Hank Graber
New member
When I was shooting film I was using a 20+ year old Plaubel 670 and a Hasselblad. If it wasn't for digital I'd still be shooting the same kit and probably continue to shoot it for another 20 years. Digital has really hiked the equipment cost side of the equation. True a busy studio spent a lot more on film/processing and later scanning but that was pay as you go and as you get the work not pay up front not knowing what next years billing might be.
I do miss the Hassy and waist level finder and we shall see how the coming year shapes up. Things have been getting busier, if a recession doesn't put billings in the toilet there may be a MF kit in the cards next year instead of a 35mm DSLR.
Let's see what the Mamiya/Phase deal will bring, what Leica has up their sleeve and where used/refurb prices wind up. I'd be looking at the lower end of new stuff or a used/refurb back. Buying back my 555ELD (or my 205 FE) and 2 Zeiss lenses would be pretty expensive so if I don't go with a new back I might go for a Mamiya RZ67 IID. The RZ lenses are down right cheap and really fantastic. I can get tilt shift, the bellows are great for table top and with a waist level finder and strobes it's not a problem to hand hold for me. With the big crop factor the standard 110/2.8 makes a great portrait/fashion lens. Finally if you want a rig that will impress the clients and can't be confused with their DSLR's the RZ is it.
The top end of the 35 DSLR and bottom of the MF market now overlap and a lot of photographers who left MF film for Canon are now returning to the MF fold. I'd love to have a new toy but we'll see if the numbers add up in the next few months.
I do miss the Hassy and waist level finder and we shall see how the coming year shapes up. Things have been getting busier, if a recession doesn't put billings in the toilet there may be a MF kit in the cards next year instead of a 35mm DSLR.
Let's see what the Mamiya/Phase deal will bring, what Leica has up their sleeve and where used/refurb prices wind up. I'd be looking at the lower end of new stuff or a used/refurb back. Buying back my 555ELD (or my 205 FE) and 2 Zeiss lenses would be pretty expensive so if I don't go with a new back I might go for a Mamiya RZ67 IID. The RZ lenses are down right cheap and really fantastic. I can get tilt shift, the bellows are great for table top and with a waist level finder and strobes it's not a problem to hand hold for me. With the big crop factor the standard 110/2.8 makes a great portrait/fashion lens. Finally if you want a rig that will impress the clients and can't be confused with their DSLR's the RZ is it.
The top end of the 35 DSLR and bottom of the MF market now overlap and a lot of photographers who left MF film for Canon are now returning to the MF fold. I'd love to have a new toy but we'll see if the numbers add up in the next few months.