On Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003, at 10:54 Europe/London, Bob Marchant wrote:
Jonathan Keenan wrote:-
How much pro stuff is shot on MF/5x4 digital backs simply to convince the client it's worth all that money and to polish the photographers ego?
A very seductive argument that willl appeal to all owners of 35mm bodied
digital cameras.
Allow me to indulge myself as devils advocate here. Firstly to put cards on table I should say I am a 1Ds user, having tested several MF backs.
I must admit I am still struggling to be at ease with working on a 35mm bodied digital. I miss the presence and air of professionalism mounting an RZ or Sinar gave the occasion of a shoot. This has been replaced by an exhilarating freedom akin to being reborn as a photographer.
Over the last few years, when I started scanning and so looking at things ever closer, I began to find ways of using the RZ more and replace the 35mm where possible. The greatest success wasn't to do with finding extra essential quality, great as that was, but with the presentation of bigger contact sheets to clients. A simple wow factor.
Of course the 4x5 or MF trans are better than the 35mm its a simple matter of size but newer emulsions made 35mm acceptable to stock libraries eventually, indicating their improvement in suitability to the marketplace. With digital the same is true. MF backs are better than 35mm bodied versions but the gap is closer. Its no longer size; its cooling and software and not much else. Ultimately they are better files, no doubt about it, but this is not like the old days of comparing a 35mm Velvia slide against a 6x7 or 4x5 and sneering or excusing the 35mm as 'creative'.
I have ignored multi shot and scanning backs as they are completely useless to me. I have not complicated my comments with obvious consideration of camera movements.
Without a doubt my 1Ds is better than my RZ in every respect apart from flash sync speeds and looking big and cool on a tripod. And I can live with that. There is a definite feeling that some sort of pecking order based on old assumptions is being developed as some way of protecting an imagined hierarchy in professional photography. Now more than ever we should be selling ourselves on the creativity not just the size of van needed to get to the shoot.
respect
Jonathan Keenan
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