Digital BW, The Print

>I am at last prepared to admit the larger film format offers a route
>directly into superior quality ...

Yes, as do a whole lot of other factors.  The use of a tripod being at the
top of my list.

So, here is my first camera recommendation -- stick with a leaf shutter so
that you can use the lightest, cheapest tripod (and thus one you'll much
more likely carry with you on your belt).  I clip an old Slik 800 on the
belt, and my forest of expensive tripods stays at home.  The focal-plane
shutters are inherently prone to vibration.  The leaf-shuttered medium
format cameras can achieve top sharpness with the lightest of tripods.

The second issue that is often overlooked is the film flatness problems
medium format cameras have.  An SL66 outfit was my main system for years.
However, the film "remembers" the reverse-curl those film backs put in the
next frame.  If the film as sat for more than a minute on frame X, you can
forget about maximum sharpness on frame X+1.  As a consequence, I shot only
every other frame.  With B&W and doing my own processing, the results were
worth the cost.

The weight of the SL66 outfit caused me to go with a Rollei TLR for a while.
I had an F and then/now a GX.  I really like the GX.  However, it's a
one-lens (80) outfit and film flatness is still an issue.  The GX is
probably going to be sold soon.

I now have 2 rangefinders -- Fuji 645 Zi and Bronica RF 645.  Both of these
keep the film flat enough that it's no longer an issue.  I can shot them
like 35's and not worry about it.  Since I am gravitating to Tech Pan for
landscapes (relatively expensive and the subject of a separate post -- soon)
the 16 frames per roll (or 15 if I decide to leave a little more room on the
leaders) is much appreciated.  The Bronica 135 mm lens is marginal up close,
but great for landscapes.

The Fuji Zi lens at 90 mm focuses to 1 meter and is really quite good (wide
open is about as good as f 22).  The close-focusing, built-in flash for
filling-in the shadows in outside portraits makes the Zi the camera I take
when I'm going to be with family and doing snaps and portraits.  With T400CN
in it, the Zi is an amazingly good travel and "no-hassle" camera, with
adequate manual controls to handle virtually any situation that is within
it's lens range (55 - 90).  This camera is probably the most capable camera
per gram (& pound -- both weight and perhaps cost) that I've ever used.
And, as with the tripod, the best camera is the one you have with you when
you need it.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com