Revisted Venford Dam (again), with a bigger camera, new image added.

[EdBray]

After my failed attempt to get a full shot of Venford Dam spilling during the summer (see here) I revisited Venford again yesterday to try to take the image I had originally planned.

A couple of things were different though, this was my first image with my very recently purchased Canham MQC 5x7 Metal field camera and I also wanted to see how much vignetting I would get with the use of my 75mm f5.6 Super Angulon on 5x7 format (this lens is not designed for 5x7). Schneider give the image circle as 198mm @ f22 where the recommended minimum for 5x7 is purportedly 212mm, although I did use f32 to tweak the last bit of coverage available out of this lens and was pleased to discover that only the very outer corners were affected and then not by much. I suspect had I thought to use my IIIb centre filter the results would have been even better.

75mm is very wide on 5x7 (to give an example using 35mm as a reference, you divide the focal length by 4.5 which gives approximately 16.5mm), the widest lens available designed for the 5x7 format is a 72mm SA XL.

Film was Adox 25 developed in my first ever batch of Pyrocat HD (looks like I made it up okay).

As for at the waters edge, any closer and I would have had wet feet.


Venford Dam 5x7 75mm SA by Ed Bray, on Flickr

 

[joxby]

Pyro developers really define edges don't they.
They appear sharper to me, more detailed, there is more definition or its an illusion...I dunno.
Not sure about composition, this picture seems all about 5x7 and the depth of detail it can record.
There is a measure of scale that it conveys that I'm not sure would be there in smaller formats, but as awesome as it is, I wanna take 2 steps to the right and hit that middle wall head on.....doubtless that would put me in the lake though..


wait, maybe its left on an upside down focussing screen..

 

[EdBray]

Pyro developers really define edges don't they.
They appear sharper to me, more detailed, there is more definition or its an illusion...I dunno.
Not sure about composition, this picture seems all about 5x7 and the depth of detail it can record.
There is a measure of scale that it conveys that I'm not sure would be there in smaller formats, but as awesome as it is, I wanna take 2 steps to the right and hit that middle wall head on.....doubtless that would put me in the lake though..


wait, maybe its left on an upside down focussing screen..

No, it's still to the right, perhaps I'll have another go with my wellies on.

 

[gramps]

perhaps I'll have another go with my wellies on.

Headline Advert made me smile

 

[steveo_mcg]

I can't get over the detail in the that shot

 

[EdBray]

I went back again today, most water I have seen coming over the spillways. I had a thought, what a wally! how do I take a picture from the bank with the central pier in line with the central stilling pool wall without getting my feet wet (especially as the water is much higher than welly level at the moment) Ha, Ha, shift the lens.

This meant I had to use the 90mm Super Angulon instead of the 75mm as I needed the larger image circle for this to work.

Pictures to follow after processing and scanning.

 

[EdBray]

I revisited Venford Dam yesterday to retake the image and to attempt to shift the lens to bring the middle pier inline with the middle stilling pond wall. Because I needed a lens with a larger image circle I chose my 90mm f8 Super Angulon.

What a difference a couple of days make, the rainfall we have had recently ensured that the amount spilling was tremendous for this time of the year.

Exposure was 1/2 second at f22 and captured on EDU 100 5x7 film



Venford spill 5x7 90mml by Ed Bray, on Flickr

 

[mustanir]

Yup, this latest version is a massive improvement over the one at the top. I also prefer the less "harsh" look of this one processing-wise.

 

[Asha]

Like both version tbh Ed......If I was forced to make a preference it would be the latter one simply for the amount of water!

Good to see someone getting use out of LF kit ....I haven't shot any on my stuff for a while....your shots may tempt me out!!