Here is the Crown Graphic on its own.

I updated my Hollywood Squares film camera collection photo to add in the Graflex Pacemaker Crown Graphic. The Nikon N80 was demoted off the page to make room. These are in order of when they came into my collection. #BelieveInFilm

I picked up a sturdier ball head to use with my Crown Graphic, the Manfrotto MH-494BH. The independent panning will be so nice.

Film rendering of the Sinopah Sunset photo from Glacier National Park. Yashica Mat 124G with Portra 400 at box. #BelieveInFilm

Out on my walk. Kodak Double-X certainly does well by tree trunks. Olympus OM-4T with yellow filter. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

Reach for the sky. Olympus OM-4T. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

My upstairs purgatory when I had COVID in August...my third time. Olympus OM-4T. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

Wetland scene on my local trail. Nikon F w/105mm f/2.5 Ai-S and yellow filter. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

Our front yard is a forest. Are you surprised? Olympus OM-4T. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

A single fallen leaf cradled in the crook of a branch. Nikon F w/50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S and yellow filter. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

Egret on the hunt. Nikon F w/105mm f/2.5 Ai-S and yellow filter. Double-X at ISO 250. FX-39II for 8 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

We’re less than a month out from the start of #FolderWeek. It’s not too late to pick yourself up a sweet old folder if you don’t already have one. These old cameras are capable of producing stunning photos.

The Mamiya 6 Automat really is a gorgeous camera.

My Crown Graphic is now properly fitted with an original leather strap. This just looks right.

Shooting film cameras has freed me from worrying about the age of my digital cameras. My Nikon D850 was released 8 years ago and I still happily shoot it. My Z7 II was released 5 years ago and I couldn’t care less whether there is a Z7 III coming. A 13-year old D800 is my film digitizing camera.

Another one of my first 4x5 photos on the Graflex Crown Graphic. Lesson learned...shoot into the sun at your own peril. FP4 at box. FX39II. #BelieveInFilm

This is no great shakes as a photo, but as a proof of my large format processes, I'm happy with it. I nailed focus, my exposure looks good, and my development was good. Pacemaker Crown Graphic w/FP4 at box. FX39II for 6 min at 20C. #BelieveInFilm

Here goes my first attempt to process 4x5. Four sheets loaded with no issues in the dark bag.

We have a lovely next several days in store. Time to get out hiking and shooting. I need to process some sheets of 4x5 to free up film holders. Then perhaps I’ll hit the woods with my Crown Graphic.

Another question for those knowledgable on Graflex Speed/Crown Graphics. By dropping the bed you can have front fall and tilt. When I try this, I am unable to focus the image. The lens is the 135mm f/4.7 Optar. Have any of you Speed/Crown Graphic users gotten front fall and tilt to work? If so, how?

Another great video from Robbie Maynard. He’s the anti-YT YouTuber. youtu.be/U1zWDI6E140

1/3: Ok large format shooters, esp Graflex users, I have a puzzle to solve. These 3 photos show the focusing rail of my Crown Graphic (CG) at 3 points. 1) Ground glass focus, 2) CG rangefinder focus, 3) Racked back to infinity stop.

Yet another composition from the old abandoned grain mill. Nikon F100 w/Portra 400 at box. #BelieveInFilm

Beautiful old Beetle. Nikon F100 w/Portra 400 at box. #BelieveInFilm

This old abandoned grain mill gives me endless opportunities to play with compositions. Nikon F100 w/Portra 400 at box. #BelieveInFilm

Who doesn't love an old Bug! Nikon F100 w/Portra 400 at box. #BelieveInFilm

I could get used to Portra 800 colors if it weren't for the crazy high price. These are from our Glacier National Park trip. Nikon N80. #BelieveInFilm

I have a question for the large format shooters. How do you get the sheet film out of the film holders when processing the film? I find getting the film sheets out of the Fidelity holders to be difficult. I figure there has to be a trick.

So I did a thing.

How does the week of October 19, 2025 sound for the next #FolderWeek? Depending on where you live, fall color might be at full steam. What is #FolderWeek? It's a week to encourage you to get out shooting with your old folding cameras. If it folds, it's a folder as far as #FolderWeek is concerned.

Another Sinopah Mountain sunset photo, this time with a reflection in Pray Lake. The ripples in the lake were from a swimming beaver. Nikon D850 and 50mm f/1.8G.

Coming back on the grid for a quick moment to post a photo from Glacier National Park. Sinopah at sunset. Nikon D850 w/50mm f/1.8G.

I made the first photo last night on my iPhone 16e. The colors were completely off and the shadows were lifted way too much. That’s when I got my D850 and made the second photo, which is accurate to the scene. This is why I don’t believe an iPhone is all you need.

Late day light over the high plains around Shelby, Montana. Nikon D850 w/28mm f/1.8G.

When digital fails, it fails ugly. This is the uncropped photo of the cow licking the girls face. The way digital fails in highlight areas drives me insane. Negative film handles highlight areas so much more gracefully.

1/2: I've made my decisions for which cameras to bring to Glacier National Park. For film, it's the Nikon N80 and Yashica Mat 124G. For digital going with the Nikon D850. This way I can share lenses with the N80. Thought about the F100 but opted for the much lighter and smaller N80.

Sometimes you get lucky. Minnesota State Fair cattle barn. Nikon Z7II w/50mm f/1.8S.

This is a fabulous article on the power of contact sheets. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/a...

1/2: Leaving for Glacier National Park the end of the month for two glorious weeks in the mountains. Since we are driving, I'll be bringing film cameras. Now the tough decision...which cameras and film to bring. For sure I'll bring one folder, likely my Voigtlander Bessa (1937).

Someone finally bought that Tachihara 4x5 field camera at National Camera. Thank goodness! Now I don’t need to keep looking at it wondering what if.

The granddaughters are arriving tonight with our eldest. I’m going full on capture the action mode with my F100 with the 24-120 f/4 zoom and Portrait 400. Was thinking Portra 800, but I’m saving those 2 rolls for Glacier National Park in September.

Catching the late day light on the patio.

Ever have one of those times when you feel as if you’ve got a bunch of creative output bottled up inside busting to come out? That’s how I’m feeling right now. I don’t know what that output will be, but I can feel it.

When we bought our iPhone 12s, I got the Pro and my wife got the base model. If we’d have gone the same route this time we would have paid an extra $600. I’m happy Apple came out with the 16e. We don’t need or want all the latest camera wizardry. It’d be lost on us.

This third round of COVID for me has a long tail. I’ve been testing negative since Monday, but man am I still fatigued. I hope it loosens its grip on me soon.

Getting a new iPhone is a pain in the patootie! We finally upgraded our iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models to iPhone 16e models. Such a hassle.

A great use for a lens cap when the gnats are out.

Here’s a story of how AI destroys trust. I was watching a YT video on Minor White. At one point in the voiceover, the word co-juried was pronounced as if it were two disconnected words. Later there was a similar misreading. At that point I realized the voiceover was AI. I stopped the video.

On the front porch.

There is some fabulous work in Robbie Maynard’s latest YT video. He had lighting conditions to die for. Here is a link to the video. youtu.be/aixnN0SWgvM