Possibly wanting to get into LF...

Carl Hall

Carl Hall

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So thanks to @StephenM and @steveo_mcg planting an idea in my head, I've spent pretty much all morning watching youtoob videos about large format and reading quite a lot on the internet, and I think it's something I'd like to look into further... Not for a regular shooting sort of thing, but for a special shot (POTY??) once or twice a month maybe.

With MF I researched the different cameras and found the one I wanted, then just searched around until I found a good one at a decent price. LF seems a lot harder to get into when you have little knowledge on the subject, especially as there seems to be a lot less information about it online and even less information and advice on specific LF cameras.

What's my best route into the world of 5x4? I'm looking around at various cameras and prices vary massively. I don't have a very big budget so I'm just trying to see if it's a feasible thing for me to get into over the next few weeks/months/years. I don't want to rush because I'll end up buying a lemon, so I need to carefully plan what sort of thing I want to do.

I guess I don't have a specific question that I'm asking, I'm just after some guidance on how to go about (possibly) starting down the LF road i.e. What to look for, what to avoid, basic set up cost and where's the best place to buy from. (I think @Andysnap might be interested too :p )

Also a daft question whilst I'm here... I think deving and scanning is out of the question as my scanner only does MF. How the heck do you post 5x4 film off to a lab?? Do you leave it in the holder and send it, or put it in some kind of light tight bag?

Cheers :)

Carl
 
Oi! I thought we were united against the monstrous regiment of large formatters....... :D

I shall be watching this thread with interest and not a little trepidation (y)

Andy
 
I was half wondering the same after watching some french bloke on Netflix going around with some massive camera and standing about for a bit then taking one shot and going away.

I'm wondering if there is some kind of LF system where you can load sheets in advance. Stick them in the camera in daylight then close them up and remove from the camera to be processed. There are MF cameras that will take multiple backs and you can have multiple films ready and swap between them. It doesn't seem impossible does it? I'd imagine home processing in a tank in the dark is probably actually the easiest way. I was wondering about transparency rather than negative then you have the finished product...

There are table top xray film processors about. They take sheet film. I wonder if they could do processing and take the hassle out of it? That would be even easier providing you can operate one in the dark without fumbling the film all over the floor ;)

Perhaps there should be an LF for dummies sticky thread :D
 
srichards said:
I was half wondering the same after watching some french bloke on Netflix going around with some massive camera and standing about for a bit then taking one shot and going away.

I'm wondering if there is some kind of LF system where you can load sheets in advance. Stick them in the camera in daylight then close them up and remove from the camera to be processed. There are MF cameras that will take multiple backs and you can have multiple films ready and swap between them. It doesn't seem impossible does it? I'd imagine home processing in a tank in the dark is probably actually the easiest way. I was wondering about transparency rather than negative then you have the finished product...

There are table top xray film processors about. They take sheet film. I wonder if they could do processing and take the hassle out of it? That would be even easier providing you can operate one in the dark without fumbling the film all over the floor ;)

Perhaps there should be an LF for dummies sticky thread :D
Click to expand...

Well most seem to take film holders that you pop into the camera when you want to take a shot, so you just load the holders up with sheets of film at home in the dark and pop them in your bag, then just stick a holder in the camera when you take a photo :)

I think I could manage the developing ok at home, as I have most of what I need, but I'd have no way of scanning the film afterwards :confused: My V550 scanner scans MF but I think I'd need to upgrade to a monster of a scanner in order to scan LF. I thought I could just take a digital photo of the film on a light box afterwards using a macro lens, but if I'm going to do that then there seems little point bothering with 5x4 film! I think to start with I'll just have to send the film off to be developed and scanned, at least until my girlfriend's calmed down enough about me "buying another camera!" that I can get a scanner to go with it :LOL:
 
srichards said:
I'm wondering if there is some kind of LF system where you can load sheets in advance. Stick them in the camera in daylight then close them up and remove from the camera to be processed.
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Sheet film is loaded into film holders in the darkroom (usually two sheets per holder though could be one), and these can be fitted to the camera in daylight. Allows you to to take more than one shot per trip :)
 
Bythesea said:
Sheet film is loaded into film holders in the darkroom (usually two sheets per holder though could be one), and these can be fitted to the camera in daylight. Allows you to to take more than one shot per trip :)
Click to expand...

Some MF cameras want 'subdued' lighting to load film so I wondered whether broad daylight would be ok with LF. That's a bonus then :)
 
Lots of points to cover, and I'm going to gloss over exceptions.

1. Cameras.
All cameras are essentially just light tight boxes with a lens at one end and film at the other (real cameras use film, not these electronic gubbinses :D). Add in a shutter and you have a working camera. So taking this as a starting point, the first thing to consider (apart from film size!) is focusing.

To focus closer, you have to increase the lens/film distance. LF cameras generally use bellows. These can be fixed or interchangeable, but the important point is how much extension you get. A standard lens for 5x4 will have a focal length of around 150mm (6") so you need 6" of bellows extension to focus on infinity, and 12" (300mm) to get down to 1:1. Put on a longer lens, and you need even more: a 300mm lens will need 300mm extension just to focus on infinity, and more if you are going to photograph anything nearer.

So, consider what lenses you might use, and watch the bellows.

The basic camera types are monorail and field. Monorail have a bar on which the front and rear standards (the bits holding the lens and the film respectively) can slide. With few exceptions, they won't fold up conveniently. My first LF camera was a monorail type, and no camera bag made would take it. Hard case or large backpack only. Field cameras are designed to pack down. They can be made of wood, metal or plastic (I have one of each!). Some fold into a box form, some don't.

The next thing to consider are the movements. Think tilt shift lenses, but with tilt/shift on the front and back. This gives extra flexibility (pun intended). You can adjust image shape and size, correct verticals, photograph a mirror head on and not appear in it without being a vampire (or, more practically, reduce reflections in shiny objects). This is a big subject...

2. Lenses.
You need a lens that will cover your format. Within that constraint, all lenses fit all cameras (if they physically can - some modern lenses are too large for some older cameras). Different cameras have different sized lens boards, but you swap between cameras by unscrewing the lens from the board if you need to. Shutters are usually in the lens.

3. Film holders.
DDS (double dark slides). Place a sheet of film in each side (in the dark), slide in the dark slide and away you go. Remove the slide in the camera, make the exposure, and replace (usually turning it round, because they carry colour coding so you can distinguish exposed from unexposed).

I've always processed my own, so sending away hasn't been a problem. What to do with the film when you unload the dark slide? Put it in the empty packaging that sheet film is bought in. I stored the exposed film in a developing tank until I got a free box after I'd used 20 sheets.
 
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well setup costs for me came in around £1000 This was the camera, a wista dx field camera at about 600. two lenses, film holders (as shown above) light meter. Factor in a little more if you dont have a tripod. These arent point and shoot things :) I develop at home using a jobo tank with a 5x4 insert. I did see that mod54 thing linked above which is pretty well regarded.

Sending film off for development i used to just use an empty 5x4 film box. The cardboard box the film comes in has a plastic light sealed back inside that i re used to posting off to Peak. The box is a box within a box and then it has the bag inside that so its all pretty well sealed in.

I think its hard to buy a "lemon" The camera is just a light sealed tube at the end of the day. The film slides in one end and the lens's sit on a lens board and slide on the other end. Look at the pivot points of the front and back though. My wista tilts from the base of the front stand, other cameras tilt in the middle with the pivot point across the middle of the lens if you can imagine that. so they have a slightly greater range. Ive never felt short changed though. There is some kickstarter link somewhere here for someone who is going to produce a new model, im not sure of the prices though.

But go for it. Youll never be short of someone to chat to once you set it all up out in the public world :)


*edit* be prepared for the cost of the film! slide film, velvia is £90 for 20 shots. Fomapan is £30 for 50 i think, or is it 25? cant remember. But its bloody expensive.
 
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My only real problem has been time, I'm not quite at the unconscious competent stage despite having for about 9 months now. I screw up less often and I'm now confident that I'll not make a mess of a given shot that I'll use fresh ilford film, I'm not confident enough to use colour in any shape or form!

The problem I'd say is that unlike a mf camera which is just a bigger version of familiar camera, LF need ongoing practice to keep your hand in and I'm finding that once or twice a month isn't quite enough. Plus it's night through most of my free time and a view camera is very hard to use in the dark!

My set up was much cheaper, my arca is very much a beater; it's been badly refurbished by a previous user, this is compounded by my ham fisted adaptation to wista lens boards and falling down a hill while it was in my bag and breaking a lever on the standard carrier. However it works marvellously and I don't really mind modifying it and making repairs. I didn't spend more than £150 on the "body".

Lenses are a bit tricky, most are interchangeable you just need it on the boards that match your camera. I've only got three and there are far better people to advise than I.

Size, weight and bulk are another issue, I don't really worry about the weight too much. It's lighter than my light weight camping kit and not significantly heavier than my RB67 kit. I did however accidentally rather than design buy one of the smallest lightest monorail designes but it's still bulky as hell, needs to be assembled and disassembled each time. The up shot of the bulk is that it only really goes in my overnight camping rucksack which carries really well and I can carry it for days at a time. The backpack for my rb is guff and becomes uncomfortable after an hour or two.


This is a bit of a brain dump and on my phone so not very well edited or compiled but feel free to ask specific questions.
 
StephenM said:
Lots of points to cover, and I'm going to gloss over exceptions.

1. Cameras.
All cameras are essentially just light tight boxes with a lens at one end and film at the other (real cameras use film, not these electronic gubbinses :D). Add in a shutter and you have a working camera. So taking this as a starting point, the first thing to consider (apart from film size!) is focusing.

To focus closer, you have to increase the lens/film distance. LF cameras generally use bellows. These can be fixed or interchangeable, but the important point is how much extension you get. A standard lens for 5x4 will have a focal length of around 150mm (6") so you need 6" of bellows extension to focus on infinity, and 12" (300mm) to get down to 1:1. Put on a longer lens, and you need even more: a 300mm lens will need 300mm extension just to focus on infinity, and more if you are going to photograph anything nearer.

So, consider what lenses you might use, and watch the bellows.

The basic camera types are monorail and field. Monorail have a bar on which the front and rear standards (the bits holding the lens and the film respectively) can slide. With few excveptions, they won't fold up conveniently. My first LF camera was a monorail type, and no camera bag made would take it. Hard case ot large backpack only. Field cameras are designed to pack down. They can be made of wood, metal or plastic (I have one of each!). Some fold into a box form, some don't.

The next thing to consider are the movements. Think tilt shift lenses, but with tilt/shift on the front and back. This gives extra flexibility (pun intended). You can adjust image shape and size, correct verticals, photograph a mirror head on and not appear in it without being a vampire (or, more practically, reduce reflections in shiny objects). This is a big subject...

2. Lenses.
You need a lens that will cover your format. Within that constraint, all lenses fit all cameras (if they physically can - some modern lenses are too large for some older cameras). Different camera have different sized lens boards, but you swap between cameras by unscrewing the lens from the board if you need to. Shutters are usually in the lens.

3. Film holders.
DDS (double dark slides). Place a sheet of film in each side (in the dark), slide in the dark slide and away you go. Remove the slide in the camera, make the exposure, and replace (usually turning it round, because they carry colour coding so you can distinguish exposed from unexposed).

I've always processed my own, so sending away hasn't been a problem. What to do with the film when you unload the dark slide? Put it in the empty packaging that sheet film is bought in. I stored the exposed film in a developing tank until I got a free box after I'd used 20 sheets.
Click to expand...

Stephen, thank you for this, it's just the sort of advice that I was looking for! :) A field camera is definitely the kind of thing I want; something I can put in my bag and walk around with whilst looking for a good landscape shot. I will keep an eye out on ebay and the like and see what sort of thing comes up. Ideally I'd like to get one that comes with everything ready to use, but I'm not in a rush so I'll keep an eye out on what bits are around locally. (or if anyone on here is thinking of selling their 5x4! :D )

Thanks again for the advice :)

AshleyC said:
well setup costs for me came in around £1000 This was the camera, a wista dx field camera at about 600. two lenses, film holders (as shown above) light meter. Factor in a little more if you dont have a tripod. These arent point and shoot things :) I develop at home using a jobo tank with a 5x4 insert. I did see that mod54 thing linked above which is pretty well regarded.

Sending film off for development i used to just use an empty 5x4 film box. The cardboard box the film comes in has a plastic light sealed back inside that i re used to posting off to Peak. The box is a box within a box and then it has the bag inside that so its all pretty well sealed in.

I think its hard to buy a "lemon" The camera is just a light sealed tube at the end of the day. The film slides in one end and the lens's sit on a lens board and slide on the other end. Look at the pivot points of the front and back though. My wista tilts from the base of the front stand, other cameras tilt in the middle with the pivot point across the middle of the lens if you can imagine that. so they have a slightly greater range. Ive never felt short changed though. There is some kickstarter link somewhere here for someone who is going to produce a new model, im not sure of the prices though.

But go for it. Youll never be short of someone to chat to once you set it all up out in the public world :)


*edit* be prepared for the cost of the film! slide film, velvia is £90 for 20 shots. Fomapan is £30 for 50 i think, or is it 25? cant remember. But its bloody expensive.
Click to expand...

Sounds exactly the same as what my Ilford photo paper comes in :) I did see the Kickstarter page about the wooden LF camera, looked really interesting but I think I saw it after it had all ended.

That does sound quite expensive... It's not too bad if I only plan on shooting one or two sheets a month (Although when I got my MF camera I said I'd still shoot digital and only use MF for special things, now I just don't use my digital camera at all and I shoot 1-2 rolls a week :eek: ).

Thanks Ashley :)
 
I wince at the price of 120 roll film.. Hmm!

To get the stupid questions over with. Could you use a photographic paper instead of a negative film sheet? Ilford seem to do it in the right size and suggest it's for film holders. To me that seems a cheaper way to learn... I'm assuming you could do the same with colour paper or would you have to expose each colour separately like you would doing enlargements from a colour negative?
 
steveo_mcg said:
My only real problem has been time, I'm not quite at the unconscious competent stage despite having for about 9 months now. I screw up less often and I'm now confident that I'll not make a mess of a given shot that I'll use fresh ilford film, I'm not confident enough to use colour in any shape or form!

The problem I'd say is that unlike a mf camera which is just a bigger version of familiar camera, LF need ongoing practice to keep your hand in and I'm finding that once or twice a month isn't quite enough. Plus it's night through most of my free time and a view camera is very hard to use in the dark!

My set up was much cheaper, my arca is very much a beater; it's been badly refurbished by a previous user, this is compounded by my ham fisted adaptation to wista lens boards and falling down a hill while it was in my bag and breaking a lever on the standard carrier. However it works marvellously and I don't really mind modifying it and making repairs. I didn't spend more than £150 on the "body".

Lenses are a bit tricky, most are interchangeable you just need it on the boards that match your camera. I've only got three and there are far better people to advise than I.

Size, weight and bulk are another issue, I don't really worry about the weight too much. It's lighter than my light weight camping kit and not significantly heavier than my RB67 kit. I did however accidentally rather than design buy one of the smallest lightest monorail designes but it's still bulky as hell, needs to be assembled and disassembled each time. The up shot of the bulk is that it only really goes in my overnight camping rucksack which carries really well and I can carry it for days at a time. The backpack for my rb is guff and becomes uncomfortable after an hour or two.


This is a bit of a brain dump and on my phone so not very well edited or compiled but feel free to ask specific questions.
Click to expand...

Yeah I guess it's a very technical type of photography which needs constant use and practice to really get anywhere with it. Perhaps I'll just start using it all the time then :D haha.

I think part of the appeal is that I'm an engineer, so I love everything mechanical and technical. For some reason the really methodical process of setting up and doing things step by step to take a single "good" photo is really appealing. I really like the idea of putting a lot of effort and time into one photo which I can be really happy with (assuming I don't keep screwing them up!) Can't really get any further away than "spray and pray" digital shooting when you take 100 photos and hope for a good one :LOL:
 
I think you make a good point here Carl about taking a single 'good' photo. I'm at a stage with my MF photography where I can usually get 1 or 2 good shots out of 12 and I'm not always sure how that happens, its not always by design. What I'm saying here is that I think I need to be better at spotting a good shot before taking the leap into LF or I'm going to end up wasting a lot of film.
Andy
 
Has anyone got any experience with a Rittreck 5x7? I've seen someone selling one near to me that comes with a 5x7 and 5x4 back, and they're asking for £250... Can't seem to find much about them at all!
 
Carl Hall said:
I think I could manage the developing ok at home, as I have most of what I need, but I'd have no way of scanning the film afterwards :confused: My V550 scanner scans MF but I think I'd need to upgrade to a monster of a scanner in order to scan LF. I thought I could just take a digital photo of the film on a light box afterwards using a macro lens, but if I'm going to do that then there seems little point bothering with 5x4
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If you sell the V550 and buy a used V700 you'll be fine for 4*5, I believe. Not that much bigger footprint?
 
StephenM said:
A standard lens for 5x4 will have a focal length of around 150mm (6") so you need 6" of bellows extension to focus on infinity, and 12" (300mm) to get down to 1:1. Put on a longer lens, and you need even more: a 300mm lens will need 300mm extension just to focus on infinity, and more if you are going to photograph anything nearer.
Click to expand...

I was really confused by this, until I realised that LF lenses are not like SLR lenses, ie the length of the lens of the same order of magnitude of the focal length (less the registration distance). They're really quite short aren't they? So the bellows is making up the difference. This may be blindingly obvious to LF users, or even most thinking people, but it was a struggle for me.:thinking:
 
ChrisR said:
I was really confused by this, until I realised that LF lenses are not like SLR lenses, ie the length of the lens of the same order of magnitude of the focal length (less the registration distance). They're really quite short aren't they? So the bellows is making up the difference. This may be blindingly obvious to LF users, or even most thinking people, but it was a struggle for me.:thinking:
Click to expand...

Not sure about small, my 90 (fairly wide angle) is pretty big even by RB standards. The 150 isn't so big.
 
I get by scanning on my v500, two scans and merge in some free MS software. Works okay but I'd like a v750 but I'd rather a brace of lenses.
 
Carl Hall said:
Has anyone got any experience with a Rittreck 5x7? I've seen someone selling one near to me that comes with a 5x7 and 5x4 back, and they're asking for £250... Can't seem to find much about them at all!
Click to expand...

Looks like a good deal, 5x7 is not as popular as 5x4 or 8x10. The selection of emulsions is much lower, not sure any one makes colour film. Whilst a reducing back is good you'll still have the bulk of the bigger camera and you will end up buying lenses that cover 5x7 just in case and they will most likely be bulkier than 4x5 lenses.
 
Andysnap said:
I think you make a good point here Carl about taking a single 'good' photo. I'm at a stage with my MF photography where I can usually get 1 or 2 good shots out of 12 and I'm not always sure how that happens, its not always by design. What I'm saying here is that I think I need to be better at spotting a good shot before taking the leap into LF or I'm going to end up wasting a lot of film.
Andy
Click to expand...

My thoughts are similar to Andy. I've spent a lot of time looking at LF kit on eBay and other sites, but now I'm thinking I need to be at the stage where I'm pretty happy with everything else about my photography - subject selection, composition, exposure, development, and darkroom printing - before I take that extra step. In the meantime, it's cheaper to waste 120 film than it is to waste LF film.

Incidentally the Epson v700 will scan films sizes up to 8 * 10
 
My answer would be don't wait, jump in and try it. I did and it's great. Beware it's addictive and warps your mind.

I'm no expert, but would be willing to bring kit along if someone wants to organise a LF day in the north west.

I now have 3 5x4 cameras, and could let people try them, with a range of lenses. Would have brought them to the TP meet, but I'm away that weekend.

Mart
 
On comparative sizes: on the left, a Wista 5x4DX with a Schneider Symmar 150mm lens attached (and folded up inside it); on the right, a Mamiya RZ67 with 75mm shift lens. Lens chosen as it shifts, as (naturally) does the Symmar.

View attachment 30439
 
On lens coverage: large format lenses are designed to allow shifts etc., so have a larger image circle than needed. Plus as you stop down, the usable image circle increases. I've seen a photo taken with a 150mm Symmar (they cost about £150 when I last looked) used on a 10x8 camera. Stopped down, there wasn't much vignetting visible.

I normally use CombiPlan tanks; I have a number and the one most recently bought cost £5 from the bargin bin at Robert White. I didn't need another, but at that price... It takes one litre of chemicals, and can hold up to 6 sheets.

Edit to add: I just checked at ffords; they have one at £99.

View attachment 30440
 
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srichards said:
I wince at the price of 120 roll film.. Hmm!

To get the stupid questions over with. Could you use a photographic paper instead of a negative film sheet? Ilford seem to do it in the right size and suggest it's for film holders. To me that seems a cheaper way to learn... I'm assuming you could do the same with colour paper or would you have to expose each colour separately like you would doing enlargements from a colour negative?
Click to expand...

Harman used to make a direct positive paper, but if you read this you'll see why they are having problems in supplying it. Using normal paper will give you a paper negative, which would then need to be contact printed to give a positive. Given that paper has a much lower resolution than film, enlargement would be problematic. On the other hand, you might not want to go over 20"x16" anyway.

I don't know if any colour reversal paper is still made (I used to use Cibachrome about 30 years ago, and haven't made colour prints since).
 
Learn on Foma 100. £35 for 50 sheets, which for LF film is very reasonable.

You can make mistakes with Foma and not feel too bad. Making a mistake with 8x10 slide film hurts!!!

Mart
 
There's a Rittreck on the auction site just now and I've linked it so you can get an idea of what it looks like. 5x7 film is expensive and never seems to come up on the auction site, so be aware of that. Besides 5x7, there is a metric sized 13x18cm film and sometimes you might find that cheaper. While both sizes of holder (and also halfplate) will fit the 5x7 camera back, each film needs its own holder size. I think I'd be tempted to go for a 5x4 first to see how you get on with LF, but it can come down to what you happen to find.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RITTRECK-...577?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e99698e11
 
ChrisR said:
I was really confused by this, until I realised that LF lenses are not like SLR lenses, ie the length of the lens of the same order of magnitude of the focal length (less the registration distance). They're really quite short aren't they? So the bellows is making up the difference. This may be blindingly obvious to LF users, or even most thinking people, but it was a struggle for me.:thinking:
Click to expand...

Hmm: have seen the size of some 35mm f/1.4 lenses? What tends to happen with modern design is that internal focusing is used rather than racking the lens in and out to focus. Older designs had to use the focusing mounting to provide the extra extension, as seen in this Vivitar 90mm macro lens on my OM1. Top - infinity; bottom, 1:1

View attachment 30441
 
If and when I do decide to jump in I think that I would look at a wood and brass field camera, they just look boss.
Plenty to read and think about so far in this thread, thanks guys.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Looks like a good deal, 5x7 is not as popular as 5x4 or 8x10. The selection of emulsions is much lower, not sure any one makes colour film. Whilst a reducing back is good you'll still have the bulk of the bigger camera and you will end up buying lenses that cover 5x7 just in case and they will most likely be bulkier than 4x5 lenses.
Click to expand...

I think I'd just put the 5x7 back in the cupboard, forget about it, and stick to 5x4. If I can pick this one up for a good price it's worth putting up with the extra size and weight for a cheap entry into large format


Marvin d martian said:
My answer would be don't wait, jump in and try it. I did and it's great. Beware it's addictive and warps your mind.

I'm no expert, but would be willing to bring kit along if someone wants to organise a LF day in the north west.

I now have 3 5x4 cameras, and could let people try them, with a range of lenses. Would have brought them to the TP meet, but I'm away that weekend.

Mart
Click to expand...

Haha I like the advice!

That's a kind offer but unfortunately I live down south so I wouldn't be able to make a northern LF meet up (I wouldn't understand you lot anyway :p ). I'd love to try one out though if any southern meets are ever organised! :)


StephenM said:
On lens coverage: large format lenses are designed to allow shifts etc., so have a larger image circle than needed. Plus as you stop down, the usable image circle increases. I've seen a photo taken with a 150mm Symmar (they cost about £150 when I last looked) used on a 10x8 camera. Stopped down, there wasn't much vignetting visible.

I normally use CombiPlan tanks; I have a number and the one most recently bought cost £5 from the bargin bin at Robert White. I didn't need another, but at that price... It takes one litre of chemicals, and can hold up to 6 sheets.

Edit to add: I just checked at ffords; they have one at £99.

Wow that certainly is a healthy mark up for Ffordes isn't it! I think I'd have them scanned by a lab for the first few packs of film at least, partly just to remove a variable but also because I don't have the capability to scan larger than MF without spending as much on a scanner as I'm planning on spending on a camera lol.

Peter B said:
There's a Rittreck on the auction site just now and I've linked it so you can get an idea of what it looks like. 5x7 film is expensive and never seems to come up on the auction site, so be aware of that. Besides 5x7, there is a metric sized 13x18cm film and sometimes you might find that cheaper. While both sizes of holder (and also halfplate) will fit the 5x7 camera back, each film needs its own holder size. I think I'd be tempted to go for a 5x4 first to see how you get on with LF, but it can come down to what you happen to find.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RITTRECK-...577?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e99698e11
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Peter :) I'm aiming for 5x4 but if this Rittreck is in good nick at a decent price then it's a cheap way into large format for me. I've got a couple film bits to sell first, so it depends what's around when I've sold them and have the funds to spend :D
Click to expand...
 
Andysnap said:
If and when I do decide to jump in I think that I would look at a wood and brass field camera, they just look boss.
Plenty to read and think about so far in this thread, thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Corr do they ever, they look beautiful don't they! Much better than the dull black plastic of modern cameras.

And I think it's more "when" than "if" :p
 
yeah, I convinced myself I'd sell the RB. Couldn't bring myself to do it....
 
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