Possibly wanting to get into LF...

[Carl Hall]

The pictures are too small to see now but it looks to be a normal focal length, 135 to 180, probably ideal as a starting point as it is much easier to see the results of movements etc with a slightly longer lens than it is with a WA.

You were spot on It's a 150mm f/5.6 Rodenstock Sironar. Looking around the interweb it seems to be a standard sort of lens really. Seems in good condition, one of the blades is bent right on the tip but that doesn't seem to have any effect on it opening or closing

 

[StephenM]

As an exercise, try setting up the camera at about 45 degrees to a sheet of paper or magazine. Then use the movements to get it all in focus. Afterwards, try making more adjustments to get the sheet rectangular rather than trapezoid again .

 

[Carl Hall]

I get by scanning on my v500, two scans and merge in some free MS software. Works okay but I'd like a v750 but I'd rather a brace of lenses.

Steve can I ask how you do this please? And what software you use?

How do you make sure that the two files are scanned the same so one half doesn't appear brighter etc?

Also how do you hold the film in the scanner or do you lie it flat with some glass over the top of it?

Thanks

 

[steveo_mcg]

Steve can I ask how you do this please? And what software you use?

How do you make sure that the two files are scanned the same so one half doesn't appear brighter etc?

Also how do you hold the film in the scanner or do you lie it flat with some glass over the top of it?

Thanks

You don't need anything to keep LF film flat its on a much thicker base than roll film so I just put it on the scanner glass, I've never noticed newton rings or the like but if your worried you could get some ANR glass.
You need to install Microsoft ICE to combine the two parts.

1. Put the negative on the bed under the lamp, make sure you pick a bit of the negative which contains the sky and the foreground to help set your histogram.
2. Select the negative and set your histogram so you get the whole range, just as you do on a roll film.
3. Expand the area to be scanned left to right to cover the whole back lit section and up and down to a large area so you're guaranteed to get the negative.
4. Reset your histogram to the values you got at point 2
5. Its best not to use the preview button now.
6. Move the negative so one edge is just within the back lights area
7. Hit scan
8. Move the negative so the other edge is just within the back lights area
9. Hit scan
10. load the two parts into ICE and hit combine, there is a massive overlap so the software has no problems blending them
11. Export from ICE as tiff to where ever you like and work with your normal editor.

 

[Carl Hall]

You don't need anything to keep LF film flat its on a much thicker base than roll film so I just put it on the scanner glass, I've never noticed newton rings or the like but if your worried you could get some ANR glass.
You need to install Microsoft ICE to combine the two parts.

1. Put the negative on the bed under the lamp, make sure you pick a bit of the negative which contains the sky and the foreground to help set your histogram.
2. Select the negative and set your histogram so you get the whole range, just as you do on a roll film.
3. Expand the area to be scanned left to right to cover the whole back lit section and up and down to a large area so you're guaranteed to get the negative.
4. Reset your histogram to the values you got at point 2
5. Its best not to use the preview button now.
6. Move the negative so one edge is just within the back lights area
7. Hit scan
8. Move the negative so the other edge is just within the back lights area
9. Hit scan
10. load the two parts into ICE and hit combine, there is a massive overlap so the software has no problems blending them
11. Export from ICE as tiff to where ever you like and work with your normal editor.

Well that was actually a lot easier than I was expecting I don't think I can get Microsoft ICE as I use a Mac, but Photoshop has a similar tool which I think does basically the same thing. Just scanned my first shot in two halves and it merged it perfectly in a few seconds.

Thank you Steve