A Beginner's Guide to Large Format Photography

Introduction

After shooting with 35mm and Medium Format cameras for some time, I became interested in experimenting with Large Format. Not so much because of any interest in bigger negatives (I find 6x7 to be more than sufficient for my needs), but because of the movements (rise/fall/tilt/shift) afforded by LF cameras. The following is a brief account of what I'd consider to be a good way to get into LF on a budget. At the time of my writing this, I've only been shooting 4x5 for a short time. Hopefully the stumbling blocks and uncertainties I faced will have some light shed on them here, making your entry into the LF world a bit easier.

The Camera

What do I think the easiest way into LF is? Well, for me, one of the requirements was that the camera I get be hand-holdable. I didn't want to lug a tripod around everywhere with me, as I rarely use one... most of my photography involves wandering around cities and other places. That requirement severely limited my options. There are two types of LF cameras: a field camera is one that typically folds up into a box that you can carry around. A monorail collapses to some degree, but is meant for studio work. So I definitely wanted a field camera. If you're really rich and want the best around, I hear a Linhof Technika is the way to go. But for me, an old Crown Graphic ended up being what I chose. Like the Technika, it's got a built in rangefinder and optical viewfinder. This means that I don't have to focus using the groundglass. While the movements are limited, they're sufficient for my needs... basically only front rise and tilt (for more information on movements and what they do, check out photo.net).

The Graphic is a great camera that was THE tool for any press photographer for quite a while. It's very well built, and weighs around 4 pounds without a film back. If you get a Graphic, make sure you get one with the Graflok back. This affords you the ability to easily attach most currently available film holders to the camera. Which bring us to the next section:

Film & Film Backs

Assuming you've now got a camera with a Graflok back, I recommend you do the following: either resign yourself to using standard Riteway film holders (you can find them all over Ebay. Each one holds two sheets of 4x5 cut film.), or dig up some Graflex Grafmatic backs. Whereas standard holders like the Riteway each only hold two sheets of film, the Grafmatic holds six. Not only that, but with a Grafmatic, you don't have to flip the film back over after one exposure. The Grafmatic lets you exposure six sheets of film without ever removing the back from the camera. While more expensive than Riteway holders, they're incredibly more convenient and quick to use for me. They also attach to the camera very positively, which the Riteway's do not. I now carry 3 Grafmatic's with me, letting me snap off 18 exposures with much less effort than if I were using standard holders. Grafmatic's haven't been made for 20 years or so, but you can find them in good useable condition. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 for one, depending on the condition. For more information on the Grafmatic in general, and for a user's manual, check out graflex.org.

Loading Film on the Run

While I don't typically use more than the 18 sheets of film in an outing afforded me by the 3 Grafmatic's I carry, I do make provisions for having to load film on the road. This isn't too tough. Just pick up a large changing bag (about $40) from any major camera retailer. It's just a big light-tight bag with two arm holes. Unzip it, put your film and holders inside, zip it back up. Put your hands in the holes and load your film. It takes some practice, but if you're used to doing darkroom work already, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Developing the Film

So now you've shot some film. How to develop it? For starters, you can do tray developing. Get 5 5x7 trays. Film each with the required chemicals (dev/stop/fix/hypo/wash). If you want to develop one sheet at a time, you can just put the sheet in the tray and agitate it throughout the development time. Then move it on down the line of chemicals. As you get used to handling the film in the dark, you can do up to 8 sheets or so with reasonable success. Make sure you put each one into the developer seperately or they'll stick together. If you're like me however, sitting in the dark for 15 minutes or so, agitating a tray you can't see, isn't very fun. There are other options, but my recommendation is to go with a Jobo 2551 tank and two 4x5 reels. This combination lets you rotary process up to 12 sheets at once. It doesn't use very much chem either. For $20 more, you can get a roller than will let you manually roll the tank. Or, for about $20, you can find an old Beseler or Unicolor motor base on Ebay that will do it for you. The entire setup will cost about $120, but you won't have to get your fingers in the chemistry anymore. Plus, with the motor base, you don't even have to manually roll the tank.

Final Rundown

Ok, let's recap. You'll need the following:

  1. Crown Graphic or equivalent. Cost: about $300 on Ebay, including lens. Find one in good condition with light-tight bellow and a good lens. I recommend the Scheider 135mm/f4.7. Also, make sure the one you buy has the original lens. If not, the rangefinder will probably need to be re-cammed to work correctly with the new lens.
  2. Film backs. If you're just getting started and want to go cheap, get a couple Riteway holders. They'll run you about $5 - $10 each on Ebay.
  3. Changing bag. Pick one up at B&H or at your local camera shop for about $40. Make sure you get a big one, since you'll need room to fit film holders, film, and your hands inside and still have room to maneuver everything.
  4. 5x7 trays if you want to do tray development, or a Jobo 2551, two reels for 4x5 film, and a manual roller base or a motorized one off Ebay. Total cost: about $125.

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