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Old 13th February 2010, 11:43 AM
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Default Do you carry multiple camera's ?

I wonder how others get on with owning/using different formats but in particular whether it's possible to use them successfully on the same outing?

I spent many years carrying around 35mm and medium format just in case a particular situation favored one outfit over the other but it would always lead to one of the following situations:

1) It was cold and damp and I had the 35mm round my neck so 90% of the shots were taken handheld with this camera while the medium format kit sat in my bag.

2) After using the medium format outfit I'd try different compositions with the 35mm, usually with longer or wider lenses just in case I hadn't covered all possible options.

3) I'd shoot with the 35mm on the tripod, mirror up & cable release etc then realise I should be using the medium format for that sort of work. Similarly I'd then go off and shoot a heavy rollfilm SLR handheld and struggle with depth of field and shutter speeds.

For the past 12 months I've managed to carry just one camera for each trip (usually with a single lens) and the pictures have improved noticeably. I no longer have to make too many decisions and concentrate on composition first with aperture and shutter speed a distant second. If I don't have the right lens for a particular shot then I just shoot something else but strangely enough I don't find myself feeling limited?

I'd be interested if any of you can juggle multiple systems successfully.

Steve
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Old 13th February 2010, 12:01 PM
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I do - mainly 35mm and 6x7. Owning a Mamiya 7ii helps though as they are easy and light to carry around. I was out yesterday with this mixed gear on board but used the 35mm most of the time - however sometimes it will be the other way around. I tend to identify subjects and use 35mm or 6x7 accordingly. Also I pack my bag according to what I am doing - sometimes out goes the MF camera and the XPAN is taken instead. Also when I need to cut down on gear (flying for example) I will just take the XPAN - in short there are no hard and fast rules with this for me as I like to keep options open. But I do agree with you and you have to be careful not to take too much otherwise it can become a complicated operation. My wife does the opposite to me and shoots 35mm all the time and is not in the least bit interested in trying anything else!

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Last edited by B&W Neil; 13th February 2010 at 01:14 PM. Reason: typo
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Old 13th February 2010, 12:04 PM
FredWelch FredWelch is offline
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Only on very rare occasions in the past have I carried both 135 and MF cameras. Nowadays I only take one camera out with and it's always the MF. I love MF so much that I seem to have almost fallen out with 135.
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Old 13th February 2010, 12:48 PM
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Not normally as I tend to prefer to use just one format at a time. But I did go out with my 4x5 and 8x10 cameras recently to do some portraits. The session was quite successful and I was able to switch between the formats quite easily. But because of the logistics of transporting this gear it is something I will not be doing on a regular basis
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Old 13th February 2010, 01:15 PM
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Trevor, you must have muscles where the rest of us are afraid to look

Neil.
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Old 13th February 2010, 01:47 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I tend to take only one camera with m , either 135 or medium format,it depends on the mood I'm in or the type of photographs I am taking, although I have been known to take both my rolleiflef and one of my 35mm folders, but if I do take 2 I would tend to use the rolleiflef as I love the square negative Richard
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Old 13th February 2010, 02:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B&W Neil View Post
Trevor, you must have muscles where the rest of us are afraid to look

Neil.
Not as arduous as it may seem Neil. I only had to carry the gear a few yards, certainly not something I would wish or indeed could carry around the countryside
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Old 13th February 2010, 02:34 PM
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A major issue I have is with mixing different aspect ratio's in a series of prints, which is most obvious when shooting square format alongside 35mm. I much prefer portfolios to have a common look and feel, ideally from the same camera if possible, but if prints are kept small enough then a 35mm print can sit alongside the rectangular rollfilm formats.

My issue is probably with ease of use IE. I'm tempted to shoot with the quickest handling camera then move on to the next location. I tried using a Mamiya 645 alongside 4x5 and it only took a bit of wind or a non planar composition to have me reaching for the 645 every time.

If a go out for a day long shoot with a single camera I quickly fall into it's way of working and concentrate on the scene before me. Although I can see advantages to 35mm I usually end up carrying an Agfa Isolette or Yashica Mat as I love the large negatives and the square format takes away the decision about orientation which is one less thing to think about

Steve
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Old 13th February 2010, 02:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Crone View Post
Not as arduous as it may seem Neil. I only had to carry the gear a few yards, certainly not something I would wish or indeed could carry around the countryside
Trevor, ah, not too bad then

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Old 13th February 2010, 07:31 PM
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I used to but now it's just one camera at a time - often with just one lens (and never more than three). At the moment my favourites are a 135mm lens on a 35mm camera or a 50mm lens with a medium format camera. I can't explain the lack of logic there!


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