More Fun with Large Format Film Images!

[DDudenbostel]

Linhof MT + Nikkor W 150/5.6 + Tri-X​

No more hand-coloring with Dr. Martin's inks.
Today I do it with a Wacom Tablet + Pen & Photoshop.
510 Pyro developing.

I’ve done a little coloring in photoshop but really prefer Marshall’s oils and oil based pencils on a toned silver print. The problem is there aren’t many fiber papers now with the right tooth to take the oils. I grew up using Ektalure G and X for a rougher texture and found several other papers in the 60’s that were beautiful warm slightly textured portrait papers that took oils and pencils perfectly. Dupont made my favorite papers in the 60’s, Varilour was my favorite. Ansco made Indigo which was great too. There were a few others that were cheap papers distributed by Spiratone and a couple other companies that were excellent too.

Fortunately I still have a supply of Forte Poly Warntone plus matte surface that when toned is stunning and takes oils very well. But Forte is long gone and when this it gone it’s gone. I understand the secret to Forte PWT + was Cadmium which is highly toxic.

 

[DDudenbostel]

Here’s something I’ve done since the mid 60’s. It sprang out of a science fair project in high school when I built an X-ray machine, yes xray machine, to irradiate seeds. I know it dangerous but I had an engineer and radiologist mentoring me. Beyond irradiating seeds I thought it would be cool to combine my science knowledge and photography. Anyway I didn’t do any images after high school until about 25 years ago when my artist wife talked me into doing images again.

My work is in 6 high end galleries andI’ve done commissions for corporations around the world. My work is in the Marina Bay Sands casino in Singapore, several Hollywood motion pictures, several hospitals, hotels, corporate offices and homes around the world. I’ve done commissions for ad agencies, perfume makers and many others.

It’s large format up to 11x14 and I work with HP5 and FP4 primarily and scan the negs and digitally print. My largest print to date was a commission for Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and is a canvas print 6’x10’.

 

[darr]

I’ve done a little coloring in photoshop but I really prefer Marshall’s oils and oil based pencils on a toned silver print. The problem is there aren’t many fiber papers now with the right tooth to take the oils. I grew up using Ektalure G and X for a rougher texture and found several other papers in the 60’s that were beautiful warm slightly textured portrait papers that took oils and pencils perfectly. Dupont made my favorite papers in the 60’s, Varilour was my favorite. Ansco made Indigo which was great too. There were a few others that were cheap papers distributed by Spiratone and a couple other companies that were excellent too.

Fortunately I still have a supply of Forte Poly Warntone plus matte surface that when toned is stunning and takes oils very well. But Forte is long gone and when this it gone it’s gone. I understand the secret to Forte PWT + was Cadmium which is highly toxic.

In my past commercial art career, I ran Dr. Martin's inks through an airbrush and can remember the taste in my throat I once got. I have worked with oils on prints, but that was long ago. I evolved with Photoshop after it showed up. Thank you for sharing your experience and imagery.

 

[DDudenbostel]

In my past commercial art career, I ran Dr. Martin's inks through an airbrush and can remember the taste in my throat I once got. I have worked with oils on prints, but that was long ago. I evolved with Photoshop after it showed up. Thank you for sharing your experience and imagery.

I worked fortwo large ad agencies and watched our retouched use Dr Martins in his airbrush. Actually I think I still have a few Dr Martins. Dr Martins wasn’t very forgiving of mistakes if I remember correctly. I used Dr M’s with a 00 and 000 brush to spot color prints. Worked quite well. I also used Kodak Flexichrome pigments. I have a set of those still. Wow have things changed.

 

[DDudenbostel]

I love experimenting with processes. My degree is in microbiology and chemistry which has been helpful in photography until digital came along. Years ago I started to get into collodion and formulated my own emulsions. I really enjoyed doing wet plate and need to get back into it.

 

[jotloob]

The Rise and Fall of the House of USHER . Edgar Allen Poe .

ARCASWISS F-Line Metric . APO Sironar-S 5/6 135mm . ILFORD DELTA 100 .

 

[Nokton48]

Frozen Cypress Swamp Dawes Arbor by Nokton48, on Flickr

Frozen Cypress Swamp Dawes Arbor 4x5 Sinar Norma 90mm Norma Super Angulon HP5 D76 1:1 8x10 fibre print Fortezo #2 Dektol.

 

[Nokton48]

Low Key Portrait Tim Kelly portrait lighting by Nokton48, on Flickr

Robert needed a strong "head shot". Low Key Tim Kelly lighting. 4x6 foot Chimera Softbox Broncolor Impact 41 monolight 90 left degrees to the set, lighting everything. A smaller Chimera 3x4 Softbox Impact 41 monolight 45 degrees camera left one stop brighter in closer as a main light. A passive fill panel right, just right out of the frame 4x8 foamcore hinged together. A standard reflector raw hard light camera back left, creating the rimlight from the backline. Dark Grey Muslin behind. A successful head shot low key. 4x5 Sinar Norma, 240mm F9 Norma Apo Ronar gives an almost clinical look. Ilford HP5 D76 1:1 8x10 fibre print on Fortezo #2 silver gelatin paper Dektol dev Omega DD laser aligned 180mm black Rodagon

 

[Nokton48]

18x24 Mammo Shortie Sawed Off Norma by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is a test shot (my Shorty Norma) French Kodak 18x24cm Mammo Film, processed in D23 1:1. Taking camera is my new Annie/Avedon inspired 8x10 Norma. I applied 30 degrees of front and rear swing, the Norma original recessed lensboard is sharp all the way across the field. I like how the DOF drops off with the 360mm f5.6 Norma Symmar. There appears to be highlight blooming, which I find kind of attractive. Best thing about this film was that it was not at all expensive. And I have a lot of it. My "Shorty Sawed-Off Norma" has a basic rail cut down, to just accomodate a 120mm lens. Here it is shown with the 47mm f8 Super Angulon, which I am looking forward to using a lot with 2x3 and 6x9. This is not a telephoto camera, but I can easily lift and carry it with one hand without strain. The lowly Star-D tripod is sturdy enough with this setup, given proper time to settle down. I cut both ends off a basic Norma rail with my Lil Machine Shop Bandsaw. So it is now simply a hollow tube perfect length for Field and Architecture. I'd take this rig over a wooden field camera IMO. Radical camera movements are easily possible. Accessories are abundant. Weight cut down to bare minimum. Really shines with 2x3 and 6x9. Does all I need to do with 4x5 wide. Really light to carry around, can carry it one-handed. Normas are priced across the board, I paid a lot for my first one. Bargains are around too

 

[Nokton48]

Old Man's Cave Falls by Nokton48, on Flickr

Old Man's Cave Falls 8x10 Sinar Norma 240mm Norma Symmar, 8x10 HP5 (not +) D76 1:1 fibre 8x10 print Fortezo Dektol

 

[Nokton48]

Alice 1995 by Nokton48, on Flickr

• 8x10 Sinar Norma 480mm Rodenstock F11 at F22. 8x10 HP5+ D76 developed in 8x10 Unidrum. 4x8' softbox at 90 degrees left, 3x4' softbox at 45 degree left, 4x8' white foamcore at 45 degree camera right. Had a straight 16x20 print made on RC paper, at local commercial lab. Everybody enjoyed the session and they liked this one

 

[Nokton48]

Makiflex TMX100 Kodak Readyload 545 D23 by Nokton48, on Flickr

TMAX100 4x5 Readyload 545 Back Makiflex D23. Omega DII with Omegalite laser aligned Arista RC #2 paper Multigrade dev. Digital background shot by Tim Layton and enlarged at Cosco. Studio overhead lighting. 150mm f5.6 chrome barrel Schneider Xenar. Great lens I bought for fifty bucks.

 

[Nokton48]

Reprint DII Rock Bridge 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the 58mm Rodenstock Graflex XL Grandagon, mounted in a very deeply recessed homemade custom Norma board. I was doing a lot of wide photography and needed something wider than 65mm for 4x5. The front and back standards of the Sinar Norma can be made to touch each other, without a board or bellows attached. That in my mind is about as good as you can get. A Biogon design that covers 9x12cm, or 4x5 if focused hyperfocally. But you can see all four corners of the image circle in this shot

 

[darr]

18x24 Mammo Shortie Sawed Off Norma by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is a test shot (my Shorty Norma) French Kodak 18x24cm Mammo Film, processed in D23 1:1. Taking camera is my new Annie/Avedon inspired 8x10 Norma. I applied 30 degrees of front and rear swing, the Norma original recessed lensboard is sharp all the way across the field. I like how the DOF drops off with the 360mm f5.6 Norma Symmar. There appears to be highlight blooming, which I find kind of attractive. Best thing about this film was that it was not at all expensive. And I have a lot of it. My "Shorty Sawed-Off Norma" has a basic rail cut down, to just accomodate a 120mm lens. Here it is shown with the 47mm f8 Super Angulon, which I am looking forward to using a lot with 2x3 and 6x9. This is not a telephoto camera, but I can easily lift and carry it with one hand without strain. The lowly Star-D tripod is sturdy enough with this setup, given proper time to settle down. I cut both ends off a basic Norma rail with my Lil Machine Shop Bandsaw. So it is now simply a hollow tube perfect length for Field and Architecture. I'd take this rig over a wooden field camera IMO. Radical camera movements are easily possible. Accessories are abundant. Weight cut down to bare minimum. Really shines with 2x3 and 6x9. Does all I need to do with 4x5 wide. Really light to carry around, can carry it one-handed. Normas are priced across the board, I paid a lot for my first one. Bargains are around too

I have two 4x5 Normas, one for parts and one that shines. Love it in the studio for all kinds of creativity. She sits on a studio stand and is ready to go for film or digital. My other 4x5 is a Linhof MT and what I take into the field. Even that gets a bit heavy for me nowadays. Every time I think about getting back into a wood field camera, I pause and remember the heavy Linhof 6x12 magazine I like to use for landscapes and stay with the MT. I am not as young as when I started photography and being a petite female I know my limits on carrying gear, so Norma stays at home. I always enjoy reading about your Norma adventures here and over at the LFF.

 

[Nokton48]

Darr,
How do you like the Norma for digital? I am uber new here, I am looking at digital backs for V Hasselblad, and to go on Normas, maybe even Plaubel monorails. I think the 907X would be nice, but too expensive. Everybody seems to like the original CFV16, and the PhaseOne P21 on up. Leaf Aptus look good too. Any ideas?

 

[darr]

Darr,
How do you like the Norma for digital? I am uber new here, I am looking at digital backs for V Hasselblad, and to go on Normas, maybe even Plaubel monorails. I think the 907X would be nice, but too expensive. Everybody seems to like the original CFV16, and the PhaseOne P21 on up. Leaf Aptus look good too. Any ideas?

I like it for digital. I have used it with the CFV 50c and currently use the CFV II (907x). I shoot the “digital Norma“ with a Rodenstock 210 for products and an old 1880s brass lens for tabletop fine art “fun” stuff. No need for a sliding back if you get a digital back with Live View. I also shoot Fujifilm Instax with it. It is just a fun and versatile camera.

 

[jotloob]

Birches in B/W . ARCASWISS F-LINE METRIC + Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S 135mm + 4x5" Ilford Delta 100 .

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Sinar Norma Handy ready to go. On the back is the rare Sinar Norma Monocular Rubber Bellows, with the Norma Monocular Viewer. With a short locking cable release, I can view through the lens if I need to. I can also insert Sinar Norma 4x5 Meter Cassette, with Sinarsix, deadly accurate TTL metering eliminates a lot of exposure variables, some of which can compound. So uber versatile. The strap is a 1.5" Domke Black Gripper, the strap lugs are Pentax 6x7, I drilled and taped the Norma Auxiliary Frame. Devil Cal on RFF kindly supplied the stainless steel bolts holding the strap lugs. I bought the Graflex XL Grip (Norma used this) from Glenn Evans, I'm not using the Grip for now. I can nicely handhold this all day long

 

[Nokton48]

OSU Library of Geology Atrium 1989 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Ohio State University Library of Geology 1989. 4x5 Sinar Norma 90mm F8 Norma Schneider Super Angulon, Yellow Norma Glass Disc, Ilford HP5 (not +) Four Minutes at F22. D76 1:1 8x10 Fortezo fibre print Dektol Omegalite 4x5 DII 180mm black Rodagon.
I always liked this one alot. The mineral stratification on the walls in the lobby, are identical to the stacking of mineral deposits in this area. I like the various fossil imprints which influenced the overall architecture of the space.

 

[Nokton48]

SINAR AD 03-1964 by Nokton48, on Flickr