Large Format Anyone?

[BobRoosth]

Came across this link yesterday in a woodworkers' forum:

http://www.tyguillory.com/20x24%20Mammoth%20Page.htm

[terrie]

Whoa!

Terrie

[Steve Rindsberg]

Cool ... a take-out process camera. ;-)

[Mike]

I think I'll wait till Wallmart have the film (or plates) on special offer.

[BobRoosth]

PLEASE do not hold your breath for that to happen.....

[Steve Rindsberg]

<g>

Now can you imagine what it must've been like back in the day? A photographer (whose name escapes me at the moment) traveled with a surveying expedition in the US west carrying a camera that size. And had his own special wagon to serve as a darkroom ... at the time, the plates had to be coated with emulsion as needed. As in "glass plates".

His photos of Yosemite inspired the creation of our national park system, if I recall correctly.

Ah, wait.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Jackson

[Bo Aakerstrom]

When I use my mobile phone to take pictures I often get the knuckle of my index finger over the lens - with one of these that wouldn't be possible. Of course that behemoth doesn't fit in my pocket so I'll probably put it down somwhere and forget I brough it with me in the first place.

[donmcc]

Reminds me so much of the cameras in print/graphics shops, where the inside of the camera was a separate room from the one where you set up the image to be photographed. I think most were larger than 20 x 24 (isn't a broadsheet newspaper bigger than that?)

[BobRoosth]

Yep. Those were set up for turning pretty much anything into film for making offset printing plates. One of my clients still has one. Of course, he also still has a letter press and a hot lead Linotype typesetter. And cases full of metal and wood type.

[Mac Townsend]

When I junked my process camera (28x31) about 10-12 years ago I found the process lenses were usable in large format still cameras such as the one pictured. One guy used to lug a 24" camera with him to record horsemen on a trail ride.

Tremendous detail!

I don't think he did it more than once, now he uses a DSLR

[BobRoosth]

And those lenses had to be really good for their intended purpose.

[Eric Ladner]

After some googling around, I am amazed to discover that 20x24 film is still available: I just found a listing for 25 sheets of Ilford FP-4 for a mere $818.35. Just the thing for some casual snap-shooting!

Polaroid used to make a 20x24 camera and film, but I can't tell from the Google hits I got if it's still around or not. So hard to figure out dates of things on the web sometimes.

-Eric

[Steve Rindsberg]

I remember reading about the "Humongaroid" 20x24 camera. The Polaroid program ran as sort of a grant process; you'd apply to use it and if you and your proposed project were approved, they'd send the camera and a team of technicians to help you operate it.

Polaroid's no longer making consumer Polaroid film; I'd bet you better than even money they're not making the big stuff either.

Visit http://www.polaroid.com/ and among the rotating images at the top of the page, you'll see the monster camera. Polaroid's donated it to MIT.

And there you can also learn that I was wrong. They *had* stopped making film, but they're back in the business now. My bet's still on though.

[Steve Rindsberg]

I remember reading about the "Humongaroid" 20x24 camera. The Polaroid program ran as sort of a grant process; you'd apply to use it and if you and your proposed project were approved, they'd send the camera and a team of technicians to help you operate it.

Visit http://www.polaroid.com/ and among the rotating images at the top of the page, you'll see the monster camera. Polaroid's donated it to MIT.

And look here: http://www.mammothcamera.com/
You can still rent the thing. Prices available on request but they do quote this, probably to discourage the casually curious: $200 / shot for the film alone.

To paraphrase the old carpenter's advice: Meter twice. Shoot once.

[terrie]

eric: Polaroid used to make a 20x24 camera and film, but I can't tell from the Google hits I got if it's still around or not. So hard to figure out dates of things on the web sometimes.I saw a documentary not long ago on Chuck Close and I *think* he may use this as a step in his portrait painting process...

Terrie

[john_b]

... traveled with a surveying expedition in the US west carrying a camera that size. And had his own special wagon to serve as a darkroom...

...looks like there's enough space to set up a darkroom inside the camera..;-)

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

...looks like there's enough space to set up a darkroom inside the camera..;-)

John
Sure. If you don't bring the film in there with you. There's the rub.

[john_b]

Nah, I'm sure there's room to park my car in there...

...you can't believe what you see in photos these days', y'know...;-)

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

Now there's a thought. Imagine what it'd take to retouch those things.
Photoshop CDs the size of flying saucers. Wow.

[john_b]

Oh, heavens, more pixels than you could shake a stick at - dozens of 'em... hundreds even...

...and not only that - quality pixels, the very finest!! :)

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

Great BIG honking pixels!!

[john_b]

They must be like those whoppers on CCTV that when the cops zoom in to a single one, suddenly morph and split - like bacteria on speed - to reveal a detailed picture of... voila!... the perp's face!!!

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

That's it, that's it. Then they zoom in on the face to see ...


wait for it ....




The reflected image of the person the perp's about to hurt. Reflected in his eyeballs!

[john_b]

The reflected image of the person the perp's about to hurt. Reflected in his eyeballs!

...and how lucky is it that you can just make out his car number plate in the background?

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

Car number plate? The one with the fingerprints that prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the butler did it? Or was it bugler? Hard to make out.

[john_b]

Car number plate? The one with the fingerprints that prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the butler did it? Or was it bugler? Hard to make out.

It is hard to tell but perhaps it's because it's been smudged... still, that's no bad thing and we should be able to get some DNA from it!

[my money's on Professor Plum in the billiard room, by the way]

John

[Steve Rindsberg]

Mine too. Shall we declare him guilty and relieve the others of this suspense? And tedium? ;-)

[john_b]

OK, job done!

[it was the DNA on the lead pipe that clinched it...] :)

John