juanito wrote (in part):

I am primarily interested in shooting landscapes, a la Dykinga and
Muench. And of course, I want everything to be in focus, from
foreground objects at 10 feet to the mountains in the background.
Think of a yucca at White Sands!

I want to be able to output crisp images at least 20 x 20 and up to
the lightjet or epson 9600.

It seems, therefore, that I need something lighweight enough to haul
in on 5-10 mile hikes, and with sufficient movements to keep that
foreground yucca in crisp focus while the rippled dunes in the mid
distance and Black Top Mountain in the far distance are also in
focus.

So, I am seriously considering a Wisner 4x5 , with a lens like the
240MM APO Symmar. (These cameras do not seem very plentiful used,
however.)

I have a Wisner 4x5 Technical Field and it will not come onto the used
market until I die, so you may have to wait another 35 years or so. I
have seen these cameras offered for sale used, but if most owners feel
as I do, they are probably not inclined to sell unless to upgrade to
another model.

My questions a

1) What do you all think of this choice,

I carry mine in a Tamrak backpack that has been discontinued. It is
probably the heaviest of the cameras of that general design around, but
in return for the weight, I find I get rigidity which I find helpful. If
you want light weight, Ron Wisner makes some lighter weight ones.

You may find you do not need the rear rise and rear axis tilt. If that
is the case, the Traditional model weighs a little less and costs a
little less.

When I do landscape with it, I find I do not use 240mm all that much,
but YMMV. I tend to use a lot of focal lengths, and to save weight, I
carry a 90mm f/8 SuperAngulon and a Wisner Convertable Plasmat Set that
has 5 cells that you can use in pairs or singly giving focal lengths:

152, 182, 197, 212, 227, 242, and 258mm when using pairs of cells, and
has single cells of 250mm, 350mm, 400mm and 450mm (for the 4x5 set).
Even if I could afford a set of Symmar-Ss, I would have trouble carrying
them. I do not usually use single cells, but I have done it.

and 2) Where should I search
to find this camera used?

I would try places like Lens&Repro Equipment Corp in NYC, maybe Calumet,
and the place in New Mexico (cannot remember the name). Probably one in
SanFrancisco too.

Thanks again,

Jack Arnold





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