There speaks a man who has obviously never used asymmetric movements....90% or more of the time most landscapists are just using a little rise and tilt, so all the bells and whistles on these luxury cameras are just that.
There speaks a man who has obviously never used asymmetric movements....90% or more of the time most landscapists are just using a little rise and tilt, so all the bells and whistles on these luxury cameras are just that.
Last month I travelled with only the 4x5 for the first time. It was a really enjoyable experience; I got a lot of good shooting in. In the past I've always brought both the 4x5 and the DSLR, but I enjoyed the LF-only experience. You'll miss some shots, but that's life. What's the value in trying to document every single place and moment you encounter, anyway? I found that I actually saw and enjoyed more things that I'd otherwise have been squinting at and rapid-firing through the tiny viewfinder, and with LF you can concentrate on finding the one quintessential shot that defines the experience anyway instead of filling a memory card with the experience. It was also easier to get motivated to take the LF rig out; where normally I'd have decided on the DSLR for convenience, I had to bring my 4x5, and I usually was glad of it when I found that one shot I wantedOriginally Posted by butterfly
I have to agree with Walter about only bringing one camera system on a trip. It has happened to me too when I tried to work with the DSLR and the Ebony at the same scene. Sometimes, I thought it would be a good idea to capture a scene on both film and digital, but I could never really concentrate on the job. The workflow and the state of mind of the two are too different. It is better to bring just one camera.
Yes, it took me years to get to the point where I could shoot both LF and 35mm at the same time. I shoot both, but for different purposes, looking for different results.
I did have workflow issues shooting both the F6 and the D200; I use the D200 simply for updating my blog as I travel. Next time, I'll leave the D200 at home, and not bother to update by blog.
The light in Iceland doesn't change very fast so you will have enough time for LF photography. I found myself using a lot longer focal lengths so maybe keep that in mind.
That said, just how much light is there at this time of year? I was ther in July...
I often have the same decision to make as I regularly fly on small planes.
In my case I check the 7-day weather forecast a day before the flights
and make my decision then. So if the forecast is for not too windy conditions (and not too wet), I either go with a light version of my LF kit, e.g. Arca B-line 4x5 and 3 light lenses, or a small slr and one lens, or even just my 6x9 Agfa folder.
A compact digital is in my pocket anyway.
I'm not sure how long you're going to be in Iceland for, but you'll find it hard to find calm enough days (nights) at the moment, so bear that in mind. Iceland is a challenging part of the world for LF-outdoors-tripod work in winter. Esp. wind is a huge factor. This is probably a widespread phenomenon; many pack a great deal of (camera) gear to go to far-flung places without getting meaningful weather-, or at the very least seasonal climate-advice and then the weather is unsuitable for what they want to do. This Icelandic weather webpage is pretty good by the way: http://andvari.vedur.is/english/ I don't know how much LF you've done in freezing climes, but feel free to also look at my and others' responses to Asher's recent post Photography in the freezing cold! although Iceland is positively warm at the mo', compared to Antarctica...
PS: Astro-stuff works really well with 4x5, just keep it nice and open; check how much cloud cover/wind/dew/snow you can expect and your moon phase.
I actually would feel more at ease leaving the 20$ 6x9 out at night.....
http://www.jeffbridges.com/perception.html "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right."
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