rj__

Recently, I returned from a trip to New Zealand and started working through the same issues that you are considering. I found it helpful to have the trip fresh in my mind while doing this. Here are the conclusions I came to, having regard to my own needs.

When I travel, I want to enjoy myself and my surroundings. The main reason that I take along a camera is to make a record of the trip, and I try to use the camera sparingly rather than get captured by it. For my purposes, I use a Nikon F80/N80 with 24mm, 35mm, 85mm and 180mm lenses. When walking, I generally leave the 180mm where I am staying or in the car. This is a compact, light package that fits easily into a small Domke bag.

While I was in New Zealand, I ran into a number of situations where I felt like taking the time to deliberately compose an image. I regretted that I no longer owned my old, hand-me-down Yashica twin lens reflex.

My initial thought was to purchase a medium format camera and use it as an all-purpose camera. I looked at both single lens reflex and rangefinder cameras. The conclusion I came to is that none of them was a suitable replacement for the Nikon. They were too bulky and too heavy to use in the same way that I use my 35mm. Of course, this is just me. Lots of people are prepared to carry around a Nikon with an 80-200mm lens attached, and I can't imagine doing that either.

While I was checking out medium format equipment, I also had a look at some 4x5 view cameras. With the assistance of an architectural photographer, I tried out an Arca-Swiss Discovery. I liked the feel of the camera and the way that it made me think through composition.

I decided at that point that I would retain the Nikon and purchase either a medium or large format camera for use on occasions when I wanted to engage in photography rather than recording. I chose large format because I think that I will have more fun with a view camera and because I think that I might learn more with one. And I decided on the Arca-Swiss Discovery when the architectural photographer told me that it is good enough for me if it is good enough for his apprentice.

It is important to add that I travel with my partner. In the past, we have taken only one 35mm camera between us. Now we will take the Nikon, the Arca-Swiss and one tripod that can be used for both cameras. We invariably rent a car, which is where the Arca-Swiss is going to live when it is not in use. If I were travelling on my own, I would take the Nikon and nothing else. I should also point out that we have reasons other than just travel for purchasing a view camera. If we were just going to use the Arca-Swiss during vacations, we wouldn't bother.

By the way, this is what the Schneider press release on the Photokina site said:

"The Apo-Symmar-L series of lenses replaces the well-proven Apo-Symmar series without the "L". Schneider-Kreuznach has now completely re-designed this successful, all-purpose lens to bring it up to the current state-of-the-art of lens design and fabrication. The covering power has been expanded in nearly all cases and the imaging performance further optimized. The current focal lengths and the principle technical specifications are shown in the table below. Used according to the maximum photo format, the focal lengths between 120 and 480 mm offered by the new "L-Series" deliver normal perspective pictures without wide angle or telephoto effects."

Unfortunately, there was no "table below".

I gather that Schneider announced at Photokina that it has redesigned

its APO-Symmar line and that the new line will be called APO-Symmar-

L. I'm going to be buying a lens shortly and Schneider is one of the

manufacturers that I am considering. Does anyone know what this new

line is about and what the difference is between this line and the

old line? I found a bit of information on the Photokina site, but

not much.

Thanks.

I'm in the process of purchasing an Arca-Swiss Discovery, weighing

6.6 lbs/3kg with a 12"/30cm monorail. This decision turns out to

have been the easy one. It has unfortunately led to some anicllary

questions about lenses and tripods/heads that are driving me crazy

and on which I could use some assistance.

I'm going to use the camera for urban street photography and perhaps

for still-life. I expect that I will also take the camera on

vacations. I plan to purchase one lens which will have to do for

some time to come. I am currently leaning towards 180mm, 210mm or

240mm. But I am curious about how others, having regard to their

photographic subject matter, would answer the following question: if

you owned this camera, and could have just one lens, what would focal

length would it be and why?

I don't expect to have to carry the camera for more than a mile/2km

on any given outing as it will be transported mostly by car. Indeed,

a mile will be rare. Can someone suggest a suitable tripod, bearing

in mind that I want good stability while keeping the weight

reasonably low. Given how I plan to use the equipment, is the extra

expense of carbon fibre worth it?

Finally, there is the issue of selecting a tripod head. I'd be

prepared to spring for an Arca-Swiss B1, which Jack Dykinga says he

uses in his recent book on large format nature photography, but I

gather that many others find that using a ball head with a 4x5 is

aggravating. I can't afford an Arca-Swiss B2. So the question is

this: should I purchase the B1 and learn to live with it, or is

there some other two or three-way product on the market that would be

more suitable, yet not financially ruinous?

I should perhaps add that I hope to use the same tripod and head with

a Nikon F80/N80.

Thanks.