Robb Williamson on the Leaf Aptus II 10.

[Eric Brody]

I just read Robb's article and found myself almost laughing out loud a number of times. I would truly love to justify a MFDB. However, after reading numerous posts here and elsewhere about how batteries fail, how the firmware fails, how hard it is to do an awful lot of things, how Nikons have better viewing screens, and how many D3x's I could buy for the price of one of these beauties, I have almost given up. There is no question as to the impressive image quality these backs can produce, but after all my reading, my 4x5 Arca seems like a far better choice when I want big enlargements.

Maybe I'm just jealous?

Eric

[Carsten W]

I just read Robb's article and found myself almost laughing out loud a number of times. I would truly love to justify a MFDB. However, after reading numerous posts here and elsewhere about how batteries fail, how the firmware fails, how hard it is to do an awful lot of things, how Nikons have better viewing screens, and how many D3x's I could buy for the price of one of these beauties, I have almost given up. There is no question as to the impressive image quality these backs can produce, but after all my reading, my 4x5 Arca seems like a far better choice when I want big enlargements.

Maybe I'm just jealous?

Wait and see what happens with the Leica S2, or if that is too expensive or risky, surely Phase and Hasselblad will have some kind of proper response to it sooner or later. I believe that the market may look quite different in 2-3 years (and I don't believe that it will disappear).

[DanielStone]

you'd think that Phase, Leaf and Sinar would do everything they could to market and sell (albeit, at a reasonable price) digi backs to the masses.

maybe I'm just chasing pipe dreams, but since I'm a student of photography, with a commercially-oriented mind, I need to think digital.

currently, my work for school and personal projects is ALL done on MF/LF film. sometimes, VERY RARELY 35mm. almost never in fact.

I scan everything after making traditional proofsheets, unless I shoot chrome. Negs are much easier IMO.



after seeing the new Aptus II 5, I'm very enticed. but frankly 8K is still out of my budget range right now. and that's for 22mp. I can get a good 40-60mp out of a 6x7 chrome after a good drum scan. 20-30 out of the Imacon I use mostly.

now, I know its not as fast, you can't preview it on a screen, but even a good polaroid(now fuji-roid) gives me a good idea(albeit still not sharp  ) of what to expect.

works for me, and I get what I want. I started with a digi P&S 4 years ago, moving through 35mm b/w to 120 quickly, and onto slides, then settling on negs finally for most things.

I can't see buying 8k worth of film, processing and 'roid in one fell swoop. my fridge/freezer couldn't support it

but as I said above, I guess I'm chasing pipe dreams. What is it that entices people so much away from a tried and true method of capture (film) to digital, especially when there is totally,perfectly usable 4x5 and MF gear, selling at ROCK BOTTOM PRICES compared to new prices 10-15 years ago.

sheesh....

heard on KFI yesterday that some person bought a Warhol lithograph of 200 $1 bills or something like that for 43 million bucks. yikes. maybe they can afford to get a humble student a MF setup, rather than a new dust collecting piece of art that 5 years ago was selling at auction for $7-10K?

times have changed, gear lust hasn't .

-Dan

[ziocan]

you'd think that Phase, Leaf and Sinar would do everything they could to market and sell (albeit, at a reasonable price) digi backs to the masses.

maybe I'm just chasing pipe dreams, but since I'm a student of photography, with a commercially-oriented mind, I need to think digital.

currently, my work for school and personal projects is ALL done on MF/LF film. sometimes, VERY RARELY 35mm. almost never in fact.

I scan everything after making traditional proofsheets, unless I shoot chrome. Negs are much easier IMO.



after seeing the new Aptus II 5, I'm very enticed. but frankly 8K is still out of my budget range right now. and that's for 22mp. I can get a good 40-60mp out of a 6x7 chrome after a good drum scan. 20-30 out of the Imacon I use mostly.

now, I know its not as fast, you can't preview it on a screen, but even a good polaroid(now fuji-roid) gives me a good idea(albeit still not sharp  ) of what to expect.

works for me, and I get what I want. I started with a digi P&S 4 years ago, moving through 35mm b/w to 120 quickly, and onto slides, then settling on negs finally for most things.

I can't see buying 8k worth of film, processing and 'roid in one fell swoop. my fridge/freezer couldn't support it

but as I said above, I guess I'm chasing pipe dreams. What is it that entices people so much away from a tried and true method of capture (film) to digital, especially when there is totally,perfectly usable 4x5 and MF gear, selling at ROCK BOTTOM PRICES compared to new prices 10-15 years ago.

sheesh....

heard on KFI yesterday that some person bought a Warhol lithograph of 200 $1 bills or something like that for 43 million bucks. yikes. maybe they can afford to get a humble student a MF setup, rather than a new dust collecting piece of art that 5 years ago was selling at auction for $7-10K?

times have changed, gear lust hasn't .

-Dan

do you get film, processing, contact sheets and fujiroid for free or do you shoot one frame per week and take the ( 1) film to the lab at the end of the month?  

[billthecat]

Eric,

You can get a used Aptus 22 for a decent price. Also the much disparaged Mamiya ZD can be had for less. Then you can pickup a used Mamiya body and the used lenses are pretty affordable. Or you can get a special plate for large format usage. One problem though with those cameras is longer exposures.

Bill

[Carsten W]

after seeing the new Aptus II 5, I'm very enticed. but frankly 8K is still out of my budget range right now. and that's for 22mp. I can get a good 40-60mp out of a 6x7 chrome after a good drum scan. 20-30 out of the Imacon I use mostly.

If you had to buy the Imacon yourself, or pay for the drum scans yourself, you'd be running, not walking, to your dealer to buy that 22MP back

[DanielStone]

I use an Imacon 646 at my local photo center. the film processing and contact sheets I do myself. The chems are bought by the photo center(which there is a membership fee to use the facilities). I mix them myself. Process the film(4x5 or rollfilm) on a Jobo CPP2 in expert drums(for sheets) and regular drums for rolls. Color neg and chrome. sometimes some b/w if I fell like it. Fuji Acros is very nice.

they are a full service photo center, with color enlargers and colex processors(1 tied up to a chromira LED printer). Its kind of like an "all you can eat photo buffet for a single payment per term" pricing.

so, in the end, processing/contact sheets/scanning myself proves very costly time-wise, but helps keep some money in my wallet  


ohhh..


right now I'm a student, not shooting for clients,   YET....

I get film that is almost out of date from EBAY, samys, calumet, wherever I can get it cheap. same goes for fujiroid. b&h has it for 8.50/pack for 3x4" stuff.


-Dan

[Williamson Images]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your thread.  It is definitely a difficult decision for all of us.  I think it boils down to what quality you need and what size you need it in.  If it makes it easier on your workflow because of the files, then that is also a plus.  It is hopefully the last tool that I needed to ad to my box to be able to cover so much range for my clients - and my own vision.  

It may not make sense unless you can justify its use with your fees.  I can and saw a need to be "all in" as another poster so eloquently stated.  I'm not a dentist(not that there is anything wrong with that profession), I'm not retired, I'm not wealthy.  I simply work very hard and have always invested in my gear and happily taken the tax deductions.  I will make up the cost of the back with 8 or so projects.  That's a month or two for a commercial shooter.  

Reminds me of when I was first starting out in college shooting - you need the gear to shoot, but you need the work to pay for the gear...

So I went out and got the tools I needed with the magical credit card (or 2) and I was able to make it back and pay them off.  I got the work because of my eye AND the gear.  Now that I have been doing this a long time, I could get results with (almost anything) and save a of of money in the process, but I really prefer the experience of working with the gear I have chosen.  Making money is great but doesn't define my happiness.  How I work, who I work with, and what I shoot with defines that for me (on the professional side).  There is plenty of opportunities to make a livelihood along the way.  

There is a reason that MF is finding a place with shooters still in this digital age.  Steve McCurry has a new Hasselblad h3d ii 39 and he is excited about what he is getting from it.  And he is a huge Nikon guy.  Legendary shooter that is trying to add to his toolbox just like others.

Robb

I just read Robb's article and found myself almost laughing out loud a number of times. I would truly love to justify a MFDB. However, after reading numerous posts here and elsewhere about how batteries fail, how the firmware fails, how hard it is to do an awful lot of things, how Nikons have better viewing screens, and how many D3x's I could buy for the price of one of these beauties, I have almost given up. There is no question as to the impressive image quality these backs can produce, but after all my reading, my 4x5 Arca seems like a far better choice when I want big enlargements.

Maybe I'm just jealous?

Eric