Hello from Moscow

[alexvaras]

Hello everyone!

Here a Spanish living in Moscow, one year ago I took back the camera and I have several now, shooting mainly in MF with folding cameras.
I was told to come here and ask you for advice for my first LF camera.

I hope I can post something worthy in the future and learn more about photography.

Thank you in advance,
Alex

[Luis-F-S]

Que tengas buena suerte!

[Peter Collins]

Paz/Mir!

My two cents:
1. decide on format. 4x5/5x4 is the best place to start. Lots of equipment and the least costly film.
2. decide on folding/field vs. rail.
3. find something very (very) inexpensive and work with it. (I don't know anybody who is working with the first LF camera that they bought.)
4. Work with it!

[Peter De Smidt]

Welcome, Alex!

[Robert Brazile]

Glad you made it here, Alex. :-)

Robert

[neil poulsen]

Is that Moscow, Idaho, or Moscow, Russia? Or?

I think the first question to ask, what are you going to photograph?

[alexvaras]

Russia. My photos atm are portraits, snowy landscapes and buildings, also I began to shoot small corners and details at home.

[Pere Casals]

If you are not to hike with the camera in the back a good choice to start is a cheap monorail (CAMBO SC 4x5, form 100 to 200€ plus shipping). This is because it has all movements (and unlimited bellows draw) and it allows to explore what you may want to have in a field camera or in a more refined one.

"portraits, snowy landscapes and buildings" this is a lot of styles for picking a lens. For portraits there are a lot of specialized glasses, for landscape a priority can be weight, while for architecture a priority can be a large image circle allowing ample movements.

...then best is that for the lens you pick a "general usage" glass. Most common focals for 4x5 are 150 and 210, a Sironar-N, Symmar-S, Nikon-W or equivalent Fujinons are a perfect choice to start. For landscape you may want a 75mm that is really wide in the 4x5 format.

Another important thing is that LF photography often relies in custom development for each shot, as you can develop individual sheets in an special way you can take advantage of that. Beyond the Zone System book is a good reference.

[alexvaras]

Thank you for the advices, the weight it's critical for me, back problems and during summer time biking, maybe I have to drop the buildings shooting, in a week or so I will be able to meet one seller who has Sinar F1 and Nagaoka 45.

[Pere Casals]

Thank you for the advices, the weight it's critical for me, back problems and during summer time biking, maybe I have to drop the buildings shooting, in a week or so I will be able to meet one seller who has Sinar F1 and Nagaoka 45.

The Sinar F is 3.3kg, the "F" is for "Field", so it's the monorail field version. The P version is close to 6kg. I use an old Norma...

[alexvaras]

Glad you made it here, Alex. :-)

Robert
Thank you Robert :)