Switched again?

[Shen45]

This question doesn't apply to mainstream commercial work but can be applicable.

How many photographers here have looked over the greener fence of digital and over time found the green change colour and has your approach to photography changed back to traditional methods?

What was it that caused you to change your approach? Was it mindset, materials or some other intangible that affected your decision?

Did you still have your traditional gear or was that a new acquisition if you changed back or started traditional photography again?

I know, a lot of questions but I'm on holidays and the darkroom is being used

Oh and by the way this is not a them vs us debate -- ok?

Steve

[Jack Flesher]

I was a large format shooter. When the 1Ds came out I bought it and a few of the Tilt/Shift lenses. The fact is it was almost as good as drum-scanned MF film and with the TS lenses and compact size relative to my view cam, I figured it was the "right time". So after a few months more of non-use, I sold off all of my LF gear.

Over the next year and a half, I was "satisfied" with the the results and LOVED the convenience of the digital workflow. But I also knew the 4x5 could still deliver more quality even though it was more inconvenient to use. The hard fact was my images were not as good...

For sure, the 4x5 delivered better technical results in good light, but the 1Ds2 was plenty adequate for 16x24 prints. The bigger issue was my images were not as good from an artistic point of view -- and I never really got there with the DSLR. To put it in perspective, I might shoot 10 frames of LF film to get one or two really good images, while I might shoot 1000 DSLR images to get one or two I considered worth printing. Why? I did not know for sure, but I suspected it was the slower-paced workflow the view camera forced me to take -- compose and wait instead of machine-gun and move on.

So I got fully back into LF a little over a year ago. I added a Betterlight scanning back and now have a partial all-digital workflow when conditions are favorable to using the Betterlight -- and I can simply use film when it isn't. The best part is I am back to composing on the groundglass which is where I need to be to produce my best work...

Not sure this answers your questions completely, but it is a reader's digest version of my own personal journey.

PS: The addendum is I recently sold my 1Ds2 body and picked up an 8x10 to try

[Harley Goldman]

Interesting perspective, Jack. I did not know you sold your 1ds2.

I recently picked up a 5D. I am enjoying shooting both. I am heading out soon to the Sierra to shoot fall colors and plan to take both with me. I have a trip to Wyoming coming up soon. With air travel, I am limited to one system and I have not yet decided which one to take.

Each system seems to have its place.

[Brian Ellis]

My impression from reading posts here over the years is that for many people it isn't an "either-or" situation and instead many people tend to do both, digital for things suited to digital, large format for things suited to large format. .

[Dirk Rösler]

As always wise words from Brian. I suspect that over time we will find that digital will become just another "system" to draw from, or to nip back and forth to, just like e.g. MF was in the past.

Which just goes to show that all the this vs that debates that many people indulged in (and still do) are one serious waste of time.

[Capocheny]

My impression from reading posts here over the years is that for many people it isn't an "either-or" situation and instead many people tend to do both, digital for things suited to digital, large format for things suited to large format. .

I think you're absolutely right Brian... the right tool for the job!

It would be a darn funny sight to see someone shoot a Calgary Flames versus Vancouver Canucks hockey game with a 11x14 camera!

Or, to have someone try and make a 40' x 60' sized image using a 3Mb digital point and shoot camera.

Personally, I use both a digital and LF camera... for different situations and different purposes!

Cheers

[Jack Flesher]

I should have been more clear: I did not sell ALL of my DSLR's, only the "big one"! I still have other DSLR bodies and even an MF film body and use them where appropriate. I simply meant to imply I had transitioned away from LF for a brief period of time and went all digital for landscape, then transitioned back to LF (using both digital and film) for my fine-art landscape shooting. My printing however is currently 100% digital. Hope that clarifies my position as I am not an either-or shooter

[Frank Petronio]

I found with (my) people shooting that switching between a fast DSLR and a slow view camera provided benefits to both types of shooting. After using the VC I find myself more careful when framing a shot with the DSLR. And vice-versa, after using the DSLR I get looser with the VC.

Also, people respond much differently to the large format gear and the "big production" -- it makes them feel special, etc.

I'm looking for "keepers" -- I could give a sh!$ for which camera was used, it is just fun to switch it up.

Not a lot of point in holding onto a 1Ds2 or a D2x when a cheaper semi-pro 5D or D200 (or D80!) will do the job (unless you shoot sports or something unique.)

[Jack Flesher]

Not a lot of point in holding onto a 1Ds2 or a D2x when a cheaper semi-pro 5D or D200 (or D80!) will do the job (unless you shoot sports or something unique.)

Precisely the reason I sold my 1Ds2...

[Christopher Perez]

I recently viewed a friend's 5D 11x17 inch prints. Happened to compare them against my traditional silver process prints at the same time under the same lights.

While my images are "sharper" and have more depth in the blacks, the 5D images were strong enough to cause a tremor in The Force.

I have heavily invested in traditional methods and am unlikely to change. I work in digital technologies all day and it's the last thing I want to go home to. Still... come retirement... who knows?