From my third mini-batch of 4x5 dry plates. I'm now on my second box of the Lane Dry Plates and my exposure and focus are now pretty good. I've been using my Chamonix 045n field camera for these. It's my favorite camera--more so than any of my Nikon cameras. It's a combination of stylish walnut wood and high tech metals. The lens has been a vintage 1858 Derogy Petzval of f3.5, 6 inch focal length (150mm, the normal lens for 4x5.) I used ND filters to get to an exposure time of 1 second. (The plates are ISO 2). The Derogy has no shutter and the 1s "shutter speed" allowed me to simply use my hand over the lens to stop & start exposure.
I was not happy with the processing of the plates done by Blue Moon in Portland. They did a much better job on my last two batches. Not sure how much is their fault vs the emulsions themselves, but I do think the water marks were due to an error at the lab. Still, not horrible. I don't expect them to come out as perfect as modern film. Otherwise, I'd just shoot modern film, right? I am thinking of learning how to do my own processing by the end of summer.
First shot is of a little girl posing for photos with her family. The parents graciously indulged my request to take a shot of her posed in front of a waterfall. My own kids were never this cute! Second shot is of a local photographer who has a studio of his own in a nearby town. Third shot is of the Sioux Falls during the flooding in June.
I'm going to take more photos with the intention of being ready for the Civil War re-enactors that are coming next month. I hope to have everything completely dialed in by then. I've also ordered some 6.5x9cm plates for my c.1932 Voigtlander Bergheil camera with its 105mm Heliar lens. This was the camera of choice for my hero, Brassai, and is a miniature view camera. It's really cool! I also have another half dozen pre-Civil War lenses to dig out and try with the plates. To be continued..........
Kent in SD