Digital BW, The Print

Hi Robert,

> These are really good points...unfortunately...my family is all over the
> world and photos are now seen as jpegs on web pages and attached to
> email...so I have to deal with the digital overhead.

I completely understand!

> I think I'm about to buy a medium format and give that another
> try...in the
> past I haven't liked the inconvience of MF...but I've got several
> recommendations for the Mamiya 7II given my shooting preferences (handheld
> available light and mobile)...I'm going to rent one for a week
> long shoot in
> a couple of weeks.  Just got a 7000 to do BW work and would like
> to be able
> to exploit the extra real estate.

Two things made film great for me...one, a Jobo, and two, a Jobo ;-)  Once I
got my times down, it's literally put in the film and press the button...oh,
and I do have to load the chemicals before I press the button...

My BIGGEST issue with most MF is most don't have fast lenses, and most don't
focus close at all.  I shoot MF (and 35mm) mostly wide open, and end up
quite close in some circumstances, and mostly use B&W films with MF (Tri-X
and Plus-X/Delta 100).  It's also why I don't like zooms...they are too slow
for most of my work, and don't focus close enough (except with the Contax
AX...as it has a built-in 10mm extension).  You may find the same thing, if
you shoot in low light...  Hasselblad 20x(x) series can take a 110/2, and a
50/2.8...and they are the two fastest MF lenses around, and they are VERY
close focus.  There are a couple of other fast MF lenses...the 80/2.0 for
the Rollei 600x as well as one is available for the Contax 645 (but I don't
like the 645 format at all).  The 200x series Hasselblads and lenses are a
steal these days, IMO.  A camera I recently bought was a Plaubel Makina
670...which has an 80/2.8...and is the fastest folder I could find, and the
lense is supposedly superb (it's a Nikor).  I have not developed any film
from it though...yet.  For size, weight and great results Rollei TLRs are
really spectacular too...but not close enough focusing for me...don't know
how the Plaubel is at that yet.  I may be disappointed.

Regards,

Austin