I'm affraid it won't be long

[ignatiusjk]

I'm affraid it won't be long before I leave my treasured 4x5 at home on my trips to Yosemite. My digital has so much more resolution and sharpness that I don't see the need in lugging around 25-30 pounds of camera gear anymore.When I make 16x20's from my digital files there every bit as good if not better than my 4x5 negs.I'm going to Yosemite in May and will bring my 4x5 but I'm only bringing aroung 6-7 holders instead of my usual 12-15 holders.It's sad but it's the new reality.I'll miss composing the image on the ground glass and setting the fstop,shutter speed and I miss pressing the cable release.About the only thing I won't miss is people asking me "what kind of camera is that".I wonder if the digital age was around in the mid fifties would Ansel Adams had left his 8x10 at home?

[E. von Hoegh]

I'm affraid it won't be long before I leave my treasured 4x5 at home on my trips to Yosemite. My digital has so much more resolution and sharpness that I don't see the need in lugging around 25-30 pounds of camera gear anymore.When I make 16x20's from my digital files there every bit as good if not better than my 4x5 negs.I'm going to Yosemite in May and will bring my 4x5 but I'm only bringing aroung 6-7 holders instead of my usual 12-15 holders.It's sad but it's the new reality.I'll miss composing the image on the ground glass and setting the fstop,shutter speed and I miss pressing the cable release.About the only thing I won't miss is people asking me "what kind of camera is that".I wonder if the digital age was around in the mid fifties would Ansel Adams had left his 8x10 at home?

I'll say two things. First, there is more to a fine print than resolution and sharpness.
Second, I think you need to work on your technique with the 4x5, at the camera and printing levels.

[John Kasaian]

Ho-hum

[paulr]

He started leaving it at home in the 60's when it got too big to carry. Who knows? He was a pragmatist about this kind of thing. He was also a geek, so I suppose there's a chance he would have taken a fancy to the new technology. Unlike Atget, for example.

I don't have many projects that the 4x5 is first choice for anymore. I've decided to keep it, though. I like it a lot, and it isn't worth a huge amount on the used market. Recent talk about things like copal shutters for LF being discontinued makes me especially hesitant to sell the beast.

[C_Remington]

I'll say two things. First, there is more to a fine print than resolution and sharpness.
Second, I think you need to work on your technique with the 4x5, at the camera and printing levels.

True, there's more to it than resolution and sharpness. But, what that is, doesn't belong exclusively to 4x5.

Why do you think his technique needs work? Maybe your digital technique needs work.

And yes, AA started using Hasselblad for many years before his death. Did he need to work on his technique too??

[ignatiusjk]

OOH,you go Remmy.

[Brian C. Miller]

I'm affraid it won't be long before I leave my treasured 4x5 at home on my trips to Yosemite. My digital has so much more resolution and sharpness that I don't see the need in lugging around 25-30 pounds of camera gear anymore.

How did you go about purchasing an IQ180-based camera system? Or is it a Hasselblad H4D-200MS?

(Of course it could be that there's a real problem with your 4x5, too.)

[tigger_six]

Wait, are you saying that your digital camera, whatever it is, has resolution and sharpness comparable to your 4x5 camera? There is something quite wrong here...

[Jody_S]

I wonder if the digital age was around in the mid fifties would Ansel Adams had left his 8x10 at home?

Any commercial photographer would, if the differences between digital and lf were not visible to the consumer. Or if, as today, the consumer preferred the look of digital.

[Corran]

Wait, are you saying that your digital camera, whatever it is, has resolution and sharpness comparable to your 4x5 camera? There is something quite wrong here...

I like how you are implying that no digital camera anywhere has resolution or sharpness comparable to 4x5. Surprise! The future is now, and yes digital cameras, even ones costing only about $3000, with a good lens, can match 4x5 color film, and depending on the type and development, also b&w film.