Camera: Zero 45 (25mm)
Film: Illford Delta 100
Stand developed for 1 hour with Adonal.
Exposure time: 5 seconds
Date: October 31, 2016
Zero 45 experiments
I have been spending a lot of quality time with my Zero 45 lately. A few weeks ago I took it up to The Witches Castle in Portland and shot several frames with both 4x5 and 120 film. I thought it would be interesting to shoot the same scene, one with no extension frame (25mm) and one with 1 extension frame (50mm). I was actually quite shocked when I saw the results. It's crazy how wide the 25mm configuration is compared to the 50mm. In the photos below my camera is in the exact same spot. The only change was the extra frame. The photo on the left is the 25mm configuration. The photo on the right, the 50mm configuration. I actually like the one on the left better. It is more interesting to me.
New Dawn
Here is another photo taken with my Zero 45, this time using a Graflex "23" 120 roll back and Velvia film. This is the first time I have actually used slide film for it's intended purpose and not cross processed it. I really love the results. I have always kind of been afraid of it, especially with pinhole, because I know it is less forgiving than color negative film. But I'm glad I took a chance with it.
I am still struggling with this camera's wide angle. It's hard to wrap my head around it.
Time
“Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.”
I have a large format pinhole camera that takes really, really wide angle shots. I have been struggling with it since I got it. I can’t quite figure out how to compose a shot, or even what the best kind of shot is for this camera. So I decided to burn film through this mutha so I can maybe learn something about how it works. I’ve spent a lot of quality time with this camera lately.
A few weeks ago I was in a “Dark Side Of The Moon” mood and listened to this album several times from beginning to end. This song, these lyrics, really stood out for me at that time. As these lyrics were rattling around in my mind I came up with the idea for this photo I was curious to see what would happen if I pinholed a clock’s arms moving around in a circle. So I tried it. My original idea was to start the photo at 11:11 (I have a thing about 11:11) and I did do that, but the shot turned out over exposed. This was the second shot and it came out better exposed.
Is this the best photo I have ever taken in my life? No. But I learned some things from it. I learned that having a theme, or an idea in your mind is a good way to get inspiration. I may kick around more photos around “time” as a theme.
I also learned that for this camera you have to get in very, very, very close. This was close and it wasn’t even close enough. Also, I like the way still life looks with this camera (using 4×5 sheet film), as opposed to landscape. I think the crazy vignetting works well with still life. So. Note to self.
Chinese Garden
This past weekend I thought I would take my new toy to the Chinese Gardens in Portland, Oregon. I was testing the 120 roll holder for the camera. I felt kind of ambivalent about the results. I think I like color film for pinhole photography best - for myself personally. I love it when others do it. I think it just doesn't work with my vision (whatever that is. Still not quite sure about that. I guess I will know it when I see it).
Camera: Zero 45 with 1 extension frame. Graflex "23 Graphic" 120 roll holder
Exposure time: 5 seconds
Film: Fuji Acros 100
Pinhole: 0.28mm
Focal Length: 50mm
ISO: 100
Aperture: f178
Dev: Home developed in Diafine
Scan: Epson V500
My foray into Large Format Pinhole photography
I'd been eyeing this camera for a couple of months. For some insane reason I have had this bug to do large format pinhole photography and have been shopping around for cameras. I have also been interested in zone plate photography so, hands down, the Zero 45 won the in the "WANT" department. So when I came upon some extra cash I bought it! It was a birthday present to myself.
Since my Zero 2000 has the same wide angle as the Zero 45 without an extension frame I added one to my setup. I thought it would be nice to mix things up a little bit and have options.
My very generous friend Jeff sent me an amazingly awesome magazine contraption that holds six sheets of film! And I received a pack of Arista 100 for my birthday. So I was set!
I spent the week trying out all of the various settings. I shot a couple with the extension frame, without the extension frame. I shot a few using the zone plate settings. It didn't take long to get through six sheets.
I ordered a Mod54 and developed them Friday evening. Since I don't have a scanner that will scan 4x5 I went to Newspace to make prints of them.
The whole process has been fun and a great learning experience. I am not sure what to make of the actual photos concerning subject matter and composition. I suppose I will get a handle on this the more I use it. Practically I have a lot to learn. For example, I really scratched the negatives getting them into the tank and I will need to be more careful next time. Another consideration is to load my tank in a light proof room as the dark bag is a bit too small for all of the stuff inside of it.
Pinhole, no extension frame (25mm). 4 minute exposure.
Zone plate with one extension frame (50mm). 4 minute exposure.
Pinhole. No extension frame (25mm). 1 min. 25 seconds.