1 or 2 cameras..if you were starting again.

[Former Member 8144]

Hello,

To all the wise ones out there...
If you were having to choose a 54 camera now, based on all your practical experiences, what would you do if you shot both landscapes including the odd building (so backpacking, hiking etc) and interior/exterior (that's architectural work not studio based stuff) work where you need to have the full range of movements...but you never shoot these two styles at the same time!

Given a fixed budget (see used camera choices below) that is not huge would you choose to have both a field/technical camera using lenses from say 75mm to 240mm such as a Horseman FA, wista vx, toyo cf etc and a good old monorail and lenses from say 58mm to 240 like a sinar F1 or 2 or go for just the one camera choosing something like an Arca F-line or discovery which can possibly cover both shooting needs?


Marc

[Gene McCluney]

1 field camera and 1 modular monorail for studio work. Hopefully both take the same lensboards, or an adaptor can be had, so one set of lenses will work with both.

[Nick_3536]

Fixed budget to me means at least two cameras. The wonder cameras tend to cost more then two more basic cameras.

[archivue]

Arca Fline field 141 with a binocular viewer

[Scott Davis]

Easy-

I'd get the same 4x5 field camera I have now- a Shen-Hao. Then I'd have money enough to put into some serious wide-angle glass.

[Vaughn]

I'd start the same way that I did originally (tho not very interested in the interior work).

Gowland Pocket View and a CaltarIIN 150mm lens. Backpackable rail camera (<2.5 lbs w/ lens). Mine has the two 6" rails, so I might opt for the two 8" rails (or a 6 and an 8), if I ever thought of a longer lens, or more close-ups. It can take a short lens easily.

My Gowland does not have rear rise/fall or shift...but one can get those movements by using tilt and swing, so I don't think I'd go for the Gowland all-movement which adds a pound or so.

Vaughn

[SamReeves]

I love my Tachi, and would get another one if possible.

[Bill_1856]

Crown Graphic and Graphic View II.

[John Kasaian]

The Graphic View 2 is very tempting, so is the Gowland and the Nagaoka for something light wieght, but I could do it all with either an Agfa Ansco Universal (and get 5x7 to boot!) or a Linhof Technika. For glass I'd pick a 90mm SA or Ilex Acuton or Wolly equivalent, and a 210 (oh wait, I've already got a 203 f7.7 ektar!) and maybe a 120 SA or 135 WF Ektar.

But I shoot 8x10

[JPlomley]

I second the Arca F-Field camera. A seriously nice bit of kit which is extremely versatile for handling everything from 47mm to 360mm without having to swap out bellows.