Camera Equipment
HISTORY - My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Holiday I bought when I was about 12. It used 127 film & I really didn't use it a lot because a small allowance doesn't provide much for film & processing. I don't have the original camera, but I did run across an identical one I bought for the memories. I do still have some of the prints from those first shots, but the negatives are long gone. My first "real" camera was a Yashica Pentamatic-S I bought while in the Air Force in 1963. I had 35mm and 135mm preset lenses to go with the 50mm it came with. The Yashica finally died in 1977, and I replaced it with a Minolta SRT-201 in 1978. In the early 80's I added an XE-7 body. I've used Minoltas ever since and have never regretted it.
35 MM - Currently I have 2 Minolta auto focus bodies, an 800si and a 7. Lenses are: 21-35 Tokina, 35-70 F4 Minolta, 28-135 Minolta, 70-210 Minolta, 100-300 APO Minolta, 400 Tokina, and 100 F2.8 macro Minolta. I've found that while they're not the very best money can buy, the Tokina lenses are extremely good.
MEDIUM FORMAT - I use a Mamiya RB-67 Pro-S with 90 and 180 mm lenses. I'm considering adding the 150mm soft focus lens for portraits.
LARGE FORMAT - In late 2004 I started shooting 4x5 with a Cambo SCX monorail camera and a Caltar (Rodenstock) 210mm lens. To keep costs down, I use film holders rather than ready loads. I've found that Polaroid is an invaluable tool for learning with large format. In June of 2005 I added a Tachihara field camera and a 135mm Nikor-W lens. The monorail is just too much to haul around in the field.
Darkroom Equipment
ENLARGING - I use an Omega D-5XL enlarger with a Super Chromega color head. The timer is a Saunders ET-500 digital, and I use F-Stop timing with the chart from the book Beyond Monochrome. Lenses are Rodenstock Rodagons; 50mm, 80mm, 105mm, and 135mm. Easels are Saunders single-size, 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20. For smaller prints I use a Saunders PR-810 that allows multiple prints on a single 8x10 sheet without moving the easel.
FILM PROCESSING - I process 35mm and 120 film in Nikor stainless steel tanks with Hewes reels. Temperature control for C-41 and E-6 is accomplished with an Accu-Temp TC-750 temperature controller. This is a water pump & heater in a sealed unit. Inlet & outlet tubing runs to a large tote I got at a home store, and is deep enough to submerge the developing tanks to the lids. it's quite accurate and I have no problems holding solutions at the correct temperatures. I process 4x5 film in Combi-Plan tanks. I use 3 tanks without the covers, agitating by raising & lowering the holder. One tank is for developer, one for fixer, and the third doubles as a water stop bath and wash tank.
PRINTING - All prints are processed in trays in the sink I built. I use room temperature chemistry for RA-4 prints. Presently I'm washing prints in a tray with a Kodak Tray Siphon. At some point I'll build or buy a print washer, but the tray & siphon do a good job; it's just slow if you are washing multiple prints.
35mm FILM - Primarily APX-100, Tri-X, XP-2, and Portra VC and UC in 160 and 400. I really like the XP-2 for portraits; the skin tones are beautiful.
120 FILM - The same as I use for 35mm.
SHEET FILM - I'm still learning with the 4x5 and I need to settle on one or two films. Right now I'm using FP-4+ in Pyrocat HD, and need to settle on a 400 speed film. I haven't shot any 4x5 color as yet. (as of 5-11-05).
COLOR PAPER - I've used Supra Endura and Fuji Crystal Archive types C and P. For Kodak film I prefer their paper. I've had some filtration issues with Kodak Film and Fuji paper. I'll have to try Fuji film with both papers & see what happens.
B&W PAPER - I've been using mostly RC paper, but I'm changing over to FB. I like the tonality better. Right now, I'm using Agfa RC & FB, and some Polymax Fine Art. I want to get some other papers to try as well, probably Ilford & Forte FB. I'd like to find one warm toned and one cold toned paper & standardize on them.
COLOR CHEMISTRY - I use Tetenal chemistry for all my color work. I get good, consistent results with it. I especially like the room temperature RA-4 they have. it really makes color printing easy. I get the 5 liter C-41 kits and break each chemical down into small bottles so each bottle is enough for 1 liter of working solution. The RA-4 is relatively long lasting, so I mix the entire 2.5 liters, which is enough to make 100 prints. That works out well; order a box of paper and a 2.5 liter kit at the same time.
B&W CHEMISTRY - I mix my film developers from scratch, except Pyrocat HD and PMK Pyro, which I'm still testing. If I decide to stay with them, I'll probably mix them from scratch as well. Mixing your own allows you to mix only what you need. My main developer is D-76H when I'm not trying the PMK or Pyrocat. I'll standardize on one when I'm done testing. I use a water stop bath for film and prints, and Formulary TF-4 fixer for both. My paper developer is modified Ansco 130. I replace the Bromide with 2.2 grams of Benzotriazole. The 130 is extremely long lasting and gives me the tonality I like. Using the water stop bath and alkaline fixer works well for me. I like the short wash time I get this way. Since my average water bill is $ 50.00 per month, I try to save all I can. All prints get toned in Selenium.
As any of the above changes, I'll put updates in the Notes section.