on the verge camera build

[blindpig]

As I continue the pursuit of paper negative portraits,I'm continually digging through an old stash of stuff and today really outdid myself. Unearthed two lenses both were used on process cameras,one is a 21 1/4" un-coated Kodak Copying Ektanon f11 thru f128,the other is a 15" coated Ilex Process Paragon f9 thru f90. Along with the lenses was a new Packard shutter wired for flash, w/new bulb and hose. Can a large format camera be far behind??? On my bucket list for a while is carbon printing and guess with this "find" it's moved up a notch on the "to do" list.The problem is what size negative material to shoot for and where to locate it? Am thinking the big lens could easily cover 11"x 14" allowing for some swings and tilts or even a 16"x 20" without swings and tilts.As these are flat field lenses swings and tilts will have to be performed verrry carefully.
Haven't started designing yet so would appreciate suggestions you all might have.
Thanks in advance,
Don

[earlj]

You will be making negatives bigger than you can scan, so your goal will be to use the camera negative for the print. I would go with some relatively inexpensive film - xray film or ortho litho film. Both can work well for large format, but you will need to do some testing on exposure and development to make a negative that will print well with carbon printing. The process has the longest scale of any process out there. Do you have copies of The Journal of Post Factory Photography? The low contrast developer by Dave Soemarko works well with lith film, and you should be able to fine tune it to make carbon-ready negatives. Do you have a transmission densitometer? Not required, but helpful.

I can help you find developer recipes, and I can even send you scanned articles from TJPFP if you like.

Send me a pm if you want me to send you some of the good stuff.

[Jimmy G]

Some great advice right there...

[blindpig]

WOW! The parts list just keeps growing.I stumbled onto a place that salvages computers and televisions and came away with a large 52" Fresnel lens laminated on a 1/8" thick piece of Plexiglas(can a large ground glass be far behind?),LOL! Think if I lightly sand the back side I'll have a nice light weight ground glass focusing screen for a LARGE camera.

[JoeVanCleave]

Though they're not as rigid as glass fresnel lenses, the page-sized plastic fresnel magnifiers sold at office supply stores like Staples make pretty good view screens. Take a very fine emory paper on a random orbital sander to the smooth side and Bob's yer uncle.

~Joe

[blindpig]

I'd looked at those Joe but wanted something larger.Had looked at Fresnel lens companies for larger sizes and the pricing was enough to scare me off.Am really happy finding this one off a projection TV for $10.00 and thought it is a steal.Now trying to decide on the size to cut it down,Probably won't be shooting larger than 11" x 14"but am thinking about 16"x 20" size just in case(better safe than sorry,I guess).Still up in the air design wise....

[Ned.Lewis]

I've never seen a GG with a fresnel, do you still need a loupe to focus?

[blindpig]

Yes, you still need a loupe (at least I do),younger eyes might not.The Fresnel lens keeps the image bright out to the edge of the GG. My 4"x 5" Graphic has one and several of the view cameras we had at Hallmark had them.

[Ned.Lewis]

...The Fresnel lens keeps the image bright out to the edge of the GG....

Thanks, that advantage makes perfect sense to me. I've had trouble seeing the edges and corners, and don't always remember to get my head at a good angle to see them better. I've been using a pair of high power reading glasses, which seem to work pretty well. Next time I'm at an office store I will look at the full page reading magnifiers. If they aren't too think there's a chance I could put one in my existing GG holder.

[Barry Kirsten]

On the subject of high power reading glasses, I asked my optometrist whether they would be suitable for ground glass viewing, and he said they were and that probably +4 diopter would be a suitable strength to try. I'm thinking I might get a prescription bifocal pair with suitable grind for far viewing as well closeup.