Stouffer 4x5 Step Wedge Borrow Sil Vous plait?

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Im sure there was a large format film thread but alas I searched and couldnt find it or rather I dint go past the first page so its the search algorithms fault.

Does anyone have a wedge I could borrow for a few weeks? Cant Instead of taking pictures like a normal person Id like to test the speed of my film the way I develop? New ones are £100 and steep for what I might use a handful of times. happy to rent this one £10

Thanks!
 
Do you use conventional darkroom to make your prints? I'm asking because there's a way to peg your EI and developing times empirically without a wedge. It's described in Steve Simmons' book Using the View Camera from memory. Otherwise, wait for reresponse from someone who has one.
 
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StephenM said:
Do you use conventional darkroom to make your prints? I'm asking because there's a way to peg your EI and developing times empirically without a wedge. It's described in Steve Simmons' book Using the View Camera from memory. Otherwise, wait for reresponse from someone who has one.
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I have document that descibes how to do it using roll film (https://www.halfhill.com/speed2.html) a site rather. Yep I do indeed use a darkroom and wet print. I assume it will involve measuring max black and also finding the neg where the information starts to show itself
 
I'm using a tablet and laboriously tapping, so I'll drop into telegraphese.

Make print with developed blank frame meaning clear film. Adjust exposure until you get max black.

Make print from from real negative using this exposure. Have setof negs bracketed, do same for each. Neg that has a max black has correct exposure. That sets EI

If tonal range OK, dev ok

otherwise, more exposures, clip test diff dev times until print ok
 
Just skimmed through your link. Good info. I use FP4 at 80.
 
acrobatic_Citron said:
Im sure there was a large format film thread but alas I searched and couldnt find it or rather I dint go past the first page so its the search algorithms fault.

Does anyone have a wedge I could borrow for a few weeks? Cant Instead of taking pictures like a normal person Id like to test the speed of my film the way I develop? New ones are £100 and steep for what I might use a handful of times. happy to rent this one £10

Thanks!
Click to expand...

S'funny, I thought that was how the great photography hobby was designed to work: I have an itch, scratching it costs me plenty: result!
 
Well I tested with a 35mm roll of Foma and got excited as the weather looked okay. Something may have gone wrong though as I Zone 1 information at iso 200! My guess is:
1. The light changed during the test. Blue skys with clouds moving across the sun. Although tried to pick a blue sky long period checking for clouds above
2. The dev time was way off - massive dev puts Foma in Ilford HC (1:31) it was 7 mins at 20C. I did 7 minute at 21C so maybe I over developed but I assume this wouldnt affect Zone 1
3. Im one of the few whose EI is greater than box for Foma even though all the film testing literature usually says its half box speed

Ive decided to not do any more testing and instead focus on taking actual photos and learning how to use my view camera properly. Tests can wait!
 
Or shutter running slow, or lens not stopping down?

You're probably correct about the extra minute and the extra degree. After a very short time in the developer, it's the highlights (and therefore contrast) that builds up.

Second edit to add: after over half a century, I still haven't got around to testing things like that...
 
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Shutter is running well - tested the other week using my laser arduino method, aperture was stopping down as well. I have some rolls of hp5 and fp4 lyring around and it doesnt take too long so I might do another
 
Or exposure compensation (if it's that kind of camera) or built in meter incorrect (if it's that kind of camera)? :)
 
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