New to LF

[Bada]

Hi all,

I've been a photographer for years (weddings and portraits mostly), but always digital. A friend let me try his Chamonix 45N-2, and needless to say I am now hooked :) I'm excited to jump into this rabbit hole with you all!

[Dugan]

Welcome!

[Ulophot]

Welcome, Bada. I am always interested to know what brings newcomers to serious (fun) film photography, LF in particular. It's a big leap from digital to LF. Anyway, I assume your friend is familiar with the forum here. You'll find a trove on information on the home page, and great folks here to answer questions as begin and continue your new adventure.

[Bada]

Thanks! It's a good question. For me, what I found is that while I love my photography work (digital), what really got me into photography in the first place was taking my time, thinking about an image, etc. LF certainly forces my hand in that regard, and is the pace I want to work for my passion projects and other types of images :)

[Willie]

Remember that it does not have to be complicated and you don't have to own every lens made.

Now departed photographer Bill Ratcliffe from Utah had a whole career of 4x5 images with a number of books, images in magazines and print sales using one Burke & James camera and a 10 inch Ektar lens, light meter & tripod. He had many covers for Audubon Magazine. Coffee table and smaller books. Did photo workshops. He even had a 52 page spread in Audubon of the Kaiparowits Plateau as well as many smaller essays on various locations.

All of this with one camera and one lens. Initially processed the Ektachrome in his basement after dark - and for the first years had only 6 film holders.

Later career he got into wildlife photography with 35mm & big, fast glass. But for a few decades it was basically as simple as it gets.

[xkaes]

A friend let me try his Chamonix 45N-2, and needless to say I am now hooked :) I'm excited to jump into this rabbit hole with you all!

It's not really what most people consider a "rabbit hole" -- at least until you actually obtain a large format camera of your own -- which you haven't said you did. It can become a problem if you refuse to return your friend's camera -- but that's not a rabbit hole either. That's just "trouble".

Your main problem is that you live in Colorado. Combine that with a large format camera -- and you're in REAL trouble.

But, since you haven't mentioned that you actually have a large format camera of your own, you might be at a critical decision-making point -- what format. Just like with smaller cameras, there are many large format formats to choose from. Fortunately, we are here to help.

Who knows, maybe your friend is ready to "unload" his Chamonix for something more to his liking. Stranger things have happened.

[Bada]

It's not really what most people consider a "rabbit hole" -- at least until you actually obtain a large format camera of your own -- which you haven't said you did. It can become a problem if you refuse to return your friend's camera -- but that's not a rabbit hole either. That's just "trouble".

Your main problem is that you live in Colorado. Combine that with a large format camera -- and you're in REAL trouble.

But, since you haven't mentioned that you actually have a large format camera of your own, you might be at a critical decision-making point -- what format. Just like with smaller cameras, there are many large format formats to choose from. Fortunately, we are here to help.

Who knows, maybe your friend is ready to "unload" his Chamonix for something more to his liking. Stranger things have happened.

Ha! Yeah, he's letting me borrow it for a month, at which point I will decide what direction I want to go. He also has an 8x10 and some larger ones that I will try as well. So far, the 4x5 feels like a good format for me. Big, but without being too cumbersome (especially for hiking in CO).
And we'll see if he decides to unload the camera - that might make it an easier decision :)

[dave_whatever]

As Quincy said;

"Gentlemen, you are about to enter the most important and fascinating sphere of police work photography: the world of forensic medicine large format."