What's your Go To LF body & lens?

[Vaughn]

...so I've compromised in that I've accepted the 5x7's wider image and am by necessity learning to work within that frame since I'm only able to contact print.

One gets use to it. After the square and the frumpish 4x5 proportions, 5x7 is a nice relief. I got around my mild OCD by modifying a darkslide to make two 4x10 negatives on a 8x10 sheet of film -- both 4x10s have rebate around them, so I am printing the 'whole negative' at 4x10.

[drew.saunders]

I am trying to get a feel for this group's favorite LF body and lens for portraits and landscapes.
Please state your everyday LF body & lens. A photo would be nice, too!
Thanks

Although there are some who own very many cameras, I'd imagine most LF shooters own just one. In my case, although I have two TravelWide cameras (one set up with the 90, one previously set up with a 65 but since converted to pinhole), I don't use the TravelWide cameras much, so the every day, in that it's the only one I shoot with every day that I shoot, is my Ebony 45SU. It's a non-folding ebony wood and titanium field camera.

Lens? That's the beauty of owning more than one, you can choose what you want when you want to shoot it. For landscape, I image more than half of my photos are with either the 200/8 Nikkor-M or a 125/5.6 Fujinon "inside lettering" (or the 120/45 APO-Symmar that the Fuji replaced). If I had to take just one of those for a landscape shoot, I'd just flip a coin. I got some bag bellows early this year that makes it much easier to use my wide lenses on the Ebony, so I might get more use out of the 65/8 SA (previously on one of the TravelWides) and the 80/4.5 SSXL that is one of the three lenses that I bought new. My last time out shooting, I just took my wide lenses (65, 80, 125 and 135, didn't use the 135) and bag bellows so I could force myself to get better with them and enjoyed the process.

Here's the camera in action, I think with the 300/9 Fujinon-C:

Ebony at Pescadero. by Drew Saunders, on Flickr

For portrait work? One of my single-coated Tessar lenses: 165/3.5 Zeiss, 180/4.5 Schneider Xenar, 210/4.5 Fujinar or 250/4.7 Fujinar. If I had to pick just one, it would be the 250/4.7 Fujinar.

Since you ask for a photo, here's the Fujinar 250/4.7 not long after I bought it just over 10 years ago:

Fujinar 250 f/4.7 lens. by Drew Saunders, on Flickr

That rather pedestrian image of my lens happens to be my most popular image on Flickr, which logically makes no sense. It so happens that it's been favorited by two people (men, I presume) who also have favorited quite a few images of nude women, so when other Flickr users go to the favorites pages for these other two users (I think they follow each other, so one's favoriting of my image led to the other), my simple iPhone image of my lens and camera is surrounded by images that, shall we say, likely get a LOT more looks!

They do favorite rather tasteful nudes, at least...

Drew

[RenoAmiens]

Intrepid MK4 and Fujinon 180mm f5.6 .

[Roberto Nania]

For hiking and whenever I want to travel light, Horseman HD with a 6.3/150 Fujinon.

When I need more movements or longer bellows, Chamonix 45N-2 usually with a Symmar 5.6/150 (5.6/210 Sironar less often).

[Monty McCutchen]

Landscapes I split 60/40 Phillips 7 x 17 with a 355 G-Claron and Ebony 20 x 24 Schneider 550 XXL.

Portraits 60/40 Canham 10 x 12 360 Heliar (Wet Plate almost exclusively) and Ebony 20 x 24 Schneider 550 XXL (Pt/Pd), Dallmeyer 8D (Wet Plate).

Been nice to read through everyone's response and how they go about their work. I've always enjoyed working with larger negatives and contact printing which of course led me down the rabbit hole shown here. i love the bigger ground glass and the presence of the prints but of course it limits me some time. So be it. Doesn't diminish the fun I/we all get out of it all. Thanks to all who contributed on this thread--it was entertaining, inspiring and educational.

Look forward to seeing the continued entries,

Monty

[Tin Can]

Well said Monty

I have not yet found my groove

the game is afoot

[j.e.simmons]

I decided to concentrate on American cameras a few years ago. That means a Wehman in 8x10 with a 12 1/2” B&L RR lens. When my knee acts up, it’s either a Graphic View II with a 190mm B&L Protar or my Super Graphic with 127mm Ektar.

[Vaughn]

I agree with Monty. If one is enjoying themselves, it does not matter if it is a day of five rolls of 120, 12 sheets of 5x7 or 6 sheets of 11x14. The day would be fun and productive. (your numbers may differ...any of those is a full day in the landscape for me)

I slowed down my negative making. I decided I am not going for the "The Most Great Negatives Never Printed Before He Croaked" Award.

[esearing]

Looking at my exposure cards my most used lenses tend to be a 135mm and 65mm for 4x5. That may be because I tend to get in close to the waterfalls and rivers I shoot so a normal lens does not cover every time. I have a 90 but rarely use it.

[jnantz]

Delmar box camera .. not sure what lens is in it
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6CR9Upg...d=lzt1j7af20e1
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5RWqrmg...d=nalij36t9n4n