Are people really paying $1000+ for Speed Graphic and Aero Ektar combos?

[jcoldslabs]

You can take a lazy snapshot with the best and biggest gear available, and you can get published in the New York Times with photos taken with an iPhone:

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/1...l-a-war-story/

I figure if the photographer enjoys the process and the results, equipment is of little consequence.

Jonathan

[Zaitz]

Thanks for the link. And good point.

[frcolin]

You can take a lazy snapshot with the best and biggest gear available, and you can get published in the New York Times with photos taken with an iPhone:

Sure !
But it also depend on what you wanna do with your pictures.
If you wanna be printed in a famous magasine, an iphone can be enough. For sure, getting published in NYTimes is great.
But if you goal is printing large pictures. Even only for yourself, even not for a museum.
I really do think that the iphone will not hold the 1.2mx1.5m wide prints or at least waaayyyyyyysssss less good than a 4x5" velvia 50 negative.

Frank, ok for the sinar.
But compare the prices of a decent speedgraphic (with a full maintenance done by a pro) and the price of a sinar set... I think we are around a 10x factor.
I think that speedgraphic is a good compromise between price and quality.

[goamules]

Sometimes people make a camera setup just because it's fun. Sometimes for what it can do. I'm not sure on the super fast handheld cameras which it is. I have my Speed Graphic to shoot somewhat slower petzvals, with more depth of field. This SG cost me $150, and the lens about the same.



I've sold a lot of small Petzvals, 40mm to 150mm, to people who just want to have some fun making uncommon photos. You can get the same unusual look on a 4x5 for a lot less money than doing it on 8x10. But I sure wouldn't advocate trying to emulate a modern, digital photo with one, where everything is sharp, flat, normal, boring. Or trying to make a super-sharp 4x5 negative to enlarge hugely. It's not about that. Here is a Speed Graphic/fast lens shot I took on 20 year old T-max:

[Frank Petronio]

Yeah it is quite amazing that you can still find beat up 1930s Speed Graphics and the shutters still work properly, even close enough speeds... for $150 or so.

A good Sinar shutter seems to be $500 and forget it if they don't include the $150 cables. While you could hang it on a cheap Sinar F, usually you want one of the more solid models like the Norma or P, extra bellows and standard, etc. so you can easily drop $1500 to do it right.

The big limiting factor with the Speed is the size of the small lensboard and the weakness of the front standard with heavy lenses.

[Dan Fromm]

The big limiting factor with the Speed is the size of the small lensboard and the weakness of the front standard with heavy lenses.

Um, Frank, one can often put a crutch under the lens. That's how I use a huge 12"/4.0 Taylor Hobson Telephoto on my little 2x3 Pacemaker Speed Graphic.

[narbouille]

think about that. how much ll cost to build a lens like this today? back to the 40 th AE lens cost a price of one good car or a quarter of an house.
after war they sell these lenses for 5 $
money is nothing if you take photo for a good reason.