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Thread: My 1st LF camera. But which one?

  1. #21
    SF Bay Area 94303
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    433

    Re: My 1st LF camera. But which one?

    An old CC401 Calumet is a great starter. I still have mine after 40 years. Ja, ja I now have a half a dozen other ones but the good old Calumet took lots of great pictures.
    For $100 you can find a good one. And as Frank said, a Crown Graphic, which is really just a box camera with a large negative you can hand hold is good too. Folks get too hung up on the camera's. If you can't take interesting pictures with a CC401 and a 210 mm lens maybe LF is not for you! KFry

  2. #22
    All metric sizes to 24x30 Ole Tjugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    3,383

    Re: My 1st LF camera. But which one?

    My first LF camera was a Technika - the 13x18cm model you see me hand holding in my profile pic. I haven't regretted a minute that I replaced it with an elderly 7x5" Gandolfi Traditional. The weight difference is similar with 4x5" cameras - although the best Gandolfi option may well be a 7x5" camera with 5x4" back.

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    1,261

    Re: My 1st LF camera. But which one?

    My Busch Pressman "D" is solid, almost indestructable, and makes as good a picture as I can frame. It cost me a grand total of $150 off the Dreaded, and has worked fine with minimal problems ever since.

  4. #24

    Re: My 1st LF camera. But which one?

    If you haven't already done so, have a read of Steve Simmons and Jack Dykinga's large format photography books, you'll get a sense of how different types of camera suit different shooting objectives. Also, try to borrow a camera or two, see how they work for you. My first purchase was a Horseman 45FA as I had decided I liked the preciseness of the metal camera, but I learned later, from those books and from using a friend's Wista DX, that I preferred the ease of rear focusing. And later, a longer bellows. You keep learning.
    The Graphic cameras are a nice basic choice, but you won't enjoy using their limited movements, and as someone said you'll achieve about the same result in IQ putting your Mamiya 7 on a tripod.
    From your previous choices of 'Blad, Mamiya 7 etc, you may well find the Linhof Tech or Arca Swiss cameras appeal, but more expensive.

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