Stenopeika Air Force 4x5 - my new large format field camera! Time to start getting good at this....
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.พ. 2023
- Check out my new camera! The Stenopeika Air Force 4x5. It's a thing of beauty isn't it?
More about the camera here: www.stenopeika.com/prodotto/a...
I've been talking to Samuele, the founder of Stenopeika Cameras, for quite a while now, and he decided to send me my very own 4x5 camera to use. So this is not a camera for me to review, although I will be giving you my thoughts on it. This is camera for me use to get better at large format photography.
Samuele is a passionate fan of all things large format, and he wants to the internet to have more content about 4x5, in the hope that more people will find it and more people will get into it.
So he has sent me a camera in exchange for me making more videos about large format photography. And I am very happy to do that!
This does NOT mean I will be only faint LF now. My channel will still be about medium format, but I will be trying to get more videos on LF out there. I want to get better at it, I want to shoot more, so I'll be making more vids on LF.
This first video with the Stenopeika is about getting used to the camera. Nothing too adventurous this time around, just a nice walk in the hills.
Next videos with this camera are going to be about me trying to figure out why I don't get more excited about landscape photography!! What's wrong with me??
Drop me a comment below. What do you think of this camera? it's a beauty isn't it??
Check out Stenopeika here: www.stenopeika.com
That's a great looking camera!
I think it is isn't it? I don't think the pics on the Stenopeika website do it justice, looks even better out and about.
if it's not the holders fault, maybe it is the gg holder, aka the holder isn't square on to the ridges that support the holder, and allow full closure and pressure from the springs of the ground glass frame, to hold it tight to the felt to prevent light leakage [the holder could be off tolerance a little, in manufacturing, esp. 3D printed parts]-the maker has to file the parts after setting of the plastic, as this is like a forging, dross from the process is still there, and this hand filing can vary the dimensions a little.
I suppose Ansel Adams would say visualize more and take your time, as well as fewer exposures. But I'm no good at landscape photography at all and hardly in a position to give advice. Steve O'Nions seems to be able to find striking images everywhere. I liked the first setup for its simplicity. The hill would have benefited from the 90 mm lens perhaps. You're right about the camera. Those are clever little adjustments. As for the holders: isn't that a light leak at 10:42?
Steve O'nions is simply wonderful. The UK in his frame, magnificent!
Looked like a leak to me.
Two good pieces of advice - visualize and take your time. Fewer exposures, yes, agreed, however, my time in the field is currently limited by family and work commitments, and so when I do get out I feel a pressure to create. And that in itself is undoubtedly half my problem.
I like Steve O'Nions, I enjoy his videos immensely. However, in my eyes even he doesn't have a 100% hit rate. If he's happy with his images, then that's all that matters for him, but I don't look at all his images (some, of course) and think that they're there sort of images I want to take.
Now, what are the sort of images I want to take? That's the other half of the problem.
Light leak? Well, I deliberately didn't mention it in the video because I wasn't sure of the cause, but it is almost certainly a light leak. However, now that I have used the film holder more, I can now be sure that it is not the film holders fault. It is therefore, unsurprisingly, my fault!
Get a yellow(k22) filter maybe orange or red too. Make your skys snap and more drama to your to your overall composition. You're doing alright, keep it up.i was a teen ager when I took my first 4x5 on a speed graphic. Amazing first shot...... took me 2 years to figure out what I did right. 70 now and a bit crippled up but still shooting mostly 4x5 and 8x10. Gave my digital stuff to my kids. For years mixing my own chemistry, memorized exposure data, etc. I just couldn't handle the extra fidgety manipulations in Photoshop that just felt cheap and less artistic than film. Just saying.... also glad I held on to my Hasselblads, though I haven't used em in years, yet.
Idea to help you love landscape photography: find things where there's a human element. For instance, an old barn or a fence or something manmade. It might not help in your particular case, but it's worth a try.
I think that's a very good suggestion. My problem with these images, and lots of the landscape shots I take, is that they don't say anything, to me at least. There's no story, my eye isn't drawn to anything in particular. I think that's my issue anyway.
I have plans... I'm going to make some progress with landscape photography. I will improve!
hint: if you shoot MF backs in the LF camera, it is still 120 roll film as your output, so this counts as MF ;-) but do keep to the gg lines, as composition changes depending on format chosen, HINT 2: this is also a great MF alternative, as you can have 6x4.5 all the way up to 6x17 format, in the one body, one set of controls, set of lenses, etc. to remember.
Cracking camera and a decent price. Keep at it mate. Not easy to do but get out early morning or late argo when the light is better, light always lifts a scene. Use wider lenses look for foreground interest to give the scene plenty of depth. Keep em coming mate.
Great looking camera. Looks much better made than the Intrepid is.
Nice looking camera a lot more refined looking than the Intrepid.
Definitely! But it is a notable price hike on the intrepid… still achievable though I think. And quite possibly a very good second step in LF, for those who want to incrementally advance maybe.
I feel much the same way about my landscape photography. I'll be watching to see if you find some answers for yourself.
Glad to know there are others out there like me! Watch this space, I have plans afoot!
Im in the market for a camera myself, probably will just get a Sinar F as I probably can't afford much else and want some movements but that camera looks great.
The monorails are usually cheaper, for sure. I started with a monorail, was great for me for a while. But then I wanted something more portable, easier to carry out and about, hence going for a proper field camera like the Stenopeika. If you decide on something smaller and lighter, then I can definitely recommend the Air Force as an option! 👍
Enjoying the 4x5
Certainly looks a better option to the Intrepid and great price.
Respectable price isn't it? Just feels so much more solid. Pretty impressed, for an "affordable camera"!
With the all plastic film holders you don’t have to worry about surface corrosion on the dark slides. A good thing if you are out tramping in the rain.
Woah neat camera, oh no you have tempted me, but I already have the Intrepid (an older gen) and a Chroma Snapshot, but this definitely seems a small step up with regards to usability....they do have a 5x7 version too huh....oh no
Do it! You know you want to...... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be encouraging you.
I'm definitely considering one, in 5x7. Is there any wiggle in the front standard as was previously noticed?
You're just getting me excited to use my recent Horseman FA 45 purchase out of the bag....lol, but I still need to get a dark cloth for it. Whats the one you're using here? As always mate just lovely video, thanks and cheers.
Ah shoot, I meant to put the link in the description. I forgot! It's a Paramo dark cloth. Not cheap, but really good quality, and tidy as well, I didn't want some massive flowing garment, just something hard wearing that I can get my head into! - www.paramo-clothing.com/en-gb/explore-range/product/?pk=07AB732D-34D3-4F0A-A548-64193008DF0E
@@the120ist Thanks for that, and you could look into getting a 6 shooter for the 4x5 - A Graflex Grafmatic Film Holder with 6 Septums....just a thought.
That does look pretty impressive- especially for that price.
I was genuinely blown away by the quality of it. I didn't know quite what to expect, but it feels really solid. Definitely worth a look at the price.
I have two Stenopeika cameras, a 5x7 and a 11x14, the latter Samuele agreed to custom make for me. They are all of LF camera I need - not as flimsy as the Intrepids and with quite a few interesting ideas build in. Also, if something goes wrong, easily repairable by any skilled carpenter. Those 3D-printed film holders are interesting, though. I'm still searching for a film holder for my antique ICA 10x15 cm camera, 3D-printing could be a solution. I only would need a sample now for the measures ...
Ah really! They were pretty new to me when i started talking to Samuele, I don't think I know anyone who has one. They're great aren't they? I think I have a fair bit of learning before I start to yearn for bigger sizes!
I have to admit I was a little sceptical about the film holder. It just feels too lightweight... but it's solid, it does the job. And I would guess Samuele could probably print them to any dimensions you need. Definitely seems like a potential solution.
Very interesting camera. I have a 65 for the Linhof. On its own bellows (you can’t do rise on it, and you have to drop the bed to get it out of shot). I can’t get a bright enough image through it to focus, for the most part. Must dig it out again and have another go…
Ok so I have a confession to make… since recording this video and posting it, I now have a 65mm lens. I have a problem. I’m dealing with it.
All I’ve done so far is mount it and check the image on the gg, it’s all there and it’s crrrrazy wide! But it is definitely a snug fit, it ain’t going to be moving much! But it does clear the bed without having to drop it. But then this camera does stand pretty tall, that was one of the first things I noticed about it.
Which 65 do you have? I went for the Nikkor f4, plenty of light coming through it, no problem getting an image.
@@the120ist I’ll have to let you know next week. Away for half term.
I often feel the same way when trying to shoot landscape, and, sometimes, when viewing the landscape photos of others. But I have always suspected that the old maxim, "If you want to be a better photographer stand in front of more interesting stuff" applies. A pleasant place to be in isn't necessarily an interesting thing to look at. The scene has to say something to you to be worth shooting, it seems to me. Find the interest, and interesting photos may follow...I hope!
Здравствуйте! Классная камера получилась, только хватает ли жесткости ей? Какой толщины фанеру используете? Стойки алюминиевые?
For me, it's tough enough... but it depends what you plan to do with it! This Air Force 4x5 is the Stenopeika entry-level model, I don't know what other materials are used in the more expensive models. I think most of the metal parts are aluminium, but I'm not 100% sure.
I dropped this camera, with a lens on it, from about head height at the end of one of my videos in South Africa, and there was significant damage. But in a year of use, there has been no other damage, and I hike with it, throwing it in and out of bags.
As I say, it has been sturdy enough for me!
@@the120ist thank you! Can you tell me what thickness if plywood is used in this camera?
I wish there where more options of modern/reliable field cameras with full rise/tilt/shift capabilities using 120 film. I don't want to deal with 4x5.
I would be very interested in one of those! I wonder if it’s something Samuele has considered… or maybe Steve at Chroma cameras.
Im appealed by 4x5 cameras, but Im a bit lost how to find a lens that fits in ?
I’m going to do a video soon on getting started in 4x5, so watch out for that. The magic of it, for me, is that you can use literally any lens. It needs to cover the whole 4x5 sheet, if you don’t want vignetting, but that’s basically it. Then you build or buy a lens board which fits the lens and the camera, and off you go. You should definitely try it!
@@the120ist thank you very much
Hey! Do you have any business emails I could contact you from? A couple months ago I found an old Voigtlander camera from a garage sale, and I think it might be some model of Voigtlander Bessa but I’m not sure. It’d be cool if you could identify and tell me what type of film it uses so I can maybe get into photography myself! :)
Blacks in the images are very pale