The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Progressing through time and gear

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Not sure where I am going with this but after about 20 years of only digital capture I think maybe one of the most qualified folks to talk about this. Not going to get into the way past here but it started back in 1991 with a Kodak 460 and a Nikon E2 which shot to a PCMIA card at about 1 mg per file. LOL

Man have times have changed but back in 2001 when I got laid off as Chief Photographer at Honeywell International Aerospace in particular i had some tough choices to make. I was shooting digital Nikons and Hassy V with film just prior to leaving. So big choices had to be made at that time on what to do. I almost went MF digital out of the gate and it was a close call but price at the time was a serious 40k or more investment and after being laid off was maybe not a prudent start. So it started with a Kodak 560 if memory serves me and went through Canon like a train wreck than Nikons , Leica's with DMR and M8's and everything along the way but my heart always knew MF was where I needed to be.

I sit here today thinking about all this after starting with a ZD, P25+, P30+ and now own a P40+. Not only that I tested a lot of systems along the MF path even though I have not done reviews on all of them but maybe for the first time in my working Pro career I lost that screaming painful and down right costly mindset that I need to keep buying up all the time to get better and better gear. But I sit here today with about a 90 percent I am happier than pigs in a mud pen. I left that 10 percent out because things can always get better and maybe some things I want like a Tech cam but maybe the whole point of this thread or thought pattern is i have NEVER been happier with the files and the IQ that comes off these sensors that MF produces. This is not about Phase per say because it could maybe be said for Hassy, Leaf, Sinar or Leica but it is the files that come off these bad boys that just make me smile a mile wide when I am looking at them in C1 as they come in than after I process them I stare at them with amazement since nothing I ever shot in my past come even close.

Like I said not sure where I am going with this but I THINK I finally hit a point of being CONTENT on what is being produced from these MF files. It in my mind just does not get any better than this and honestly with all due respect to those that say it does not matter in the scheme of things I have to COMPLETELY disagree as it makes ME feel satisfied as a artist and my clients are reaping the benefits and they tell me all the time they just love my files. Not sure I can put a price tag on this or that I want too. At some point the ROI just means very little although it is paying for itself but lets get real here also I could easily cheat and shoot 35mm but that is not the point of this thread. What is the point is and my driving force is deliver the absolute best I can that the gear will allow and my artistic endeavors to flourish. At the end of the day or bottom line regardless of brand I am actually happy NOW. Tomorrow who the hell knows. LOL

Gear slut confessions. :thumbs::salute::D:talk028::LOL::bugeyes:
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
I'll beat Ken to this...

I feel much the same as you; I'm very content with my Cambo WRS/P45+ and the little Leica M9. I'm equally pleased with my printers - Epson 4000 and 9800 although I'll admit to not using the 4000 as much any more.

Okay I'll also admit to having a 135 on inter-galactic back order. Oh hell I might as well admit to just buying a Leica 28mm f/2 and waiting for big brown to deliver it today.

This all goes back to the contented feeling I have towards my gear; I feel I have the best solution for shooting with my Cambo and the 3-lenses all Schneider, 35, 72 and 120 and soon I'll have as great with the M9 as I'll have the 28,35,50,90 and eventually the 135.

No more gear for me anytime soon however I seem to remember you mentioning picking up a technical camera which of course will include the required lenses.

So Guy you aren't out of the woods yet!

I'll be Ken's co-enabler here and suggest you look at picking up that TC soon. And while I'm at it I'll recommend the Cambo WRS as that's that I have intimated knowledge of.

Don

Oh wait - there's the GetDpi special edition Swiss Arca Cube with your name on it as well :ROTFL:
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
....maybe for the first time in my working Pro career I lost that screaming painful and down right costly mindset that I need to keep buying up all the time to get better and better gear. But I sit here today with about a 90 percent I am happier than pigs in a mud pen. I left that 10 percent out because things can always get better and maybe some things I want like a Tech cam ....
Gear slut confessions. :thumbs::salute::D:talk028::LOL::bugeyes:
Phew! For a minute there I thought you were abandoning us as the Gear Slut Support Group Leader.... :ROTFL:

On a more serious note, I agree with you at being at the point where I am extremely happy with the gear that I have and its capabilities.

But sometimes, just sometimes, we all deserve that little something (a new lens perhaps) that makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, that just betters the photographic experience and enjoyment. And that's the potentially dangerous (as in expensive) line or endless path that we tread....

ken
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Phew! For a minute there I thought you were abandoning us as the Gear Slut Support Group Leader.... :ROTFL:

On a more serious note, I agree with you at being at the point where I am extremely happy with the gear that I have and its capabilities.

But sometimes, just sometimes, we all deserve that little something (a new lens perhaps) that makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, that just betters the photographic experience and enjoyment. And that's the potentially dangerous (as in expensive) line or endless path that we tread....

ken

Okay who are you and what did you do to Ken? :ROTFL:
 

Dustbak

Member
I really need my espresso machine back from NY. LOL
What kind of espresso machine do you have? Maybe I can point you towards another expensive pastime :)

Same here, I have tried much different things. I am quite happy with what I use today. I might be persuaded to go for the H4D60/50/40 but I don't see it as a definite need or urge. Apparently none of the dealers are jumping to get me to upgrade either since it seems very hard to part with my money. The times I keep calling and ask whether they will please take my money have gone so I must be pretty happy :)

You wouldn't believe, maybe you would but I shake my own head in disbelieve thinking about it, the number of contraptions I have tried and used over the years.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Right.

:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
LOL Now I won't ever say never because you keep drilling that in my head. I will still look for that extra lens or contraption that I may need , more of my point is we are HERE and not much past MF that would be any better on the IQ part. Sure a tech cam is still on the want list and things like that but more 40k investments are already done and don't need to go after them. I still want a M9 and three lenses but that is a 10k investment that I am not making anytime soon. I think what is important is we are hitting the marks now with these newer backs and MF , sure better LCD and stuff like that but unless there is a major breakthrough in sensors coming soon than we can sit on our hands pretty much. I will leave nothing out but I do just feel really good right now about my choices and more important my images. Now if i upgrade to a P65+ does that count.:D
 

djonesii

Workshop Member
I have not touched my Nikon kit in almost two years ...

D300 Tamron 28-75, antique 70-200 2.8 push pull, Tamron 90 macro, 55 1.2 AI'd, Sigma 120-300 2.8 + TC, gizto, bogen .... works just great!

In that same two year time frame ..
Nikon F100, F4s

Bessa-R, M6, RD-1 that is still with me.

GA654, GA645Zi, Bronica 645, stuck with the Zi zoom.

Speed Graphic 135 and 210 , Polaroid 900 4X5 conversion with 150mm I think the speed is about to go on the block.

And most recently, Mamiya ZD/AFDII 645, 80mm/150mm, 55-110. The 55 is not wide enough, and the 110 not long enough :deadhorse: ( will it ever end?)

On the D-Slr, I'm happy, like the reach/speed/quality/price .... I'll shoot it till the shutter drops out.

The Fuji GA645zi is a great lens around a good enough body for the amount of medium format that I shoot.

4X5 rangefinder 1/2 the size of the Speed, two grapfmaitc backs, almost like shooting roll film.

I love the files from the ZD .... the ergonomics and some usability suck. The whole kit was sub 5K, cant get into the Nikon game for near that price. I seriously have to ask my self if another 6-10K upgrade is really going to buy me anything significant.

Dave
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Really happy with my H3D39 (only 39MP :rolleyes:) and will get some more lenses. The HTS is a pretty cool thing, very versatile, cannot totally replace a tech cam with dedicated lenses, but really delivers! So in the MF section I am a happy camper. Maybe add 1 or 2 lenses and that is it! not going to upgrade to a H4D60 soon - but who knows.

Different story for DSLR though - back in Nikon (D700) and all the new nanocoated zooms from 14 - 200. This is a totally different game and I still cannot think that this could be replaced by any MF gear - not Hasselblad, not Phase and almost impossible by S2.

WRT my M system - this is a weird story, sitting on a big collection of coded M glass, but my M8 sold and not replaced till now by a M9. And I still cannot think of doing that soon, I am still hoping for a M9.2 or M10 which will finally bring high ISO performance of current top of the line DSLR models. What kind of replaced my M system for the time being is the Oly EP2 and standard zoom plus 2.8/17. This is a VERY versatile combination and delivers high IQ. Will get a NEX5 soon - this is the range where I can play with relatively less money.

Replace all by a Phase P40+ or a H4D40? Not sure if I am at this stage of maturity right now, but could easily happen that it comes sooner than later :cool:
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Dave it mostly likely would be speed. Speed in back , higher ISO and stuff like that. Your 22 mpx ZD is outstanding at ISO 100, I know I had one and it proved itself but it was lack of speed and some functions that moved me up butI also may have different requirements than you . Which we all know we all beat to a different drum when it comes to needs. I need the speed myself and main reason to go to the P40+ plus was ISO and back speed. The one saving grace in MF is once you get in you can upgrade at a pretty good level without killing the bank. Right now is a prime example of getting a P40+ for maybe under 13k if you do it right a cheap P25 can be had for say 4k than the upgrade is 9900.00 to a brand new P40+ back which will last a LONG time. This really has helped me move up fairly quickly in backs and in less than 2 years from the ZD pretty impressive but maybe one too many backs in the process for me. I should have bought the P30+ in the first place over the P25+ which when I did make the purchase was a agonizing decision and in the end bought the P30+ anyway. Great case of making smart decisions here. I could have done it a little better but that is okay
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Boy, what a bunch of smug gear sluts! (I know'em 'cos I's one too.)

I'm very very happy with my Phase DF/P65+ (and too many lenses) Sony a900/a700 (and too many lenses) and recently acquired Leica X1 (and too few lenses)....but you know what?

When something totally new and different turns up, I'll be drooling with the rest of you. A gear slut is NEVER satisfied. (Happy, yes, but never satisfied.)

Satisfaction is a very temporary frame of mind.....

Bill
 

djonesii

Workshop Member
A comment to Guy --- I do this as a hobby. So in terms of frame rate ( speed ) I am my own boss. In terms of ISO (speed) I shoot the MF almost exclusively on X at ISO 50 anyway. If I need more light, I just crank them up. ( Ok, sometimes 100) I really do need to tether as the screen sucks!

If I'm moving outside the studio, its to shoot swim meets, or cowboys or some other fast moving things, if not fast moving, then far away. Thus the D300. The next Gen FX may be in my future.

Dave
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Okay, got my morning chores done and decided I'd add my comments for posterity. If I wrote everything I was thinking, it would be so long nobody would read it, so I'll give an extremely abbreviated version.

My P65+ generates more file than I really need for most of my imaging; I could have easily made do with the P40+ or even stayed with my P45+ and remained "satisfied" for quite a while. (No, I will not give a definite time-frame for the duration of that satisfaction!) But then it was the same when I shot 4x5 film and I still went on to 8x10 as well, so there you go. IMO there's always more satisfaction to be had from more image. And more justification.

We can niggle over the file traits of color and DR too -- as with everything else about the image, "more" here is usually better too. Better for what though? Our own satisfaction, our ability to justify the purchases, or some real measurable improvement to our images? I submit the former are more likely when we should be focusing on the latter...

Next we can wax poetic over lens traits. We love various characteristics such creamy Bokeh, smooth rendering, laser sharpness, roundness, or any of a dozen other terms that make us sound like wine snobs at a tasting convention. Heck, I've even heard "great plasticity" whatever the heck that means! Point is, we often use these traits to justify our purchases rather than a desire to put them to serious work for us.

My point is I think I have grown a little with age (finally). I now actually try and put the traits I tout to work for me to make better and better images. (Novel concept, I know, but admittedly not one I have always focused on myself...) The upside is I can actually see it working now, usually seeing results on multiple images from any given shoot, so get encouraged and continue pursue that track. And surprise, the more I pursue it, the more often it happens, and the more often I am satisfied with "what I already own" which is a good thing I think.

Of course then I sometimes get hit with an alternate reality --- like making a pretty nice image from a camera and lens that cost me half what a basic MF 80 prime would, all while using it on one of its in-camera jpeg setting :rolleyes:. That's when I start to wonder how important the gear is relative to artistic vision...

One recent MF shot I spent some time working and one recent 4/3rds cam shot basically straight out of the camera. Not really similar so you can't compare them, but I like them both pretty equally and one was a lot easier to make:




But I love my P65+

:D,
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Recently, it's been more about the smaller incidentals that have improved the use of what I already have.

RRS HD monopod QR head for the H4D/40, their base plates for the M9 so my QR system is all unified between cameras. The new Think Tank lens bag that has improved mobility with the H4D/40 or Sony. Camadapter hand straps with Arca QR and dual strap lugs. The little Quadra kit.

All of these have added functionality to existing gear and promoted more and varied use.

Due to the economic situation I've become more discerning about major MFD products ... it really has to be applicable to a need now, not just a whim.

The only thing I would currently like is the HC 35/90 lens. But as this year's wedding season is coming to a close, I'll probably wait.

-Marc
 

Wayne Fox

Workshop Member
My P65+ generates more file than I really need for most of my imaging
Interesting thread. I feel very similar to Guy and others ... I'm finally at a place where I have enough comfort with my equipment that I don't feel I'll be limited afterwards. (Mamiya 645DF/Alpa 12max/p65+ back)

Since my goal is large images (50" or larger), the key word in that phrase is "most". I will agree than perhaps 95% of the images I take, my 5Dmk2 or even my GF1 is more than enough. The problem is I don't always know when those other 5% are going to occur, and I've got way too many images taken in years past that just can't handle printing large. So I tend to shoot almost exclusively with MF ... sort of a better safe than sorry approach.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
One reason I went MF clients are making things very large with little control on my end. So I look at it as a CYA system.
 
Top