Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Miller  Since there is little to be gained in terms of image quality over smaller formats, and much is lost in the way of portability and spontaneity, it seems to me that the possession of a large camera, such as a 10x8 can only represent a form of repressed sexual inadequacy. Would anyone care to comment? |
I'm not sure if you include 4x5 in this or not, but let me run down the reasons for shooting large format that go beyond inadequate genitalia.
1. Unusual focal plane or narrow DOF effects. Larger formats mean portraits become closer to 'macro' range photographs, with concomittant reduction in DOF. This can make for interesting effects, especially with poorly corrected or unusual lenses. A head shot on 8x10 is a macro, and wide open can give incredibly soft effects. Also these poorly corrected lenses which give beautiful "bokeh" will look sharper in their in-focus areas (than lenses with similar qualities in smaller formats) simply because of the reduced magnification of larger negatives to final print.
2. Perspective control view camera tilts swings yadda yadda
3. Contemplative photography: instead of staring through your automagic 35mm framefinder and happily snapping away (even more of a problem with digital) you spend a lot of time visualizing and thinking through what you want to accomplish. This is a different type of photography - it doesn't suit everything. You wouldn't shoot humming birds with large format. You might very well go after an atmospheric shot of an interesting interior with large format, or walk around the lake for an hour looking for just the right spot for your single sunset shot.
4. Antique lenses & cameras. This is just a fetish thing, because other than a few interesting old optics like some of the old petzvals there's no real advantage to it... but it's fun to put a 100 year old piece of equipment back into service. Just today I was shooting a 9x12 (cm - smaller than 4x5") Voigtlander Avus. It's fun to use these amazingly constructed old cameras, and gives you an appreciation for the design innovations both engineered into those cameras, and the subsequent innovations that led to more convenient modern cameras, like automatic shutter cocking with film advance, frame counters, roll film, SLR mirrors, body-integrated focal plane shutters, etc.
5. Big contact prints & big alt process prints. You can do it digitally or with enlarged negatives, but it's not quite as nice.
I mainly shoot 4x5 and smaller formats.
I have an 8x10 but have yet to put it into commission. I have to finish building the bellows, and that's on hold indefinitely as life has tossed a few curve balls as me over the last few weeks. Nice to know it's sitting around waiting for me though.
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