I took a 5x4" and a Fuji 6x8cm(!) rangefinder on travels in June/July, and the negs from the Fuji were great (sharp, contrasty, printable) - certainly (temporarily) dampened my enthusiasm for the perfect handheld 5x4"...
Marc!
I took a 5x4" and a Fuji 6x8cm(!) rangefinder on travels in June/July, and the negs from the Fuji were great (sharp, contrasty, printable) - certainly (temporarily) dampened my enthusiasm for the perfect handheld 5x4"...
Marc!
I should clarify that last statement. I find that, statistically, actuating the shutter on a 4x5 camera is more likely to yield me a printable picture than any other format I shoot. This will likely apply to any 4x5 camera, Speed Graphic included. It's possible that my statistical yield is driven by something unrelated to camera format. For example it may derive from some fixed number of ideas that I can come up with during a day of shooting.
With a Polaroid conversion you have to accept some syntax from 35mm. For example, lack of movements. This would be a deal-killer for many LF shooters. For example, I can't do Historic Records (HABS/HAER/HALS).
Just curious, are you talking color? I can imagine 6x8 color is amazing. My 6x9 folders are vintage Bessa II and Ikonta C, which don't perform that well in color. I don't shoot color anyway, all black and white. They stand up well to 4x5, but don't exceed it that often. Perhaps my limitations are the set of cameras I'm comparing.Originally Posted by munz6869
All B&W this time (mostly Fuji Acros) - I've just found I enjoy B&W more when I get back from a trip... Colour with the Fuji 90mm f/3.5 EBC lens (for which the cameras are merely a supporting platform) IS amazing though. They are seriously underrated cameras IMHO.
Marc!
The classic old 120 folders are great and can be sharp, but the Fujis (and Mamiyas) have pretty much state of the art modern lenses that are super sharp. Of course it also depends on scanning, darkroom techniques... But given that you can gain at least a couple stops advantage with the smaller cameras, they get pretty close or better quickly.
But yes if you shot in New Mexico sun at 1/500th @ f/16 then yeah, I'll concede that handheld 4x5 should have an edge. But once you start opening up and slowing down to 1/125, 1/60th at f/8 it gets real close and by the time you're slower or more open then it's game over, the small camera wins.
The Fuji Rangefinders came in 6X7, 6x8, and 6X9....
The 680 was "home market" only, but they have made it into the US in some numbers and are occasionally found on eBay. The 670 and 690 were found in the interchangeable lens models, and the 670,680 and 690 were found in the GW and GSW fixed lens models. The 680 was found in GW... II and III.
The bodies were all the same exterior dimensions and only the film transports differed for the three formats.
I had a GW690 and a GSW690. Great cameras. Simple to operate and really solid. I use to carry both. Sometime gunslinger type. On a strap one on each shoulder under a jacket. From that aspect the Mamiya 7 with two lens is a more compact kit with the drawback of changing lens.
The funny thing is that I loved the 90/3.5 but could not really warm-up to the 65/5.6. Now that I have the Mamiya with very, very limited use, I love the 150mm but have not connected yet with the 65mm. I will give it sometime before considering going the 50mm + 80mm route in replacement of the 65mm.
One thing that I noticed is that the 4x5 can take a little bit of underexposure but the 6x9 did not.
Cheers,
Luc
Field # ShenHao XPO45 - Monorail # Sinar P, F2[CENTER]6x6 # Minolta 1965 Autocord, 6x9 # Kodak 1946 Medalist II
Yes, I agree. Focus errors and blur very quickly dissolve any advantage 4x5 has over 120. I think your dividing lines are right on.
A Razzle 110B or 900 4x5 conversion used with a grafmatik 6-shot back is a pretty good lightweight outfit which as posters have said above can also be used handheld with some success in the right conditions (light intensity, film speed) but obviously best results are when used with a tripod. The rangefinder is accurate so you don't need gg focussing. Easy to use also with the Fuji PA-145 polaroid back for those needing instant gratification (surprisingly important sometimes when shooting friends/family/strangers), although, as said before on previous threads here, the framing is a bit hit and miss with the small negative until you get used to it.
It's true that a Crown Graphic setup is not a whole lot bigger/heavier, plus you get (limited) movements, but the rangefinder's not great, and I wouldn't want to try using it handheld without flash. Probably a question of the right technique-I heard the old press photographers placed them on their shoulder for stability and sort of aimed roughly at their subject?
I agree with previous comments about more chance of sharp photos handheld by dropping down a format, but it also depends upon the camera ergonomics and the positioning and smoothness of the release mechanism in particular. Lots of folk here would agree that you can shoot sharp handheld shots with the Rollieflex because of those features, right down to 1/15 sec. You can't do that with a Mamiya in my experience, I've seen threads that you can't easily do it with the big heavy Fuji bodies, you can't do it with a Hasselblad SWC (and I've tried). Hard to do with many of the old folders too because of difficult ergonomics (camera tilt as you depress the release). I haven't tried the newish Bessa III, but I can say that the Plaubel Makinon 6x7 is stable handheld and with an ergonomic release. However, if you really really want to shoot film handheld and get really sharp shots, stick with 35mm, first choice Leica M, fast film, and accept grain.
Shuuuuuussshhhhh for goodness sake !
Do you want to wake the Littmeister?
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