Starting LF Photography with ULF Camera?

[Brian C. Miller]

You might think about making a lensboard keeper for your camera. Then if the lensboard falls out it will just dangle on the cord and not hit the ground.

I started with MF, and I should have ignored advice about not going to LF much sooner.

Great to hear that you are enjoying the camera!

[Turner Reich]

Ole what film is your favorite with 5x7. Do the metric holders work in all 5x7 cameras or do you have to use a metric back? How do you use both film sizes? It sounds like there are more film choices in metric sizes.

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[Oren Grad]

Alec - the best part about following this saga has been seeing how much fun you seem to be having now as a result of it all. Thanks for the update!

[Hyok Kim]

Having said that, I'd think a bit about the exact format you'd like to go with. The consensus seems to be that 4x5 and 5x7 are quite similar in terms of weight, bulk, travel etc. 8x10/7x17 is a quantum jump, and 11x14/8x20/12x20 is yet another quantum jump.

Do you still use Meridian as your 4 x 5? and do you feel there is enough difference between 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 in your favorite subject matter?

[Hyok Kim]

Thanks, guys, this is really helpful. I AM really interested in the 11x14 format.

Dear Alex, why are you interested in 11 x 14?

[Hyok Kim]

Well, I’d say do what you have to do to go ahead a get the 11x14, since that's what you say you want. I use 4x5, 8x10, 11x14, and 12x20 and the 11x14 is my favorite.

Why is 11 x 14 your favorite?

There really is a big difference between using a 4x5 and an 11x14.

What is the big difference?

Except for the weight of the film holders, the 11x14 is easier to use than the 4x5!

Why is 11 x 14 easier to use than 4 x 5?

[Hyok Kim]

I'm surprised no one has added in the depth of field disadvantage you put yourself in as format size goes up. You have to stop down more and more with a given angle of view as the camera size increase to get the same depth of field. For example, a normal lens for 4X5 is 150mm; for 8X10, 300mm; and for 11X14, 450mm. The 450mm lens has far less depth of field at a the same f stop than the 150! With many subjects, even with movements it may not be possible to get everything in focus.

Thank you, Mr. Brilliant. That's one of the things I had not known.

The more you stop down, the more detail you lose to diffraction. The consensus on this forum is that loss to diffraction is not very noticeable unless you are enlarging, and becomes apparent at about f45 or so.

Do you agree with that consensus?

[Old-N-Feeble]

Five-year-old thread alert!!