focus on the far point and do the same, and then set the standard half way between the two. The diference between the two readings (ie the difference in the near and far point focus) is then checked on the table and the f/stop read off. It does work easier with rear standard focussing rather than lens panel focussing, but even on a Technika there are sutable datum points, or a ruler can be fitted on the slide meant for lens focus distances. If you know what I mean by that last bit, okay, if not, it doesn't matter! It probably only applies to Technikas and MPP's.

I know all this sounds fearfully complicated, but if the camera has some form of ruler on it it is easy, but then the chart has one printed on it. Being used to it, it takes me just a few seconds to do. Also, as my eyesight gets worse, I use any mechanical means I can to make focussing easier. As optics are mathematical, my brain just prefers a mathematical solution!

The chart I mainly use is based on this. My usual lens for small large format (ie 5x4 or 5x7) is a three element Protar set. As this set gives six focal lengths all using the same iris and shutter, the f/stops are converted into millimeter diameters for each of the focal lengths used. The scale on the shutter is calibrated in millimetrers. All this is on the table so no calculations are needed in the field.

Susie

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John Hamlen
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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by John Hamlen » Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:16 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Joanna Carter wrote:
Andrew Plume wrote:...whereas a Shen-Hao starts at £620 (again exc VAT), the difference in movements not compared by me but that's a heck of a difference on the 'wonga front' - ok we all know that the Shen Hao screens aren't up to much but even so - and that price difference is before the add on's, lens boards for example
I was fortunate and picked up mine at a silly price, secondhand and not in tip-top condition for around £1300 but, all I can say is you get what you pay for and if you don't have the budget for an Ebony, there are plenty of other cameras out there, which are very competent, for most people's pockets.

It's generally a question of how many features you want vs. how much money you have to spend; my point about the Ebony was in reply to Chaim's comment about going for a studio camera rather than a field camera to get the movements he felt he needed.
Or there's this lovely best that's been winking at me from my local camera shop window for months. I doubt whether they'd come down to Joanna's price, but it looks absolutely brand new! :shock:
http://www.cameraworld.co.uk/ViewProdDe ... y%20SV45Ti

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Joanna Carter » Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:31 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

John Hamlen wrote:Or there's this lovely best that's been winking at me from my local camera shop window for months. I doubt whether they'd come down to Joanna's price, but it looks absolutely brand new! :shock:
Wow, John, that is still a very good price. Go on, flutter your eyelashes at them and see if you can get a reduction :wink: :roll:
Reassure yourself - stroke an Ebony

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Andrew Plume » Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:42 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

John Hamlen wrote:Or there's this lovely best that's been winking at me from my local camera shop window for months. I doubt whether they'd come down to Joanna's price, but it looks absolutely brand new!
yep, seems a very decent price to me

you'd better take Joanna's advice and enter the store and 'stroke the guy' then :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Andrew Plume » Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:45 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Susie Frith wrote:My usual lens for small large format (ie 5x4 or 5x7) is a three element Protar set. As this set gives six focal lengths all using the same iris and shutter
Hey Susie

how about posting some photos of this Protar set, please? :D

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John Hamlen
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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by John Hamlen » Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:02 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Andrew Plume wrote:
John Hamlen wrote:Or there's this lovely best that's been winking at me from my local camera shop window for months. I doubt whether they'd come down to Joanna's price, but it looks absolutely brand new!
yep, seems a very decent price to me

you'd better take Joanna's advice and enter the store and 'stroke the guy' then :lol: :lol: :lol:
If I was in the market for one of these lovely pieces of kit I'd be taking Joanna's and your advice and be in there stoking and winking my heart out - I'm not proud :)

However, I've taken the 10x8 plunge as both my lack of a darkroom and my interest in in-camera positives has pushed me in that direction. One interesting observation I have is that apart from cameras, economies of scale just don't seem to apply to 10x8 photography do they :( :
Me: "Could you tell me how much is that film holder/paper/film/drum/etc.....?"
Vendor: "Yes, it is four times the price of the 5x4 version..." :shock: :D

Regarding the price of the Ebony: I agree, an exceptionally good price from Camera World especially considering that I think some of their secondhand prices are ridiculously optimistic and often approach new list prices for current kit. I'm the proud owner of a pristine Canon 40 D which I love, but they have one in the same window priced at £400! Now, it's a great camera, but FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS for a 4 year old 10MP digital camera body? I don't think so :)

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by Andrew Plume » Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:23 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

John Hamlen wrote:
Andrew Plume wrote:
John Hamlen wrote:Or there's this lovely best that's been winking at me from my local camera shop window for months. I doubt whether they'd come down to Joanna's price, but it looks absolutely brand new!
yep, seems a very decent price to me


However, I've taken the 10x8 plunge as both my lack of a darkroom and my interest in in-camera positives has pushed me in that direction. One interesting observation I have is that apart from cameras, economies of scale just don't seem to apply to 10x8 photography do they :( :
Me: "Could you tell me how much is that film holder/paper/film/drum/etc.....?"
Vendor: "Yes, it is four times the price of the 5x4 version..." :shock: :D

Regarding the price of the Ebony: I agree, an exceptionally good price from Camera World especially considering that I think some of their secondhand prices are ridiculously optimistic


yep - I've only ever looked in the window of their branch in Town although I did go inside once, I thought that they were only digi based, it would be literally the last store where I felt that any used LF stuff might be stocked.........................

anyhow what you're doing (with the absence of a darkroom) more than makes good sense - 1800 quid or whatever the price is, is still a lot of wonga in these constantly depressed times - sure it'll keep it's value and will probably increase, that's if one doesn't want to use it

in the meantime there are plenty of really good value 10x8's around at a fraction of that Ebony guy

regards

andrew

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Re: Hi from NW London

Post by John Hamlen » Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:24 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Chaim Frankel wrote:
John Hamlen wrote:I'm definitely getting bored with the anemic-youths-with-blank-expressions aesthetic!
Agree with you there about how samey it is all getting. I’m starting to feel that way about the Dusseldorf-impersonators' landscapes. Everything seems to have to be about despair and decay.
Unfortunately I didn’t go to the Sony festival. My loss! Anyway, I’ve registered for the T+W competition, and now I’ve got to get to work on the editing and printing.. the bits I like least about photography!
Agree with you about urban decay overload. Except for this image of course, which is an absolute masterpiece! LOL :wink:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhamlen ... /lightbox/

Re: me-too-Dusseldorf-school overload, did you read the "Has the Düsseldorf School killed photography?" piece that Grant Scott wrote a few months back. I couldn't agree with him more.
http://www.professionalphotographer.co. ... hotography

Right, must go, I need to get back to working on my typology of parking meters series... :D

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