Thinking about LF - which camera?

[jools-french]

Morning all

I'm a mostly digital user but also have a MF camera tucked away in my camera bag. But i'm finding that I want something that bit bigger and is more versatile.

Lens wise, I'm finding that a lot of my shots are taken around the 20 - 24mm range. Add in to this around mid-telephoto to 200mm.

My MF lenses are 50mm; 80mm; 150mm and 250mm which all serve me well.

The style of my photography is landscape and as such, I'm looking to achieve that depth of field that only LF can give.

I use ND Grads 99% of the time as I'm shooting in sunrise/ set situations as well as late afternoon.

Initially, I looked at the Ebony RSW 45 but after reading a review by Joe Cornish about the use of grads it put me off.

I'm not picky about make of camera.

I'd be interested in what people have to offer.

Thanks

[Ole Tjugen]

I hope you mean "the control of depth of field that only LF can give" - because one thing a larger format is sure to give you in less depth of field.

Honestly, just about any LF camera will do. Get a Lee "rubberband" filter holder, and you can use ND grads on any lens.

It seems that you like slightly wide lenses? Make sure the camera you eventually get can take a 75mm lens, even if that's not the lens you start out with. That is about the equivalent of a 40mm lens on MF. A 90mm lens is generally easier to use and cheaper to begin with - 90, 150, 210mm is a good 3-lens setup.

[Bill_1856]

The technique (and lenses)which you will use on a view camera may have no resemblance to the style of shooting you do with your previous experience.
The versatility of a view camera (compared with other camera types) is largely a thing of the past. Unless you plan to make really huge prints, the MF camera you already own may serve you better than LF.
If you're just thinking about the pleasure of working with the basic setup of a big camera on a big tripod, under a horse blanket, squinting at an upside-down image on a ground glass, then that's a whole different story. I've been doing it for 60 years and still enjoy it (even though i've never gotten an exceptional image from 4x5).

[36cm2]

[...] The versatility of a view camera (compared with other camera types) is largely a thing of the past. Unless you plan to make really huge prints, the MF camera you already own may serve you better than LF. [...]

What exactly does this mean? LF presents many advantages (and disadvantages) when compared to MF or digital, but none of those are "a thing of the past" from my perspective. Please explain if you have a moment.

To the OPs original question, many might agree that if you typically shoot landscapes and will walk a significant distance to them, then you might enjoy a relatively light field camera (Ebony, Chamonix, Wista, Tachihara). A flexible 3 lens selection is 150mm, 90mm, and any of 210/240/300, with priority in that order from my perspective. Opinions and experience will always vary. Best of luck.

Leo

[Alan Gales]

Check out the For Sale/Wanted section on here. There is a Tachihara and a Wisner Tech Field for sale. Both are wooden 4x5 field cameras.

[Alan Gales]

LF is much less versatile than MF for me anyway. Especially using a digital back on MF. I'd never go back to film of any format. It's just too limiting and frankly is obsolete.

I only read this forum to laugh at the old fart technophobes.

I paid $650.00 for my Tachihara 4x5 brand new at Badger Graphic a few years ago. I could probably sell if for that right now on ebay. I paid $1,500.00 for my Nikoon D200 new a few years ago from Circuit City. Of course it is only worth about $400.00 today.

Now what did you say was obsolete?

In my book it's the Nikon D200 and Circuit City! :)

[Louis Pacilla]

LF is much less versatile than MF for me anyway. Especially using a digital back on MF. I'd never go back to film of any format. It's just too limiting and frankly is obsolete.

I only read this forum to laugh at the old fart technophobes.

Hi.

BY.

[MIke Sherck]

LF is much less versatile than MF for me anyway. Especially using a digital back on MF. I'd never go back to film of any format. It's just too limiting and frankly is obsolete.

I only read this forum to laugh at the old fart technophobes.

Do not feed the trolls, please. It just encourages them.

Mike

[Steve Barber]

What exactly does this mean? LF presents many advantages (and disadvantages) when compared to MF or digital, but none of those are "a thing of the past" from my perspective. Please explain if you have a moment.

To the OPs original question, many might agree that if you typically shoot landscapes and will walk a significant distance to them, then you might enjoy a relatively light field camera (Ebony, Chamonix, Wista, Tachihara). A flexible 3 lens selection is 150mm, 90mm, and any of 210/240/300, with priority in that order from my perspective. Opinions and experience will always vary. Best of luck.

Leo



Check out the For Sale/Wanted section on here. There is a Tachihara and a Wisner Tech Field for sale. Both are wooden 4x5 field cameras.


What they said.

I would add that the Wisner Technical Field 4x5 that is on offer is well worth looking at.

[Alan Gales]

If you want to shoot long lenses that Wisner Technical Field has 23" of bellows draw!

[Ole Tjugen]

HERE (http://www.bruraholo.no/images/Lodalen.html) is a sample of the resolution you can get with outdated technology. This was shot on 5x7", so almost twice the area of 4x5 - but with an old 165mm Angulon lens which was never known to be the sharpest there is. At f:32 it's well into diffraction too, but with a large film that doesn't really matter.

[jools-french]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

My next questions to add into the mix are:

How about make of camera? Research so far suggests that I should be looking at a field camera due to the weight considerations. Any makes to avoid? I'd love an Ebony but that is way out of my price range.

As well. I noticed that you can use 6x6; 6x7 and 12x6 backs on a large format camera. That is very cool as it means I would get the movements from a LF on MF.

[Greg Blank]

I have had Graphlex cameras, not enough movements. I have a Gandolfi Variant it has about the same movement as my Omega Toyo E, Rail camera did. I always thought a Toyo field would be nice, but the Gandolfi has better movements than probably all other brands, unless you do a lot of architecturals its probably overkill, and it is limited to a 45mm lens with a recessed board my widest lens is a 65mm and I use a bag bellows with it and my 90mm. The camera takes Technika plates which is good because my 8x10 Tachihara does the same.

Yes the advantage is shooting rolls of film, and not loading holders. Get a good back like a Horseman.



Thanks for all the replies folks.

My next questions to add into the mix are:

How about make of camera? Research so far suggests that I should be looking at a field camera due to the weight considerations. Any makes to avoid? I'd love an Ebony but that is way out of my price range.

As well. I noticed that you can use 6x6; 6x7 and 12x6 backs on a large format camera. That is very cool as it means I would get the movements from a LF on MF.

[jools-french]

Well, I say that I can't afford an Ebony but in my bag I have a Hasselblad 501CM with three lenses that could boost me up.

If I sold the Hassie, I'd need to find a kit that enables me to have the following equivilent 35mm focal lengths:

24mm
50mm
100mm or so.

In my head, selling the Hassie and getting something like an Ebony would feel as if I hadn't lost out on a premium camera. I felt that if I got something like a Shen Hao with any money I make from my Hassie would feel like a cop out.

[gevalia]

Thanks for all the replies folks.

My next questions to add into the mix are:

How about make of camera? Research so far suggests that I should be looking at a field camera due to the weight considerations. Any makes to avoid? I'd love an Ebony but that is way out of my price range.

As well. I noticed that you can use 6x6; 6x7 and 12x6 backs on a large format camera. That is very cool as it means I would get the movements from a LF on MF.

I'm one of the guys that really uses my 120 back on 4x5 (the Dayi I use is a very good holder AFAIK). The 1 thing to realize is that you are going to end up with equipment you don't use. That's inevitable. A lens you thought you would use that sits and collects dust. Maybe even a few cameras. I found that my kit settled after a few years and I still change-out lenses based on where I am headed. There's a personal LF style you get just like with your MF equipment. As far as LF camera, everyone here will give you 3 opinions. It might be better for you to post a link to your work so far and we can help in what you will need in an LF camera to achieve something similar. Also, the types of outings (and for how long) you expect as well as how inshape you are come into play. Day hikes with 16 holders, 5 lenses, and filters are the norm for me and considering water and food, its over 30 pounds in a pack. Camera and lens weight become more important than if you were to shoot within a few hundred yards or so of the car. I would also offer up to make sure that what you buy initially, you can resell if things are not to your liking. And for that you can get help here. Oh, a solid tripod is key. I know a guy that bought a cheap flimsy tripod and 13 tripods later got a good solid (and more expensive) tripod. A gust of wind while shooting in rthe Crand Canyon finally clinched it for him. A good tripod will be with you for decades no matter what format you shoot.

[jools-french]

Well, this is my work: http://www.ethereal-light.com.

Tripod wise, I use a Manfrotto carbon fibre MF4 with a 410 head.

I forgot. The one thing that annoys me with my Hassie is the potential for light leakage due to the foam in the back. Is this still the same with roll film holder backs such as the Horseman etc?

[John Koehrer]

Fl conversions between formats don't translate directly, but........
24=113
50=167
100=333
These figures are for a 57 degree AOV measured on the horizontal side of the negative.
close 'nuff for guvmint work.

[Math]

A set of Rodenstock Linos Mevis-C prime lenses, six in total, in a nice black case. I paid 100$, and found out these were used on such films as Slumdog Millionaire.. It took a while to find a buyer, but I sold it off for 2500$, which was still on the cheap side.

[toyotadesigner]

What about an Arca Swiss 6x9 with a 6x9 Horseman roll film holder back? It's small, versatile, stable... Films for MF are reasonably priced, Polaroid/Fuji Instant as well, and Arca offers a Pola-Back for this camera as well.