Six months ago, I did some test shots with my Burke & James Grover 8×10. I finally got them developed and scanned recently. With a couple of flashes and remote (without any diffusion), I shot a few portraits when my friends Norris and Fiona were visiting. Here is the result.
Burke & James Grover 8×10 Portrait
I used Kodak Ektascan B/RA x-ray film metered at ISO50. Burke & James Grover 8×10 with Fujinon 250mm f6.3 lens. Lighting setup with two Yongnuo YN560II flashes on two YN622C and a YN622C-TX. Developed with Kodak D76 1+1 20C for 10 minutes. Scanned with Epson Perfection V700.
Lighting is harsh, this is due to the lack of deflectors (they were still being shipped from Asia at the time). The harsh lighting reminded me a bit of a prom shoot would of looked like in the 1960-70s. Nevertheless a decent shot for first trials.
The last test of 12x was slightly over-exposed so the new test was a 10x compensation for one minute exposure. It looks like a working combination. I was also testing out my Kodak 8×10 2d with a Goerz 12″ f6.3 lens. It’s amazing that a 91-year-old camera is still holding up and taking great photos just like it did when it was out of the factory. Film developed in Kodak d76 1+1 22C for 10 mins, scanned with Epson Perfection V700.
10x compensation for 1 minute metered exposure
I had some doubts with the Goerz lens as it was over 90 years old. Initial inspection showed a perfect lens (with only two tiny tiny air bubbles in the front element that won’t affect the photo). The shutter is snappy (seemed accurate) and both B and T modes work. The middle of the photo is pin sharp. The left side however, was slightly off focus. At first I thought it was corner sharpness of the lens but then I was shooting at f8, so this is not likely the issue. I inspect the camera again and found that the rear tilt adjustment was off. The left and right gear was somehow off by at least three clicks. I think it had been in this position for a very long time and I had to spend sometime forcing it back to right position (without breaking it). Now both left and right gears are matched, this focus issues should be fixed on the next shoot.
I never shot Kodak Ektascan B/RA xray film at night. There were also no information online regarding the reciprocity of this film. This film is normally used for health x-ray applications and there is no need to worry about long exposure. I decided to do a test shot. Shanghai and TriX has terrible reciprocity characteristics. For 1 minute exposure, I generally compensate it by 8x and it worked well. I know Ektascan is probably equivalent if not worse, so I decided to try a 12x compensation for 1 minute metered exposure.
Here is the result. Burke & James Grover 8×10, Fujinon 250mm f6.3 lens, developed in Kodak D76 1+1 10 mins and scanned with Epson Perfection V700.
12x compensation for 1 minute metered exposure
It looks like a working combination. I think it might be slightly over-exposed, perhaps I need to try one with 10x compensation.
Day 4 of 5 of black and white photo challenge. Each day I am trying to post a photo that is taken from a different camera and a different medium. Today I am back on large format but with a different lens and film from day 1. This was shot at the Bund in Shanghai, China. Photo taken with Graflex Speed Graphic + Fujinon 65mm f5.6 lens + Shanghai GP3 film. Developed with Guan long d76 + Guan long F5 Fix, scanned with Epson Perfection V700. Today i nominate Pouya Ash for the BW photo challenge, in which to post one BW photo per day for 5 days and also nominate someone each day because it’s fun.
Thanks for Cheung Billy Ka Ming, I accepted the BW photo challenge. I will be posting one BW photo a day for five days and will nominate someone each day just for fun. Here is a photo I have taken from a maternity shoot I did not long ago. The lovely couple is Catherine Wong and Denis Ng. This photo was taken in Hong Kong with Graflex Speed Graphic + Fujinon A 240mm f9 lens + Fuji Acros. Film developed in Kodak d76 1+1, Kodak Rapid Fix and scanned with Epson Perfection V700. This is one of the first photos I took with the newly acquired A 240mm f9 lens and I have to say it’s absolutely the sharpest lens I own. The lens is extremely light and what’s amazing is that it can even cover 8×10! Today I would like to nominate Kirk Lau to accept my BW photo challenge.
Catherine and Dennis looking lovely in this photo.
One of the best LF portraits I have taken recently is this one of my mom. Taken with Graflex Speed Graphic + Buhl 9″ f3.6 lens + Fuji Acros. Developed in Kodak d76, 20C 11 minutes, first minute agitation, 4 flips every minute. Fixed with Kodak RapidFix and scanned Epson Perfection V700.
After fixing another old speed graphic and a graphex 90mm f6.8 lens, I put it to use with Fuji Acros on a clear evening shooting the Bay Bridge in SF. Developed in Kodak D76, 20C, 11 mins, agitation first minute then 6 flips every minute. Fixed in Kodak Rapid fix. Scanned with Epson Perfection V700.
Downtown SF, looking at the Ferry BuildingFerry Building clock towerBay Bridge in SF
About a year ago, I acquired the legendary Kodak Aero Ektar 178mm f2.5 lens and it was another few months after that I got it mounted on the speed graphic. The first trials of this lens gave me some headaches as I experienced micro-shakes from the large focal plane shutter. Finally, recently I went back to the beast and re-strengthen the mount, so far so good. Can’t wait to go out and take some shots with this!
I also went back to the Graflex speed graphic box and looked at the flash attachment. At first, I thought it was incomplete but in close inspection, everything was intact and looked amazingly cool once attached.
I haven’t done pinhole in the longest time and WPPD was a great excuse for me to start again. I was in Shanghai and faced with less than ideal weather conditions, drizzling on and off all day, windy and cold. Nevertheless, I managed to get a few shots in. It was quite a challenge to do long exposure in Shanghai because everyone is wondering what you are doing and in times stood right in front of my camera, ruined many shots.
I tried to do this as scientifically as possible. I will measure my film to hole distance and divide by 0.6 to get my f ratio (I usually stuck with f128) then I will use that in my meter. I didn’t want to use my expensive Acros for the job and used my el cheapo Shanghai film instead. The reciprocity is super crappy with that film. A shot that is meter to be one minute will take eight minutes to complete! The lighting was also bad as it was dark and gloomy most of the day and most conditions were metered to be 1 to even 30 minutes! I ended up taking a lot more Polaroids as it was rated at 3000 iso. The reciprocity is also quite bad with these Polaroids and a 30 second exposure will span into a 2.5 minutes shot.
With all the rain and chaos, I ended up at home and made a few shots of the beautiful tiger lillies in a more controlled environment. The following is a photographic diary of today’s shoot.
Test shots at home before heading outIt was raining and found a covered spot for long exposureResulting Polaroid.Waiting and rainingMy ghetto pinhole setupBusy road shootingPeople stopping in front of the cameraNice door but unfortunately people are always going in and out!Home sweet home.
Getting my equipment ready for WPPD (http://www.pinholeday.org/)
Ready.
Speed graphic with pin hole board + FP3000b + Shanghai film. Special thanks to Kirk Lau for his assistance with the making of the pinhole! It’s extremely precise at 0.6mm!
