Why not a rangefinder?

[Corran]

Any examples of "decisive moment" on 4x5 not 60-80+ years in the past? LOL

[Bob Salomon]

Any examples of "decisive moment" on 4x5 not 60-80+ years in the past? LOL

Mary Ellen Marks work.
One press photographer has been covering Congressional hearings with 45.

It’s not the age of those pictures. It’s that was how they were done. And for many 2.25 and 35 were available. But not used. Just like today, press and sports work is faster, less expensive, offer more shots then film.

It’s what tool does the job you want. You could go now with your a Technika and shoot a ball game, should you want. I’d rather do it with my Canon.

[Bernice Loui]

PLENTY... 4x5 press cameras of the past. They were THE news print image making tool.
As previously mentioned, this need was the origins of the entire series of "Graphic" and Technika and ... series of press cameras with cam_ed lenses and range finders and rapid film change film holders (Graphicmatic)...

Question is... why did the press-media photographers move away from using a sheet film rangefinder..



Bernice

Any examples of "decisive moment" on 4x5 not 60-80+ years in the past? LOL

[Bernice Loui]

Along with what the finished print_image would be.

Image making system -vs- print_image are inseparable. Again, they are elements or facets of the much greater whole of any image crafting system.



Bernice

45 also does decisive moment and peak action. Look at Ty Cobb sliding spikes high into 3rd. Jackie Robinson stealing home, all kinds of ringside boxing matches, the Hindenburg explosion.

Knowing your camera and it’s capabilities is what is important!

[Bob Salomon]

PLENTY... 4x5 press cameras of the past. They were THE news print image making tool.
As previously mentioned, this need was the origins of the entire series of "Graphic" and Technika and ... series of press cameras with cam_ed lenses and range finders and rapid film change film holders (Graphicmatic)...

Question is... why did the press-media photographers move away from using a sheet film rangefinder..



Bernice

Cost and speed. As well as more convenient long lenses then a big Bertha

[LabRat]

I remember bits and pieces of the story...

Before the turn of the century, it was common to use an 8x10 on tripod with flashpowder... It was also common to retouch negs to cover up and bring up important details and persons...

In the first decade, the new Graflex (SLR) became the camera of choice by the "young turks" due to handheld capabilities and use of available light... And the 5X7 negs could still be retouched...

Different size formats were chosen to fill standard newspaper column layouts, and printing plates could be made directly from negs...

Enlargers were scarce until after the '20's, but there were still extra steps to make printing plates from paper prints...

Film into the '30's was still ortho, where darkroom techs routinely developed by inspection under safelight, but resisted the change to pan films, and deal with a long strip of roll film with many little images on them... Hollywood labs didn't have time for standard long development times then, so often used hydrazine based developers that developed quickly, but with horrible resolution, but they were 8X10's ment to be retouched, printed on automatic contact roll paper printers...

WWII also was a rise for roll film use from roving correspondents overseas, and due to the freestyle of new photo news magazines where spontaneity of images also came from shooting and editing of many images allowed new layout styles and freedom...

Smaller cameras were first viewed as toys by professionals and public, but serious work produced started changing minds... (A pro that mentored me way back when told me not to even consider shooting a wedding or baby with anything smaller than 4×5 as it was a show of disrespect...) It became clear by the Vietnam era that without 35mm, most of the war images would not be made...

After digital images could be sent in real time from the China uprising, it was almost pointless to consider still shooting news film anymore...

Steve K

[Corran]

It’s what tool does the job you want.

Yeah, that was the point several were trying to make...

[Bob Salomon]

I remember bits and pieces of the story...

Before the turn of the century, it was common to use an 8x10 on tripod with flashpowder... It was also common to retouch negs to cover up and bring up important details and persons...

In the first decade, the new Graflex (SLR) became the camera of choice by the "young turks" due to handheld capabilities and use of available light... And the 5X7 negs could still be retouched...

Different size formats were chosen to fill standard newspaper column layouts, and printing plates could be made directly from negs...

Enlargers were scarce until after the '20's, but there were still extra steps to make printing plates from paper prints...

Film into the '30's was still ortho, where darkroom techs routinely developed by inspection under safelight, but resisted the change to pan films, and deal with a long strip of roll film with many little images on them... Hollywood labs didn't have time for standard long development times then, so often used hydrazine based developers that developed quickly, but with horrible resolution, but they were 8X10's ment to be retouched, printed on automatic contact roll paper printers...

WWII also was a rise for roll film use from roving correspondents overseas, and due to the freestyle of new photo news magazines where spontaneity of images also came from shooting and editing of many images allowed new layout styles and freedom...

Smaller cameras were first viewed as toys by professionals and public, but serious work produced started changing minds... (A pro that mentored me way back when told me not to even consider shooting a wedding or baby with anything smaller than 4×5 as it was a show of disrespect...) It became clear by the Vietnam era that without 35mm, most of the war images would not be made...

After digital images could be sent in real time from the China uprising, it was almost pointless to consider still shooting news film anymore...

Steve K

But remember, the father of candid photography, Erich Salomon was shooting handheld Ermanox before all of your points. Many of his League of Nations photos are readily available.