[mikeossur]

The point of these 4x5 Polaroid camera conversions is to have a handholdable large-format camera. And much better than the Speed and Crown Graphics. I was so tempted to convert my father's old Polaroid, but I just find sheet film too slow, although a 6x12 back on one of these puppies might be very interesting.

Your right..that was and still is my goal. I can hand hold with flash , no problem. Decent daylight, no problem. The lens I have is really nice but has a top speed of f/5.6. I have been looking for a faster 135mm but have yet to find one I like. I don't much care for the Wollensak/Graphlex 135mm f/4.7 lenses which I do have. I am looking for something a little more modern. In the mean time the lens I have will do. Still, The Polaroid 900 makes a compact camera and I don't have to use a cloth to focus even on a tripod.

[grhazelton]

Not as many as I'd like. My photo taking opportunities are divided between my digital camera and MF film cameras and mostly on weekends. So maybe it averages out to about a roll a week within a year. A busy day of shooting film for me would be 2 rolls of 120 film. I rarely get more then that in a day.

Well, your percentage of "keepers" seems to be well above average, shooting one roll of 120 per week. My hat's off to you.

[tuco]

Well, your percentage of "keepers" seems to be well above average, shooting one roll of 120 per week. My hat's off to you.

Thanks. I haven't shot my 4x5 for a long time now but when I was more active with that camera it really did train me to be more selective with my shots.

[stevebrot]

I have been looking for a faster 135mm but have yet to find one I like

...and it is unlikely that you will. Relatively slow lenses are the rule for large format, both from the perspective of lens design and in regard to depth-of-field. Even at f/5.6, your DOF with a 135mm lens and 4x5 film is razor thin. The best answer is fast film and/or flash.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Thanks. I haven't shot my 4x5 for a long time now but when I was more active with that camera it really did train me to be more selective with my shots.

My experience as well. Large format is an excellent teacher in so many ways.


Steve

[tuco]

...and it is unlikely that you will. Relatively slow lenses are the rule for large format, both from the perspective of lens design and in regard to depth-of-field. Even at f/5.6, your DOF with a 135mm lens and 4x5 film is razor thin. The best answer is fast film and/or flash.


Steve

Without actually figuring it out, isn't f5.6 on a 4x5 pretty much like f1.4 or f2 on a 35mm format camera in terms of DOF? Doesn't sound too practical to make them much faster in that format except for maybe a brighter view on the ground glass.

[Ryan Tischer]

Pentax 645D, 45-85mm FA, ISO 400, f/9, 1/30 sec

Noticed this field of lupine growing in the ditch along the highway in Duluth, MN last night. I came back about 30 minutes later with my camera gear, just as the sun was setting, which provided a nice golden backlight for a couple of the flowers. Also, brought along my handy spray bottle and put a fine mist of water onto the lupines, which shows up quite well on the full res version, but it virtually unviewable at this size. The folks driving down the road probably thought I was nuts, which is only partially correct!

I shot the scene at f/4.5,6.3,9,13,16 (then the exposure became too long and was hard to get the flowers that still). After looking in post I liked f/9 the most as it provided a somewhat blurred background that offered some seperation for the main sunlit flowers, but also kept these main flowers all in sharp focus.

[stevebrot]

Without actually figuring it out, isn't f5.6 on a 4x5 pretty much like f1.4 or f2 on a 35mm format camera in terms of DOF? Doesn't sound too practical to make them much faster in that format except for maybe a brighter view on the ground glass.

At 3 meter distance f/5.6 with 135mm lens on 4x5, DOF = 0.54 meter

At 3 meter distance f/1.7 with 40mm lens on 35mm film, DOF = 0.56 meter

Brighter view on the GG sounds good, but at some point the mechanical precision of the camera focus mechanism comes into play, making focus difficult if DOF is too shallow.


Steve

[arjen]

Some shots taken with my P645 75mm f2.8 on Fuji Provia 400 (slidefilm)

[arjen]

I like especially this shot.
Incredible result for a 3200!
Remain so good even at bigger resolution?

On some other shoot, as for example this one:

i see some sign, perhaps some one could give some tips for avoid similar problem, or at least minimize and resolve during postwork.

Whoops, missed this one, sorry about that. I was also suprised about the results from the Ilford 3200, and the result could be better on a bigger resolution, but I'm still learning how to properly scan my negatives.

The speckels on the enlargements are just some dust/i-don't-know-what-material particles sitting on the negative mask from my enlarger. If I just had the patience to carefully remove them this would have been a clean image.

[tuco]

Some shots taken with my P645 75mm f2.8 on Fuji Provia 400 (slidefilm)

I like the silhouettes. Nice series.

[Fontan]

"Rodeo Ahead"

Taken with 645D + 55/2.8 . . .

[arjen]

@Tuco: thanks! The Fuji Provia was pretty old and since I wanted to use some slidefilm for macro shots soon, I shot this roll of film for testing purposes. As a bonus I am happy with some shots.

[tuco]

"Rodeo Ahead"

Taken with 645D + 55/2.8 . . .

A car going by using a slow shutter speed would be an interesting touch. Nice mood in the shot.

[Yamanobori]

"Rodeo Ahead"

Taken with 645D + 55/2.8 . . .

Brilliant. And you just know that happened when a driver avoided a horse.