mark_ritz

July 27, 2011

The FE does the same thing. Try to shoot on anything but "M90" with dead batteries and you get a stuck mirror.

I'd hold out for a FE/FE2/FM/FM2 myself.

July 20, 2011

Congrads, that's a nice school and right next to the capitol and mall. Not too bad of a hike from a metro stop either. My wife's considering it for a MFA down the road.

First suggestion, the standard that no one has mentioned: Pentax K1000. defacto standard for student camera ;) . I think the Ricoh KR-5 is about the same camera. Theres a number of other K mount cameras you could pick - from basic to advanced. Vivatar still makes a K mount full manual camera - V3800, $200 everywhere. Or about $180 more than one of the many, many, many similar K mount cameras ;) . Pentax made/makes adapters so you can use Pentax 645, 6x7, Mamiya M645 and some other lenses on K mount bodies too. Good for next year when you pick up a MF set, you could start buying lenses right away instead of K mounts (besides the 50)

#2 - any of the SRT Minoltas. I really prefer the needle and target meter on that vs. the later LED meter (like on the X series cameras)

#3 - Nikon FM or FE or their derivatives (FE2, FM2, etc). Very good cameras, can be very cheap. I got a FE with a 28/2.8 for free.

#4 - Nikon F3 or F4. Much more expensive, much more feature-full than the other suggestions. Great, great cameras though. But if you plan on only shooting 35mm for a year, probably a waste. Although, after you shoot with them, you might want to stick with the format :D

I don't know much about Canons, but the AE-1 is usually recommended.

June 28, 2011

Ilford Pan F 50 & Delta 100, Velvia 50 in 120. Once in a very great while TMax 400.

Arista EDU 100 in 4x5. $0.68/shot is good when you don't know exactly what you're doing :D

June 9, 2011

Lets run my numbers and see how it falls.

Last weekend, I was in Yosemite (landscapes here). I used a M645 with a 80/2.8 all weekend - except for the single 4x5 I shot. So I'll run it vs. the comparable digital systems.

M645 replacement cost: $100

80/2.8 replacement cost: $80

Film: $4.19/roll - Delta 100 120. That's $0.28 per shot. I usually go through 4 rolls a weekend. $16.76

Processing: Chemicals run about $0.20/roll to develop. $0.80

Contact sheet: 8x10 paper $0.38 each. Chemicals run about $0.05. Light bulb use is negligible.

Lets say 25% keepers.

Enlarger replacement cost: $25 (I bought 4 6x7 enlargers last year for $100)

8x10 prints: $0.38 + $0.05 x 15 + 15 for test strips, etc. $12.90

Totals: Hard costs = $205 w/ a 20 year life. Or $10.25/yr, simple depreciation

Soft costs = $30.88 for 15 8x10 prints.

If I could go shoot 26x/yr, yearly costs would be $813.13

Comparable system:

Mamiya DM40: $17,495. Useful life = 5 years. Comes out to $3,499/yr

I think you can see where this is headed...

Computer: $400. Useful life = 5 years. $80/yr. Of course that should only be a fraction of the cost of the computer, it's used for a lot of other things beyond photography...

Software: Lightroom: $250. Useful life = 3 years. $83.33/yr

no contact sheets, no proofs

8x10 prints $1.49/ea.

Averaging 15 keepers/outing, and 26 outings/yr totals for digital are:

$4243.43.

In order for digital to make economic sense in this case, I'd have to shoot 2056 keepers per year. Well within a wedding shooter's or maybe a portrait studio's numbers, but, IMHO, not a landscape photographer's.

June 7, 2011

If the sensor is the same size as the film then there is no difference in the accuracy of the camera or the resolution of the lens. It's only when the sensor is smaller than the film that the inaccuracies are magnified.

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Not so much the physical sensor size, but the size of the sensor sites/pixel size within the sensor.

Lets take the sensor in a nikon D7000 for example. it's sensor is 23.6mm x 15.7mm, each site/pixel within is 0.000023035mm^2 or 0.0047889mm x 0.00481mm. For sake of argument, that could be exactly scaled up to 4x5 economically.* Your sensor would be the same size as film.

According to S-A, and Apo Symmar L will resolve 20 l/mm at best. That would give you about 0.05mm x 0.05mm at best, meaning you could only resolve 1/10th the pixels on the sensor if it's the same size as film.

An APO-Digitar 120/5.6 will resolve 60 l/mm at best (~0.01666mm x 0.01666mm), or about 1/3rd the pixels.

(*) The economically is far fetched, but the resolution and pixel size isn't. The new PhaseOne IQ180 backs resolve at 0.0052 x 0.0052 on a 53.7mm x 40.4mm sensor, still a little less than half the size of a sheet of 4x5 though

May 31, 2011

Nikon D7000: 9/10.

It's everything I'd want in a DX system, but it's still DX.

Mamiya M645: 9.75/10

Would be a 10 if I had a winder knob to get rid of the big, heavy, loud power winder when I want to

Toyo/Omega 45D: 9/10

Great, but not so modular. If I would have spent the money on a "better" Toyo View to use bag bellows, different rails, etc, that would be great. Also looses part of a point for being a monorail, not a field camera :D

May 25, 2011

And to run some numbers:

a Calumet or Toyo View runs less than $100 most days

A 130-150 lens run less than $100 if you are patient enough

a 6x12 chinese back run $225 (new Horseman/Linhof are $1100, but you might be able to find a deal)

$450 + a tripod and you've got a good, cheap system. Change out that unweildy monorail for a field camera will be costly, but mostly worth it. I can fit my toyo view in a small backpack, but it's still a lot to worry about in the field, and it's heavy.

And you can shoot 4x5 too.

Or you can take the same thing, without the 6x12 back, and cut a dark slide in half and have a pair of 2"x5" shots on the 4x5 negative.

May 4, 2011

Leave them both at home and take a rangefinder.

Preferably a Mamiya 7 or a Fuji GW690. You could go with a 35mm RF in a pinch too (Lecia maybe), but I'd take a MF RF.

March 31, 2011

What did I say false?

lets look at what the AICAD has to say:

The BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is an undergraduate college degree offered in all areas of the fine and applied arts. Since World War II it has become THE standard degree for students seeking a professional education in art and design.

The National Association of School of Art & Design (NASAD, Reston, VA), is the nationally recognized accrediting agency for programs in art and design. It delineates two types of undergraduate degrees: "professional" programs, usually granting the BFA; and "liberal arts" programs, usually granting the BA. These two types of programs differ noticeably in their goals and objectives. In NASAD's own words "the professional degree focuses on intensive work in the visual arts supported by a program of general studies," whereas "the liberal arts degree focuses on art and design in the context of a broad program of general studies."

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The AICAD are who accredits art schools.

And here is what the AICAD says about MFAs:

The MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is a specialized, terminal degree available on the graduate level in both fine arts and design.

The same aspects that distinguish a BFA from a BA, distinguish an MFA from an MA. The MFA is a concentrated "professional" degree for students seeking advanced education prior to becoming practicing artists or designers. The MA, on the other hand, is usually a "liberal arts" degree with less emphasis on practice. A further distinction is that the MFA must be a two year, 60 credit program, whereas the MA need only be a one year, 30 credit program. Finally, the MFA requires between 65% and 85% of the course work to be in art or design practice, whereas the MA requires approximately 50% in studio areas.

In virtually every state in the country, the MFA is considered a "terminal" degree in fine and applied arts majors. That is, there is no higher level degree available or required for the practice oriented student.

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So I misspoke a little. A BFA is not a terminal degree, just a professional degree, while the MFA - a post professional degree - is the terminal degree. There is no doctor's of fine arts.

March 30, 2011

What most people don't realize is that a BFA is a terminal/professional degree. It is designed to be the last degree you need to practice, like a MBA, a BSE or a M. Architecture.

A MFA on the other hand is a post-professional degree. It is designed for teaching and "advanced" professionals. It's equal to a Ph.D, a DBA, or a M.S. in Architecture.

March 14, 2011

About Toyo/Omega view cameras: some of the cheaper ones (like my 45D), while very cheap, I paid less than US$50 w/o lens, they have fixed bellows. So, when using Wide lenses, movements get limited by the bellows getting too stiff. This can be a problem with architecture photos.

The higher end Toyo-Views and Sinars, Arcas, etc have bag bellow options to get around that.

March 3, 2011

The only parts of Utah I've been to are SLC and inside Four Corners, so no comments about that.

My favourite places: Canyon de Chelly, Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon. None are for natural wonder though, all anthropological sites. At Chaco Canyon, you might run into a dozen people, it is VERY remote.

February 23, 2011

"35mm film" (including the mystery meat in disposables that the consumer has absolutely no idea what size it is) will disappear from general consumer applications before larger roll and sheet films for the devout specialists. Mostly because the consumer that supports the manufacturing volume neither knows nor cares about film size nor do they seem to believe or need to believe the faintly echoing cries from those who still carry the flickering torch that film is better than digital. They just need something that will take a picture when they want it to.

</blockquote>

However, the "general consumer" of 35mm film stock isn't photographers, it motion pictures. One feature length film uses more 35mm film stock than I have in my entire lifetime, easily. Unless the film uses 70mm or some other film stock.

Yes, many film makers are going digital (and sometimes, especially for commercials or very independent films, they do use DSLRs because they are so cheap), but many are staying with film because they feel digital sucks in comparison. If every theatre goes digital, however, that will suck.

- Consumer digital P&S digital cameras will shrink or disappear before film. This market is driven by convenience with no regard to quality (or they would be using a compact 35mm film) so they will soon prefer phones to a digital P&S.

</blockquote>

Too late. The digital P&S market is already drying up because everyone prefers their phones. Why use a P&S when your new phone has a 8MP camera in it! Never mind that the lens is smaller than half a dime and the sensor can basically fit on a pin head, it's full of marketing-goodness-8MP!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/technology/04camera.html

P&S are down 24% since 08 (DSLRs are up 29% since 09). The "most used" camera on Flickr is an iphone...

February 23, 2011

Toyo View and Toyo Field are substantially different sized lens boards. Toyo View boards are 158mm x 158mm (~6.25" x 6.25") while Toyo Field boards are 110mm x 110mm (~4.3" x 4.3")

January 31, 2011

Or does such a system actually already exist for at least one brand/mount?

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Maybe?

A large format lens slides into a unthreaded hole. Then it has a retaining ring on the back side. But most lens boards mount any which way they choose. My Toyo View is a square, so there is no wrong direction to put it on, besides backwards. It uses two metal sliders to stay in place. You don't have to look, but it does require two hands.

January 28, 2011

As the negative size increases, the requirements for a great scanner decrease. You can get further with less. If they made a V300 with a 8x11 transparency lid, I'd bet it would turn out better results scanning a 4x5 than a minolta 35mm scanner.

But I still prefer optical prints :D

January 28, 2011

Basically, beyond what every one else has said, you've got 3 options:

A B.A in art with a photography concentration

A B.S or B.A in journalism/photojournalism

A B.F.A in studio art with a photo concentration

A BFA is a professional degree, a BFA has a lot more studio time at the expense of a varied education. With a BA, you've got to take some language classes (thats what really makes the difference between a S. and an A. degree), but you'd have a lot more electives.

Throwing in a minor in business administration would be great to do though ;) [most business minors have at least an option to take a business law course for the minor, business law at the undergrad level is a lot about contracts and a little about HR usually]

January 25, 2011

Depending on how strong you are, the Mamiya RZ series is an option as well, but it is heavy. BUT you can bring along a 120 back and swap it on the fly if you wanted to take a couple B&W film shots too.

Option 2: wait a couple months and get the new Phase One IQ back. The have much larger sensors, almost full 645 size.

I don't know what sensors are used in each (honestly, I don't care as I'm not going to buy one for at least 3 or 4 years).

And one final thing, just a point of reference, about Mamiya and Phase One. 2 years ago, Phase One bought a majority share of Mamiya so as of then, Mamiya is technically a subsidiary of them. Thats why the Phase One branded cameras are 645DF with a different name plate on them.

January 14, 2011

I started with a Minolta SRT-102. 15-20 years later, I picked up a AF Minolta (Maxxim 4 something) because MF Minoltas were very hard to find. 4 years later I jumped ship to a Nikon N80 because I wanted to segue to a DSLR. Then a D50 2ish years later. Then I bought a Mamiya M645 and a Toyo/Omega View 45D in the last 15 months.

I went with the M645 for a bigger negative yet light weight and basically free. I love using it, today it's my favourite camera.

I went with the 45D for a huge negative, movements and even less expense vs. the M645.

There are only a couple things I wish the D50 did better: hold a charge longer, meter AI lenses (even though my N80 doesn't either), faster and slower ISO.

December 30, 2010

A) D7000

or

B) F100, F4, and a F5 AND $1000 worth of film (somewhere between 4000' [bulk B&W] and 3600 shots [36 exposure Velvia rolls])

December 22, 2010

And while looking at sironars, look at the Calumet Caltar II lenses, the II-N is a Sironar-N and the II-S is a Sironar-S. Both usually for much cheaper prices than the equal Rodenstocks.

December 17, 2010

That's a pretty good list, but what about:

Art Center College of Design in Pasadena

School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

MassArt

Just throwing some more names out there in areas you seem to be OK with (socal and new england)

December 15, 2010

That is quite a deal, really.

Mamiya's 56mp 56x36mm sensor back sells at discount for $30,500

Hasselblad's 39mp 49x36.7mm sensor back sells at discount for $28,500

Here's a 80mp 53.7x40.3mm sensor back that MSRPs for $32,000

December 9, 2010

From scratch, money next to no object:

RZ67 (RZ33)

another M645, but maybe a pro this time

any 4x5 monorail with modular bellows - a bit nicer than my toyo/omega 45D with fixed bellows

a 4x5 wooden field camera

If money were an object, just scratch the first one, it's 15-18x the price of the rest of the list combined ;)

December 1, 2010

I forgot to mention, the cost for the DCS200 was somewhere north of "a king's ransom".

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I remember lusting after one lol.

For comparison, the DCS460 (6MP, F/N90 based, direct replacement for the 200 series when the F90 came out) cost as much, in 1995 dollars, as a Hasselblad 39MP MS today, in 2010 dollars. Factoring in inflation, that thing cost $50,000 when new...

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