xpan or fotoman

[Jose A Martinez]

I've been working with a xpan for some time, I love it, but I had a problem, I use a lend camera, I don't have one of my own.
As the xpan has been discontinued I'm thinking in buy a Fotoman 612 with a Rodenstock 45/4.5 APO Grandagon. Of course I know that I can buy a used xpan, but...

opinions, please

 

[PlantedTao]

You are familiar with the build quality of the xpan, it is built like a tank, I dont see why a used one be a bad buy... generally they just have a bunch of paint coming off.
If you are familiar with the xpan and like the results, I dont see why you would want to change?
I have never used the fotoman, but I love my xpan and would not give it up for any other camera 🙂

 

[sirius]

I'm really curious about an xpan. I love the quality of the machine and photos it takes. I love that it uses 35mm and is therefore easier for me to scan than a large format negative.

For me it is still a question of cost and how much I will use it. I think the narrow format is a challenge to compose well for. I've seen it done well, but I've also seen many that just don't embrace the format well.

However, I do a lot of web design and the fact that I could shoot and compose directly for web banners is somehow very appealing to me.

Good thing I'm poor now and don't have to decide.

Cheers and I hope this was helpful.

 

[szekiat]

well, i dunno. The xpan is a lot more userfriendly than that massive 6x12. The 612 does offer lots more detail for massive scans/enlargements. Question is if u have the resources to tackle a 612 sized neg. Also, deving will cost u more money for the same no. of shots.

 

[matthew J Shaw]

Having used both cameras, and now using purely 6x12 for my landscapes you can guess which way I went....
A word of caution though 6x12 can get scary money on dev!
I use specialist films, about £4 a roll and have a lovely lab who hand dev for £4.80.
Thats £8.80 for 6 shots, plus cos its work and it pays my mortgage I tend to bracket in the -1/1/+1 format, meaning of those 6, theres only 2 photos.
As you can see even before printing 6x12 can get expensive.
If you dont need the scale of neg and the clarity look for a good used Xpan or fuji (i prefer the nickel finished fuji myself, V V cool)

 

[Jose A Martinez]

Thanks for the kind comments and advise.

Matthew, I do my own dev, so that's not a problem, will cost me the same per roll.

I haven't consider a Fuji, thanks for the option, you made the decision more complex 🙂

 

[pfoto]

The Fotoman build quality is excellent. They are beautifully made and you could drive a car over one and it wouldn't be damaged. The company is also very responsive to user questions and one of the principals, Paul Droluk, regularly appears on photo.net discussions and other forums. With the XPAN, you are limited to the available Hasselblad lenses but the Fotoman will accept a wide range of Rodenstock, Nikon, Fuji and Schneider lenses as you've no doubt discovered. If you are interested in large, high quality prints its a no-brainer, but I would get the Fotoman combo anyway just for the quality of both the camera/lens and the output.

 

[Pablito]

...but the xPan turns into a big Leica in a pinch, shooting normal format 35mm with its 45mm lens. Of course the rf patch is not as nice as the Leica and vf is not as bright but it's not bad having two cameras in one.