Medium square format camera

Thomassauerwein · May 10, 2003

Hello all,
I'm looking for a 2 1/4 square format with rise@ fall and shift capabillities.
It needs to be light weight for travel with interchangable lenses and film backs.
I have that comes close in mind but still looking for other options.

Thanks in advance,
T-man

David A. Goldfarb · May 10, 2003

If you're tied to the square format, something like the Hasselblad Arc-body or Flex-body would be the thing. You'll have more options in 6x9 (which usually will take a 6x6 back), and the most if you look at a 4x5" with a rollfilm back.

To see the range of possibilities, you might look at the camera reviews and other articles at http://largeformatphotography.info

So, what's your budget? New or used? Monorail or folding field camera? What kinds of photographs do you want to make? Why 6x6 in particular? Do you need to be able to use very wide lenses? Do you want something with very precise, geared movements and scales, or is that not important to you?

fhovie · May 10, 2003

Look at a Rollei SL66 - The front end swings up or down - not quite a view camera but bretty useful. Otherwise - I am not sure why you wouln't want to go to 4x5. That is really where you want to be if you want aspect control and make large high definition photographs. I guess you could look at the Fuji - is it the 680? anyway - although it is not the size of your film .... truely - size does matter.

Or something like that ... Frank

Aggie · May 11, 2003

Thomassauerwein · May 11, 2003

Well David,

I used horeman 4x5 for years, then wanted to become more mobil so I've been shooting with a Fuji 680 III But it still is cumbersome to carry 80lb's of camera on my back+ being an electronic camera it's some times temperamental. I really like playing with the horizen line in my imges (www.thomassauerweinstudio.com) so rise and fall ,shift are a must. Each camera offers a different perspective so having a 6x6 with those options who knows what oppertunities may rise. Other than convenience.

Jorge · May 11, 2003

The only camera I know that fits your bill is the hasselblad flex body. Linhof makes a MF view camera for digital aplications, but I dont know that you would save that much on weight.

Good luck, you will need it to find this kind of body.

Robert · May 11, 2003

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/century-graphic.html

How about one of those? You'd need to find the right rollback of course.

glbeas · May 11, 2003

For hiking I've found my medium format gear is twice as heavy as the Anba feild camera and lenses. Get a quickload filmholder or Grafmatic backs and you are really travelling light. My tripod is the heaviest part of the kit and if I had enough money to splurge on a carbon fiber model the load would go down even more.

David A. Goldfarb · May 11, 2003

Look for a Galvin 6x9. It's a very lightweight compact monorail. I forget which types of backs it takes--probably anything that fits a 2x3" Graflok including various 6x6 backs, possibly RB style backs. They're no longer made, but Jim Galvin is still alive and well and will work on them. They're usually around $350 on the used market.

There are also some 4x5" cameras that are considerably lighter than a Horseman, like the Toho Shimo or the Gowland, both weighing in at around 3 lbs. If you use Readyloads or Quickloads, you can probably do 4x5" with less weight than 6x6 using multiple backs, but rollfilm backs are always an option.

Ole · May 11, 2003

Maybe you're looking for a "baby Technika" - or an Ebony SV 23?

Aggie · May 11, 2003

Thomassauerwein · May 11, 2003

Thanks everyone, Ive got plenty to run with now.

T-man

Jorge · May 12, 2003

Hey Thomas, you have some very nice interesting work in your site. The only complaint I have is this "figurative work" phrase....what is that?? c `mon bubba, fess up...they are nudes....

Thomassauerwein · May 12, 2003

Jorge,
I had to " Figure" out how to shoot them did'nt I? Since I don't shoot these for a commercial application and I have an art background I'm hoping to distance myself from the nude or erotic mentality. Course maybe I'm splitting hairs. enjoy the images.

T-man

Ed Sukach · May 12, 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Thomassauerwein @ May 11 2003, 09:04 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Jorge,
    I had to " Figure" out how to shoot them did'nt I?  Since I don't shoot these for a commercial application and I have an art background  I'm hoping to distance myself from  the nude or erotic mentality. Course maybe I'm splitting hairs. enjoy the images.

    T-man</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
I enjoy these images - very much!!

Ah, euphemisms ... Images of naked women - uh .. people: "Figure Studies", "Life Class work", "Nudes" ... "Stark ravin' nekkid photos" ... my favorite: "Fabric Free Photography"...

I think your statement about "Distancing my self from the nude or erotic mentality" could open the door to a lively discussion ... but somewhat "off topic" here. Maybe "Ethics and Philosophy"?

David A. Goldfarb · May 12, 2003

Nice work.

I think people may be thrown off by "figurative" which usually implies something different from "relating to the human figure." "Figuration" is usually used in literary and art criticism to refer to the use of "rhetorical figures" in the case of writing, or to various kinds of substitution of an image for another image or for an idea. Metaphors, both visual and literary, would be examples of "figuration" in this sense. "Figurative" meaning would be the opposite of "literal" meaning.

I think these figure studies are indeed figurative, and closed-minded people are sometimes afraid of creative work that isn't absolutely literal, so it is probably a good idea to warn them before entering your website, as you do, that they might find some things that don't have an obvious meaning there.

Jorge · May 12, 2003

Yeah, David said it best. That is what I was thinking. As a warning it is not very effective, I was little confused as to the meaning.....then when I saw the pics it clicked in.

Thomassauerwein · May 12, 2003

Well I've spent the day thinking what you guy's have offered. I'm still not convinced that the word "Figurative" does not work, The word nude certainly is appropriate but from a marketing standpoint invites the wrong crowd. It's funny because my wife,my assistant and I dicussed this when we were creating the sight. We never gave it another thought after the the sight was installed.In July we'll be adding a bunch of new work and at that point the word in question will be reconsidered. I'm pretty adamant though about atracting artistic viewership and staying away from nude or erotic patrons. maybe by then someone will invent a new word.

T-man

Eric Rose · May 12, 2003

I like the use of the word "figurative". The only thing I would add to it is to say maybe "figurative compositions" or maybe "human architecture". Well maybe not the last one. Sounds cold.

David A. Goldfarb · May 12, 2003

Agreed about attracting the wrong crowd. How about, simply, "figure work" or "figure studies" or "studies in the human figure," which is what such work would usually be called in the art context?

Thomassauerwein · May 13, 2003

I like it! All 3 suggestions, We will use one when add the new work.
Big thanks,

Tom

stonemute · Apr 4, 2012

I can only recommend to you hasselblad flex.

bushpig · Apr 4, 2012

No offense, stonemute, but this topic is almost eight years old. I can't imagine it's still relevant. Please be careful when bumping old topics because it pushes newer ones further off the page, making it harder for people to find.

Medium square format camera

Thomassauerwein

David A. Goldfarb

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fhovie

Aggie

Thomassauerwein

Jorge

Robert

glbeas

David A. Goldfarb

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Ole

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Aggie

Thomassauerwein

Jorge

Thomassauerwein

Ed Sukach

David A. Goldfarb

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Jorge

Thomassauerwein

Eric Rose

David A. Goldfarb

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Thomassauerwein

stonemute

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Medium square format camera

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