Please Explain 6x9

[1750Shooter]

I've been offfered a Linhof 6x9 kit (3 lenses, filters, & fitted case) at a really good price & I'm tempted. The only problem I have is that I can't decide what this format is really useful for. Is it LF lite or MF magnum? Does anyone use 6x9? How do you use it for what? I shoot a lot of MF, so I'm familiar with a larger format & was thinking of going into LF, but this camera holds so well... Thanks for any advice!

 

[FrankS]

Large format movements with roll film convenience.

 

[rover]

If the price were right for me I would grab it. I was looking at Linhofs the other day, dreaming, and my desire was to use it for 6x9. As Frank says, performance and convenience.

I would ask you how much and if you decided to not get it...... but I am sure the how much would even be too much for me.

 

[johannielscom]

Frank said it all in one sentence.

I used to have a Horseman 970 Press, the all-metal Graflex Press in fact. It had limited movements, but allowed for fast changing of lenses and film. Used it to shoot portraits.

there's an extensive thread on 6x9 shots here, have a look. Many of them just blew me away, they were so good!

EDIT: Oh, and ' areally good price' could of course also translate to 'buy, try and like, or sell with a profit' 😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

Frank summarizes it well. You might care to look at http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps large.html, about half way down. Personally I'd not bother with cut film at this size, though I have shot it. Put a roll film back on instead.

Cheers,

R.

 

[oftheherd]

Frank summarizes it well. You might care to look at http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps large.html, about half way down. Personally I'd not bother with cut film at this size, though I have shot it. Put a roll film back on instead.

Cheers,

R.

Good consideration unless you are doing something that requires processing a sheet at a time (seemingly a lost art). I like to use roll film with my 9x12s as well as with 4x5 (when I even get to take photos - sigh). I find 6x9 to be an interesting ratio, with lots of real estate. That camera should be less weight for carrying, and as buzzardkid said, you should have no trouble recovering your money if you decide you don't like it.

 

[shadowfox]

6x9 format and ratio has the tendency to create instant jaw-dropping vistas.
If there is a camera that I sold and kinda missed, it's my Voigtlander Bessa RF with Heliar.

 

[Particular]

Does the Linhof kit come with a 6x9 film back? The 6x9 rollex backs tend to be hard to find, and quite a bit more expensive than the more ubiquitous 6x7 backs.
I got a Technika 70 thinking I was going to shoot 6x9, but have only used it with 6x7. The way I use it could be described as "LF Lite". I like to use it in situations where I might really want to use a 4x5 (so the 6x7 proportions are appropriate). The roll film allows me to work more quickly, and more conveniently, and more cheaply where I otherwise may not have gotten a shot at all.
The strength of the Linhofs is really that you can use them hand held with a rangefinder, but when the subject calls for it you can take your time, set up a tripod and be more precise. It is this versatility that is the attraction.
Perhaps other medium format rangefinders are like the Mamiya 7 or the 6x9 Fujis are more convenient in travel or street shooting situations, but with the Linhof I still have the option to use front rise, and align the verticals even when I am shooting hand held. That really distinguishes it from being just a large leica.
These cameras are curious beasts, but they can be a pleasure to use.

 

[kuzano]

You can shoot 6X17 panorama with a 6X9

You can shoot 6X17 panorama with a 6X9

I've been doing this for some time. Requires some special care on staying on the same horizontal plane, matching exposure, and making sure you have 10-15% overlap.

Take two slightly overlapping shots with your 6X9 on the same horizontal plane (or vertical if you want a 6X17 vertical). Watch for similar exposure.

Have the negs/transparencies scanned. Stitch them in a good pano program (end to end).

In fact even the exposure match is not such a big issue. Many of the pano programs blend and mix the stitch according to exposure. Your exposure differences have to be quite far apart to result in a bad stitch.

Even free Windows Live Photo Gallery has a very good stitch program under the "create" menu

I've been stitching some very nice pano's with my $500 Fujica GL690. Who needs a $3000 Pano system to get 6X17.

The camera you are pondering would easily make 6X12 pano's with an inexpensive DaYi roll film back and no stitching. Or do the two shots, scan and stitch.

 

[Turtle]

If the camera comes complete with rangefinder then it becomes more useful IMO, but I am not familiar with which models do. While it does offer LF movements with RF convenience, so would any wide angle 5x4 camera like the Walker XL or Ebony RSW45. You can shoot away on 5x4, then switch to 6x12 or 6x9... but all this assumed you are going to work off a tripod.

Unless I had really good reason to use rollfilm, I generally always used 5x4 sheet with my 5x4 camera. Composition was such much more pleasant on the ground glass, and it was much easier to see what was happening with movements and focus. The added bonus is that a 5x4 neg is dramatically better than 6x7/9 when you start enlarging at 20x16 and beyond. Even at 12x16, if you want the creamiest prints, it can be noticeably better.

If you want rollfilm portability look no further than the Mamiya 6/7 or Bronica RF645.

This camera sounds ideal if you wants lots of flexibility, but perhaps not brilliance at any one task. If you are shooting 35mm right now, you will experience a huge leap in performance on larger prints.