gnps

I started with a 90/8 and then added a 150/5.6. I then found that I was using the 150 more because it was brighter. Not the best reason. Mr White gave me a good exchange deal and I swapped the 90/8 for the 80/4.5 XL. My RSW has a limited bellows draw but eventually I found a 270/5.5 Tele-Arton on Ebay which now completes my lens set. I found surprisingly that I use the 80 a lot less that the other two which is a little disconcerting as it cost more than the other two together. Percentage wise roughly 80 - 10%, 150 - 60%, 270 - 30%. I go walking a lot and feel I can't leave any of them behind as they are each great in there own way. Won't be adding more lenses as I simply couldn't carry any more.

My F4s is very quiet. Hasn't made a sound for a year now. The D70 soon shut it up.

Can I just say that tilting the lens does NOT increase the depth of field. Tilting the lens allows you to change the plane of focus. Manipulated in the right way the plane of focus can be aligned to be flat and therefore give an apparent front-to-back focus. But the depth of focus remains the same. Imagine a dead straight, flat trew-lined road. You can align the plane of focus with the road so that it is in focus from your toes to the horizon. But with a small aperture the tops of the trees will be out of focus at all distances along the road. Scheimphlug says something like, "the plane of sharp focus, the film plane and the lens plane must all intersect in a single line".

Chest cleared, back to lurking.

Regs, Nigels.

Had my F4s(with MF23) since '91. Has endured most types of weather Scotland has thrown at it and me falling on it - broke the perspex cover on the MF23 but nothing else.

 

The most extreme conditions were in Switzerland where it didn't complain in the slightest about being taken to to summit of Monte Rosa (4634m). Also took it into Trummelbach falls where it received a total drenching (like holding it under a tap). The only failure was water on the hotshoe contacts causing the flash not to fire. Still got a few good shots though - (http://www.photo.net/photo/1212206).

 

Regs, Nigels.

I went through this same dilemma about three years ago. I got the GSW for all the reasons mentioned here. I would say its not that big or heavy. When I go backpacking it fits (just) in the same CCS case that I usually carry my F4s in. Using a tripod is preferred but I have taken good shots with it handheld. See http://www.photo.net/photo/828337.

Ian, I have an Ebony RSW which only has rise/fall and tilt on the front standard. This is to reduce weight for backpacking and cost. I've tken it to Switzerland and found little need for tilt and generally only used rise/fall for recomposing after setting the camera level. For the type of "big" landscapes I was after I never really felt restricted by the linited movements of the camera. I carried 150mm and 90mm lenses and found these sufficient. I have three LF shots from Switzerland at the end of my presentation at http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=169935. I also have a folder of other Swiss shots in my portfolio taken with MF and SF (with no movements of course).

Regs, Nigels.

I've just been looking at getting my first digital camera. I was

looking at the new Canon compacts and specifically the IXUS 500. My

initial thoughts were just to buy digital camera as a preview device

for my LF photography but the more I thought about it the more I

wanted some creative features and the S500 ticks lots of boxes.

What worries me is battery life. I was told in the shop that

batteries last only 1 hour of continuous use with the LCD on and

still less than 2 with it off. Is this normal for digital compacts?

What really concerns me is, should I go on a backpacking weekend will

I have a usable camera for the whole trip? Will I need to take spare

batteries (how many?) and do they suffer in the cold? What sort of

experiences do others have when it comes to power management?

TIA, Nigels.

I've used BPD Photech (http://www.bpdphotech.com/) for my prints from 120 (6x9) and LF4x5 Velvia and have had some excellent prints up to 18x12 (currently £17.35). Since they are a bit limiting in their range of services (no digital) I shall be checking out Peak Imaging (http://www.peak-imaging.com/) who I now use for all my processing.

Hope this helps.

Just give you my experience;

I shot with 35mm 24 years before having a go at MF with the Fuji GSW690. A year later after lots of research (especially in these very pages and talking to Matt at Robert White) I bought into LF. I went for the Ebony RSW as my love is landscapes, especially mountainous ones, and portability is very important. I started with a 90/8 lens but eventually became frustrated with how dark it was so traded it. My lens set which I have now settled on is 80XL/4.5, 150/5.6 APO-Symmar and 270/5.5 Tele-Arton (all Schneider). I have carried camera, two lenses, 5 holders, meter, tripod and walking gear up (and down again) a 5000ft mountain on a hot day. Heavy but do-able.

The Ebony is beautiful to look at and a dream to use. Being a non-folder setup time is very quick too. Can't comment on any others since I've never used any other LF camera - but I'm more than happy with my choice.

I started with a 90/8 and then added a 150/5.6. I then found my decision on which lens to used was being influenced by the ease at which I could see the image on the GG. So I traded in the dark 90 for a 80/4.5 Super-Symmar XL. But I also felt a short tele would add a valuable option. I frequently use a 35-105 on my Nikon. So the lens set that I finally settled with and don't have any yearning to add to right now (my bank manager wouldn't allow it anyway) is;

80, 150, 270. (or 23, 46, 83 in 35mm equivalents)

Hello Jonathan,

I have an RSW which I use for landscapes and find the movements perfectly sufficient. The biggest restriction you'll have to contend with is the restricted bellows draw. Only 190mm and fixed bellows. Its a problem if you have a need for short telephoto photography. Of course you can add accessories to overcome this, but I backpack with the camera and want to keep bits/weight to a minimum. In the end I got an old Schneider 270/5.5 Tele-Arton which has a FFD of only 152mm.

Best of luck with your purchase and if you're interested I have a couple of shots taken with the RSW in a presentation at http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=169935. Don't expect too much, I'm still an LF beginner.

Regs, Nigels.

Its not easy for me to scan at the moment. But printing with the MF-23 is very easy;

Press the FNC button repeatedly until the indicator bar (30) is showing. Then press MOD repeatedly until the TIME and F (15, 17) and the numbers from the meter are displayed. If in-frame printing is not required press FNC again and MOD until the right hand area (26) is blank.

Now you have set what will be printed but not if its printed. You simply switch printing on/off by pressing the PRN button and the indicator (21) will show up.

If you are going to use the MF-23 you really do need the full manual. I still have to refer to it for some things.

I regularly use Printing, Bracketing and frame alarm and the MF-23 is a permanent fixture on my F4s, even when I take it up mountains.

Hope this helps,

Regs, Nigels.

Only 6 pages!!!! Wishful thinking I think. The MF-23 instruction manual is 4x6 inches in size and has 130 pages.

Here's a page to get you started.<div></div>

It had to be Fuji didn't it.

Thanks again everyone who answered.

Thanks for the info chaps - PN does it again.

Think I'll go for the 405. It should go on my RSW but Robert White will be able to confirm.

What colour film would anybody recommend?

I am considering using Polaroid instant film in order to preview my

landscape setups and also obtain images quickly if required since I

don't do my own processing. There seems to be two options. Either the

545 holder and use of single sheets or the slightly smaller (and much

cheaper) 405 holder and film packs.

 

What does anybody else use and why? What advantages/disadvantages

have you found with either. TIA, Nigels.

And if you get the replacement baseplate (can't remember cat.no.) you can user standard AA batteries instead of AAA type. So if you do run out of battery power you should be able to buy replacements just about anywhere.

My F301 was my first venture into the world of Nikon back in 1988 and even though I got an F4s three years later I never did get rid of the 301. Its a simple and very reliable camera.

I have a signature shot on my profile and a couple of shots in a folder called "Me,Myself,I".

Has anyone tried using close-up filters with 4x5? Successful?

What would be best focal length to use them on? standard 150mm?

It has to be said that photo.net is a great site, well run and supported. But I am 99% a landscape photographer and have always found it odd that there isn't a landscape category in the gallery. I won't be complaining and will continue to praise photo.net but by not having a landscape category I simply think they have got it wrong. Andy Rouse is a wildlife photographer, Ansel Adams was a landscape photographer. I have never heard either of them described as a nature photographer. Just my twopennorth.

There are many, many reasons why I take and make photographs but if I think about it, the bottom line is that, for me, its like writing a diary. My photographs make a pictoral journal, a kind of autobiogrphy telling who I am, what I've done and where I've been. And although they sometime give pleasure to others they are primarily for me.

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I use a Manfrotto MN443 which also has a removable centre-column. There is also the MN444 which has 4 section legs and is shorter. I use mine for with my Ebony RSW.

King Penguin<div></div>

<A HREF="http://www.photo.net/photo/826184">http://www.photo.net/photo/826184</A><div></div>