4x5 Pinhole Photography With AJ Holmes

[@marcelryser]

👍 Thanks 😊

[@WillN2Go1]

Cool. Over the years as a pro, I've done a lot of large format (4x5 and 8x10) and I've done some pinhole photography. The bottom line on all of this is: with a pinhole you get an unsharp fuzzy image. It's interesting, challenging; well worth doing . However, I can't see anyone serious doing it for very long. The effect you're really after would is accomplished by old portrait lenses. These were always too expensive for me. (Instead of an adjusting aperture they have insert slides with tiny holes around the center hole.) There's a range of 'Effect' that goes from pinhole to old portrait lens all the way to super sharp apochromatic. Like Nikon Micros. Anywhere along this range is a challenge, can be interesting and may become a tool you'll use, maybe even regularly. Pinhole is just a step in this, don't over do it or overspend. (If you are doing film, learn about compensating developers and flashing the paper in the darkroom. I used to shoot old paintings 8x10, and flash the film at the location. That's like tightrope walking, doing math and juggling knives at the same time. Ansel Adam's books are good. Otherwise there are some books with specific techniques, but I've never seen one on how to set up a really efficient darkroom.) Of course you don't have to spend that much. Also the image circle of a pinhole is large, but that doesn't mean you need a super wide. Also Film Holders. I've still got dozens of them. The best way to clean them is blow them out, maybe even wash them (Dawn dish soap is good for everything). To clean off the dust and eliminate static electricity I would always spray Pledge furniture polish on a static free cloth. (Those ones for cars would be good.) Contains silicone, so I'd never use it on my furniture, but great for film holders. Don't bother with the really old wooden ones, they fall apart. To light seal a film holder just have a lip on the camera cover around three sides of the holder . At the top add some layers of black paper tape to fit in the space between the two beads on the holder. That makes a baffle. A rubber band will hold it against the back of the camera box. I always just made pinholes out of cardboard because you have unlimited options. To reduce internal reflections from the inside of the box, put any kind of glue down, sprinkle it with fine saw dust, ( I might just use Psyllium Husk because I have that in my kitchen.) Spray paint it matte black. For a viewfinder, just draw angles on the sides and top. Start dead center at the Back of the camera and draw two angles to the front corners. For precision sight along the lines. (You don't really need a viewfinder for a camera if you just practice. I could always hold my Nikons over my head and take well aimed shots. An iPhone... not as good.) For a shutter just use a piece of black tape. Put black paper right over the hole, reduce the stickiness of the tape. The hole.. don't try to make it too small, do try to make it round, but flat is more critical, raised edges can reflect light. Ever project an eclipse? Transit of Venus across the sun? (I made that pinhole in seconds ragged but worked fine.) The shape of the 'aperture' (hole) isn't that critical. If the costly laser etched... ones are better, I'm curious. I usually just used aluminum foil. Drink can aluminum is great. And if you already have a 4x5 camera, or can borrow one. Just tape a pinhole on the front. There are very good (incident) exposure meter apps for smart phones. This is from a guy who precisely measured light for 40 years. Still have my Minolta IV somewhere and compared it with two of the apps. A good DSLR makes the best light meter you'll ever have, if you can set iso, and it tells you the shutter speed aperture. S hooting B&W negs outdoors I just started using my Nikon D2X as my light meter (The earlier meters like on the F3 are really not that good.) Stick the reciprocity failure chart on the side of the camera, also put a stop watch there. Now you can just start it timing, then at any number open... then close as needed. You could get very close to 1.5 seconds or even 1/2 second this way. I like a stop watch because as the hundredths or thousandths pass you can pick up the pattern. Remember anything you can forget to take on location at some point you will forget it. Hope this helps

[@ericshio]

Absolutely unreal, this is wild!

[@michaelpereyra2055]

I would love that reciprocity chart. I would highly appreciate it !

[@michaelpereyra2055]

I never got the Reciprocity chart.

[@NegativeSupply]

its available online, a simple google search will do :)

[@c.augustin]

I do metering for f16, then multiply for the pinhole/focal distance (I have some laminated cards for that), and finally compensating for reciprocity failure (also laminated cards for different film stocks). This way any light meter will do - or just the sunny 16 rule (this is why I thought about using f16 in the first place ;-)). Interesting light meter

[@afilmaddict]

could you please send me reciprocity chart, i 'd really appreciate it!

[@melaninxhalide1165]

Very cool! We need details on the brand of tripod legs and head he was using. Thanks!

[@NegativeSupply]

Gitzo Syetematic Series 4 carbon fiber legs, Ries J250 head

[@melaninxhalide1165]

@@NegativeSupply THANK YOU! Happy New Year!

[@laurenpash5007]

Where do I find the chart you were talking about?

[@spickett10]

5:54 OSHA, close your eyes 🙈

[@andyvan5692]

No, 'rapid_fire' with 4x5" is not nutz, as that is what Grafmatic film holders were, 6 films in the one "magasine", pull the captive darkslide to operate, both to expose the sheet, and do the 'changeover'.