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Thread: "Digital" View Camera

  1. #1

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    "Digital" View Camera

    Hello: This may be of general interest:

    http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/digital-view.shtml

    I've been critical of my faithful Arca 6x9 as big-I've changed my mind!

    yours
    Frank

  2. #2
    Resident Heretic Bruce Watson's Avatar
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    "Digital" View Camera

    One consideration that is always left out is weight. Digital always has a hard time comparing itself to a handful of filmholders when the basis of comparison is weight. True, no one in the studio cares. But we landscape photographers definitely care. If I have to schlep it up the mountain on my back, weight is definitely carefully considered.

    And before anyone asks, I'm comparing to my Toho and 10 film holders. 20 sheets. That you can put 60 shots on a flash card is irrelevant - I can't make 60 setups in a day no matter how target rich the environment may be. And if I could, I wouldn't. The point of LF isn't efficient production...

    That said, I would be very interested if they could make digital view camera system that I could use, and afford. But Reichmann's system isn't it.

    Bruce Watson

  3. #3

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    "Digital" View Camera

    Man, he has some toys.

  4. #4

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    "Digital" View Camera

    If only he knew how to make a decent photo with all those damn toys...

  5. #5

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    "Digital" View Camera

    Yeah, Reichmann has lots-o-bucks and enjoys his toys, but all his money can't buy talent. I hate to be rude, but his photography is rather uninspiring and mundane. He's seems to be more of a gearhead than photographer.

  6. #6

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    "Digital" View Camera

    He should invest in some workshops. Atttending workshops, not trying to lead them.

    (I wonder what kind of car he is driving? Does he toodle around in a Chrysler Mini-Van with this stuff?)

    The digiheads I follow tend to show their biases too. A lot of good photographers would say that the Aptus backs have better usabilty than the PhaseOnes, and you could argue about the camera platforms to the cows come home. Same goes for Nikon/Canon/Zeiss lenses, etc.

    I thought it was funny that he felt he "had" to use a $1500 Arca Cube with an Arca Swiss camera. Yeah, right. I understand the necessity of using microgeared movements with the smaller sensors, but so far none of those super-mini cameras (Rollei, Sinar P3, Linhof) look quite as field-ready or grit-proof as the Arca.

    His only real intelligent observation was that it was easy to toss a few rolls of "film" and a roll back into the case as backup. That is a nice thought ;-)

    Just looking at the cables, multiple battery packs, sliding brackets, and a Mercedes-E class sitting atop a Gitzo scares the heck out of me. I'm much too clumsy to own such an outfit. Give me a nice cheap Arca or Phillips 8x10 with some crappy APO Sironars to knock around with. Heck, I could even make do with an Epson 9600 instead of the 9800...

  7. #7

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    "Digital" View Camera

    Hmmm...interesting. Why does this guy keep insisting that digital is better than film? Is he being paid by Phase One, Canon or somebody? And about the file sizes...I got bigger files when scanning 6x9 film on a Nikon 9000...I just don't get it.

    One other thing...I was at a show recently in Detroit; a local gallery has a photography show every year. I happened to be carrying my Crown Graphic with me (didn't want to leave it in the car). Amazingly (given that I was surrounded by photographers and art enthusiasts) it attracted a great deal of attention--and derision from some. One guy, I think he won "best of show", seem to glare at the camera, then me, and rather derisively state that he gave up view cameras long ago. he went on to add that he hadn't shot film in years. There was no prior conversation that precipitated these remarks. He seemed to actually be ANGRY with me for carrying a 4x5 film camera.

    Anyone else experience this? Wierd...

  8. #8

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    "Digital" View Camera

    Reichmann does have talent, but I think it is in his photojournalist shots, which reflect his professional background. While I do not like to pay car prices for a car, much less a camera, I can see where this might make a lot of sense for high end location shooting for advertising. I enjoy seeing the new technology, even if I cannot afford it. (I like car magazines for the same reason.) One thing he does not mention is that it is pretty hard to use micro movements on 6x9 gg - those machines really need the tethered computer for viewing. Once do that, I assume we will see motor driven view cameras that automatically set the movements. Then the photographer can send the asst. out with the camera and run everything from the office.:-)

  9. #9

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    "Digital" View Camera

    I've been shooting with Michael on a couple of occasions, once with me shooting LF, and he's not in anyone's pocket. All our gear went in the trunk of an Audi as I remember. We did a fair bit of hiking and he lugged his gear around very cheerfully up and down a bunch of very steep sand-dunes.

    I absolutely don't agree with him about digital, but if you actually talk to the guy he's much less dogmatic than he seems on the site. I think he's a genuine enthusiast for it and can afford it, so why not?

    For me, the killer with all this stuff is trying to imagine using it in adverse conditions. I often find myself shooting in the rain, or wet snow, walking around with the camera on a tripod over my shoulder, protected by a plastic bag... often on snowshoes... the thought of trying to use this gear in that manner is just ludicrous.

    The second killer is one of the main reasons I sold my 1Ds: you have to keep the damn thing charged, and you have to deal with the archiving issue.

    I like to have the camera in the trunk of the car so I can pull it out whenever I feel like it. And I have never found a compelling solution to the digital archiving issue.

  10. #10

    "Digital" View Camera

    "And about the file sizes...I got bigger files when scanning 6x9 film on a Nikon 9000...I just don't get it."

    Percey

    Bigger file size from scanned film verses digital capture is similar to comparing apples and oranges.

    When one scans film, you scan the grain and resolution limits of that film. Digital can match or exceed scanned film with smaller files because of the lack of grain. I've seen this comparing my scanned film shot on my Hasselblad, when compared to the image file I got of the same scene using a borrowed digital back. There really is a difference.

    That said, when can I buy a digital back for my 8x10? HA! I want guys to glare at me and be really angry, so I can pay no attention to them at all.

    All the folks who have seen me with my Crown Graphic always smile. Percey, sounds like the fellow was jealous. His loss.

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