Is large format for you?



Large format is not for everyone. Large format cameras are serious tools for serious photographers. You certainly have to know all the basics of photography and more. You won't find autofocus or autoexposure modes in any currently made large format cameras. You have to have a good knowledge of composition and light. Another requirement is infinite patience. Setting up a shot can take some time. There are no zoom lenses available and all large format lenses carry a big price tag, although used lenses can be found for reasonable prices. Most large format users carry only two or three lenses. A wide-angle, standard, and a short telephoto. You may find this lens combination very limited, but it is not. You can't use large format for wildlife or sports. For studio work, only a standard or short telephoto is enough. For outdoor photography, the three lenses I mentioned will cover most of your subjects, although some may need extreme wide-angle and longer telephotos.

Whether you buy new or used equipment, you still have to think carefully if this format is really for you. There are several questions you have to ask yourself before moving up to large format. What system do you currently own? What do you want to photograph? How much weight are you willing to carry for outdoor use? What do you want to do with your pictures? There are three reasons I can think of, why you might need large format. One reason is that you want to sell your images and need the larger more impressive transparencies you get with either 4X5 or 8X10 cameras. If you demand the best possible sharpness or need to make very large prints, then investing in a large format system makes sense. Not only larger negative or transparency produce more detailed prints for personal use or publication, view camera movement give you more control over each photograph you take. Another reason for moving up to large format is the joy of experimenting with a totally new system. This is the reason I own a large format camera. I enjoy photography and like to try different cameras and formats. I don't use my large format very often, but I must admit that the results I get from my 4X5 camera is far better and more impressive than my 35mm and 6X7 transparencies. It is not just the size of the transparencies or better sharpness of the 4X5 that makes view cameras popular with so many pros. What I really like about the format is its slow operation! View cameras force you to slow down and think before you release the shutter. I can shoot a landscape in seconds with my 35mm. I focus, meter, and zoom. If I'm in doubt about exposure or composition, I bracket and zoom in and out. I can afford to do this, because the cost of a frame of 35mm slide is only 30 cents including processing. This is why I throw away so many slides every time I examine my pictures on a light box. The cost of a sheet of 4X5 transparency is about 4 dollars including processing. The cost of each sheet of film alone makes you think before you click.

View cameras are very slow to set up as well. You need to find the best possible spot for the shot you want to take which can take some time. Once you pick the right lens and composition, you must try several of camera movements. This is the part that makes view cameras so unique. I like to try every possible movement my view camera has to offer. When I'm happy with my set up, I load a sheet of slide film, meter, and shoot. I always know I have the shot I want with my view camera. I rarely bracket with my view camera and my composition is always the way I wanted. The main draw back is the time it takes to take each photograph. For the type of photography I do, I need the flexibility of 35mm or medium format cameras. Another reason I don't use my 4X5 camera as often as I used to is because of digital technology. More and more publications are now accepting digital images. I scan my own 35mm and 6X7 slides and save them on rewritable CDs and mail the CD to clients. Although digital backs are available for view cameras and scanners are also made for 4X5 and 8X10 negatives and transparencies, the cost of both digital backs and scanners are very high. An alternative is to have a professional lab do the scanning for you. This is what I have done with several of my 4X5 slides, but the cost can quickly add up if you have a lot of sheets to scan. You won't have to worry about digital if you do your own printing and want to submit originals to buyers.

View cameras are for more knowledgeable photographers. Those who already understand light and composition. If you are more advanced photographer and want to experiment with a new tool, look into view cameras. If you plan on selling your images or just love to try everything photography has to offer, invest in a view camera. Try a simple 4X5 camera and a standard lens. You can find used cameras and lenses as well as sheet film holders. If you like the format, you can always add more lenses later or purchase a better camera. One thing I can promise you is that view cameras will make you a better photographer. You will have no choice but to slow down and look more closely.