Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #46: The Listeners Takeover!

 by Kevin Lane

Wayne and I finally got to record a type of podcast show that has been a dream of mine ever since the first UJC Podcast show aired back in 2017:  a show consisting only of listener-driven content. Our faithful listeners submitted some great questions, comments, tips, and stories, and we had a blast answering questions and giving highlight to what our listeners are doing with their photography. Our film photography community truly is filled with "wonderful people," as one of our listeners described them, and we dedicate this podcast to all of you with the hope that we all will learn something new (while having fun in the process!)

In the course of the show we cover a number of topics regarding darkroom workflows, enlarger types, water choices, contrast filter choices, the appropriateness of autofocus cameras, and films we'd love to shoot someday, as well as other interesting topics. I've included links to specific things and people that were mentioned below.

We'd love to hear from you before we record our next show. You can email us at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com, and you also can find us on Instagram and Facebook, where you can post your questions, comments, tips, and stories. And if you do, you just might get your questions answered or hear your comment, tip, or story on a future show. It's all about community here at the UJC Podcast.

Thanks for listening and Happy Shooting!

Here is a link to a video tour of Wayne's darkroom.

And here is a look at Wayne's print washing setup that uses the Kodak Tray Siphon

Our good friend of the show Mark Gilliland is a talented professional photographer located in Ringgold, Georgia, near Chattanooga, Tennessee. You can find his work on Instagram here:  @magill3179.

Another friend of the show is Paul "Bear" Brown, who is a professor at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. You can find him on Instagram here:  @filmprofesorbear.

We mentioned Jr Wyatt's latest darkroom work with pinhole images. You can see that image on Instagram here:  @wyattshootsfilm.

Wayne mentioned the Photographer's Formulary, and online store that sells all kinds of chemistry ingredients for mixing your own photography-related chemicals. You can find them here.

I recently purchased a Giottos AA1910 Medium Rocket Air Blaster as an alternative to cans of compressed air to dust off negatives and lenses. You can find it as Amazon here (we don't do affiliate links.)

I really enjoy reading the Casual Photophile website! Here is a well-written article on the subject of "not-so-cool" autofocus SLRs and why we should be using them.

And here is the ariticle that introduced me to Agfa Codex Rapid black and white film (rebranded as Nanotomic -X. I definitely want to give this film a try.

I also really enjoy reading the Cosmo Foto website, and I write for them occasionally. Here is an article I wrote in which I review the immensely successful Minolta Maxxum 7000, the first autofocus 35mm SLR with the focusing motor in the camera itself.

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #45: "The 4x5 Show!"

by Kevin Lane

The Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast reached a milestone this week with show #45, and to celebrate, we are celebrating all things large format with a special "deep dive" show called "The 4x5 Show." In this two-hour show, Wayne and I go step by step through the process of starting a journey into large format photography. We cover camera types and the advantages/disadvantages associated with each, necessary accessories, lenses, film, techniques, developing, and printing. Along the way, we answer some great questions submitted to us by our faithful listeners. It's all about learning - which is what we like to do best here at UJC!

I've been using a Crown Graphic press camera as my gateway into 4x5 photography 

The shutter and aperture controls are on the lens, as well as the cocking lever,
a preview lever (which opens the shutter so that you can compose your
shot by looking at the ground glass on the rear of the camera), and cable release
socket. You must remember to close the shutter and stop down to your desired
f stop before you insert the film holder and remove the dark slide.

Necessary accessories:  a sturdy tripod, an exposure meter (preferably a
spot meter), a cable release, and a loupe for accurately focusing on the
ground glass.

A dark cloth is needed to compose your image on the ground glass. I'm 
using a nylon rain jacket that has a hood. The hood fit onto the Crown
Graphic perfectly.

You'll need film, of course. Wayne's favorite film is Ilford FP4 Plus (ISO 125).
I've been using Shanghai GP3 (ISO 100).

We covered way too much information in the show itself to repeat here in these show notes, but you will see some useful links below. It's not a complete resource list by any means, but these links have helped me in my journey into large format photography, which I began recently. Of course, the real expert here is Wayne, who has been shooting large format cameras and film for over forty years. If you have any questions that weren't answered in the show, you can email them to us at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. The same goes for any comments, tips, and stories you may have. We'd love to hear from you!

I want to demonstrate one thing we talked about in the show, and that is how load film holders. The first thing you need to know is that it has to be done in total darkness. If you don't have a darkroom, then you will need a changing bag. It's important to get this right, obviously (as I have found out the hard way), and it's something that can (and should) be practiced. 

To help keep dust out, keep the film holders in ziplock backs whenever they are
not being used. I like to use Post-It notes to identify which shots are in which
holders and to make notes regarding exposure that will impact they way I
develop the sheets.

This sheet of 4x5 film has a notch code. hen that notch code is on the upper right corner, the emulsion
is facing you. Use gloves when handling fresh film.

Pull out the dark slide and fold back the flap on the other end of the holder, and slide the sheet underneath
the rails on both sides. If the notch code is on the upper right side, the emulsion side of the film will 
be facing the correct way.

Fold the flap down and push the dark slide all the way in, silver side out.

Insert the loaded film holder into the spring back.

Make sure it goes all the way in, and you will hear a click. Remove the dark slide when you are
ready to press the shutter button. After you have made anexposure on this sheet, reinsert the dark slide black side out.

Most large format cameras come with a standard back called a Graflok back. This back will accept non-standard film holders like the Grafmatic six-sheet holder and the various roll film backs.

This Graflok six-sheet film holder makes it possible to shoot six sheets without having to change
holders. Great for handheld press photography!

The Graflox six-sheet holder The six septum each hold one sheet, and a spring system inside the holder
moves an exposed sheet to the read so that an unexposed sheet is ready to shoot. 

A Graflok back also accepts roll film holders like this Horseman 6x12. With this, you can shoot 120
roll film in your 4x5 camera and get frames that are 6x12cm. Horseman also made holders for shooting
6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9.

Like other large format film backs, the dark slide must be removed then exposing the film.

Large Format Photography Links

Mat Marrash's YouTube channel has been immensely helpful to me, and I cannot recomment it enough:  https://www.youtube.com/c/MatMarrash/featured

Just about every aspect of large format photography has been covered and discussed at the Large Format Photography Forum. https://www.largeformatphotography.info

Ilford seems to be the film manufacterer most dedicated to large format photography, and you can explore their LF film offerings as well as chemistry and paper supplies here:  https://www.ilfordphoto.com

The Film Photography Store also is a great resource for film and darkroom supplies:  https://filmphotographystore.com

Although you have to dig around some to find it, B&H sells large format film from a variety of makers such as Kodak, Ilford, and Foma. https://www.bhphotovideo.com

The Shanghai GP3 4x5 film that I have been using is available from Amazon Prime here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FKJC4VG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1