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Thread: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

  1. #21

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    What exactly do you like to shoot? If portraits take the hasselblad, if landscapes buy a Mamiya 7II and a couple of lenses. In my opinion, learning large format while on the road for a year is extremely problematic for several reasons. If you are dead set on it I would seriously consider quickloads, but better buy them fast.

  2. #22

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    Some good & valid comments there.
    Humping the kit is not such an issue, but as you say, the film holders might be an obstacle making a Blad set up more realistic.

    Not sure quite which way to jump yet, but I'll sort it by Jan / Feb.

    Any more thoughs, please keep them coming.

    Thanks
    Tim

  3. #23

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    I'd do like the others and forego the LF kit in favour of MF in which case it'd be either a Mamiya 6 or 7II. The Hasselblad would offer closer focusing and probably able to take hard knocks better than the Mamiyas (no rf to knock out of alignment) though. If you do go MF, I think it'd be a good idea to buy a enough of the Adox type film cannisters for storing exposed film.

    The next question would black and white or colour...
    notch codes ? I only use one film...

  4. #24

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    I don't see any good reason for taking a medium format system. A good digital camera (and I don't mean a Leica, I mean a good Canon or Nikon with top-of-the-line lenses) will equal or surpass anything you can do with 645, 6x6, or 6x7 film and the advantages of being able to take thousands of photographs on a handful of flash cards IMHO outweigh the practical problem of carrying around the literally hundreds of rolls of medium format film you'd have to somehow carry to take an equivalent number of medium format photographs. Of course if you'll be in places where you can periodically restock film and store your exposed film that might change things, assuming you just like medium format and feel more comfortable with it rather than a digital camera. But having used both a 6x7 system for many years and a good digital system for about six, I just don't see a good reason for medium format especially not on a trip of that length.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  5. #25

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    Find a Gowland 4x5. It'll be lighter than any MF or DSLR setup.

  6. #26

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Ellis View Post
    I don't see any good reason for taking a medium format system. A good digital camera (and I don't mean a Leica, I mean a good Canon or Nikon with top-of-the-line lenses) will equal or surpass anything you can do with 645, 6x6, or 6x7 film and the advantages of being able to take thousands of photographs on a handful of flash cards IMHO outweigh the practical problem of carrying around the literally hundreds of rolls of medium format film you'd have to somehow carry to take an equivalent number of medium format photographs. Of course if you'll be in places where you can periodically restock film and store your exposed film that might change things, assuming you just like medium format and feel more comfortable with it rather than a digital camera. But having used both a 6x7 system for many years and a good digital system for about six, I just don't see a good reason for medium format especially not on a trip of that length.
    Good lord, I totally disagree. There is a huge difference in image quality between a MF system like Mamiya 7II and the very best DSLR. I have a friend who has the latest version of the Canon 5D 22mp camera and we often compare his work with my work with Mamiya 7II. You would have to be half blind to not see the difference in image quality between a 22 mp DSLR and 6X7cm Mamiya 7, even at printing size of 16X20. At printing size of 20X24 the difference is so great you would have to almost totally blind to not see a difference.

    Yes, of course DSLR gives you a lot of flexibility that you don't have with film and you might prefer that to a film camera, but to suggest that you can get the same image quality with 21mp DSLR as 6X7 cm film is just totally ludicrous.

    Sandy King
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  7. #27

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    I travelled for 6 months with a 35mm camera and a 50mm lens. Tmax400 film. I did a lot of trekking and some high mountains. It is dificult to keep film coolish and dust free, even in sealed containers. I have some wonderful photographs and many damaged wonderful photographs. The weight of the film carried was significant. There were no post offices where I went. If I were to do it again I would take my Agfa Record 6x9 folder, and lots of 120 film. It is easier to deal with than 35mm. Lighter. It could be stored in light tight black bags and boxes from Ilford 4x5 film. Inside Zip lock bags, inside a soft zip up chilly bin. Use tape of some sort to reinforce the sticker tab on used films, to prevent it coming loose and tape very tight to prevent movement. Movement is the enemy.

    To travel with 5x7 for portraits and landscapes is a dream of mine, but to take a LF camera on a long trip is madness. To be comfortable you need to take as little luggage as possible. I did not take a change of clothes, or spare underwear, wear icebreaker wool underwear, only my very minimal climbing stuff and camera and film, and still I had too much to carry by a long shot. What ever camera you take, it must be tough. It will ride on the top of busses, get bashed a million times, wet, very hot and very cold.

    I took a Nikon F65, 50mm f1.8 and a spare battery. About 1200 exposures in 6 months.

    David

  8. #28

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    Quote Originally Posted by sanking View Post
    Good lord, I totally disagree. There is a huge difference in image quality between a MF system like Mamiya 7II and the very best DSLR. I have a friend who has the latest version of the Canon 5D 22mp camera and we often compare his work with my work with Mamiya 7II. You would have to be half blind to not see the difference in image quality between a 22 mp DSLR and 6X7cm Mamiya 7, even at printing size of 16X20. At printing size of 20X24 the difference is so great you would have to almost totally blind to not see a difference.

    Yes, of course DSLR gives you a lot of flexibility that you don't have with film and you might prefer that to a film camera, but to suggest that you can get the same image quality with 21mp DSLR as 6X7 cm film is just totally ludicrous.
    Sandy King
    I'm not going to get into a digital vs film argument with you. I used a Pentax 67 camera for many years. I have hanging on my wall prints from it and from a Canon 5D Mark II. You'd need a loupe to find any difference in the image quality. Maybe your friend doesn't know how to use his camera or maybe he doesn't know how to make an excellent print. Or maybe your Mamiya produces that much better quality than a Pentax 67. Or maybe you're making larger prints than I am (15x22 or so are my largest).


    If you want to disagree with me, that's your right. But please make an effort to be polite about it. I've participated here for many years. I've occasionally disagreed with others and sometimes in retrospect been ruder than I should have been. However, at my most rude I've never called anyone elses opinion ludicrous or suggested that they're blind and I don't appreciate those kinds of insults from you.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  9. #29

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    I do not think anything written on a forum such as this should be taken personally, ever. Settle down, who cares anyway. If he wants to use digital on his trip, rather than film or MF film, then he is more rational than most of us commenting on this thread. As for the MF film v digital debate, I for one do not want to know. Please do not go there.

    David

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Ellis View Post
    I'm not going to get into a digital vs film argument with you. I used a Pentax 67 camera for many years. I have hanging on my wall prints from it and from a Canon 5D Mark II. You'd need a loupe to find any difference in the image quality. Maybe your friend doesn't know how to use his camera or maybe he doesn't know how to make an excellent print. and make excellent prints. Or maybe your Mamiya produces that much better quality than a Pentax 67.

    If you want to disagree with me, that's your right. But please make an effort to be polite about it. I've participated here for many years. I've occasionally disagreed with others and sometimes been ruder than I should have been. However, at my most rude I've never called anyone else's opinion ludicrous or suggested that they're blind and I don't appreciate those kinds of insults from you.

  10. #30

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    Re: Travelling for a year; so which LF camera?

    Was Sandy referring to black and white prints? Colour prints from my 5D Mark II look awesome. However, I do have a very hard time getting b&w prints from the 5D Mark II to match the tonality of prints from a Rolleiflex.

    I'd go digital on this trip: there's convenience and the IQ is certainly "good enough".

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