Large Format Film Camera

I had the chance to use a Large Format film camera (4 x 5 inches) and experience the technical challenge. This was part of a course, 'Advanced Photography', which I took in July 2013 at Citi Lit. 

Large Format Camera, The Ebony

Key facts

• Large Format refers to any imaging format where the film size (media) is 4×5 inches or larger, e.g. 10 x 8 inches
• Large Format film cameras were in common use between 1890s and 1950s, until the convenience of the 35mm SLR film cameras overtook Large Format for most photographic needs: for convenience read much simpler, faster, more mobile and lighter.
• Yet Large Format still has some advantages over the 35mm for motion-free or near motionless subjects or images shot from a fixed viewpoint: (a) it produces much higher resolution images and (b) the ability to tilt its lens relative to the film plane creates greater options in camera for correcting perspective and depth of field.
• High Resolution: 4 x 5 (102 x 107 mm)  provides a surface area c16 times larger than 35mm (24 x 36mm). As a result, it provides 16x the resolution, explaining its continuing use in preference to 35mm SLRs: e.g. for images which are printed on a large scale. This feature means that Large Format is still used in landscape photography, advertising photos, fine-art photography, scientific applications and for images that will be enlarged to a high magnification.
• Tilting the Lens: most large format cameras allow the front (where the lens sits) and the back (where the film stands) to move in different planes, enabling tilt in up and down as well as left and right. This adjustment allows better rendering of perspective and depth of field. Landscape photographers (Ansel Adams and the Group f/64 were pioneers) benefit from these features, as do architectural and close-up photographers.

Use of the tilt function to change perspective
and depth of field

The process of shooting

Prepare the film cartridge

• Slide open the film holder cartridge and clean inside to remove dust
• Return the slider to its closed position in the film holder, ensuring that the silver top faces outward (to signify that it contains unexposed film, which it will do after the next and more difficult step)

Load the film into the cartridge (=2 x sheets of 5 x 4 Ilford ISO 125 unexposed film)

• Find a dark room (e.g. a bathroom or toilet)
• Release the slider of the film cartridge for the full length of cartridge without removing it entirely
• In near dark and without touching the emulsion, remove 1 sheet from the top of the box of film
• Twist the sheet through 90 degrees, feel for the lugs at the edge of the film, spread the left hand over the top of the film with the little finder resting in the lugs (this tells you where to place the top right hand side of sheet in the cartridge)
• Place the film inside the cartridge (ha!, ha! Try again without touching the emulsion)
• Close the slider
• Repeat the process to load film in the other side of the cartridge
• Leave the dark room
• Note on the top of the film box how many sheets remain, for future reference (opening the box to check in daylight would expose the film)

Set up camera for test shot

• Place the camera on a tripod
• Select the lens and fix to the front of the camera
• Open the camera's shutter
• Place a blanket over the top of the camera, to be able to see the subject well enough to focus (which is upside down: pinhole camera principle)
• Adjust the tilt of the front of the camera, if needed for perspective control or altering the depth of field
• Focus the subject by adjusting the distance between the front (lens) and back (film) of the camera
• Use a loupe pressed against the rear glass panel to help fine tune the focussing of the light onto the back of the camera
• Close the camera's shutter
• Use a light meter to measure the light falling on the subject
• Set the aperture and shutter speed according to the light meter readings
• Load a cartridge of Polaroid film (to make a test shot once the subject has been composed)
• Fire a test shot
• Examine the Polaroid print
• Adjust camera or composition

Set up camera for actual shot

• Load the 5 x 4 film cartridge
• Confirm composition of the subject
• Remove the cartridge slider facing the back panel of the camera
• Release the camera's shutter
• Replace the slider into the film cartridge, this time with the black top facing outwards (to signify the presence of exposed film)

Record meta data with paper and pen, for future reference.

Personal reflections on experience

• No wonder that the 35mm film SLR overtook Large Format for most types of use! The technical process is more intense, recovery from any errors is nearly impossible, the cameras are heavy, the workflow is slow.
• Yet, where speed doesn't matter, perhaps even where it is an enemy (because it encourages thoughtless 'snapping'), Large Format has its advantages, in addition to its technical superiority in low/ no movement environments: i.e. ultra high resolution and creative use of depth of field.
• Also, photographers brought up in film in general, and in Large Format in particular, really had to learn their camera craft  (exposure, pre-visualisation, film management) to get any sort of result in a way that those raised only in digital photography (like me) simply are not forced to do from the outset.
• It was fun to try!