mike_kearney

I shoot Tri-x 320 and 400 in the studio and outside (developed in DD-X) in 645 and 4x5. Both are excellent and there is no reason to limit 320 to studio use.

The best medium format camera is the one currently in your camera bag and being used...

DD-X is my all round favorite but pricey and hard to get sometimes. Now using alot of Edwal FG-7 and quite satisfied with the results overall.

Although production was stopped many years ago, my Nikon F still works. I anticipate that my Contax 645 will continue to work whatever might happen to the line.

I've been using medium format for several years (Mamiya before switching to Contax 645 after my Mamiya got trashed) and have noticed a significant improvement in tonal range and detail when using my 4x5, especially when enlarged to 11x14 with Tri-X 320. Medium format is great but large format is outstanding. I'm still using the darkroom with fiber paper so I can't comment about scanning. However, I shoot alot of children's portraits with studio lighting and the 4x5 requires a fairly cooperative kid. But when it works, the results are super.

Tri-x 320 in DD-x works great

I predict that within 6 months the gamma rays generated by the widespread use of digital cameras will render my darkroom and film cameras completely useless. Medium format has 6 months left.....

 

If you like digital, shoot digital.

 

If you like medium format, shoot MF.

 

Worry more about lighting and exposure.

You will probably find the Contax 645's focusing very slow compared to your F5 but the transition from auto to manual focusing is very easy if the focusing doesn't lock fast enough. I use manual focusing for weddings and for children's portraits (and other non-stationary subjects/events).

 

The H1 is much faster in the focusing department but the Contax is a great cemara with super optics, esp. the 120mm macro, which is a manual lens.

The 250 watt modeling light is really an advantage and once you start putting the units in softboxes and use 100 ISO film, the extra power is also nice. The white lightnings have a 7 stop range and the AB's have a 5 stop range; I've never felt the WL X1600s were "too powerful" for a job, even headshots with TPX 320. Both are good monolights but I'd rather have some power in reserve.

Have you seen the prices of Fuji's S1 on the used market? Cameras are very bad investments, film or digital. Get what works for you and expect to take a hit if you sell it.

Joe,

 

I've been very happy with my White Lightning x1600. I have two units but tend to use just one in a medium Chimera shallow softbox with a reflector for fill for most of my work. Plenty powerful and easy to use with great customer support.

I've used the Freewire system with my Contax 645 system and it works great, especially on the fly for wedding work. You have flash compensation if you use the QTTL adaptor or the base module that attaches to the hotshoe on the Contax and the Freewire. I'm not sure about the Hasselblad but Quantum's website is very informative

I should add that I use a cold light on my enlarger and use Ilford's Warmtone FB paper. My EI is 320 for studio work using a flash meter.

I've had very good results developing TXP 320 (in 120/220 formats) in DD-X for 8 minutes @68 degrees using Ilford's standard developing process. Especially fine combination for children's portraits.

Also, I understand that Quantum is coming out with a new flash, the Q4 or something like that. I'm not sure what features this new flash will have but it is worth looking into.

 

Also, my earlier response was deleted. Accidently?

I've had good results with Tri-X 320 and Ilford HP5+(shot at 320) developed in DD-X. Excellent tonality and wide latitude. FP4 is also very good.

 

I was a devoted fan of HP5+ but tried and really liked the Tri-X 320 as a replacement when Ilford stopped making Hp5+ in 220.

Or those collapsing brown plastic chemical containers made to keep developers from oxidizing quickly

Ilford DD-X is also very good, fine grain and good tonality with most films.

I use the Contax TLA 360 (basically a Nikon sb-24)with no problems, mostly for quick fill-flash. For weddings I tend to use the Quantum T2 with the TTL adaptor, adding a second T2 when needed. The Sunpak unit Marc referral to is also super, less expensive, and doesn't need an external battery pack.

 

The C645's flash meter is also very handy if you eventually decide to get monolights down the road (on those days you forget the light meter at home).

Patrick,

 

I shoot mostly b/w children protraits with Kodak Tri-x 320 and Ilford HP5+, developed in DD-X. I still print the traditional way so I don't know about scanning this film but others do.

 

The 140 2.8 is a great lens for portraits, as is the 120mm macro. Check KEH's website because these lenses appear frequently. Getting your screen treated by Bill Maxwell (Maxwell Pres. Optics) is also a good investment, really brightens the image when focusing with the slower (f4) Contax lenses.

If you use the Quantum flashes, the QI Freewires are also good. I use Freewires with my T2s in TTL and also with my monolights (non-TTL). Reliable but pricely, although Quantum is currently running a rebate offer with the units.

Scott,

I use Ilford Hp5 and Kodak Tri-x 320, both developed in DD-X, for photos of children. Great tonality and the extra speed is good because kids are constantly moving.

Check with KEH about the used models. Still might be a little overbudget but worth it when playing with light ratios with my monolights, etc.

I use the Sekonic 358. I've been happy with it.

Because the flash is providing the main exposure (1/1000 second or faster), action will be frozen by the strobe unless there is significant ambient light, in which case you might get some ghosting. Your Nikon combination will do very good job at balancing the flash and ambient light