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Anyone shooting large format?

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  • 30-05-2021 9:42pm
    #1
    bemak
    Registered Users Posts: 870 ✭✭✭


    Anyone in here shooting large format photography? I already shoot 35mm (Rollei 35s and Olympus OM2n) and MF (Rolleiflex)

    Was tempted to dip the toe with a Chamonix 4x5. Looks a lovely camera.

    Be curious to hear if many on here have experience of it


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    #2
    pete4130
    Registered Users Posts: 3,944 ✭✭✭pete4130


    Daire Quinlan is your man to talk to. Makes his own large format cameras from scratch. Fantastic images. A true visual delight seeing his images.


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    #3
    DaireQuinlan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,676 ✭✭✭DaireQuinlan


    I do dabble a bit in large format. Shoot MF long enough and LF starts being an itch that has to be scratched. As Pete points out I started off by building a big 8x10 out of foamcore, shooting paper negatives. Then I started shooting x-ray film, and started accumulating bits and bobs from adverts and ebay until I had a functioning 8x10 monorail. Decided I wanted to go a bit smaller, and got the bits to turn the 8x10 monorail into a 4x5 monorail.

    First huge caveat about LF is that it's expensive on film. Don't look at the cost of a box of 8x10 colour film of any description. Even a box of cheap B&W will set you back over €100. BUT, you can shoot paper for next to nothing, and xray film is easy to come by, has its own look, and is reasonably cheap.

    2nd huge caveat is portability. You'll notice that most of my shots are of people, and are indoors. The few outdoors are in my garden or my parents place :-D That's because that 8x0 monstrosity of a monorail just isn't luggable anywhere. The 4x5 is hardly better. You've got the right idea there with one of those folding field cameras. At least you can carry it around the place and setup where needed.

    8x10 shots ... https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=31589949%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=8x10&view_all=1


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    #4
    DaireQuinlan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,676 ✭✭✭DaireQuinlan


    Though actually, thinking of portability, I think it was Brett Weston who once said something like "There's nothing worth photographing that's more than 50 yards from your car" :-D


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    #5
    DaireQuinlan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,676 ✭✭✭DaireQuinlan


    Also, actually if you haven't already, check out intrepidcamera. Their 4x5 was recommended only recently buy a guy on the analog ireland FB group. Bit plywoody looking, but they're light and fold up neatly.


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    #6
    bemak
    Registered Users Posts: 870 ✭✭✭bemak


    DaireQuinlan wrote: »
    I do dabble a bit in large format. Shoot MF long enough and LF starts being an itch that has to be scratched. As Pete points out I started off by building a big 8x10 out of foamcore, shooting paper negatives. Then I started shooting x-ray film, and started accumulating bits and bobs from adverts and ebay until I had a functioning 8x10 monorail. Decided I wanted to go a bit smaller, and got the bits to turn the 8x10 monorail into a 4x5 monorail.

    First huge caveat about LF is that it's expensive on film. Don't look at the cost of a box of 8x10 colour film of any description. Even a box of cheap B&W will set you back over €100. BUT, you can shoot paper for next to nothing, and xray film is easy to come by, has its own look, and is reasonably cheap.

    2nd huge caveat is portability. You'll notice that most of my shots are of people, and are indoors. The few outdoors are in my garden or my parents place :-D That's because that 8x0 monstrosity of a monorail just isn't luggable anywhere. The 4x5 is hardly better. You've got the right idea there with one of those folding field cameras. At least you can carry it around the place and setup where needed.

    8x10 shots ... https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=31589949%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=8x10&view_all=1

    Beautiful images!


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