Motorcycle Outfit

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Mick Fagan » 23 Jul 2018, 17:53

This was my step back into HP5+ after not using it for somewhere around 8-10 years. I wished to get myself back into using it as my go to 400 film as I have picked up 200 sheets of it. :mrgreen:

Wishing to use it mainly for flat weather, or where I need a kick, I chose a subject that was flat as a pancake for my test, along with suitable flat weather and background.

4x5" Wooden Shen Hao folding field camera, Fujinon f/6.7 250mm lens.

I have used D76 1:1 for ages and had notes from the last time I used this combination. Development was 11 minutes at 23ºC in an SP445 tank; two sheets instead of the maximum of four sheets. Agitation is three inversions every 30 seconds taking 10 seconds to do the agitations. According to the designer of this tank, noticeable swirls of liquid slow to a virtual stop after 20 seconds in their design tests. By using this method, agitation is almost constant. I was one of the Kickstarter people with this tank and have been mightily pleased with it.

My previous 4x5" HP5+ sheet films were all processed in my Jobo rotary processor, which I still have and use, but I have switched to the SP445 as I believe it is the most convenient unit to use for sheet film processing. Funnily enough, I still process my 35mm film in my Jobo and that is my preference for that format.

Readings were taken from highlights and shadow areas of the bike. Highlight reading was taken from the radiator shroud which is directly under the headlight, it is a light silver, shadow reading was taken from the tonneau cover of the chair; the part facing the camera. Six stops difference in this lighting. Background stuff had a three stop range by comparison when reading the light covered dirt and reflecting leaves from the foliage. Two stop range otherwise.

This is a scan of the negative, cropped heavily on the bottom, right and top; the left is virtually uncropped. This is what the print cropping will be.

Mick.

1800006_Noels_Outfit_Neil_and_Vickis_Place_Ilford_HP5_008_web.jpg

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Walter Glover » 27 Jul 2018, 04:38

Is there anywhere that tread-plate can't be attached?
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Walter Glover » 27 Jul 2018, 04:49

I found HP5+ to be very special when I was shooting 10x8 and contact printing. As I recall I use Ilford DDX at a dilution of about 1+8 in a Jobo. The low values were as smooth as silk and on Ilford Warmtone on semi-matt I had Platinum-Palladium printer ask if was usuing Platinum.

I still have some 4x5 but FP4+ is what seems to get loaded most frequently these days. The whole feeling of this picture as decidedly of another era for me. Maybe a by-produc of shooting too many Candy-Apple Harleys??
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Mick Fagan » 27 Jul 2018, 08:44

Walter Glover wrote:Is there anywhere that tread-plate can't be attached?


I do agree that it does get around, not too sure if, in this case, the aluminium checker plate would help that much in the event of something solid hitting it.

Mick.

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Mick Fagan » 27 Jul 2018, 08:58

Walter, with regard to HP5+ being smooth, it can be, sometimes though it is problematic in really contrasty lighting. Mostly I intend to use it for low contrast things and in low contrast weather; hence this photograph.

My original intention was to shoot using FP4+, but the weather and my meter readings sent me to HP5+ instead.

The facts though, are that one can and usually does dial in, with a film developer and developing regime that eventually gives one beautiful negatives. This perfecting of exposing/developing of a film, does seem to happen around the time the film manufacturer either changes the formula, or stops production of it; both of which have happened to me.

Fortunately, Ilford via Harmon Technology, do seem as though they will be around for some time yet.

I do however, like Bergger Pancro 400 for portraiture and just about anything else; it is hellishly expensive though. :shock:

Mick

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Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Maris » 30 Jul 2018, 10:50

Mick, the 250mm lens seems to suit your photographic vision. Remember the perfect picture of Plough in Rain back in January was done with a Fujinon-W 250mm f6.3 lens while Motorcycle Outfit used a Fujinon 250mm f6.7. Is this f6.7 lens the legendary one, the one with outside lettering, the one in high demand because it one of the few 250s that cover the 8x10 format with room to spare?

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Mick Fagan » 30 Jul 2018, 13:46

Maris, spot on, the slightly longer focal length does appear to suit my photographic style, as well as wide angle lenses more than occasionally. My least used focal length is 150mm, followed by 65mm. This year, I have probably used the 250mm and 90mm lengths equally. I carry 65/90/150/250 with me, this range of focal lengths is perfect for how I see and work.

I also have a Komura 400T, which is excellent, but....

Yes, it is the legendary 250mm lens that covers 8x10" format; no, it is not mine.

I was at a friends property and my friend of 45 years or thereabouts turned up with his outfit, which I was going to photograph. A neighbour walked in and saw me using the 4x5" Shen Hao, he saw me switch from the 150 to the 250 and heard me say that this is the best lens I have; meaning for my 4x5" work it works well for me. He walked closer and mentioned that the lens I was using was alright, but he had a better one, would I like to see it.

He popped back to his property through the back paddock and returned on a quad bike with his kit; 8x10" Toyo monorail with three lenses, 420, 300 and the 250. He also has a 5x7" rear end and is interested in getting a 4x5" rear end for the Toyo, but that's another story. As he was running his lenses on a Linhof style board and using a step up board for the Toyo, I was able to try the 250 f/6.7; nice. All three of his lenses ran 67mm filters, with the longer focal length lenses being L Fujinon units, they were quite small, as in, really small. Seems he used to do product photography in another life, hence large coverage lenses.

I don't really think there is much between them optically, other than the legendary coverage of the f/6.7. Would I purchase one, I doubt it.

I wondered whether anyone would pick up on the lens. :mrgreen:

Mick.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Walter Glover » 01 Aug 2018, 02:27

Hi Mick,

It seems to me that your lens-loaning neighbour might like to join our little fraternity. Have you invited him?

An injection of new life might be a fine thing.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Mick Fagan
Posts: 412
Joined: 24 Sep 2015, 21:20
Location: Melbourne

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Mick Fagan » 01 Aug 2018, 08:16

Walter, that would be a good thing, but he is off grid, and I happen to know that reception in that area is dodgy to say the least.

Even with an external aerial and with that aerial stuck on top of our camper in a clearing, can we get a 1 bar signal for our mobile telephony. NBN has already arrived for that area, but it is via satellite only.

As far as I know he doesn't do social media of any kind, doesn't have a mobile, you get the drift.

Mick.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: Motorcycle Outfit

Postby Walter Glover » 02 Aug 2018, 20:20

To a hermitic curmudgeon like me, that sounds a somewhat idyllic set of circumstances.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant


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