Got my Graflex

[leonardobarreto.com]

http://leonardobarreto.com/WEB/index.htm

I got this from eBay as a 50th b'day present from my wife. It was under $200 and has a nice Schnaeider 100mm I will test drive it the weekend and tell you about it. The idea is to shoot personal work with it. Probably c-print and enlarge or scan....

[Asher Kelman]

Well, Leonardo!

Is there a rangefinder work and do you know how to adjust it for different lenses?

We are looking forward to pictures! So what lenses do you have now? Does it come with a longer lens? Also is there a Polaorid /rediload adapter?

Asher

[leonardobarreto.com]

It came with the Xenar 1:3,5/100 Schneider-Kreuznach. My idea was to convert it to 4x5 changing the back and using a 135 that is a wider than normal lens for that format. But when I saw the way it came with a nice normal lens and set up for 120 film on 6x9, the decided to give it a try as is.

This project is an exercise in zen restrain, so no zoom or lens changing -- not even deviating from landscape position --.

The way to focus is like a view camera, using a focusing glass. What I may do is use my Lumix as a range finder (for example, to frame the moving ships that I want to shoot)

It is a good equipment for going on a bicycle because is small and light. I have a carbon tripod that makes perfect team with it.

Any way, it is a good b'day present ..

[Jack_Flesher]

I think what you have is often referred to as a "baby" Graflex (the 4x5 appears larger). LOTS of info on the web regarding Graflex cameras, modifications to them, etc. I've never owned one, but have friends that are really into them -- Enjoy!

Cheers,

[leonardobarreto.com]

Yes, this is a Graflex baby. Also It has the name Century

[Asher Kelman]

Will Thompson has one in almost new condition, a gem!

Asher

[Klaus Esser]

http://leonardobarreto.com/WEB/index.htm

I got this from eBay as a 50th b'day present from my wife. It was under $200 and has a nice Schnaeider 100mm I will test drive it the weekend and tell you about it. The idea is to shoot personal work with it. Probably c-print and enlarge or scan....

Hi Leonard!

GORGEOUS! Beautyful! Forget with 4x5" - you would have to destroy that beauty!
Better invest in a first-class lens.

best, Klaus

[leonardobarreto.com]

Klaus, what do you have in mind. This is a 100mm Schneider-Kreuznach, that for the 6x9 would be a bit wider than normal. I have no idea what lenses are there for this format.

I wilL NOT, after all, convert this one to 4x5, first of all because the back seams to be built in to the body in this "mahoganite" -- a word that does't come up in Wikipedia --. And second because it is cute the way it is.

The only wish It had is the focusing range finder...

I will post images as soon as I get the negs developed. By the way, when I went to buy film for it at Calumet --all other stores where already closed for Sabbath -- there was only two rolls of 120 film in ASA 100 in the entire film cabinet of this major pro New York camera store at the moment ! 2 rolls. (they had some e-6, though)

So, for the film lovers: PREPARE; THER WORLD'S (OF FILM) END IS NEAR

[Will Thompson]

Hey Leonardo,

Cool camera, If you need to add a range finder all you have to do is get a junker graflex pacemaker and move the RF, linkage, and cam. Just make shure you get the cam for the focal length of your lense.

Here are some photos of my Baby Graflex's

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/bc1.JPG

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/tessar-1.jpg

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/f6_1.JPG

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/MiniGrCam_001.jpg

They are all pre sale ebay photos from my archive.

[Will Thompson]

And here are the 4 must have accys. for the Baby.

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/95_1.JPG

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/graf23.jpg

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/magnif.jpg

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/f0_1.JPG

[Will Thompson]

I allmost forgot, When 8x10 Grandpa Kodak 2-D needs to act like a Baby 2x3, You will needs this!

http://idisk.mac.com/med007/Public/Wills/Graflex/a501_1.JPG


And YES I own every item in the posted photos.

[Will Thompson]

Leonardo, Do I remember correctly that you are looking for a 4x5 Graflex at the right price? (cheep to free)

[Will Thompson]

Leonardo, Do you have a photo of the back? I can not see if it has a graflock type of back.

[Klaus Esser]

Klaus, what do you have in mind. This is a 100mm Schneider-Kreuznach, that for the 6x9 would be a bit wider than normal. I have no idea what lenses are there for this format.

So, for the film lovers: PREPARE; THER WORLD'S (OF FILM) END IS NEAR

Leonardo, what would be a very fine lens for this format is a 65mm SuperAngulon or even - if the construction allowes ! - a 58mm Biogon or a 47mm SuperAngulon.
These wideangles will give you a kick . . :-) - because the 6x9-size in my eyes demands a wide-angle.

best and have fun with this beautyful camera (and don´t worry about film - at the Calumet-shops over here they have plenty of 120. . :-) - they´re still in production and will be for quite a time),
Klaus

P.S.: try a Fuji Velvia at 50ASA - it´s far beyond affordable digital with a good 6x9 . . . :-)

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Leonardo,

http://leonardobarreto.com/WEB/index.htm

I got this from eBay as a 50th b'day present from my wife. It was under $200 and has a nice Schnaeider 100mm I will test drive it the weekend and tell you about it. The idea is to shoot personal work with it. Probably c-print and enlarge or scan....

Congratulations!

This is a Century Graphic, which only existed in the 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 format size. It has a molded phenolic body ("Mahoganite"). It is essentially a lower-cost version of what is colloquially called a "Baby Crown Graphic", the 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 size of the Pacemaker Crown Graphic.

The Crown Graphic (like your Century Graphic) differs from the Speed Graphic in not having a focal plane shutter.

The Century Graphic was made from 1949 through 1970.

This will give you a quick start into understanding this machine:

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/century-graphic.html

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Will,

Leonardo, Do you have a photo of the back? I can not see if it has a graflock type of back.

The Century Graphic has an integral Graflok-type back (the back cannot be replaced, short of surgery).

Best regards,

Doug

[leonardobarreto.com]

As a matter of fact, I need the "23" rollfilm back, the one that came with the camera is 6x6 and a bit cranky. Anyone has one for about $20? --I saw one for $50 with the Singer brand and a one action lever. I think that Singer purchased Graflex some time in the future. I wonder if they regretted their move.

I don't know how deep I want to go in to this system. I think that I will start my project and may move to 8x10 if things look good. Since this is personal work, I can't go crazy shopping.

I remember now, the next tread will be about the 8x10 I made -- and, no, it is not from a kit, but original hybrid, part monorail, wood, aluminum,-- when I was living in japan... and the best lenss go get. (stupidly I sold the G-Claron that I had)

[leonardobarreto.com]

P.S.: try a Fuji Velvia at 50ASA - it´s far beyond affordable digital with a good 6x9 . . . :-)[/QUOTE]

I did the original series 15 years ago in Tokyo with Velvia 4x5 transparency. I have a selected 35 images that were exhibited as a one man show in Fujifilm's Pro gallery in Ginza, Tokyo (they have another non pro gallery) and they printed the images in Fujifilm's lab. I like the feel of velvia and the resolution of a 4x5 transparency is fantastic, but what fuji people did has given me to think up until today. Instead of printing directly from the Velvia transparency they made internegatives -- and they did really good ones, that I have, with the sandwich method-- and went alone to print from c-negs.

Doesn't that negate the idea of shooting transparency? I don't know, but if Fuji suggested that they probably had a reason why. Of course, now there is the entire digital world that did not existed then.

So the question du jour is: in the digital era, is there a difference in IQ if I shoot transparency as opposed to C-neg, or vice versa?

In terms of practicality I'm thinking to shoot C-negs and develop at my local printer -- i know that dunk tank is better, but..-- so that I get negatives for my "daylies", and I may even print directly on C-paper...

[Klaus Esser]

P.S.: try a Fuji Velvia at 50ASA - it´s far beyond affordable digital with a good 6x9 . . . :-)

I did the original series 15 years ago in Tokyo with Velvia 4x5 transparency. I have a selected 35 images that were exhibited as a one man show in Fujifilm's Pro gallery in Ginza, Tokyo (they have another non pro gallery) and they printed the images in Fujifilm's lab. I like the feel of velvia and the resolution of a 4x5 transparency is fantastic, but what fuji people did has given me to think up until today. Instead of printing directly from the Velvia transparency they made internegatives -- and they did really good ones, that I have, with the sandwich method-- and went alone to print from c-negs.

Doesn't that negate the idea of shooting transparency? I don't know, but if Fuji suggested that they probably had a reason why. Of course, now there is the entire digital world that did not existed then.

So the question du jour is: in the digital era, is there a difference in IQ if I shoot transparency as opposed to C-neg, or vice versa?

In terms of practicality I'm thinking to shoot C-negs and develop at my local printer -- i know that dunk tank is better, but..-- so that I get negatives for my "daylies", and I may even print directly on C-paper...[/QUOTE]



Hi Leonardo!

"Those times" we did "internegatives" from transparencies to get them enlarged onto paper. I learned that in my photographic education - the top level were "Dye-Tranfers", some kind of alchemy and with extreme quality. A process which let us control colours, contrast and so on a bit like we do it by clicking a mouse in Photoshop today . . but we did that by making R,G,B and black/grey-film from a tranny, coloured it and printed it on a special paper, where the dye tranferred to the paper.

Nowadays we scan the trannies and handle it in PS and print it onto paper or film . . :-)

Making internegatives for enlarging transparencies allow to control colours and contrasts by masking a.s.o.
You can make a kind of DRI or HDR by extracting very different luminance and crominance from one tranny and merge them to DRI or HDR. The dynamic which is in a good tranny is real big and a drum-scanner can read it´s full range.

best, Klaus

P.S. - just to get an idea:
http://ctein.com/dyetrans.htm
http://www.dyetransfer.org/

[leonardobarreto.com]

I will post a photo of the sunset (not really fan of sunsets, but...) out my window today MAY_6_07 I developed quickly the RAW from the P 25 and sandwiched two layers with different exposures. I think that there is not perfect match because I was using a tripod not very secured, and I just cut the top layer with the "erase" tool and a "new effect" came out.

I think that the thing that I want to explore more is photography with high dynamic range.

Any way, I just had to post it even if is off topic etc.
http://leonardobarreto.com/images/MAY6_6_TEST-007516.jpg

[Will Thompson]

Leonardo, I found the focus plate assy that I spoke to you on the phone about, with the folding hood even, for your Baby century. I will ship it and the 4x5 when I get a chance at work, hopefully this week.

[leonardobarreto.com]

Will, you are the best. I enjoyed talking to you on the phone. I made some progress since then.

Sunday I shot one roll of c-neg in the apartment to test the focusing accuracy and the film displacement -- I'm shooting with a 6x6 film back that has the case of a 6x9 but the crank mechanism of the 6x6 by rotating two times the knob and disregarding the numbers-- and monday I dropped the film at my local photo store (Ben Ness Photo & Digital) for development only.

Then I went in the W Train to the Staten Island Ferry and on to a short bus ride. I had the smallest of Donkey bags they make, and my carbon tripod -- probably the big ball head is heavier than the legs -- and was coming in the bus, that travels in a road parallel to the water way, a perfect container ship. Just what I wanted, but... not on time to prime my baby Century and shoot it.

But the conditions where good. I found the spot where you see sufficient of the water and no high buildings in the background (I want the ship to have blue on top and bottom) but waited and waited and nothing.

At the end of the morning the wait was justified by the passing of a gigantic roll in roll out car transport ship.

The baby Century was leveled with my bubble leveler, the little Schneider 100mm was shifted up so that other shore was bellow the middle line on my focusing glass, and I shot, and shot.

It is awesome to see something so big pass in front of you so close. It filled the entire angle of view of the lens, but since this is a non-digital photography, I have no idea what exactly will come out. Will it be focused? moved? (I used 125/s f:16) Doesn't matter because I already saw the beast in the eye and I know we can work together... LOL

So, Will, the gadgets you send will be used to shoot this whales of steal...

[Klaus Esser]

Hi Leonardo!

Very nice shot - looks a bit like a light brush . . :-)

best, Klaus

[leonardobarreto.com]

Ok, here is a sketch of what I want to do. This is a photo I took with my LUMIX family camera (pointandshoot) of the 6x9 transparency. As you see I have no scanner and I'm completely unprepared for film any more. --Luckily I had a lightbox--

The lens is too wide for the ship(s) but the effect there are several things that work well even from this point and low res. First, the idea of cutting the head and tale of this "fish" works for me because the viewer gets disconcerted on the dimensions and proportions of the ting.

Probably the best way would be to shoot more or less tight with a 4x5 and then crop, or same with 8x10..

http://leonardobarreto.com/images/blue_white.jpg

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Leonardo,

First, let me mention that the "sunset" picture you posted is exquisite.

Now let me tell you what you started. Will Thompson asked you for a picture of the Graflok back on your Century Graphic would take the focusing plate he had that he thought you might be able to use. Then he called me (in the middle of dinner) and asked if I had a picture of the back on a Century Graphic (for the same reason). I said I didn't, but could probably find one.

My first try was to look for a Century Graphic on sale at auction (NAS - not at Sotheby's) and hope that the seller had a good shot of the back. I found one, and there was indeed a nice picture of the back. So I snagged it and sent it to Will.

Then I realized that the camera in the listing looked so nice I told my wife Carla about it, and mentioned that your wife had bought you a Century Graphic for your birthday. We decided that one would be nice for my birthday, too (71 today!), so we bid on it and got it!

So, thanks! You too, Will!

Best regards,

Doug

[leonardobarreto.com]

CONGRATULATIONS !! for your b'day and for your new Baby, now we have separated twins. Can I be the good father?

Say hi to Carla and tell her that made a good choice.

Now the price of Centuries is probably going up.. Can you send the link to the eBay page to see how much better and cheaper your camera is compared to mine?

One more question, is there a Polaroid back for our cameras?

See you Doug

Leonardo
http://leonardobarreto.com/
ps, I'm still LOL

[Klaus Esser]

Hi, Leonardo,

First, let me mention that the "sunset" picture you posted is exquisite.

Now let me tell you what you started. Will Thompson asked you for a picture of the Graflok back on your Century Graphic would take the focusing plate he had that he thought you might be able to use. Then he called me (in the middle of dinner) and asked if I had a picture of the back on a Century Graphic (for the same reason). I said I didn't, but could probably find one.

My first try was to look for a Century Graphic on sale at auction (NAS - not at Sotheby's) and hope that the seller had a good shot of the back. I found one, and there was indeed a nice picture of the back. So I snagged it and sent it to Will.

Then I realized that the camera in the listing looked so nice I told my wife Carla about it, and mentioned that your wife had bought you a Century Graphic for your birthday. We decided that one would be nice for my birthday, too (71 today!), so we bid on it and got it!

So, thanks! You too, Will!

Best regards,

Doug

Hi Doug!

Congratulations from across the oceans!!!

http://www.klausesser.de/Fl.jpg

best, Klaus

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Doug!

Congratulations from across the oceans!!!

http://www.klausesser.de/Fl.jpg

best, Klaus

I love the lighting here! I am enjoying so much the pictures posted. It's so valuable that we see the style and feel the slow pace of this type of photography.

Thanks for giving enjoyment from such a distance!

Asher

[Klaus Esser]

I love the lighting here! I am enjoying so much the pictures posted. It's so valuable that we see the style and feel the slow pace of this type of photography.

Thanks for giving enjoyment from such a distance!

Asher

Hi Asher!

Thank you for your kind words!

best, Klaus

btw.: i photographed that with a prof. video camera (JVC 3-tube) as still-capture straight into the Mac using FinalCut. Light was a Chimera mid-size softbox and the exposure was set at very low. So it became a bit "mysterious" . . :-) .

[leonardobarreto.com]

It is interesting to go back to the film world after so long on the digital side. I went to Adorama, one of the largest and oldest -- after B&H -- photo stores in NY and they saw me with the Graflex Baby Century unwinding a 120 film roll as if I just came out of a fall out bunker. The said that "we stopped developing film", and at the same time a young male, on my left, was picking up prints he sent via the Internet. They did have film to sell, but when I asked for "C-print 120", the first guy in the film counter had no idea what I was talking about, so he sent me to "the guru" in film, I said: 120/ASA 100/ c-print, what do you recommend. The guru answered: -- "there is only one" and gave me the 5 rolls of FUJIFILM REALA.

The really good news is that a lab that I used to go when I was here called My Own Color Lab is live and well and guess what: the have printers and scanners to rent !!

This lab rents small rooms with enlargers up to 8x10 for $10/h (now is $11 if you pay cash) and you develop the c-paper in big processor off the main room. This was a nice new york type of place where you wold see productions of important editions coming out of the machines and mounted on the walls, so I look forward to go back.

My idea is to start the project the cheap way: shoot c-neg/ print c-print.

On the other side, I shot a simple table top at my studio with the P 25 and the 6x9 mini view camera, and looking with a loupe directly at the negative and comparing with the image on C1, I can see that the digital file has much more information. I want to see the "look" of the c-prints out of the 6x9 and maybe 4x5 or 8x10 but I could eventually shoot with the digital back.

to be continued ...

[Klaus Esser]

"On the other side, I shot a simple table top at my studio with the P 25 and the 6x9 mini view camera, and looking with a loupe directly at the negative and comparing with the image on C1, I can see that the digital file has much more information. I want to see the "look" of the c-prints out of the 6x9 and maybe 4x5 or 8x10 but I could eventually shoot with the digital back. "

Don´t forget the lens! I guess the lens with the P25 is some other generation - but the main point is the scanning. An exellent lens and a drumscan i bet the 6x9 has at least the same information.
But digital looks cleaner, no question, because of noise-suppression.
Take the same lens to shoot, have the 6x9/50ASA drum-scanned and make an A1 print . . . - and then we´ll talk again about information . . :-)

You are comparing average analogue technology from the 1950s with actual digital highend technology of 2007 - and say: "I can see that the digital file has much more information" . . that´s not really surprising, i would say :-)

best, Klaus

[leonardobarreto.com]

Klaus, I'm doing things and reporting exactly what I see, I have read a lot in forums about this but it was time for some experimentation. I will take some more negatives and go to the lab to make some enlargements to see how this looks. As I said before, the good thing is that as photographers we benefit if there is new and improved technology that we can use.

I was reading about what the german photographer Gursky does. There is no direct info. about it, but apparently he shoots 6x7 C-negs and then scans and digitally intervenes the image before printing large.

take care

[Klaus Esser]

Klaus, I'm doing things and reporting exactly what I see, I have read a lot in forums about this but it was time for some experimentation. I will take some more negatives and go to the lab to make some enlargements to see how this looks. As I said before, the good thing is that as photographers we benefit if there is new and improved technology that we can use.

I was reading about what the german photographer Gursky does. There is no direct info. about it, but apparently he shoots 6x7 C-negs and then scans and digitally intervenes the image before printing large.

take care

The pieces i know from him, Andreas used 8x10". That´s what i said: the "real thing" you do shooting analogue and scan it at high - REAL high - resolutions. What you get out of it exceeds - in my and some other photographer´s eyes - every current digital camera.
Not to forget - when we talk of grain - the use of noise-damping on analogues as well as on digitals.

What surprises me - i haven´t been there for a time - that you say, NY is short of analogue delivery.
Some top photographers are living and working in NY and from some of them i know they´re working analogue.

best, Klaus

[Asher Kelman]

Not that it's large format, Klaus and Leonardo, but a very high end wedding photographer in San Francisco uses 2 shooters each with 3 cameras. A total of 5 1D Mark IV and 1 20D!

I asked him about grey cards. He said, I use XYZ lab in Los angeles, they know my color wishes!

Asher

[leonardobarreto.com]

Asher, aren't you out of topic? we will move your post to the appropriated place. LOL

As a matter of fact, why don't everyone come hand out in this thread.

From now on this is not about my new Baby Century Graflex but for one or any of the bellow topics.

** Is digital REALY better than film (my good friend Klaus thinks not)
** Is Vista the end of Windowz monopoly?
** How many cameras is too much to take to a wedding
** Photographers too obsessed with equipment should become camera traders. (my own father said that of me)
** Equipment does't really matter to make good photography.

etc

[Klaus Esser]

"I digital REALY better than film (my good friend Klaus thinks not)"

i forgive you . . . ! :-)

"Is Vista the end of Windowz monopoly?"

i hope so!

"How many cameras is too much to take to a wedding"

One.

"Photographers too obsessed with equipment should become camera traders. (my own father said that of me"

Right! :-)

"Equipment does't really matter to make good photography."

It doesn´t matter at all. As long as a good lens is in it . . :-) .

best, Klaus

http://www.gosee.de/tmp/index1178825802XY18409.html

[Asher Kelman]

I'm glad you have a good sense of humor.

My off topic diversion referred to

Not to forget - when we talk of grain - the use of noise-damping on analogues as well as on digitals.

What surprises me - i haven´t been there for a time - that you say, NY is short of analogue delivery.

and

The said that "we stopped developing film", and at the same time a young male, on my left, was picking up prints he sent via the Internet. They did have film to sell, but when I asked for "C-print 120", the first guy in the film counter had no idea what I was talking about, so he sent me to "the guru" in film, I said: 120/ASA 100/ c-print, what do you recommend. The guru answered: -- "there is only one" and gave me the 5 rolls of FUJIFILM REALA.

I'm pointing out that working pros using film over digital still thrive here on the West Coast of the USA!

For myself, I'm using a Crown Graphic 4x5 and will be getting an 8x10. I hope to shoot 8x10 this weekend. My interest is now comparing my time investment between using a 4x5 film, scanning and getting rid of any dust spots versus stitching pictures from my 5D or 1DII.

Asher

[leonardobarreto.com]

Asher Kelman : " I'm glad you have a good sense of humor. "

-- and I'm glad that it is appreciated here.

Every subject demands a different approach, for example: if you shoot food you better have a high resolution system because we humans are used to sit and look at food from a close up perspective before eating it. I think that images of moving people could be much less defined, granny, de-saturated etc

For some photographers to capture the moment no matter what is important, that may be the idea of the wedding guy that has so many angles covered. It may be a good sales point.

Im sure that there are many good photographers shooting film, but the feel here is as if the war was already fought, film lost, and now it is just going on with the force of inertia. There is going to be -- if not here yet -- a big denial and nostalgic feeling for the good old friend Mr. Film, but look what happened to daguerreotypes. Who is doing daguerreotypes now a days?

[Asher Kelman]

Asher Kelman : " I'm glad you have a good sense of humor. "

-- and I'm glad that it is appreciated here.

.........Im sure that there are many good photographers shooting film, but the feel here is as if the war was already fought, film lost, and now it is just going on with the force of inertia. There is going to be -- if not here yet -- a big denial and nostalgic feeling for the good old friend Mr. Film, but look what happened to daguerreotypes. Who is doing daguerreotypes now a days?

Well people are still making daguerrotypes, but you have be sedated, as it is a long journey back in time. I was planning to get to a workshop.

I do intend to make myself a huge store of Polaorid film before that vanishes.

Asher

[leonardobarreto.com]

I wonder if you don't mind if I use this as a mini blog on the use of the Baby Century Graflex (what a grand name for it).

I went back yesterday -- I promised my wife to be back a 1pm to have lunch and I did --- and today. For the ones toning in the blog, I'm taking photographs of ships out of Snug Harbor in Staten Island with a 6x9 mini view camera that came out of eBay with a 100mm Schnaider etc etc.

My friend, -- sorry, my good friend -- Will will send me a focusing glass and 6x9 film holder. Whe n I got the camera the holder was a 6x6 and strangely had a outer shell of a 6x9. But the winding mechanism is set for the smaller format. At first I did't see who to shoot at all, but after I invented the solution. Simply I got a dated roll of 120 ($2, this is NY, nothing free) and use it to mark the exposures on the emulsion side with a sharpy, so I calculated that I need to turn the knowb 10 times until the first exposure and two complete times after. It works fine.

Then there was no focusing plate other than a fabricated by the earlier owner out of a cut sheet holder. This is working fine, but I suspect that is not aligned with the focus, so the parts that Will is sending will come in time for improving the performance of the camera.

I'm really liking this machine. It is very well built, fast to open and set up (for a view camera) and the 6x9 is a good pice of negative for such a small camera.

The other thing that I like is the reaction of people on the deck of the Staten Island ferry when I get the camera out among all the digital competition...

The shooting is good so far, but the problem that I have is that too few ships come at the place where I have set up my observatory and may have to research for other locations. Then I have some film but have to go to the printing stage of the project to see how much resolution the lens produces with conventional C-negative.

Today I photographed what appeared to be an oil tanker with black hull. I can see the crew on deck in the negative with my loupe, so I guess it will be more or less sharp and detailed image.

It would be interesting to shoot with the digital back and the 100mm lens to see how much resolution it has... for looking at the focusing glass it seams to be a respectable little lens. I also wonder how does it shot on 4x5...

[leonardobarreto.com]

I don't know if this has any readership at all, -- if it did I could sell it to Amazon :-)--

Todays report is that I spent the entire morning with the Baby Century, shot 3 rolls of Reala 100 ISO and saw a gorgeous container ship pass by at about 1:25pm. I will get the film tomorrow to see if I got the big one in focus and framed etc. Remember that this is view camera photography of moving vehicles (the biggest on earth) and focus has to be adjusted calculating the trajectory of the ship in relation to the camera -- that is on a tripod --. Framing is the easy part because they come in and out in a "choreographed" way, and I have the "thing" that all Graplex to frame the subject. Well, I never believed I was going to actually use it one day.

ok, probably the next installment will be the printing part and how good/bad the Schneider lens really is.

The good thing is that I can always go back to that spot with other equipment until I get a result that satisfy me. Who know, may be even the digital back..

[Will Thompson]

Hey Leonardo, The 2x3 focusing plate, roll film inserts, and the 4x5 Speed Graphic should arrive this tuesday on Your doorstep via UPS.

Have fun with them!

Post more outstanding photos!

[leonardobarreto.com]

Will, thank you for the supplies, they will be useful here in the trenches :-)

I spent almost all Friday at the My Own Color Lab -- the photo is of one of tree images that I printed 20 x24, I want to take good digital photos of the prints later with the P 24-- and it was a good experience. The stuff of the lab where very helpful to help me get the filters going and I waked out with about 10 more or less final images 20 by 24 for $30.72 including a sneaker chocolate bar and compressed Air can. That is after the rebate for first time user of $24 that was really handy to compensate on not knowing the way around the lab.

The 6x9 negatives are holding their ground, there is a lot of detail and things look sharp and distortion free. I think that the Schenider little 4 element 100mm lens is not that bad after all.

As a collateral story and one that Klaus Esser will like is that I met a photographer that asked me about my work and was doing some landscape images himself. I asked what he had used and he said: 4 stitched C-Negs images 4x5 size that had previously scanned on his Imacon and merged in to what he was printing on a EPSON large printer. He has digital backs but said that "film is the best yet".

The good thing of My Own Color Lab is that they have Imacon scanner, EPSON printer and the analog C-Print machines.

I think that in terms of production costs printing from a negative is probably the cheapest and probably fastest way. On the other hand, photographers are getting used to controlling the image on the computer to micromanage zones of shadows/high lights, perspective correction etc etc.

On the esthetic side, Im happy about the way the project is going, the image of the container ship (I will temporarily title that "China Shipping" --you can read that on one of the metal boxes-- is what I want the project to be. The isolation of sea water bellow and sky above plus the cropping of the end abstract the ship and cleans elements that could be in for and back ground. The size of the man made thing and the fact that is moving but perfectly composed in water. The the cultural context like: china, global trade, consumer society, transportation and energy consumption, the seas, etc.

In practical terms I'm also positive about the idea because I can spend the whole summer getting a collection of ships taken from the exact geographic spot --the water and sky changes a lot, for what I can already observe--.

I can see an improvement on my part with the focusing and framing of the ships that results from getting acquainted with the Baby Century Graflex and may improve in the future with the needed parts that Will Thompson is kindly sending me.

Particularly the focusing glass that I suspect is not calibrated -- as a matter of fact, the glass is just taped to what used to be a magazine sheet film holder -- and the roll film magazine that is an adapted 6 x 6 working as a 6 x 9 that I roll by counting the number of revolutions on the know. I think that the best would be to have two or tree to shoot "fashion photographer" style to be able to be prepare for fast approaching ships.

Anyway, now I will go to stage III which is to show the preliminary images to people to comment...

http://leonardobarreto.com/images/china.jpg

Hey Leonardo, The 2x3 focusing plate, roll film inserts, and the 4x5 Speed Graphic should arrive this tuesday on Your doorstep via UPS.

Have fun with them!

Post more outstanding photos!

[Asher Kelman]

Will, thank you for the supplies, they will be useful here in the trenches :-)

http://leonardobarreto.com/images/china.jpg

I'm so impressed with the composition of the picture as I was tricked into thinking we were looking out of a window! I was puzzled by the shadow on the left: perhaps a bridge on the left?

http://www.yertiz.com/images/thehumancondition.jpg

The Magritte Phenomenon was discussed in OPF, here (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1304).

Many of Magritte's pictures have some building, archway, door or room framing. We are always entering a scene. So is it real?

It is exciting for us to be able to follow your progress back to real film for part of your work!

I hope that you might get the other photographer to report on his 4x5 stitching!

Asher

[leonardobarreto.com]

Asher, thank you for your review of the image of the image. I just pointed my LUMIX to the box of prints using available window light, but I like the paper box --they had tons of empty paper boxes in the lab--. Im happy that my work reminds you of the surrealists, and my intent is to present you with something intensely common and as interesting as a refrigerator in a heroic and incognito way. I always liked the contemplative way of the view camera, not only it gives you a bigger negative and more detail, but all the work that comes from framing the camera is so different than hand holding a single lens reflex with motor drive to "spray and pray".

What do you think about this other two images?

http://leonardobarreto.com/images/tankerandM.jpg
http://leonardobarreto.com/images/rollon.jpg

[leonardobarreto.com]

Asher: here is an image of the lab and our friend the photographer -- unfortunately I didn't get his name -- stitching 4 scanned negatives of 4x5 and printing on the EPSON on the left... you should do a workshop one day and get together here with negatives to print, scan and plot for a week ... or something :-)

http://leonardobarreto.com/images/photographer.gif

[Klaus Esser]

Hi Leonardo!

Fine photographs, the ships! Structured very well - monumental, impressing.

Give my regards to the "unknown photographer" :-) :-)

best, Klaus

[leonardobarreto.com]

I think he was german. Probably 4 images of 4x5 for that size was "overkill".

As you can see, I'm a fair and balanced reporter. I only remembered what you wrote here earlier :-)

He also said that this may change in the future.

[Ray West]

Hi Leonardo,

This thread is interesting to me, on many levels.

wrt the images, I think the second image, 'black&rust', would be the most impressive at the larger size, if the detail is really sharp, whereas I think the first is more 'arty' ('arty' in the sense you could play around with the colours, etc., and produce something further removed from 'pressing the button')

Like Asher, I took a double take on the first image - I thought it was matted and framed - couldn't understand the severe vignetting in the bottom corner... Need more coffee. ;-)

Best wishes,

Ray