Tripods are the support system for your large format camera. Sometimes a flimsy one can offset any amount of quality in a lens or camera. Use caution when buying a tripod as many used ones have been replaced because they are badly worn and are in need of repair. Just another thing to consider. Good luck on your journey.
Large format has the unique benefit of about 180 years of different styles of photography. If you like a particular style of photo history, you might want to start with a lens that is compatible with that style or surviving that style. Then get the compatible camera, film holders, etc...
If you are getting LF for a use and haven't developed a style or want to try something new, perhaps get a camera or kit designed for certain use cases... heavy precise monorail camera for the studio, wooden/composite field cameras for landscape, press cameras for more portability, etc...
I wouldn't stress about picking things up piecemeal and cobbling things together .. there really isn't much to get TBH ..
just a biggish tripod to support a bigger camera ( look for Tiltall they are not too expensive, or you can mount a head on a surveyors tripod) you can use a jacket over your head for a dark cloth
or do as I do and go to a fabric store and just get a slice of fabric ( I use a rectangle of felt that is now about 40 years old ) ... if you get film holders that need new hinges get book binder's tape and you'll repair them good as new
as long as you aren't getting some high liner ebony or collector's camera you should be able to pick up a body for not too much money. you'll read things about your first LF camera, it's true for the most part, and won't really be your ideal camera, it will tell you what you don't need or need, depending on your style ( field camera with lesser movements vs studio camera &c ) lenses from the WW2 era were built to last, are often times sleepers, and are every bit as good as newer lenses, just make sure you put some money aside to have it cleaned adjusted lubricated (they may have been home remedied with light fluid and lubricated with tallow, lard or schmaltz ).. if you have a favorite lens you use on small formats (35mm ) multiply by 3 and that is an approximate focal length for 4x5 ... I wouldn't bother with paper negatives or X-ray film as a beginner's media, people might suggest it's a great alternative to film, it might be, but it's tricky seeing its usable grey scale is not the same as film, so you'll get frustrated because of high contrast and blown out images unless you get good at judging light and shooting on overcast days, use a yellow filter &c ..
have fun with your hunting and gathering !
John
(Quoting @jp so I don't have to repeat what was already written.)Originally Posted by jp
First thing to do is to clarify what you want to do with LF, at least initially. For a quick and inexpensive initial learning experience it might be just as well to get a press camera. Often very affordable and often available as a "complete kit". There are benefits and limitations, of course. If you want more flexibility like extensive movements and "precision" adjustments then the cost and complexity of decisions increase enormously. But there are many Calumet/Cambo monorails onthe market that are affordable and offered as a complete kit. I've seen folks start both ways. Some are quickly frustrated with their initial decision and move to another option once they know what they really want out of a LF camera. Others make an acceptable choice in the first place. (I started with both a press camera and a basic monorail in the 1980's, and still have/use both.) How things work for you might be based mostly on your ability to clairfy your requirements, desirements, and expectations early in the decision process.
Lots of good advice. I’ve done the 4x5 journey twice now in the past 15 years. First time I ordered a new, handcrafted wood 4x5, waited many months. Bought new glass at a store in NYC that was still carrying LF lenses. Spent a lot of money at the time. Then life got in the way, digital was more affordable and I sold it all at a loss. Miss the glass and accessories; the camera that I waited months for started to have issues with knobs coming unglued—-don’t miss that at all!
Fast forward to about a year ago and I wanted to do it again. You can’t have the camera without the lens and vice versa. There’s just no point. I went with a new Intrepid and 1 used 150mm lens. My rationale was that (a) I didn’t want to wait for a nice used camera to show up on the market and (b) assumed that a new camera would have less issues that might need addressing and (c) if I abandoned it again I didn’t want to take another financial hit. I hate buying someone else’s problem item. I ordered them at the same time but the lens arrived a few weeks before the camera. In the meantime, I found some used and new film holders and other bits and pieces. I’m pretty sure I got the kit together cheaper than my first try many years ago because I didn’t buy new lenses and the Intrepid is almost dirt cheap. The camera and lens, BTW, are useless without film holders so you’ll need those too. And probably a loupe and dark cloth (which you can make for yourself). And, as someone else said, a sturdy tripod. Sturdy doesn’t have to mean expensive. But you need something that when you set the position the camera won’t move around with the wind or the movement created by inserting and removing the film holders.
Rent or borrow if you can before buying. I’ve had the Intrepid for several months and I wouldn’t buy it again. I find the lack of rear detents and some of the fiddly knobs infuriating (and that’s a “me” problem I suspect because my previous cameras were built with much different designs and precision) and it’s just not a pleasant operating experience. But you get what you pay for. A good-condition Speed Graphic (if you can find one where the price hasn’t been overly inflated) is an okay place to start.
If you’re not doing this to make money/part of your job and it’s just a hobby, I think you should ask “How much disposable income am I willing to invest on the outside chance it’s not fun or I’m bad at it?” The film is not cheap. You can develop at home to trim some costs but it’s still a hobby with recurring costs each time you go out. That rubs some the wrong way after a time and they land up walking away from it. You can resell stuff but rarely will you get all of your money back. Start small: camera, 1 lens, a couple of film holders. Do it for 6 months and re-assess.
Don't forget to look for people selling complete outfits. Sometimes you can find a good deal that way. Plus save a lot of looking time.
Get a Shen-Hao, Chamonix, Toyo, Wista, Horseman or Interpid 4x5 and a Nikkor, Fujinon, Symmar or Sironar 150mm lens.
Hello Reverb and welcome to the family!
Being in Japan actually gives you some great options. Used cameras by Wista, Horseman, Tachihara, and Toyo in either field or monorail; as well as excellent quality lenses by Nikon and Fuji. My first camera was a wooden Zone VI that looked very much like a Wista or Tachihara. My initial lens kit was a 135 Schneider Xenar (that I think was made for press cameras like Crown Graphics) and an 8.5 inch Kodak Commercial Ektar in an old Ilex ACME #3 shutter.
I agree with what others have said re: tripods. These are the unsung heroes of photography. I also concur with the recommendation of the Stone book and Simmons book on large format. If you can find it, Jack Dykinga also wrote a fine book on large format. Finally, as someone pointed out, the webpage out of which this forum came is a goldmine of information! https://www.largeformatphotography.info/
Most importantly, take your time, and don't forget to have fun!
Cheers!
Joel
"I am not a technician and have no interest in technique for its own sake. If my technique is adequate to present my seeing, then I need nothing more.” Edward Weston
The comments have been incredibly helpful, interesting, and informative! I really appreciate everyone's input. With my knowledge being very limited and based on whatever I manage to remember from a few articles and videos that cover the subject, everything that's been said here has been of value to me.
Here are a few largely disconnected observations from my side, some of them related to comments above, others just adding a bit of detail from my side.
# It was good to hear something about tripods, because it explained (warned about) some things I hadn't really considered before. I will certainly pay attention there.
# I'm really a very casual photographer. I do it all for fun. I don't make rapid progress but I don't mind too much, and I don't have a strong creative urge. Possibly not the best candidate for LF, but I still think I could be able to derive enjoyment from it, and that's all I'm after.
# My initial idea has been to start indoors, and perhaps around the house, photographing objects / still life / call-it-what-you-will, to get a feel for the process. That also appeals to my laziness while I get the confidence to go a bit further afield. I have some half-formed ideas about combining it with hiking, which I do already, though I have other, obviously lighter, camera gear for that, and if I never get around to it, no real matter. But certainly, there are some great landscapes to shoot.
# I started to get interested in LF when I found out about Intrepid cameras. Ultimately, I was a little put off by some of the quibbles about build, and I have the impression that the saving in both weight and money is not quite compelling enough against a secondhand model, as those prices look pretty reasonable to me. The most recent camera I had my eye on was a metal Toyo half-plate field camera, and I felt myself weakening yesterday, but by the look of it, many cameras will continue to be available, so I probably needn't rush into it. It also occurred to me that at those prices I may not have to commit myself to a single camera.
# With indoor shooting being one goal, I know a monorail camera might be recommended. I do have it partially in mind, and prices are tempting, though I imagine it might be a lot more troublesome to store one while it's not in use than with a field camera. You will probably understand from my location that space is always an issue.
# As I mentioned earlier, I'll probably choose a Japan brand because there are several to choose from, and my source will be within Japan. It also looks as if the foreign brands come at a bit of a premium here: it's a prestige thing, I think.
Last edited by Reverb; 21-Apr-2024 at 08:19.
Given that you are living in Japan, there should be a wide variety of choice directly available to you. One well-known and highly reputable seller in Japan is B.S. Kumar, who is well-known on this forum and the Photrio.com forum. I would suggest contact Kumar and discuss some various Japanese camera options available on the home market.
As to lenses, Fujinon and Nikon large format lenses have an excellent reputation for high-quality relative to price and they should be more readily available in Japan.
Many of us have purchased a significant portion of our large format gear from Japan and you will not have to deal with shipping delays and costs.
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