moving up to this format - advice welcome

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Greetings list - I need some expert advice. I'm thinking of moving my
photography up a few notches, currently I use Mamiya TLR's and Canon
A1's, and mostly do non-pro nature, archaeology and landscape
photography, with some vintage racing cars when I get my freedom.

I'm thinking of buying a 5 x 4 (in.) rail system, capable of taking a
6 x 7 and/or 6 x 9 (cm) roll film back, in order to get to greater
negative area in horizontal landscape shots. My lab can do roll film
but nothing larger, hence this choice. I also obviously want to have
the shift/swing/rise capability for focal plane control.

I've searched a lot of the archive of this list to avoid asking a faq,
but there are not many beginners asking these questions.

How feasible is it to get into this LF style of photography the way I
am approaching it? Any reccommendations on brands of equipment? Any
opinions on reasonable ebay prices for a full ready-to-shoot rig? I
don't want to end up buying most of a system and then waiting years
for some crucial priceless widget made of weapons-grade unobtainium to
appear on ebay.

All answers gratefully received.

JC in Ireland

Any reason it has to be a 4x5 camera? Do you intend to shoot 4x5
sometimnes, or only use the roll-film backs? If the latter, you might do
better with a camera designed specifically for them - it'll be smaller,
lighter, and possibly handle wider lenses better than using a 4x5.

Also, any reason it has to be a monorail? A field or technical camera might
do better for your stated uses. I have both a 6x9 technical camera and a
6x9 monorail, and the technical camera sees much more use in the field, with
the monorail really being saved for the studio and some of the trickier
architectural things.

If you answer these two questions, I (certainly) and others (probably) will
be better placed to give you more help.

My outdoor work is mostly landscape, and I have also worked as an
archaeologist, so I hope I can offer some relevant thoughts.

Cheers,


Peter

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Greetings list - I need some expert advice. I'm thinking of moving my
photography up a few notches, currently I use Mamiya TLR's and Canon
A1's, and mostly do non-pro nature, archaeology and landscape
photography, with some vintage racing cars when I get my freedom.

I'm thinking of buying a 5 x 4 (in.) rail system, capable of taking a
6 x 7 and/or 6 x 9 (cm) roll film back, in order to get to greater
negative area in horizontal landscape shots. My lab can do roll film
but nothing larger, hence this choice. I also obviously want to have
the shift/swing/rise capability for focal plane control.

I've searched a lot of the archive of this list to avoid asking a faq,
but there are not many beginners asking these questions.

How feasible is it to get into this LF style of photography the way I
am approaching it? Any reccommendations on brands of equipment? Any
opinions on reasonable ebay prices for a full ready-to-shoot rig? I
don't want to end up buying most of a system and then waiting years
for some crucial priceless widget made of weapons-grade unobtainium to
appear on ebay.

All answers gratefully received.

JC in Ireland

Any reason it has to be a 4x5 camera? Do you intend to shoot 4x5
sometimnes, or only use the roll-film backs? If the latter, you might do
better with a camera designed specifically for them - it'll be smaller,
lighter, and possibly handle wider lenses better than using a 4x5.

Also, any reason it has to be a monorail? A field or technical camera might
do better for your stated uses. I have both a 6x9 technical camera and a
6x9 monorail, and the technical camera sees much more use in the field, with
the monorail really being saved for the studio and some of the trickier
architectural things.

If you answer these two questions, I (certainly) and others (probably) will
be better placed to give you more help.

My outdoor work is mostly landscape, and I have also worked as an
archaeologist, so I hope I can offer some relevant thoughts.

Cheers,


Peter

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.