What’s your most “unpopular” opinion about LF?

[Greg]

Hang matted and framed 8x10 prints on the wall of a gallery. One Digital, one fiber based, the third a hand coated Platinum/Palladium. When viewed from about 4 feet away "most people should be able to tell the difference".... did just that a few years ago. Gallery visitors universally couldn't tell the difference. Several other photographers couldn't tell the differences and two of them have printed with the three different mediums. Visiting Photo professor correctly ID'd each of the three printing processes, but confided in me that he had to view the prints very close up to see the differences.

[Doremus Scudder]

How about, in order to make a panorama, you have to use a panoramic camera (or filmback).

Heck, I just use scissors to cut my 4x5 neg down to panorama to get a 12cm x whatever (depends on how thin I cut it...). Or, sometimes, I just crop when enlarging.

Doremus

[Doremus Scudder]

Hang matted and framed 8x10 prints on the wall of a gallery. One Digital, one fiber based, the third a hand coated Platinum/Palladium. When viewed from about 4 feet away "most people should be able to tell the difference".... did just that a few years ago. Gallery visitors universally couldn't tell the difference. Several other photographers couldn't tell the differences and two of them have printed with the three different mediums. Visiting Photo professor correctly ID'd each of the three printing processes, but confided in me that he had to view the prints very close up to see the differences.

You mean to say that content is more important than the medium??? How dare you!!

[Greg]

You mean to say that content is more important than the medium??? How dare you!!

:-)

[abruzzi]

the zone system is usually overkill

[interneg]

Making a technically competent image with 4x5 or 8x10 (for a 2-3x enlargement) is actually really easy - if you don't spend all your time imaging grey cards while purposely failing to understand basic sensitometry and worrying that the film manufacturers somehow have it in for you.

[ic-racer]

I like this. If one says 150mm, others will say vanilla. Not a popular 4x5 focal length, but should be.

I shoot almost all my 4x5 with a 150 lens. I can't tell what posts are sarcasm or not.

[Nodda Duma]

As a lens designer… Most truths about optics that fly in the face of optical myths. I don’t remember specific examples, but it happens from time to time.

-Jason

[Jody_S]

The technical quality of LF photography when it comes down to finished prints was matched by common digital imaging tools at least 10 years ago.

Corollary: LF since then is performance art, for the most part.

Witness the exodus of a number of photographers from this site, leaving mostly hobbyists and some digital shooters dealing with nostalgia.

[Jody_S]

Sure an LF camera is a tool to be used, but I view the older wooden cameras heirlooms to be conserved for the future use of others. My view is that we do not actually own that Ansco, 2D or 'Dorff. In my view we should consider ourselves to be stewards of a photographic instrument that will never be made again. Yes, there are current production view cameras, but that B&J, grey painted and clunky or that Kodak or Ansco with awkward or limited movements are usable antiques. My Eastman View No. 2D was crafted before I was born. Thes older view cameras to be used and maintained fro photographers, perhaps not yet born. The 2D? I just have it on loan for these few years.

This has been my view on lenses especially for some years. We do not own these lenses, we are merely caretakers and we need to diligently preserve them for posterity. I also think we should pass them on before we die so they don't end up in dumpsters.