[LargeFormat] about to take the jump

[Stuart Phillips]

I second the comments about Hicks and Schultz. One thing I like about them
is that despite being in the business their books advocate using excellent
but older cameras, and Hicks is not someone who is always advocating the
newest and most expensive cameras  or ways of doing things.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "rstein" <rstein@bigpond.net.au>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 10:24 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] about to take the jump


> Dear Nephew William,
>
>      Please see if you can locate a copy of a book by Roger Hicks and
> Frances Schultz on large and medium format photography. It is an
illustrated
> volume and quite current in the shops. Mr Hicks is a MARVELLOUS writer -
and
> I rarely go to such praise. The book has very adequate intro and detail on
a
> lot of ways that you could enter into large format.
>
>      I cannot hope to emulate Roger - indeed I poke into that book myself
> for ideas repeatedly - but I can add some little experience from a decade
of
> LF work. Mostly for my own benefit - sometimes for sale.
>
> 1.     4 x 5 is the most common large size film. Remember that each sheet
> contains the seeds of other formats - 2 x 5 1 x 5 2 x 4 4 x 4 . Seems
simply
> stupid to say it but I did the costing for outlay vs return on the
purchase
> of rollfilm backs for my 4 x 5 cameras and found that for a long time in
the
> future I can shoot sheet films cheaper than rolls.
>
> 2.     4 x 5 enlargers are more common than 5 x 7 's. and 8 x 10's are
thin
> ( but heavy ) on the ground. You can MAKE a good 4 x 5 enlarger out of a
> dead Polaroid MP4 copy camera for very cheap.
>
> 3.    Wood cameras are light to haul and cute to use and wobble like a
> politician in a by election. They can do the job if you are careful.
>
> 4.     Metal cameras are either heavy or have bits that stick into your
eye
> when you bend down - sometimes both. This is fun in a studio but not up a
> rock face.
>
> 5.     Tripods are the best place to look for improvement in your work.
> Heavy, solid, insensitive. Not you - the tripod. The more so the better.
If
> you are in a studio consider a studio stand.
>
> 6.     Do not buy junk to start on. You will not get better - just
> frustrated. Or worse - you will not get good and you will not know why.
Get
> one good camera, one good lens, and a dozen good double darks.
>
> 7.    Lenses. Schneider, Rodenstock, Zeiss, Nikon. Buy the wonderful old
> oddities later - buy a new good one now.
>
> 8.     Filters. Nikon, B&W, Hoya, Tiffen. Yellow, Green, Red, ND 6X, Pola
>
> 9.     Diffuser. Zeiss Softar #2.
>
> 10.   Lenshood. Compendium if you can find one - rubber folder if you
can't.
>
> 11.   Loupe. Still haven't solved this one myself.
>
> 12.   Film. B/W neg - Ilford FP4 Col neg Kodak Portra 160 VC
>
>     Getting into large format work is like having a baby - everybody has
> good advice and all the advice is different. And it takes about 9 months
to
> produce a result.
>
>      Uncle Dick
>
>
>
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