[LargeFormat] Lens Shades

[Rich Lahrson]

Hi folks!

     I was interested in the Lee Filter and Lens Shade system and may still
purchase
this.  I've got a modified 5x7 Seneca camera with added front swings, new
bellows
and refinished.  I've bought a Wide Field Ektar 135/6.3 lens and mounted it on
one
of the boards (which have been made 4x4 inch instead of the Seneca's rectancular

shape).  The lens is from about '48 with a Supermatic shutter.

     The lens has a retaining ring and will take Series VII filters, of which
I've
got some black and white filters as well as a set of warming and cooling filters

should I try transparency film.

     But there's no lens shade.  However, the 135 is a wide angle lens on 5x7.

    I've figured the cost, an important item right now, of the Lee Filter and
Lens
Shade system to be at least over $400.  That's more than I paid for the camera
or the lens!

     My question is in regard to the necessity for a lens shade with  a wide
angle lens,
do I need it?  Perhaps, I can fudge the matter with the dark slide or using
black craft
paper and tape when needed.

     How do other large format uses deal with cutting off extraneous light?  I
see
pictures of large format workers using lens shades and not using lens shades.

     Also, I recall reading in AA's Basic Photo series, that a larger camera
with
bigger bellows has less flare due to it's size.  That is, an 8x10 camera would
have
less flare than a 4x5.

Thanks!

Rich Lahrson
Berkeley, California
tripspud@transbay.net