8x10 negative allows me to contact print in Alt. processes. The camera movements allow for manipulation of image geometry, focus plane... Image resolution is also a plus.
I'm nuts like you. At the beginning of Covid with nothing else allowed to do, I bought a Chamonix 4x5 and 4 lenses. I figured I could get out by myself in the woods and be happy alone. I was shooting medium format for years as a hobby and didn't really need the LF. I guess it was gas. I don't develop at home so it's expensive but I don't shoot that much. Then I went out and spent $1100 on a new scanner for 4x5 (Epson V850) making my V600 superfluous since it only shoots up to 6x7 MF.
LF is even more deliberate shooting than MF which is nice when you want to contemplate your navel. I don't print but the tones do look nicer than smaller formats. See my Flickr for a comparison of the different formats both in color and BW.
Frankly, if I had to do it over, I would have passed on LF and stuck with MF. Now I never know which format I want to shoot in.
You say tedious, I say fun!
Also, Las Cruces...Organ Mountains...really? I've never seen another LF camera in this town other than mine, and rarely seen another MF camera...I guess we're few and far between.
McDiesel, Since you've posted your LF desire in the analog section....I'll just say unless you're going to process your own film, & contact print or enlarge darkroom prints, i'd avoid LF. So much of the experience is tied not only the the big film, but the output.
I've worked with 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 & 4x10. You can do outstanding work with any of the formats, and as mentioned the tonal range and delicacy of contact prints is something special. If you sub out any part of the process, you're missing out on a great deal of the beauty of large format.
Alan--
Processing b&w is very easy. I compare it to making pancakes. Get a Stearman Press 445 and a few chemicals (HC110, Rapid Fixer) and go for it. You can also use the SP445 to process color. It's slightly more involved--an extra chemical step and you keep the SP445 at constant temp using a water bath in a big plastic tub. Not only does this save money, but you don't have to wait for your negs to come back. I process all of my own film now and have for over two years. It's quite easy.
Kent in SD
All the cool people are doing it...
Join us!
![]()
Instead of getting into large format photography, why not choose a somewhat easier hobby -- such as solving global warming?
Whaaaat ??? How come thousands of photographers in the 19th and first half of the 20th Centuries routinely worked with box and view cameras, but somehow it's an unintelligible skill today? But then ... I don't know how to take a cell phone picture, and really don't want to even learn how.
If the main attraction is playing with the large format cameras, rather than resolution, you could consider putting a 120 roll film back on a large format: all of the fun and hassles of large format cameras with none of the film processing hassles or resolution advantages. You can have a lot of fun with a Crown Graphic or Century Graphic (technically, the Century isn't considered large format by some) and a 90mm Wollensak WA Optar for very little money. And there's those cool flash handles and sizzling flash bulbs...
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here. |
PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY: ![]() |