The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

[Blueberrydesk]

Lightwork is gone as is Camera Arts. I joined the Viewpoint gallery about two weeks before John Sexton's lecture. I also attended his lecture given at CRC which is not far from where I live. CRC also offers a class in LF and emphasizes that the prospective student have their own LF camera. Except, I'm not sure where students are buying these cameras -- not in Sacramento that's for sure unless there's some hidden venue I haven't been able to find on my own.

Sacramento City College (which part of the same college district as CRC) is eliminating several of their photographic film classes and offering more digital. Which is just the opposite of what happening at Sierra college in Rocklin, CA.

Hi, I'm in Roseville. You may want to check out Pardee's Camera. It's at Watt Ave. and El Camino. They've usually got three or four 4x5 cameras (Mostly Toyo's, I believe). They've switched to a lot of digital sales to try and stay in business, but still supply film, paper and other darkroom materials. The coolest thing about the store is the collection of older wood large format gear that he's got above all the display cases, it's almost like a museum! There's easily 50 cameras that are whole plate, 8x10, a few 11x14's, and I think even one 16x20.

It's family run, and the wife has still not lost her German accent. I'm not sure if the husband is still alive, the last time I went there it was only her.

[Robert Brummitt]

I joined a local photo forum in San Diego. It was almost exclusively digital when I joined. After some exposure to the LF camera, the MF camera, film. etc. I see some of the members "getting out their old rangefinders" or "dusting off the TLR" and pushing a few rolls of film through them. One member, a high school kid, was just given an old Canon film camera with fisheye lenses and a waterproof case. He's now testing out Kodak Gold 100 before he moves on and pushes some rolls of Velvia through the camera. I didn't really "beat the bushes" but as soon as I exposed others to the alternatives of digital, interest grew.

So Robert's suggestion is a good one, seek out other like-minded individuals. Take you LF camera to a coffee shop and set it up, you'll be surprised at the number of conversations it'll strike up, and the number who might say, "I shoot LF also!"


Brian

Thank you.
I also have been going to my local high school with some medium format cameras and letting the students play with them. They are very curious about film and using the larger format lets them see a whole new world of possibilities.

[lilmsmaggie]

Great ideas and suggestions. Thank you.

[Michael Mutmansky]

I hate to continue the other part of this discussion thread but...

When I returned from a business trip this past week, I had a letter from Mr. Simmons in the mail. It made the statement that they will 'get the situation corrected as soon as possible'. There was no indication of a schedule for payment.

I would not even post this because I don't feel there is any need to continue this discussion in the public forum, but Steve specifically indicated that he wanted me to make a post of this nature.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM or email me directly. I do not expect, nor do I desire to elicit any other commentary on the nature of View Camera Magazine in this post.


---Michael

[gevalia]

I have a question for David Spivak (Focus mag):

I do not get involved with these threads because I'm a newcomer here and frankly was not here for the history.

But I will ask David about his comments in general. From what I read you do not believe this is the proper place to post any issues and concerns about SS's mag. And you put out Focus mag right? Since there are 2 sides to every coin, I would say that if you do not believe issues and concerns should be raised here, then no one should comment at all if they enjoy your mag. Word of mouth works both ways. Now I'm not talking about the over-the-top comments made, I'm talking about a general feeling I get from your posts that even proper issues and concerns (less emotion) should not be posted here.

[Kerik Kouklis]

The coolest thing about the store is the collection of older wood large format gear that he's got above all the display cases, it's almost like a museum! There's easily 50 cameras that are whole plate, 8x10, a few 11x14's, and I think even one 16x20.

Yeah, I go in there and salivate at the big brass sitting on shelves just collecting dust. Sure it's fun to look at, but it would be more fun to put to use!

[Blueberrydesk]

Yeah, I go in there and salivate at the big brass sitting on shelves just collecting dust. Sure it's fun to look at, but it would be more fun to put to use!

I've subtly hinted to the owner that I would be interested in some of it, but I got the impression from him that I wouldn't be able to afford any of them. He did sell me a wooden lensboard for a 2D 8x10, once. Got me for $40 before I realized how easy it is to make them myself.

[bvstaples]

Yeah, I go in there and salivate at the big brass sitting on shelves just collecting dust. Sure it's fun to look at, but it would be more fun to put to use!

Have you ever inquired about renting the equipment. Maybe you can't afford it forever, but you might be able to for the weekend?

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

I have a question for David Spivak (Focus mag):

I do not get involved with these threads because I'm a newcomer here and frankly was not here for the history.

But I will ask David about his comments in general. From what I read you do not believe this is the proper place to post any issues and concerns about SS's mag. And you put out Focus mag right? Since there are 2 sides to every coin, I would say that if you do not believe issues and concerns should be raised here, then no one should comment at all if they enjoy your mag. Word of mouth works both ways. Now I'm not talking about the over-the-top comments made, I'm talking about a general feeling I get from your posts that even proper issues and concerns (less emotion) should not be posted here.

I've never complained about constructive comments regarding my or any other publication once they have the facts. If someone has not received a subscription past one week from when they normally receive their copy and after they've tried to contact the magazine and have received no response from the publication (something I'm unfortunately guilty of sometimes), then by all means ask if anyone else has received their copy or not. Other people have come on here and have done the exact same to me and I've always done my best to respond to subscription inquiries as soon as I can on here. I imagine, much like me, Mr. Simmons is not perfect and will sometimes miss an e-mail or an e-mail will get thrown in someone's junk section because of overly aggressive filters.

And my assumption on Mr. Simmons' hard work and passion is just that - an assumption. I've heard otherwise from other sources. Still, View Camera magazine has thousands of subscribers and does well enough on newsstands to attract several thousand buyers otherwise its distributor would have dropped it ages ago. So VC is a financially viable company - perhaps it doesn't arrive at your doorstep like other magazines that are funded by multi-billion dollar corporations, but let's face it, if VC was funded by a multi-billion dollar corporation, it wouldn't be the same. Placing an inquiry about a missing subscription after other attempts have failed is one thing - publicly bashing someone's company, someone's life blood and the ONLY US-based publication that primarily discusses large format photography is classless in my opinion. Yes, I've heard stories about Simmons and I'm sure several people have heard stories about me. No one is perfect. Query about a subscription? Sure. No problem. Query about what people think of VC, again, no problem... even if you don't like it. There were several people who have said they just don't find VC interesting enough to read on newsstands or to subscribe to. Free country - free choice. I have no problem with that - or even constructive criticism such as discussing the quality of the editorial content, or lack thereof. But to bash Simmons personally and to bash a magazine b/c it doesn't arrive when all the other magazines arrive (but it still arrives!) I think that's just classless and there are several people on this forum who regularly purchase copies of VC on newsstands, such as myself, who don't want to see it go away. How many magazines are overloaded with digital tech gear advice today? Digital this, digital that - so many magazines are just filled with complete crap just to appease their advertisers and to make tons of money.

Look at the table of contents in the latest issue:

6 Working Hybrid in the 21st Century
12 Large Format in Today’s World
18 Iowa’s One Room School Houses
28 Release of the Chamonix Whole Plate Camera
34 Metering the Large Format Photograph
35 New Products for the Large Format Photographer
40 High Dynamic Range and Tone Mapping
46 Night Vision Goggles in the Darkroom
48 Large Format Lens Charts 47mmm - 180mm
56 Large Format in New England: A Weekend Gathering
58 Ilford’s ULF Film Offering

Does PopPhoto talk about this? Does Outdoor photographer? What about Shutterbug? Now, for some, learning more about digital photography is something they need to do. For others, I would assume many on this forum, learning about the release of the Chamonix Whole plate Camera would seem to be more interesting than the latest release of Canon's EOS 5D Mark II or Nikon's D3X. Perhaps people should restrain themselves when they compare the content of what's available, no matter how many typos there may be, in View Camera vs. other photography magazines when large format photography is a primary interest of the majority of users here. I highly doubt Mr. Simmons is doing what he's doing with VC for the money or the glory. Some people have less to work with than others and we, as users and connoisseurs of this fine craft must learn to be more patient when dealing with the only printed US-based resource for large format photography. Only my opinion. I'm not a moderator here, I cannot tell people what to and what not to say. I can only give my opinion on what people are saying.

[lilmsmaggie]

there are several people on this forum who regularly purchase copies of VC on newsstands, such as myself, who don't want to see it go away. Perhaps people should restrain themselves when they compare the content of what's available, no matter how many typos there may be, in View Camera vs. other photography magazines when large format photography is a primary interest of the majority of users here.

Well said David. As a newbie to LF, the lack thereof of publications that devote its pages to this medium is quite noticeable. I'll add here that I have yet to purchase my first LF camera. I'd hate to see VC disappear. I purchase my copy from the newsstand. In my view, professional and amatuer LF photographers and those potentially interested in this art should support the effort to expose others to this art form.

Personal bashing is counter-productive. Let's move on. I'm sure there are bigger fish to fry.