Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim, I love my Linhof Color Kardan I bought for $250. It just feels good, though I generally only use it in the studio. I've used Sinar, Horseman, Cambo, own a Toyo ( I hate it). It is the Linhof that just feels smooth, silky, like focusing a Leica lens. I've been lusting after the Technikardan and the 612 Panorama camera. Perhaps the MasterKardan however is better for field work. My recent experience is that photos shot medium format are sharper than 4x5, probably because of the thin film base, so I generally use my Linhof with roll film back for product work now. And it is easy to bracket. Would be interesting to compare images shot MF and LF with appropriate lenses and see the difference. I remember seeing the Evercolor display at a photoconference and having real trouble seeing any difference between 35mm and 4x5 (Galen Rowell vs David Muench). But the Nikon booth had same Rowell image printed R or C and was trash by comparison. It made me realize that there is so much on film that separators and printers can't or won't bother to get onto paper, and the major reason to shoot larger formats was because of incompetence of color separators and printers. As for the reverse image, set the tripod low, straddle it facing backwards and bend over. Stretches the hamstrings at the same time!! Donal Philby Shasta Lake, California (where it is hot enough to melt emulsions)