Request clarification of large format.

[hoffner]

By the way, people that leave forums, or clubs, or any social groups in a overt, dramatic way, are just bitter and uncompromising most of the time. They try to get allies to fight their fight for them. We've all seen forums and clubs change direction. A mature person advocates for what they believe is right, attempts leadership, and gives it their best shot. If they lose, they quietly move to other places in their lives. Maybe for a while. Maybe only visiting the forum once a month instead of once a day. Because a mature person knows the winds change, and it could revert again back like they liked it after a period. And that they can still gain some knowledge, enjoyment, and offer some advice to the different status quo after the change.

I'm sad a person decides to be less involved here, but that happens, people change. But it's sadder telling people you are taking your bat and ball and going home and making a big production of it.

And who are you talking about??
The person that left the forum did not even announce it on the forum. It was his friend who told us, and he could not do it in a less modest form. You're inventing someone to beat - there is no real enemy you talk about. Shame on you.

[goamules]

I'm speaking rhetorically, about others that have left.

[Sal Santamaura]

...I can't believe it took 150+ posts to get to this point...

To me, the most interesting information was in post #67. I'd not heard of the Cambo Actus before that, but mention of it prompted some research. I'm now looking forward to first-hand reports on how usable it, in combination with a Sony A7R, might be when substituting for small view cameras. Whether such posts are made here or at other forums. Thanks, Sandy.

[ic-racer]

How about some reorganization of the forums to improve morale. One nice thing about software is the ability to be flexible and adapt to change.

Currently, we have, for example, discussion about scanning in the Darkroom section. Simple policing and moving to digital forum should help here without upset feelings on either side.

Currently, we have discussions of digital 35mm cameras and medium format film cameras in the "Large Format Cameras & Camera Accessories" section. That could be rectified by separation into a "Digital View Camera Photography" and "Sheet and Plate Film View Camera Photography" and "Rollfilm View Camera Photography" forums. This would eliminate the need to define "Large Format" and perhaps satisfy many of the conflicting opinions expressed in this thread.

Also, for the sake of inclusion, pinhole cameras and 'Hobo' style point-and shoot cameras would be considered view cameras and put in their respective forums above. As with any view camera, no one is going to force you to check the ground glass before you insert the film. How one uses the camera would not define what it is.

Examples:
"Can't get this 6x9cm back to work on my 4x5 Wista" -- Rollfilm View Camera Photography
"Check out my new scan back for my Sinar" -- Digital View Camera Photography
"Building an 8x20" pinhole camera" -- Sheet and Plate Film View Camera Photography
"What does front tilt do?" -- Style and Technique
"Best wetplate adapter..." -- Sheet and Plate Film Photography
"Just bought a box of C-mount video lenses..." -- Lounge
"What is the crop factor if I put my APS-sensor camera on this old wood camera I found..." -- Digital View Camera Photography
Of course there will be special cases and un-classifiable cameras and discussions, but the above seems to be a good compromise.

Opinions??

[tgtaylor]

I am not entirely clear as to what constitutes "large format" photography for this group. The forum usage guidelines state that for the purposes of this forum "large format" is defined as being essentially 4x5, or larger, sheet film.

BUT

...

Yeah, the Forum is questioning its raison d'etre....it has lost its soul.

[chorus:]
Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

[jnantz]

How about some reorganization of the forums to improve morale. One nice thing about software is the ability to be flexible and adapt to change.

Currently, we have, for example, discussion about scanning in the Darkroom section. Simple policing and moving to digital forum should help here without upset feelings on either side.

Currently, we have discussions of digital 35mm cameras and medium format film cameras in the "Large Format Cameras & Camera Accessories" section. That could be rectified by separation into a "Digital View Camera Photography" and "Sheet and Plate Film View Camera Photography" and "Rollfilm View Camera Photography" forums. This would eliminate the need to define "Large Format" and perhaps satisfy many of the conflicting opinions expressed in this thread.

Also, for the sake of inclusion, pinhole cameras and 'Hobo' style point-and shoot cameras would be considered view cameras and put in their respective forums above. As with any view camera, no one is going to force you to check the ground glass before you insert the film. How one uses the camera would not define what it is.

Examples:
"Can't get this 6x9cm back to work on my 4x5 Wista" -- Rollfilm View Camera Photography
"Check out my new scan back for my Sinar" -- Digital View Camera Photography
"Building an 8x20" pinhole camera" -- Sheet and Plate Film View Camera Photography
"What does front tilt do?" -- Style and Technique
"Best wetplate adapter..." -- Sheet and Plate Film Photography
"Just bought a box of C-mount video lenses..." -- Lounge
"What is the crop factor if I put my APS-sensor camera on this old wood camera I found..." -- Digital View Camera Photography
Of course there will be special cases and un-classifiable cameras and discussions, but the above seems to be a good compromise.

Opinions??

hi ic-racer
i think it is a good idea
but in the end does it really matter ?

maybe it is just me, but the forum doesn't really seem broken ...
it seems pretty much the same as it has been for the past 6-8, 10 years,
just different voices, but the same old stuff ...
the only difference between this thread and past " what is large format and does " ... " belong in this forum"
threads is that it involves modern / digital technology instead of old fashioned roll film, or press cameras or ..
otherwise it is the same question that pops up every 2-3 years because of the forum's title and charter / guidelines are vague enough to interpret a few different ways ...
just like on apug, every year folks ( sometimes the same, sometimes different ) suggest in merging dpug and apug ...

[Dan Fromm]

maybe it is just me, but the forum doesn't really seem broken ...
it seems pretty much the same as it has been for the past 6-8, 10 years,
just different voices, but the same old stuff ...

+1

[Kirk Gittings]

ditto, though a clarification on the OP's point would be nice-either way It won't affect my participation really one way or another.

[jcoldslabs]

Opinions??

Personally, I'm against more classification and division around here. My favorite thing about the "Small Formats" thread is that it still has the power to surprise me with its unintentional juxtapositions. In just the past few days we've seen photos of dogs, fairground rides, wall graffiti, landscapes, portraits and architecture. To get that same melange in the large format image sharing threads I have to navigate to the "Pets" thread, the "All Things Are Photographable" thread, the "Abstracts" thread, the "LF Landscapes" thread, the "Portraits" thread and the "Architecture" thread.

I say do away with the individual LF (however so defined) image sharing threads and go for one big melting pot.

Jonathan

[Corran]

Actually that's not a half-bad idea. I would love to see a well-implemented user gallery system with an integrated comment/critique engine. Similar to the rangefinder forum but not so clunky.

But this is off-topic so...