I like formats larger than 35mm. I am also an admitted equipment-holic.
This dangerous combination has resulted in my owning a different camera for
nearly every occasion. While I do have a Canon digital system, it is used for only a few specialty purposes. I don't own a 35mm camera. For landscape, macro, and general-purpose
use, I use medium or large format cameras. The vast improvement in quality over
35mm is quickly apparent, and quite honestly I don't see a good reason for a
methodical and quality-conscious landscape photographer not to choose a
larger format.
Some of my cameras such as Canon 1Ds have elsewhere been reviewed
extensively. These reviews are easily found, and I won't bother to reiterate
that information here. Instead, I'd like to provide reviews of my most-used cameras,
information about them being much less common. These are cameras with which I'm
comfortable and familiar, and which I enjoy using or I wouldn't continue to own
them…for this latter reason, these reviews will necessarily be mostly
positive. I'll give reasons why I like these cameras, and why I suggest them to
others who are also interested in landscape photography. I'm enthusiastic about
my choices, and will be happy to answer questions by email
if you care to write.
In the following pages, I review five cameras: Contax 645, Fuji GX680III, Linhof
617 S III, Fuji GX617, and Ebony SV45U2. Each has its time and place, which is fortunate
since it's not possible to carry all of them at once! My gallery photographs
each indicate the camera and lens used; in most cases, it will be one of these
five.
I have now added a Canham MQC 5x7 camera and 617 rollfilm back to my equipment system. This is primarily to allow me to use long lenses for 617-format panoramas, as well as to obtain movements such as tilt and swing with any lens. Review is forthcoming!