How to choose the right LF

[Derrick Morin]

I am a 35mm user and I want to expand my range as a photographer. While I do a great deal of work that my 35mm gear is well suited for, the work I enjoy the mo st is black and white landscape photography. As much as I hate the generic 'wha t is the best camera for me' question, that is what I am asking. I want to shoo t large format (probably 4x5) black and white landscapes - I'll likely use only a 'normal' lens (150-165, I think). Bulk and weight are concerns as I do a fair amount of hiking around for my photographs. I want to be able to make big (20x 30ish) sharp prints. I know next to nothing about LF photography, but I am will ing to learn, and have found forums such as these very helpful. I am prepared t o buy new - I would rather grow into my gear than grow out of it and have to upg rade later. Does anyone have suggestions about what I should be looking for giv en my area of interest?

[David Richhart]

Derrick...The best place to start might be researching the archive of this website. Try the "Beginner's questions" section first. I'm sure that will lead you to more specific questions, and many of those answers can be found in the archive also. Whenever I browse back through the old postings, I am awed by the amount of information stored here.

[Jennifer Waak]

You can also browse the web site associated with this forum. There are a ton of camera reviews on this site and then the forums provide a lot of really good real-world experience. I just started this a year ago and after months of research on this board I bought an Arca-Swiss Discovery monorail because I have visions of doing studio work some day, but for landscapes I'd start by reading about folding field cameras and go from there.

[Neal Shields]

I would suggest that you order B&H Photo's "Professional Photo Source Book". www.bhphotovideo.com It is about the size of a small phone book and will give you a good idea of what is out there(includeing priceing which may not be up to date). It also has some basic explainations at the start of each section. There are also a couple of good large format books out there. One of the "bibles" seems to be "View Camera Technique" by Leslie Stroebel. I have also found both Ansel Adams series very helpful. The one, Camera, negative, print by Adams and the other Basic Techniques of Photography,Book one and two by Schaefer.

Check out the Toyo web site as it gives a very good and simple discription of how and when to use movements.

Neal



I am getting a bit to lazy for hikeing so most of my lenses will anchor a small boat, however you may want to look for some of the smaller Schneider Angulons used as they are lighter than the new ones. However, you lose coverage. I had a 90mm 6.8 that I traded for a Super Angulon. The super has more coverage but weighs about twice as much.

[M.]

Get a really good tripod, use prime lenses, shoot on Technical Pan film, and buy the best enlarger lens you can afford. No need to shift from 35mm.

[John Hicks]

I'll go way out on a limb and recommend the fairly common Tachihara folding wood field camera. Why?

Well, they're easy to find on the used market and aren't incredibly expensive new, they're decently-made, small and lightweight. You'll be able to get a nice camera and go work with it without getting a second mortgage. You'll quickly lea rn whether or not LF is for you; if it is you'll learn exactly what sort of came ra you really want while if it isn't you'll be able to sell the little Tachi eas ily.

Any of the Rodenstock/Nikon/Schneider 150 lenses will do fine.

Avoid the common 35mm "system-think." Of course you can build a LF "system" b ut it's easy to end up with a lot of very heavy gear to lug around.

The Tachihara is sold as that brand and also was sold as the Calumet Woodfield .

[Steve Baggett]

This site will have some good information for you: http://www.viewcamera.com/getstart.htm

[David Willis]

See if you can take a large format class at a nearby community college. That's how I started, and got hooked. It worked well for me because after using their equipment, I could decide what would work best for me. By taking a class I was able to more efficiently learn how to use the movements.

Dave

[Michael Kadillak]

While we as a group need to continue to encourage new large format users, I believe that this decision should be made with a clear understanding about exactly your objectives are. Otherwise, expectations are followed by disappointment and that is not the desired outcome.

As the previous poster clearly stated, if you are only interested in a large print, you may be better served by your current 35mm equipment with some modifications.

Make no mistake about it, large format is heavier, slower, more tedious and requires more working knowledge than 35mm. But the rewards are many. Individual exposure and development (Zone system) to extract your optimal vision from a scene. Camera adjustments that can adjust perspective and contol depth of field to the degree possible. And to that add a larger negative from which to extract the epitome of sharpness. Large format will test you resolve as a photographer - weight, cost and logistics to get to location. But if you can rise to the occasion, it can be well worth the effort.

I would recommend a light weight field camera such as a Linhof, Canham, Toyo, Wista (metal) or Wisner, Ebony (if you can afford one. Don't get to hung up on buying a new camera. Slightly used function as well as new. There are come great bargains out there from folks that decided to take the plunge in large format and later decided to pack it in for various reasons. The why is really not important. Find out who shoots large format in your area, contact them and get behind as many cameras you can. Lastly, take your time about selecting equipment because you want to make sure that you make the best decision for you. Take what others say with a grain of salt recognizing that everyone has different objectives and finds different equipment fits their pistol even when they say that they shoot B&W landscape. Good Luck

[neil poulsen]

Based on your specifications, I'd recommend a Graflex Press camera. The maximum rise is 1 inch, which isn't a lot. But, it's sufficient for landscape with a 150mm lens. With a Super Graflex, I believe you can obtain both horizontal and vertical orientations on the back. The Super-Graflex would cost you in the neighborhood of $400 to $600. A standard Century Graphlex would cost you about $250, but you have to turn the camera sideways to obtain a vertical orientation on the back, and this induces a limitation on rise.

Another possibility is a Zone VI. These can be had on EBay and elsewhere for about $700 to $900 if you have time to wait until a good deal appears. This camera is more expandable than the Graflex, but either can be easily sold if you decide you don't want care for LF, after all.

Other cameras are a Wista wood field for around $1000, or a Technika IV for whatever price you can find them for.

As for lenses, I recommend a Calumet 150mm Caltar-S II. The same as a Symmar-S, this lens has excellent optics and can be found for quite reasonable prices.

I've never purchased new in lenses, cameras, you name it, and I've rarely been disappointed.