A painful but probably wise decision ?

[alexz]

The more I think about it the more obvious yet painful the choice appears to...

A year and half (or probably 2 years) prior to pursuading my RF way (which happened to be about half year ago), trying to unveil the mystery of large format I dove into 4x5 I(thuogh a short stint aiwht 6x7 MF). Acquired the great yet affordable 4x5 field folding camera: Shen-Hao and set of 4x5 holders, standard 150mm/5.6 Fujinon lens, then later expending my 90mm WA Caltar Grandagon-N II 90mm/6.8. I was aimed to a long , tiresome (but joyful) tracks in the woods and fields in order to capture fine landscapes, etc...lugging on my back 15-18kg backpack with my LF gear + heavy tripod.
All that was fine, however the more time passes the clearer is my understanding: my family (two kids, etc...you know..) / work obligations are limiting severely my free tiem abilities that would allow me to follow a serious LF passion, but probably 2-3 hikes worth of LF consideration a year. Besides, I used to shoot transparancies in 4x5 and their processing getting more ad more expensive, not to mention high-end scans.
On the other hand, my recent passion to street photography allows me nearly instant joy of shooting, and my regular daily routine doesn't really gets interrupted by that. For instance, being in the right mood, I can go shooting for a half-hour up to hour a day during my lunch break at work, thanks to God lugging around my Leica daily to whatever places gets so natural to me... and 35mm B&W home processing is so convenient and cheap...

So, my mind gets a workload lately trying to weigth all cons and pros of selling out my LF gear and rounding up my RF lineup instead.

I have no interest in macro, neither expect having enough free time in a foresable future to chase beautiful ladnscapes loaded with my LF gear, but rather feel my RF (and Leica in particular) passion combined with street photography (and of course family/portraiture) will allow me to enjoy shooting without interfaring my regular life routine (family, job, etc...).

Or, perhaps, I'll be bitterly sorrow after my LF gear will be gone hoping some day getting out in the fields... ? Go figure...😕

Right now, I'm leaning to the "final solution" - selling my LF gear altogether and rounding up my RF my 35mm lens, CLA/RF upgrade to my M6.

I figure two complimentary RF bodies (M6 and M3) and 3-4 lenses is the ultimate setup for me...

What would you say ?

 

[Finder]

Why not get a medium-format RF. That would give you some of the quality of large format if you want to go on hikes, but it can also be used for street shooting as well. I find medium and small formats can complement each other. I would look at the Bronica RF, Mamiya 6 and 7 models, the Fuji fixed lens RFs.

 

[totifoto]

I think it is a good choice. later in life when the kids are grown up and living there own life and you retired from work you will have more time on you´re hands and could get back into the large format. So gearing up now for what time you have is a wise choice.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

From reading commentary on cameras I often hear the same refrain: "I am sorry I sold it!" Would the large format be better put to use photographing family members. Just a thought: you could periodically set the camera up and photograph the members of your family in formal settings. Certainly, you are correct with that set up for street shooting.

 

[RML]

Maybe you can find a different way of using that LF gear? Why not try LF portraits? Or roam around the streets with it à la Atget? There's more to LF than landscapes.

 

[peter_n]

If the LF gear is what you really want in that format I would keep it. It can take a long time to get a kit together that really works for you. Save your pennies and upgrade your RF kit on a more gradual basis. Four lenses sounds nice but you may only use two of them on a really regular basis.

 

[captainslack]

Why not get a Speed Graphic or one of those Polaroid 110b's that been converted to 4x5? They're much smaller & lighter than a bellows camera (especially the Polaroid) and you shouldn't have any problem affording one if you sell your current gear.

 

[mfogiel]

alexz
I can tell you, that since I've dived into the 35mm RF's I find it hard to persuade myself even to use my Hasselblad kit, and I have a very nice one...
I do miss the bigger neg size every now and then though, and probably if I were starting with the MF today, I would have bought the Mamiya 7 or the Fuji 690 BL.
If you do not need movements, these cameras should be great for landscape, but also for people shooting.
The 35mm RF's though, with today's lenses and a good scanner can be quite satisfying, and if you really want to push image quality, you could try the very slow B&W films for medium format like effect. Here's a recent landscape I made with the Biogon 35+orange filter at f4.0 handheld on XP2:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1217248456&size=l

I am sure on a slow silver film and shot on a tripod this image would have been even more impressive.
I am hearing Adox is about to resuscitate the 25 ISO film, so just think of what quality you could get from it with a good MF rig and a good scanner.

I am leaving for a couple of weeks holiday to France now, and I am taking the following:
- for the lightest set up, a ZI+35 Biogon
- for a two camera combo Bessa R4A+25 Biogon and Bessa R3A+50 Planar/50 C Sonnar
- a "telemakro" rig - Nikon FM3A with 50/2 Makro Planar, 85/1.4 Planar and 135/2 DC Nikkor (I hope to substitute as a travel telemakro these three lenses with the sole 100/2 Makro Planar soon)
- a landscape point and shoot - Hasselblad SWC/M
- a light gitzo basalt tripod, a light stand, umbrella, Nikon flash and 2 Pocket Wizards

All this fits into 2 medium sized bags and the tripod carry bag, just imagine what would happen if I wanted to take this kind of set up made of only MF with me...

Someone once said: the best camera, is the one you have with you when an opportunity turns up...

 

[alexz]

Thank you guys, all valuable opinions here.
Well, a family/friends portraiture with 4x5 setup isn't really something viable - some time ago I really considered one and it turned to be a great hassle making people willing for a fomal sittings, they just aren't the persons who would be easily persuaded for that kind of stuff. My portraiture is usually more informal, environmental one I used to try to catch the moment durign regular life, and here my Leica with 90mm Elmarit are nearly perfect...

Medium format (and MF RF in particular ) ? Xmm, could be considered, but knowing myself I usually rach for color and slides for landscapes, that means lab processing only for MF leading me to an additional hassles and expenses. Chances are I could tolerate that would I be able do fine landscapes on more regular basis (kind of chasing sunsets/sunrises being free of family obligations, etc...). I'd love to try out something like Mamiya 6x7 or probably Fuji 6x9 RF, suspect though they will also "sleep" in the closet waiting for the opportunity to prove themselves on a dedicated outing...On the other hand I can hardly imagine doing any kind of everyday shooting/street etc with MF RF while having my Leicas handy allowing me nearly instant processing or at least added convenience.

Right now what keeps my LF stuff is only the hope to get it at work some time when time will allow, but now I get to realize I have some 1k$-1.5k$ of stuff sitting deadly in the closet...

Upgrading RF gradually ? I tedn to agree..I used to shoot 50mm amd 90mm, but since I often shoot indoors (family, friends), I often notice 50mm is quite tight and sometiems causes some degree of inconvenience forcing me to back off and there is nno free place behind...I thought 35mm FL would be more appropriate for that.
Also, I feel 35mm lens would also be nice to urban architecture or alike, while I found for street life shotoing 50mm is just that...

 

[mfogiel]

alexz
You should get the 35/1.2 Nokton then, I think there's one in the classifieds now -take a look also at the flickr pictures on the M-mount forum, you can select the lens and you get a gallery ready... It is quite big, but there's always a price to pay for the speed.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Alexz... you like it? Use it, please. You don't have the time or budget? Sell it. It's a matter of practicality: keep and store the stuff you use or will use, and if LF has turned out to cause more hassles than pleasure... then the choice would be this (to me): find ways to use it, or find ways to sell it. Remy is onto something with his advice about following the Atget route. I'd take it to hikes for landscape photography, like once a year. If you can't see yourself doing this, hand it to someone who will. That'll make your life easier.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[FrankS]

There's nothing wrong with switching camera gear as you become more aware of your photographic needs/wants or as those needs/wants change over time. I acquired a 4x5 Speed Graphic along the way, but I knew I wouldn't be using it too much until my family and work situation changed to allow me more time. Since it was fairly inexpensive, I can just let it sit until I"m ready for it.

 

[cmedin]

Most people I know--including me--who've sold their LF gear ends up regretting it at some point. I had a beautiful Super Graphic that I stupidly auctioned off long ago and now I really wish I had it back. Once you've used LF and gotten used to movements and the gorgeous giant negs it's hard to give it up completely.

But I can sympathize with you; I'm in a similar situation where work and a baby (one year old now) end up taking over a lot of one's life and you just can't spend a day shooting and dinking around in the darkroom. Wouldn't it be nice if we were all rich and didn't have to work? 🙂

 

[alexz]

Xmm, can either keep dreaming or just burn the bridge hoping some day in the future to be able to enjoy LF re-acquiring the necessary gear...