Could you shoot this idea apart

[stevebeyer]

I Am trying to amass the equipment that I need to get back into equipment. I am probably going to buy new to save me from any new horrors on board but I may run down to MPEX and give them a looky.

I have decided on a 45su over the other contender an
Arca Field more due to the flexibility and beauty.




For Lenses I am thinking of a Schneider 110XL, a Schneider 150
symmar-l, and a Fuji 300c for a start. I opted for the 110 for movements but I am torn on weather going with a 120 with a bit smaller image circle but at a cheaper price. I had the Rodenstock 150s before and loved it but I though I might give the
Schneider a go since it is a newer version and a little bit more room. I went with the Fuji 300 for small and light.

I would probably back fill in something wider than the 110 maybe a 75 or a 80 but I want to make sure that I run into some walls before I make that commitment. I also am thinking of a Fuji 240 A if I decide I need to fill the gap between the 150 and 300.


well that is my thinking... Could you kindly shoot this ideas full of holes so I can make a better choice.


thanks



steve

[stevebeyer]

Oh Gosh, I get to take the first shot. I am also going to add a Nikon 200M so the range between the 150 and 300 is not that bad. :-)

[roteague]

I always buy new whenever possible. Camera and lenses are my stock in trade, my tools. I don't intend to sell myself short with used equipment, just to save a few dollars.

[stevebeyer]

Robert A point well noted and appreciated. If you do this right you only have to buy it once. A few bucks more in the long run are not a big problem to justify

[Ron Marshall]

Steve, since you have previously done LF you know what your focal length preferences are. I personally find 110-150-210-300 to be ideal so I concur with most of what you have said.

I bought the 110 to use with both 4x5 and 5x7. Unless you need lots of front rise save the money and weight and go with a 120. I have the Fuji 300 c and am very happy with it.

I think the 240 would be too close to the 300; you could get the 240 instead of the 300 and 200, for a lighter alternative. Depends what you like to shoot.

If I was buying only with 4x5 landscape in mind, I might go 90-150-240 for a really light weight and versatile kit. With the possible addition of a 120.

[JW Dewdney]

I always buy new whenever possible. Camera and lenses are my stock in trade, my tools. I don't intend to sell myself short with used equipment, just to save a few dollars.

Seems to me.. if you buy QUALITY - and buy it used... you save a LOT of vanity money. And even if you have to get a shutter adjusted, etc... you're probably ending up with something at LEAST as good, if not better than you'd do otherwise. Remember - used items were once brand new also. The only difference is that it was sitting on someone else's shelf gathering dust.

[roteague]

Seems to me.. if you buy QUALITY - and buy it used... you save a LOT of vanity money. And even if you have to get a shutter adjusted, etc... you're probably ending up with something at LEAST as good, if not better than you'd do otherwise. Remember - used items were once brand new also. The only difference is that it was sitting on someone else's shelf gathering dust.

I don't see buying the best I can afford as an act of vanity.

[naturephoto1]

I always buy new whenever possible. Camera and lenses are my stock in trade, my tools. I don't intend to sell myself short with used equipment, just to save a few dollars.

Hi Robert,

We all have different approaches on these questions. Granted this may be comparing apples and oranges. But, for about $160 less than the cost of the new US price of a Schneider f5.6 110 Super Symmar XL at $2,032.95, I was able to purchase the following lenses all in mint (1 in almost mint to mint) condition in the newer Black Copal Shutters: Congo f6.3 90mm MC WA (a sharp one), Rodenstock f9.0 240mm Apo Ronar MC, Rodenstock f9.0 300mm Apo Ronar MC, and a Schneider f5.6 120mm Apo Symmar L lenses. I am only using 4 X 5 but these 4 lenses give me a very flexible, sharp, light, small, and compact field kit primarily for landscape work at a very large savings.

Rich

[David Rees]

The Schneider 120mm f5.6 APO L is one small, fine lens. My most used focal length. Very sharp, even down to f64.

The Ebony 45SU is also a fine camera, and indeed is also a thing of beauty. I picked one up 6 weeks ago, and even in this limited time, have found it an excellent tool. For landscape, the assymmetric back tilt really makes focusing easy. It is an intuitive tool, and it is a pleasure to use.

The Schneider 150 APO L is also very good, though perhaps a little close to 110/120; I find I reach for a 180 if I want to to go longer than 120, so the 150 doesn't get much use.

[Ted Harris]

Steve, if you are local to Midwest, as you imply, then by all means do it that way. You will see a wide variety of cameras and lenses and Jim will let you set up whatever you want and 'play' to your heart's content. One suggestion, if you want to make the most of your time and Jim's availability go early in the day on a weekday. Later in the day the phones are all ringing like crazy and on weekends the place is a zoo full of people.

[Bill_1856]

I see nothing wrong with your logic, at all. 110 or 120 + 15 + 300 sounds perfect to me, (plus as you say anything else you might need for back fill).
Regarding new vs used -- LF stuff is so modular and rugged that I don't see how one could go wrong with used unless you got stuff from ebay which had been used for 25 years to make hundred of thousands of catalog pictures and was just plain worn out. Buying from a place like MPEX virtually eliminates that possibility.

[Ed Richards]

If you can afford it, buy new - it encourages the manufacturers to keep making the stuff.:-)

[stevebeyer]

The other upside is you don't get called a crook when you make a mistake calling a email address a login:)

[Eric James]

The Schneider 150 APO L is also very good, though perhaps a little close to 110/120; I find I reach for a 180 if I want to to go longer than 120, so the 150 doesn't get much use.

This is something to think about. When I was putting together my lens kit, I settled on the 110mm and the Fuji 240mm - but what lens do you use between those lengths. I have a 150mm and often wish I had a 180mm. Also, the 240 to 300mm spread is less than ideal, but that's another consequence of "needing" the Fuji 240mm. If I had it to do over again I would have given the 110-150-210-300 set more consideration before buying the 240mm gem:)

If you like to shoot close up have a look at this thread:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=21703&highlight=lens+shooting+botanicals

The testamony to using the 150mm Sironar with cells reversed may influence your decision.