Hi, I'm failed 4x5 shooter who is going back to digital, even though I far prefer the IQ of 4x5 film. I want to take a month-long trip out west and am either planning to bring my 5D III or rent a better camera.
What I like is simple:
135mm/150mm and 300mm focal lengths on 4x5. Not into UWA lenses.
Low contrast scenes. I used to shoot with Velvia and I don't like using grad filters stronger than two stops (I dislike grad filters entirely in theory). I hate tonemapped imagery, but don't mind HDR from zone system shooting/dodging and burning. I like garish colors a bit, though. So the Mark III's "poor" DR is not a big problem for me.
I need tilt/shift/rise/fall, but just to get deep focus and level perspective.
I was going to rent a 45mm TS-E lens and 90mm TS-E and go with my Mark III, but the 45mm TS-E lens is poor and I'd like to print larger. The Hasselblad H system seems too expensive to rent as do most small view and tech cameras (my rental budget for the month is about $1000-$1500, though I can spend more if need be; I am very poor!). I saw the Schneider 50mm Super Angulon and I figured I could rent that instead of the 45mm TS-E (it's $350/month or so). But if that's available for rent for Nikon I could rent it and a D800E. But I'm not sure where I would go to get that.
Any advice? Is the Schneider lens excellent? I would shoot MLU and use ND filters to increase exposure times, but also overexpose a bit to improve tonality since I shoot such low contrast scenes they wouldn't blow out.
Thanks!