Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
You didn’t ask to learn about bellows extension factors but we’re going to cover it with the most absurd camera that you may ever see!
Built from over two sheets of plywood, scraps of 2x6s, old drywall screws, and the cheapest 610mm lens that I could find on eBay, literally every expense was spared. I would be surprised if I spent more than $200 out of pocket to create this 10′ behemoth.
It’s hard to imagine that a particular film stock, especially something like infrared film, might have an origin story that’s almost as wild as a superhero. But the way Todd Dominey tells it, that’s pretty much how it sounds for Kodak Aerochrome. In this video, he goes over Aerochrome’s origins and its life until its demise in 2009.
You might remember Chroma from a couple of years ago when they launched the Chroma 4×5 large format camera through Kickstarter. It’s since grown into a family that includes a 4×5 handheld camera and now the new 679 modular medium format camera. It’s designed to allow photographers to shoot medium format film using a camera tailored to their own needs.
Although it’s a completely new design, the Chroma 679 inherits a number of features from its large-format siblings, including a removable lens board and a pinhole lens board. The main body of the camera is 3D printed, available in any depth you wish to account for flange distance and it’s available with four different film back mounting options.
Photography is close to impossible to do without a camera, so why do so many of us both love and hate the equipment side of things? For me the hate comes down to distraction – and a little bit of the love as well.
I currently have a paired back collection of cameras and lenses – but anytime I dual-wield, or really carry anything other than one camera with one lens, distraction creeps in.
I start to question what I am going to use for the shot, rather than adapting to the situation. I’ll frame with a 50mm, then maybe try a 35mm, maybe even regret not having a 90mm – by the time I have done that, I’ve missed the shot.
If you’re into photojournalism, movies, and are a fan of Johnny Depp, a real treat is coming to movies soon. Johnny Depp plays photographer William Eugene Smith in Andrew Levitas movie Minamata. It’s due to premiere in February 2021, and after watching the trailer – I must admit that I’m really looking forward to it.
In Wuppertal, Germany in 1902 the “flying train” was about to open. Of course, the train didn’t really fly, it is suspended from above. construction of the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn began in 1898 but it didn’t begin to open until in 1901. It’s actually still in operation today, despite having shut down briefly after damage during World War II.
This video was shot during 1902 and shows an incredibly high level of detail and quality, even by relatively recent standards. According to the Museum of Modern Art, the film was shot on Biograph 68mm film stock, which offers up a huge frame for capturing a lot of detail.
At some point or another, many photographers will get the idea into their heads that maybe, one day, they’d like to have a go at shooting large format film. For those who shoot digital, it’s often a far-fetched fantasy. But for those already working with 35mm and medium format film, the idea isn’t quite so crazy.
In this hilarious short film, Jason Kummerfeldt from grainydays beautifully expresses that first 8×10 large format film experience and he does it in the entirely pretentious way that most of us hear from some large format film shooters. And it’s absolutely brilliant.
Large format cameras typically come in two sizes these days. They’re either 8×10″ or the more common 4×5″. But there is a size in between, and that’s 5×7″, and now the British large format camera manufacturer, Intrepid has added one to their line up.
About the new Intrepid 5×7, they say it offers all of the features you’d expect from a traditional 5×7″ camera, but at a fraction of the cost and weight, coming in at a mere 1.4kg. It uses many of the same parts that Intrepid uses in their 4×5 and 8×10 models, including fully independent front standard movements and linear focus.
The three-color process is around a century and a half old method of getting a color photo from three black and white images. But even though it’s far from being new, it’s always fun to experiment with it! In this video, Jacob Carlson teaches you how to do it with black and white film photos. He’ll share some useful tips, what to do and what not to do. And to bring this retro technique together with modern ones – he’ll also show you how to stitch the photos together in Photoshop.
Despite the original decision to stay operational, the coronavirus pandemic has forced Ilford to close down its factory after all. In the most recent statement, the company writes that the production will be temporarily ceased “until further notice,” starting today.
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