Bob Werre

The M stands for motor (cheepie's had a crank), C stands for a voltage meter, I think, the R stands for a reostat to dim the bulb and the X stands for the cross bracing on the backside. It was a 4 x 5 normally but I thought they made a 8 x 10 accessory, but I bet that motor had a tough time working it's way up the column. I owned a accessory table so you could move the baseboard down lower. I was able to buy an entire darkroom setup along with a two bedroom apartment. It was all in a second bathroom, with the enlarger jambed above the toilet, and we had a small table to hold the print trays in the showeer. We processed our sheet film and rolls in the facial sink area. We washed our film and prints in the shower floor with a deep tray--you do what you can. Although the school had complete facilities but it was often easier to stay home and print while doing laundry. Later on I always was able to find a walk-in closet with running water closeby.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Ah, I see … mine's just called a 45MX … motorized. Beautiful device. Pined after one for the longest time. Bought the 23C first, then realized many of the negative holders were interchangeable. Plus lenses, of course. Only wish I'd found a way to use the 23C's Diffusion Color Head on the MX …

I converted the boys' bedroom into a darkroom, after they left. Had a plumber come by and install a sink in the corner. The other side of the wall is the U/S bath - so, it was fairly easy. Then I set up a long counter in the middle, for the light box and the print dryer, and got reduced-price kitchen cabinets for the perimeter - from Lloyd's Lumber, as they were closing up shop … did a pretty good job on it, I think …

BillBingham2

You could do the same thing with and older iPad too!

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

what is film?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I have the same 4x5 enlarger with the dichro color head, but nothing that creates 4x5 negatives 😫. One day, when I have some extra $ and I find a good deal on a 4x5 (and some sheet film tanks), I’m going to fill that void in my photographic experience.

Cheers

Allan Castle

I have both 4x5 and 35mm film cameras. I rarely shoot film anymore. I like shooting color and the cost of 4x5 color film and processing is very high.

The look of film is great, but the time required to shoot 8 shots of 4x5 black and white, process and scan the film is hours. I process and scan my own b&w.

The quality of film is fine, but digital is also great. In my opinion, digital far exceeds 35mm film and equals or surpasses medium format. It is even close to large format. Of course this is my opinion and a lot depends on the film, scanning or printing, etc.

But there is more to it than sharpness, etc
I enjoyed shooting film. The tonality and look of film is different than digital.

I create professional portrait photographs and thought my clients would appreciate film and a different look. But they hated posing in front of a view camera. You need a lot of patience and of course you can not see the pictures for several days, etc. I noticed the difference in how skin is rendered (more softly) and the beautiful tonality, but my clients did not notice this as much as I expected Most important to them is their expression, the outfit they wore, etc. With a few exceptions, they did not want to pay extra to cover the costs of film, processing and scanning.

Do what works for you. Film is not magic just a tool to express yourself. Same with digital photography.

ronpier Loc: Poland Ohio

100% digital, 0% film. Haven’t shot a single frame of film since going digital and have never looked back.

eskimoky

Thank you so much for your input!already I have a better understanding of the view camera and its processes!

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

might wanna pick up a silver mine also.... GBG I discarded a 4x5 enlarger alng with a 12 sheet 4x5 SS cut film daylight tank which cost over $100.... out on the curb...gave crown graphic to local HS... sigh thank gd for digital.... Ed

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I take your point, but I do still like to work in the lab occasionally, and I have 6x7 and 35mm carriers (and film cameras) for it. You are certainly correct about the value of darkroom equipment. With the dichro head and motorized track, I’ll bet this enlarger cost north of 2K and has a $500 enlarging lens on it. I bought it in apparently unused and pristine condition, along with the Bessler digital timer from a thrift store for $100.

Tom Hungerford Loc: Thomaston CT

I'm a retired commercial photographer. I shot mostly 4X5. Incredible. I'm all digital now, but I often think of all the fun I had with my Horseman Studio 4X5.

GAS496 Loc: Arizona

I don’t get your point. Yes thank God for digital capture but thank God for film that has survived the test of time. I understand that as photography technology progresses new equipment and techniques will help us continue to produce beautiful images but some of us like to keep our feet firmly planted in the older ways of making photographs. Negative glass plates and film over one hundred years old can still produce photographs just as they did they day they were developed. With the fast pace of changes in computer technology and storage techniques can we say that about our digital files? I am not so sure. Some may say who cares I will not be around to care. I do because as we have seen photography from the past is a marvel to behold and a documentary of our human history. Yes even our private collections may be of interest to those in the future. Just look at the thousands of negatives and unprocessed rolls of film recently discovered from Vivian Maier and the impact her previously unknown life’s work has had on the Art world if you don’t believe.

k2edm Loc: FN32AD

nice thing about digital we often forget, you can take 15 photos of the same thing and discard 14 or 'em....Wanna try that with a 4x5 graphic?
BTW the photo of the chamber [upper left] was taken about 40 years ago by the company photog. Took him about 30 minutes and several 4x5 polorades to set up the shot, then he went to film. I got to keep the polaroid and scanned it... At the time 4x5 poloriods cost about a buck a piece... Ed

Bob Werre

And don't forget the Great Helmut Newton produced an entire book (Pola Women)made with test Polaroids and test ideas made to show editors what he was thinking. Also Polaroid built a couple of very large camera/rooms that you could rent. I don't recall the film size but it was near the 20 x 24" size. A technician came with the rental.
Even with 35mm/ 2x2 transparency films I often would shoot a Hassablad with a Polaroid holder to show the client what things might look like. Sometimes that required two side by side shots with a very wide lens. Oh the things we went through to get our work done. Later I took an older camera and added a NPS Polaroid back to it. So if I was shooting with Nikon F3' I'd have an older F'2 with a back as a dedicated back..We'd have to bill the client for all that Polaroid, so it was a decent profit item for us--we called it R & D!

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Most times I go out shooting, I do both!