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6x17 slides

Jamgolf

Member
I bought a Horseman 617 panoramic camera a while back and yesterday I viewed my first ever couple of transparency rolls on a light-box with a loupe. It was an honestly mesmerizing experience; like re-living the moment that I originally experienced when I made the exposure. A sort of tunnel back in time.

As a hobbyist I value the sheer enjoyment of the photography-experience more than anything else, perhaps even more than the results which I do care deeply about, and in that spirit it was so very satisfying to view those E6 slides on that light-box/loupe setup. In fact quite a bit more intimate and rewarding than viewing photos on a monitor (my own photos as well as others') - which I seem to do incessantly.

Also, having to wait for such a long time for the results after taking the shots is contrary to my generally impatient disposition. The lack of instant gratification made me a little anxious, but I was so happy to collect my mail from the mailbox yesterday - like getting a surprise - a very pleasant one.

I have stitched quite a few panos over the years - one from Yellowstone I even have on my bedroom wall. But these 6x17 slides seem to have a life that my other panos seem to lack, however deliberate and meticulous my technique. I wonder if this E6 'life/energy' is unique to the lightbox viewing experience or if it translates to scans and prints as well.

I can appreciate why so many artists and hobbyists are shooting film. I intend to shoot a lot more 6x17 and 6x6 slide film in the future.

Just thought I'd share this experience.
Thanks for bearing with my over zealousness :)
Cheers!
 

JeRuFo

Active member
Another one caught the bug. Yes, I recognize the experience very much.
I've wanted a 6x17 for a long time and was very happy to see the big 4x5 and 6x17 chromes (I bought both view cameras at the same time.)
But beware, there will be a time pretty soon that you'll want bigger still :) I'm already planning to move to 8x10 as soon as I can afford it.
 
Have them printed to metallic paper and face mounted to acrylic. That keeps some of the life that you see on a light table. Everyone knows 4x5 is better than 6x9 and MFD is better than 4x5, but I have some 30x40 size prints from 6x9 that you can put a loupe on the print and still see more detail. Perhaps it is just nostalgia, but I do miss shooting big film.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
It is a different medium and should not be directly compared to digital, particularly slides. If you could find a projector that would do 6x17 with a good lens, your mind would be blown. I printed an exhibition of 6x17 images for a gallery in Norway. The prints were 1m by 2.8m (40x110"), and they looked stunning...sharp and detailed throughout the whole print, though obviously the grain and slight base softness of the film is there at that size. These were mostly color negative...had they been done on slides or a t-grain black and white film they would have been even more impressive (technically anyway).

You could get this with stitching medium format digital (or lots of stitching with 35mm), but I never find that quite as satisfying...multiple exposures seems to leave a trace to me somehow, even when it is not readily apparent. Single capture is the way to go...
 

Jamgolf

Member
Stuart >>>> If you could find a projector that would do 6x17 with a good lens, your mind would be blown

Sounds tempting, does such a projector even exist?
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
I have no idea. If it does, it's probably easier and cheaper to make one from a 5x7 or 8x10 enlarger though! Larger than 6x6 slide projectors are very hard to find, particularly modern ones.
 

Jamgolf

Member
Another one caught the bug. Yes, I recognize the experience very much.
I've wanted a 6x17 for a long time and was very happy to see the big 4x5 and 6x17 chromes (I bought both view cameras at the same time.)
But beware, there will be a time pretty soon that you'll want bigger still :) I'm already planning to move to 8x10 as soon as I can afford it.
Oh my - I am in no position to venture into 8x10 territory ...
I would have to tread carefully :)
 

Jamgolf

Member
Have them printed to metallic paper and face mounted to acrylic. That keeps some of the life that you see on a light table.
I can understand metallic paper but wondering does mounting on acrylic provide some semblance of pseudo back lighting effect?
 
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tjv

Active member
Fujiflex is the closest you'll get in look to a cibachrome print. It's like you're looking at glass!
 

GregMO

Member
Oh my - I am in no position to venture into 8x10 territory ...
I would have to tread carefully :)

You may want to look into 5x7. It's very close to 4x5 in terms of ease of shooting, weight & lenses usually can cover both. Plus it's nearly 2x the film surface area. It compliments 4x5 nicely with the slightly more rectangular image for compositions.
You can find nice ones for as little as a few hundred dollars.
 

Jamgolf

Member
You may want to look into 5x7. It's very close to 4x5 in terms of ease of shooting, weight & lenses usually can cover both. Plus it's nearly 2x the film surface area. It compliments 4x5 nicely with the slightly more rectangular image for compositions.
You can find nice ones for as little as a few hundred dollars.
Thanks for the advice Greg. I will keep 5x7 option in mind.
For now I think I am going to enjoy 6x17 format, an aspect ratio that I like and have tried to mimic with digital.
 

gerald.d

Well-known member
You can actually combine both 5x7 and 6x17 with a single camera.

I have a Walker Titan XL 5x7, and a Canham 6x17 motorized roll film holder.

Details of both at walkercameras.com

Kind regards,

Gerald.
 

Lars

Active member
Stuart >>>> If you could find a projector that would do 6x17 with a good lens, your mind would be blown

Sounds tempting, does such a projector even exist?
Just aim the camera at a wall, stick the film in the back and a light table - voila. I did this with 8x10. Very quirky but it works.
 

Lars

Active member
Oh my - I am in no position to venture into 8x10 territory ...
I would have to tread carefully :)
Yep watch your back - literally. My 8x10 backpack weighs in at 55-70 pounds.

Going to 8x10 is a bigger step than going from small format to 6x17. Every single frame counts, cost per frame is prohibitive, DOF is unforgiving, setup time is up to half an hour. Expect to have to use two tripods if there is any wind at all. Expect to shoot 1-2 exposures in an afternoon - anything more and you're just spraying the scene. No roll film - you need a film change tent to load film holders in the field. Forget bringing the 8x10 on a family trip - in fact forget combining family life and 8x10, period. 8x10 is for Real Men and Loners.

The reward is on the light table - as you pointed out with 6x17, there is yet no equivalent in the digital domain to looking at a large format slide, only more so with 8x10. It's going to be a while until we have 300 Mpx displays. It's like looking out through a very clean window.

Personally I think 6x17 hits a sweet spot with film. It's convenient, economical and practical enough for casual use. One of those 6x17 field cameras from Ebony or a Chinese copy would be awesome.

-Lars
 
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