Large format advice

An eye loupe for fine focusing might be helpful. I'm assuming you already have some sort of hood for the camera so you can see what you're shooting on sunny days.

I've been shooting for like... 4 years now. You're gonna make mistakes. A lot of them. You'll kill some sheets. (forgetting to stop down, darkslide issues, leaving shutter open, missing focus, loading issues) That's ok. There's way more steps to large format than any small format camera. But the payoff is lovely.

I still shoot exclusively Arista BW film. It's close to $1/sheet (just jumped in price like everything else sadly) and I love it. Sure nicer film is...nicer but at double or even triple the cost. I'd rather shoot more at the same price range. And I really don't have any qualms about the quality I'm getting. But your call.

Just triple check everything before each shot. And get a damn sturdy tripod if you can. Tripod shake will kill you. I used a crappy one not meant for LF for a year or so and it worked.... fine but really loved when I got a Bogen.

And I use a MOD54 with a Paterson 3-reel tank for all my developing. It's solid.

Check your film holders for light leaks and see if the seals are letting off stuff on to the film.

I second the Mod54 recommendation. I’ve never had any problems with it whatsoever. Definitely get a handle on things with cheaper film if you like, but I find using more expensive stuff—either from Ilford or Kodak—is a lot more pleasant, not just how it looks, but also to actually handle. I now shoot Tri X 320 pretty exclusively in 4x5, when I’m shooting black and white. It’s got a very thick film base that’s really easy to handle, and it looks great. It’s a totally different film from Tri X 400 (which I also like).

I’d also read through all of the guides on the large format photography forum, particularly the ones on bellows extension, camera movements, and the Scheimpflug principle, since those are going to be the most different from smaller formats. Adam’s The Camera, which you might already own, also breaks down the view camera quite well, if memory serves. Once I became familiar with everything a view camera could do, I found smaller cameras kind of limiting.

Oh and get a good cable release. It’s absolutely something that’s worth spending money on—the cheap ones break and it’s REALLY frustrating. I use a Gepe Metal weave covered cable release. It’s great.

Big one really is get a good book on large format cameras, so you understand movements; and things like how bellows extension affects focus, not the sort of thing that seems intuitive when you're used to helical focusing lenses. Understanding image circle and how it relates to lens choice and coverage is good when lens shopping, too. There are ways to calculate DOF on the rail, too.

If you're not using the zone system for B&W, you might look for a spot meter and delve into that - since you can develop individual frames with B&W, the control is really wonderful. And while it's a "the world is my oyster" thing, generally you'll find a day's shooting will give you "normal" negs and a handful of plus or minus negs (vs. 5 different development schemes), so just keeping track with masking tape on the holders can keep you organized for development.

On a practical level, if you camera has a 3/8 tripod screw (vs. 1/4"), hopefully your QR system offers a 3/8 plate - I find that makes a huge difference with big cameras, the plates stay put better without spinning loose, vs. using a bushing (and bushings crack easily and are easy to lose). If it's 3/8, usually there's a reason it's 3/8!

Don't forget to close the shutter between composing/focusing on the ground glass and removing the dark slide from the film holder :D That mistake has been responsible for most of my own fried sheets, personally.

I apologize if anybody else mentioned this, but make sure you check any exposure compensation from your bellows. There is this really good app called Reciprocity Timer which helps you calculate it along with any reciprocity failure you might encounter. I think it costs like 99 cents or $1.99, but it’s worth it.

I shot cheap black and white like Foma and expired color until I stopped making mistakes. (I think expired color film is still expensive with the way film prices are now.) Foma has very bad reciprocity which makes it difficult for long exposures. Now I think HP5+ is my favorite black and white film. Very versatile in terms of speed and the grain is negligible at 4x5.

If you are in the UK I could send you some sheets of expired Ektachrome. It has a reddish color cast but could be good practice.

practice setting up your camera and taking a photo. like put it all in your bag then do the complete setup and tear down to practice doing it. you'll establish a rhythm and be less likely to be make a dumb (but common) mistake like not closing the shutter before pulling out the darkslide.

I totally second everyone’s advice re film holders — it can be incredibly frustrating to have shots ruined by leaky film holders, and tracking down the one leaky holder in a big pile can be a PITA — I’ve found that keeping a detailed log of shots with exposure info, film holders no., etc. is really helpful.

The Zone system —- I remember being intimidated by it, but it’s super straightforward to use and I saw a big improvement in my negatives — way easier to print and scan. You will want to get a spot meter for this, but after learning the Zone system going back to trusting in camera metering feels stupid.

Don’t spend money on a fancy dark cloth — make your own with black and white cotton t-shirts.

I also really love using cheap/toy night vision goggles for loading and developing film.

Oh, and play with movements … but don’t underestimate their effects! A little bit of tilt might not look like a lot in the GG, but it’ll be prominent in your negatives.

I'd spend a little time reading up about how movements work, for instance the Stroebel book if you can keep from falling asleep while reading it. Understanding the basics of coverage, movement, and how tilt/swing interact with focus can give you a big head start on ultimately figuring it all out by experimenting.

Double check that you have closed your shutter before removing the dark slide on your film holder!

Label film holders. I put my phone# and email on each holder in case I accidentally leave them behind while out shooting. I also put a label that says "LIGHT SENSITIVE: DO NOT OPEN" for the curious person who finds it.

Label what film is in each holder too. Some holders have a part that can be written on in pencil for erasing later. You should also number your holders and each side (e.g 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, etc.). It'll be easier to keep track of your holders and which side you just shot on (in case you forget to flip the darkslide). This number and letter is great for keeping track of your shots, if thats important to you. I keep a pocket notebook that I write Metadata for each shot (e.g "2022-02-16, 1-A, Nikkor W 135mm, f/16, 1/100s, HP5+, empire state building, push to ISO 800").

Practice without film, develop a workflow you're comfortable with.

Dark tents are better than dark bags.

The Stearman SP-445 is good for 4 sheets (it drips a little. Expect it).

I like the 20th Century 6 sheet reels, because they're easier to load than the mod54, but some people have had issues with film scratches. I'm not one of them.

Get two cable releases, not in black. As brightly colored as possible.

Grafmatics are convenient.

decide..right now... dark side out = exposed or not exposed

(of the film holder darkslide)

and then never, ever change...for the rest of your life...

I go with dark side out = exposed... but choice is yours

Thanks everyone for the advice. When I eventually have the time to shoot, I'll share my results/experience. Thanks again!

Not so much as a tip but a suggestion. Try ortho-litho film. I typically shoot it at iso 6 and flash the film. If it's a long exposures, I skip flashing the film. It's not sensitive to red light, so it can be handled under a safelight it's also super sheap (~$15 for a pack of 50). It's got an interesting look that makes it look like a flat print poster.

If you don't already have a prefered light meter on hand, you can use a cheap digital P&S camera (e.g. Canon Powershot) to take test exposures at the same ISO as your film stock and same exposure settings as you're planning to use on film. Sort of a modern Polaroid back if you will. Especially useful for long exposure test shots, although you'll still need to calculate for reciprocity failure.