Jack Dykinga: another one bites the d

[pdmoylan]

George,

I read Dykinga's article in OP earlier in 2011 on the subject of stitching. Setting aside my own tendencies towards digital capture, I have yet to see a stitched image that has the same "impact" as 4x5 in terms of detail and contrast. It seems to me that you have to be a magician to visualize the stitching effect setting aside the laborious methodology of using a short or longer telephoto lens to create a wide-normal lens perspective - speaking of which you do not have swings and back tilt to correct perspective as you can with LF. Where there is movement, especially water, or rapidly changing light, I am unconvinced that you could integrate the images successfully. Adams coud not have taken Moon Over Hernandez with this technique.

FF DSLR's portability, ease of use, quick implementation, durability, faster shutter speeds and image software aside, the future of LF is where Hasselblad is taking it with digital backs and the 41x54 chip H4D-60, not in stitching.

[George Stewart]

I think Ansel's Hernandez shot would have been quicker to setup with a DSLR, for stitching, hence allowing more time for imaging before sunset. Also, setting the camera to bracket exposures would have allowed more detail in the shadows and the moon itself.

That said, I do think stitching is a method of higher resolution capture (quality) for the photographer light on resources: time, logistics, money, etc. As far as a larger chip goes, I still find myself stitching with my digital 'blad, as well as 4x5, and 8x10 cameras (yes, a poor man's ULF camera).

If stitching can be done to improve or achieve the same quality as LF, while improving other aspects of life, why not?

[David R Munson]

tl;dr

Can someone tell me if anything was accomplished with the previous 47 pages of debate, comments, and questions?

[Daniel Stone]

lotsa "fluff" in those prior pages IMO .

just shoot what you want, with what materials/cameras you want. Nuff said...

Who cares if Cramer, Muench(s), and Joe Cornish have moved to digital. That shouldn't shake up your equipment tree, unless you're a gear-head who thinks its the latest technology that makes better photographs.

[Ed Kelsey]

Kirk - in my book Muench is an artistic zero. Period. Large format snapshooter. I don't care how many books and calendars he's sold. Great for Arizona Highways,
which is an interesting magazine in its own right, and I'll give him credit for improving slightly over time - but composition????? Just the same old stereotypes
one after the other. Once he bragged about taking fifty 4x5 shots in a single day;
why am I not surprised? Million and millions served - he is indeed the McDonalds
of outdoor photography, if fast food is your thing. Not mine.

Drew I have to laugh at your comments especially after viewing your portfolio.

[Marko]

Ed, it's not nice to laugh...

[Drew Wiley]

Ed - you've never seen one print of mine in your entire life. You've seen a few splotches on the web which I put up due to an IRS recommendation - you've never seen a portfolio and probably wouldn't undertand it even if you did. I have no problem with the notion of people critisizing my work - I'm fair game too - but you
don't even have a clue.

[Ed Richards]

> You've seen a few splotches on the web which I put up due to an IRS recommendation

That is about all anyone is going to see - make them as good as you possibly can. They will be around for a long time, thanks to the indexing machines. it is like restaurant bathrooms - they are easier to clean than the kitchen, so if they are dirty, assume the worst in the kitchen. It is a lot easier to make a good WWW image than a good print...

[Drew Wiley]

No - I'm more likely to pull them all off the web. The funny thing is that at the time,
when poor web speeds favored coarse content, the web images of some of the better known guys like the Westons or Meyerowitz were far inferior to mine. On this basis every twelve year old with a cell phone camera would have assumed he was a better photographer than any of them. It's a very very low priority at the moment,
and seems to be a non-factor in print sales. A competely different crowd wants to
look at prints rather than surf the web. I need the former, not the latter.

[Brian C. Miller]

I think Ansel's Hernandez shot would have been quicker to setup with a DSLR, for stitching, hence allowing more time for imaging before sunset. Also, setting the camera to bracket exposures would have allowed more detail in the shadows and the moon itself.

(sniff! whimper!)

George, there's been lots of discussion, as well as quoting of Adam's account of the Moonrise photo. It was frantically done, one shot, and then the moment was past. You might find the account of it interesting.