Digital BW, The Print

Lil,

These are great little cameras to fiddle with and explore. Unfortunately you
are facing a rather dangerous situation.

You see 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 isn't very big. You'll start liking the pictures you
get back, especially if you start shooting some colour transparency roll
film. I have a friend who has what sounds like the same lens on his mini
speed graphic - and old as it is, he shoots the most sublime colour
landscapes with it. You'll find you enjoy being able to tweak the
perspective, or give your image almost infinite depth of field - even with
the limited movements you have.

Before you know it you will want more movements - and if you are going for
that, why not go a bit bigger. So you will get a 4x5. And when you get back
your first transparency and pop it on the light table - OMG - it's so big!
and all that detail and it.. glows..... Then one day someone will show you a
transparency from their 8x10 - Holy Cow! And you try out the camera, pop
your head under the dark cloth and there is this big computer monitor sized
piece of ground glass with the picture on it - wow... and before you know
it, the "little" 4x5 is abandoned in a dark lonely cupboard and you have a
nice big 8x10 (you don't want to sell the 4x5 because maybe one day you will
need something "light and small" to carry.... for that round the world trip
you plan one day.

Trouble is, you are out photographing one day and you come across this guy
heaving out a great big 11x14 camera from the back of his pickup (that's
what those guys use for camera bags) all glowing polished wood and brass -
and he plonks it on this massive wooden tripod with a head that looks like
it's made from old T34 tank parts. He only has three film holders because
those suckers are $500.00 each... and the film - you don't even want to
think about it.....

Sadly, I'm already up to 8x10  :-)

tim