lf-photo.org.uk

Hi All,

My name is Greg, I am a third year student studying photography at University College Falmouth.

I am currently embarking on a project where I am building a camera to my own custom specification,

The camera is to shoot onto 20" x 16" plates, however I intend to create darkslides which will allow for 10 x 8 film and 5 x 4 film also.

I am just wandering if anyone has any advice on lenses or chemicals or anything in which they could give me a helping hand?

At the moment the plan is to use glass plates coated in Silver Gelatin Emulsion and to then contact print onto 20" x 16" Kentmere FINEPRINT FB.

I hear good things about it (Almost no green in the shadows and very pure whites and a good tonal range between) and at a very low cost however I will be interested if anybody has any suggestions otherwise?

Alternatively has anyone ever made there own silver emulsion? I looked a while back but recalled something about having to grow your own crystals?

I have also looked at the callodian process after meeting Joni Sternbach, I love her work and think the process is fantastic but I find it to be quite expensive relative to silver gelatin.

I'd be greatly appreciative of any feedback I can get.

Greg

Hi Greg

Welcome to this forum

I've just posted a reply to your enquiry for suitable lenses to cover 16 x 20"

Although it's not the same format size, I have a camera which will produce 14" sq images - typically bought by me as a project camera but looking unlikely to proceed, it's an old Marion & Co Studio Camera without a lens but with a very good quality base, front and rear standard but needs a new bellows and c/w a half plate reducing back - send me a pm if you're interested, please

regards

andrew

Welcome to the forum Greg.

You are in the right place as Andrew and other folks here have lots of knowledge in the dark arts of ULF photography.

Wow - you're not starting small are you!! It will be fun to see a 20x16 camera with a 5x4 reducing back . You must post pics here as your build progresses...

All the best, John

I sure will, but I shant be posting my rig on here for the time being, believe me. It sure ain't pretty...

But the build will be starting on Wednesday so I will be reporting from then on, maybe a summary of progress each day.

Sorry for the late replies, only just getting to grips with this forum, I didn't actually realise people had replied to me !


Greg

Greg

it's the image taken that counts and matters..................not the beauty of your design

andrew

I know,

Just got to get the camera to take them with first and is a pretty difficult thing to design and source I am finding. So think is quite important to get it right in the first place.

Greg

Greg Woodward wrote:I sure will, but I shant be posting my rig on here for the time being, believe me. It sure ain't pretty...
Greg

Aw, go on, I posted my 4x5 homebrew and that one causes women to faint and strong men to clench their teeth and go pale. Small children run screaming...

Neil

Oh I don't know. It is just a rig made at 5 x 4 scale so far but looks more like a massacred piece of MDF nailed to some hardboard.


Really really not good...

HA

Greg

Hey guys,

How is everyone?

Just an update on progress http://gregwoodward.co.uk/blog/. (Sorry don't want to plug but this is where I have been updating my progress)

Working on stitching my bellows today. A long one ahead but exiting none the less!

Let me know what you think, the feedback would be particularly useful!

All the best,

Greg

Hi Greg,

welcome to the forum!

Valerio

Hello Valerio,

Cheers, Nice to cyber meet you!

All the best,

Greg