I also own the Steve Simmons book and highly recommend it. It''s not dry and very easy to understand.
Diss, don't spend too much on your first camera. Your personal experience in using it will be more valuable in forming your preferences than all the advice you'll get on forums. Like many of us, you may eventually own more than one type of LF camera. For many years my favorite LF camera was a Burke & James flatbed, and it still gets used where it serves better than other cameras. Different photographers also prefer different books on LF photography. Leslie Stroebel's book is the first of several I refer to, but is more technical and more expensive than most others. Another valuable, but expensive, book is Way Beyond Monochrome by Lambrecht and Woodhouse. When old cameras suffice for quality photography, older books are also adequate. For those who prefer new equipment, some books like the original Ansel Adams series on LF photography are outdated. If possible, browse photo books in a library or bookstore before buying.
I agree. There is nothing like hands on experience.
A lot of used gear is so reasonably priced today that a lot of times I buy cameras and/or lenses just to try them out. If they don''t suit me then I just resell them. I may lose a little money for doing this but I just consider what I lose to be a cheap rental fee.
If you and I both used the same camera we may have completely different opinions about it due to our uses or preferences being different.
Drew Bedo
www.quietlightphoto.com
http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo
There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!
Again, thanks for all the info. Will be ordering a bunch of books from the library, and if I have to will purchase some. Made a contact in the Boston area who is willing to help, if there is anyone else located in my area please let me know. Maybe we can head out for coffee and talk about LF. I'll take any information. I can get before making purchases.
Lots of great information on the home page, it is one of the best resources.
David
Based on your plans, it sounds like you will be experimenting with various kinds of shooting regardless of what your plans are at the moment. Your first camera won't be your last. It is good to read and do research, but there is no problem with just buying a camera and getting started. I'll bet you can't find one person here who studied to find the perfect first camera and still uses it exclusively. Everyone buys and sells cameras over a period of time. I had at least 8 different field/view cameras and still wondered what might be next. If you don't like the first one, sell it and move on to the next.
Realistically, your first camera should not be esoteric gear and your budget does not allow for exotic gear. A good place to start would be a Toyo AII 4x5 field camera and a modern Schneider/Rodenstock/Fujinon/Nikkor 150mm lens, 5 Fidelity/Lisco film holders, a focusing loupe, dark cloth, and light meter. You could pice that together for less than $1000 I think. Wheel and deal from there.
Thanks so much, ordered Steve Summons and Jacobson's books to start reading. Plenty of options for cameras as well as some internal offers from members here. Just saw this one on Craigslist, looks very clean http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/pho/4596139612.html. Anyway, will read up, and do a lot more research before I make the jump as the developing seems more complicated than the camera buying and use. Again, thanks for all your help.
What they are asking for that Graflex is more in line with a "collector's price" i.e. it is too high. My suggestion is to start with a Speed Graphic rather than a Graflex camera - they are generally going to be less expensive, more available and a bit more modern than the Graflex SLRs.
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