Which cameras to buy?

[JamesFromSydney]

Something to also consider in your budget is lighting for studio fashion work. When you move to LF, you'll need to consider stopping down to f22 for 4x5 and f32-45 for 8x10 to get the necessary DOF.

How many 500W monolights do you currently use for 35mm? (Are these continuous light, or did you mean Ws ?)

I've read several accounts suggesting that 5kWs to 15kWs are what an LF studio would need, which means floor packs.

(I've been investigating doing 8x10 portraits with 800-1600Ws, without expecting to be able to do brightly-lit full body work).

[William McEwen]

4x5 Sinar Alpina.

That's what I used before switching to 8x10. If I were to return to 4x5, I'd get that one and need no other. I recommend it highly.

[David Solow]

Thank you all for all your help. I have bought a used 4x5 Sinar P2 for my monorail camera and am mostly set on a Linhof Master Techinka for my field camera, although that's for a future purchase.

In response to JamesFromSydney, I do intend to shoot brightly-lit full body-work with my LF cameras, I do have two Bowens 500Ws monolight strobes. Shooting the work mentioned above at 100 iso film at f/22, I am concerned my lights won't be enough. I will do tests with my Sinar using my current light setup and see what happens. I expect I'll ending up getting more lighting. I wasn't expecting a 5kWs to 15kWs. What's going to run?

[Uri A]

I can sell you a Tech 2000 kit with lenses and case if youre interested.. email me.