Im quit new to LF photography. Im about t buy myself a nice new camera that i plan on keeping for a very very long time (ideally my entire career)
I like size to my prints, up until now I've always enjoyed helping my friend make plus sized prints that are at least 30" on the short side. He uses a 4x5 Shen-Hao which does a gorgeous job with his Schneider lenses. however the biggest he's ever printed was 58" on the long side. I myself plan on making massive prints that would dominate the entire accent wall of a home or lobby somewhere. while those prints may not happen immediately, id like my film to be future proof in terms of resolution and detail.
Ive heavily considered getting an 8x10 Canham or other recommended brand if you all have any. I know they're heavy and cumbersome but if they get the print i want and make it tack sharp from corner to corner id say it'll be worth that burning calf muscles. I also would need some help determining what lenses to buy, Id mot likely be wearing out a telephoto, a wide angle for a roll film back, and another lens for the normal use like city and landscapes. If you all have any recommended brands and models of lenses that have served you well then please let me know! As well as any pointers for getting an 8x10 enlarger, I will most likely need a horizontal set up from what I'm gathering so far, but I've also been somewhat inspired by AA's custom built enlarger for his amazing prints. if its good enough for him then it has to be good enough for me right?! does anyone have experience in building their own similar rig or experience in finding/using the leviathan Staltzman-esque enlargers?
Secondly. I though i had aperture down for a bit, until i started going into LF. I've heard of the F64 group, and i hear many people saying that F64 will give me the sharpest print i could ever hope for, while others say that diffraction would go against the image and cause some softer images vs. shooting wide open to get sharp photos. someone with some experience under their belt or a math degree please set this straight for me! I want my photos to look the best as possible. On my 35mm and medium format experiences sometimes closing the aperture down a bit got better results, however their almost seems to be a different playing field in terms of x5 and bigger.
Lastly, does anyone have any experience using larger formats than 8x10? 11x14, 16x20? I'd like to hear from you and get your input as well on what to aim for in my purchase. Bear in mind i have some body strength from hiking all over the place so I can probably manage 20-30 pounds for several miles while hiking and setting up. Ive seen some fairly large set ups, though I feel that for hiking around the mountains and desert 16x20 may be overkill unless i can find a 4x4 that can be gentle on a giant camera and lenses. I plan on traveling from Nashville to the Rockies then work my up the west coast while also stopping by Yosemite, yellowstone, glacier park, several large cities, and desert regions sometime within two years or so. Ill have a compact car and a teardrop camper with me the whole journey. The trip will also be over the fall/winter months.
Bookmarks