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Minmium commitment for MF digital?

danlindberg

Well-known member
Tiny & reasonably priced package. I could easily travel around the world and be happy with My Alpa TC, Schneider 35XL and Aptus II 5. Truckloads with feel och character. Ofcourse I must add - for my style of photography, it will not work for everyone.
 
Thanks for all the replies folks. I think for now the rational thing to do is hold off, but pay a lot more attention to the gear others are shooting with (and what the used market is doing.)

If/when it gets to be that time, I'll have a long talk with one of the vendors to make sure I'm starting off on the right foot.

I really appreciate your thoughts.
 

f8orbust

Active member
Whatever you decide, do your homework and shop around. It's a lot easier on the wallet to get into MF these days than it was even just a couple of years ago.

Take Dan's kit above:

The S/K 35mm in Alpa mount is a $2200 lens all day long based on the last few sales I've seen. Yes, people are still asking $3k+. They're in dream land, and unsurprisingly they are all still available.

Last TC I saw for sale on LuLa - $1300.

Leaf Aptus 22 - not the same model as Dan's, but still a really capable DB - about $2500 for a nice example on eBay.

So, total = $6k … for a really, really nice kit with lots of upgrade potential (the S/K is still - despite all the naysayers - a terrific lens on anything other than an 80MP back; in fact it's still a good lens on an 80MP back just so long as you don't try and shift it).

If you enjoy using MF on a technical camera - the slow, considered approach to shooting - nothing else comes close. Canikon could release a 100MP camera tomorrow and it wouldn't make a bit of difference; just like LF, it induces a different way of seeing - a zen thing if you like.

Ok, time to go sit under my pyramid.

Jim
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
Derek,

Another option is to join up with a medium format digital workshop/seminar. It will give you the opportunity to see and try a lot of different systems at the same time, compare workflows, and perhaps find a system that fits you.

Capture Integration in Carmel was just a few months back, and next year's event is looking at CI in Napa Valley.

:) ken
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
Dan
That little velcro tape to support the sync cable is a good idea .:thumbup:
I use velcro on all my bodies to hold the cable in place, simple and effective!

Whatever you decide, do your homework and shop around. It's a lot easier on the wallet to get into MF these days than it was even just a couple of years ago.

Take Dan's kit above:

The S/K 35mm in Alpa mount is a $2200 lens all day long based on the last few sales I've seen. Yes, people are still asking $3k+. They're in dream land, and unsurprisingly they are all still available.

Last TC I saw for sale on LuLa - $1300.

Leaf Aptus 22 - not the same model as Dan's, but still a really capable DB - about $2500 for a nice example on eBay.

So, total = $6k … for a really, really nice kit with lots of upgrade potential (the S/K is still - despite all the naysayers - a terrific lens on anything other than an 80MP back; in fact it's still a good lens on an 80MP back just so long as you don't try and shift it).

If you enjoy using MF on a technical camera - the slow, considered approach to shooting - nothing else comes close. Canikon could release a 100MP camera tomorrow and it wouldn't make a bit of difference; just like LF, it induces a different way of seeing - a zen thing if you like.

Ok, time to go sit under my pyramid.

Jim
Yes, agree to all above. Especially that the 35XL is an excellent lens for the right backs. I use mine a lot with great results.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Whatever you decide, do your homework and shop around. It's a lot easier on the wallet to get into MF these days than it was even just a couple of years ago.

Take Dan's kit above:

The S/K 35mm in Alpa mount is a $2200 lens all day long based on the last few sales I've seen. Yes, people are still asking $3k+. They're in dream land, and unsurprisingly they are all still available.

Last TC I saw for sale on LuLa - $1300.

Leaf Aptus 22 - not the same model as Dan's, but still a really capable DB - about $2500 for a nice example on eBay.

So, total = $6k … for a really, really nice kit with lots of upgrade potential (the S/K is still - despite all the naysayers - a terrific lens on anything other than an 80MP back; in fact it's still a good lens on an 80MP back just so long as you don't try and shift it).

If you enjoy using MF on a technical camera - the slow, considered approach to shooting - nothing else comes close. Canikon could release a 100MP camera tomorrow and it wouldn't make a bit of difference; just like LF, it induces a different way of seeing - a zen thing if you like.

Ok, time to go sit under my pyramid.

Jim
If you want to go MF tech then the TC with just the 35XL, especially with a crop factor back is AWESOME. However, full disclosure, I am biased ... :chug:
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
I have the strange feeling that MF camera gear is like vintage cars : if you are interested in how much they cost, stay away from them ...

Just my 1 dollarcent !

CU,
rafael
 

David Schneider

New member
I've traveled for weeks at a time in Europe and Peru/Bolivia with my XE1 and/or XE2. That's a different kind of travel gear than if traveling with my Canon 5Dmk3 or my Hassie H3D2-39.

If you are looking for vacation photos under 20", your Fuji X-Pro can deliver that (although for travel the XE1 and XE2 probably are easier bring).

I'm absolutely not saying you can't do wonderful travel photography with MFD. You certainly can. It just depends on how you travel, what you photograph, how you photograph.
 

Sarnia

New member
To save money on lenses I bought a secondhand, unmounted SK 47mm XL lens and then sent it to Alpa (who actually send the lenses to Schneider) to get it mounted. It cost around £1,100 to get the lens mounted but it can work out at around half the cost of a new lens.
 
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