The following is a question I posted in the MF forum. One of the responses sugg ested that the monorail was part of my problem and that if I used a field camera I might not feel the same. I have been planning on building or buying a field version, but didn't ever contemplate a gain in speed that would help enough to g et my wife and kids to hang out whilst I set up shots. I'm very new at LF so th ere's undoubtedly a lot I'm missing, but my impressions have been dictated by wh at I read here and elsewhere.
What I'd like to know is whether my assumption that LF is inherently a *lot* slo wer than MF is valid, or is there a way to alter my approach to speed up when th at is necessary? Said another way, does it have to be a lot slower composition and photographic process, or is that in part a function of my equipment or exper ience (i.e., lack of)?
Thanks in advance.
Chris
--------------------------- Disclaimer - I know this is ultimately a personal decision, but I would value yo ur experience and input. I have also exhaustively read the archives. My photogra phic interests primarily involve family/travel (color) and landscape/outdoor arc hitecture (mostly black and white developed myself, but some color as well). I s tarted with 35mm (currently a Nikon F100) and have added a 4x5 monorail. I love the 4x5 (for the landscape/outdoor architectural), but the reality of the time involved for a shot restricts its use to when I'm alone (rare) or with a p hotography buddy (rarer) as my wife and kids aren't *that* patient. The Nikon ha s ended up being used for the family/travel aspect, and for that it is really ov erkill.
To the point. I'm thinking about selling the Nikon and replacing it with two cam eras: a point and shoot for the family/travel piece (all I really need for that) and a medium format to carry selectively for those times when I am hiking or so mething with the family and can do some more serious shooting, but still can't j ustify the 4x5. The Nikon doesn't work for me here because I'm not satisfied wit h the grain and tonality from 35mm at 8x10 and 11x14 even with good film and tec hnique (TMax 100, tripod, etc.)
So my request is for your input on format (645 vs 6x7 vs 6x9 - 6x6 doesn't do mu ch for me) and camera in my situation: but also, does what I'm thinking make sen se to you. I will sometimes, but not always, carry a tripod, so I want handholda bility (I may, though, decide to use a monopod religiously if I'm convinced it w ould help measurably). I want a readily discernable improvement in picture quali ty over 35mm, but don't need the ultimate given I have the 4x5. Weight is a fact or - less is more (which is really the theme of this question as I am trying to put together an equipment package that will keep me shooting as much as my sched ule permits), but I will judge that in the context of usability (specifically wi ll I use it) and picture quality.
I think that's it. Thanks in advance for your help! -----------------------------
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