Large format setup costs

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So I have promised myself that if I manage to shoot some film this year, get consistency nailed and get some good shots, then I might look to invest in some large format kit. I'm in love with the watery qualities that you can see in photographs such as the Taylor Wessing winner this year (the female Jockey).

I don't even know where I'd start looking, but it's not something I want to spend too much time researching just yet.

Just as a rough figure, what kind of outlay would I be looking to make in order to get a setup for shooting large format portraits? Just so I know if this is a one year pipe dream... a three year pipe dream... or a ten year pipe dream!

I know there are a huge amount of variants, but something suitable for beginners that isn't too precious. And something that will mean I can shoot polaroids.
 
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There must be a few LF TPers in your area who could maybe show you the ropes.
 
I cant help on polaroids but I have 2 lf cameras with a selection of lenses and paid around £150 for the camera and (135mm) lens. 135mm may be a little wide for portraits (though I have had some acceptable family ones with this focal length) and you may want to look a a 210mm lens but again can be picked up for around £100. Say £40 max for a box of portra (cheaper if shooting black and white) and you are pretty much set but don't forget a cheap cable release, a darkcloth (or alternatively a black t shirt is fine) and a loupe. My set up cost no more than £300 all in and is good enough for me.
 
Nguss said:
I cant help on polaroids but I have 2 lf cameras with a selection of lenses and paid around £150 for the camera and (135mm) lens. 135mm may be a little wide for portraits (though I have had some acceptable family ones with this focal length) and you may want to look a a 210mm lens but again can be picked up for around £100. Say £40 max for a box of portra (cheaper if shooting black and white) and you are pretty much set but don't forget a cheap cable release, a darkcloth (or alternatively a black t shirt is fine) and a loupe. My set up cost no more than £300 all in and is good enough for me.
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Wow, that's an awful lot cheaper than I was expecting!

I guess I'd like to find a lens around the 35mm equivalent of 85mm, if that makes sense.
 
think my set up costs came in around the 500 mark for camera light meter darkslides and processing kit. The main expense with 5x4 is the film so if your upto speed wth processing its a worthwhile upgrade if not id say get used to working with med format and doing your own processing before making the leap
 
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dave clayton said:
think my set up costs came in around the 500 mark for camera light meter darkslides and processing kit. The main expense with 5x4 is the film so if your upto speed wth processing its a worthwhile upgrade if not id say get used to working with med format and doing your own processing before making the leap
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I'm not interested in doing the processing myself to be honest. I'm happy just sending it away, the developing and printing doesn't appeal.
 
CharlotteM said:
Wow, that's an awful lot cheaper than I was expecting!

I guess I'd like to find a lens around the 35mm equivalent of 85mm, if that makes sense.
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Let me know if you are still interested and I will ask locally at the shop I get my kit from as they sometimes give me a slight discount as I have bought a fair few things form them if you like. As for focal length then you are probably looking at 210mm ish lenses though the perspective is a bit different in terms of the 5x4 ratio.
 
Nguss said:
Let me know if you are still interested and I will ask locally at the shop I get my kit from as they sometimes give me a slight discount as I have bought a fair few things form them if you like. As for focal length then you are probably looking at 210mm ish lenses though the perspective is a bit different in terms of the 5x4 ratio.
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Cool thanks! Like I said, probably some time before I invest, I just need to know roughly how much to set aside over the next year or so.
 
Oops and I forgot to factor scanning into the equation though I already had a scanner. That will depend on how many you scan and the quality you require. Mt flatbed is fine for most stuff but some things I like to send away.
 
Nguss said:
Oops and I forgot to factor scanning into the equation though I already had a scanner. That will depend on how many you scan and the quality you require. Mt flatbed is fine for most stuff but some things I like to send away.
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Yes, I'm just looking at that now. It seems about £5 dev + £5 scanning seems to be a ballpark.
 
my setup cost was

Wista field camera with 150mm lens £600
90mm lens £300 ish i think
i think the general rule is to divide by 3 to get the full frame equiv

1degree spot meter £140 but you can get them cheaper now
7 x film cartridges, i think they were about £20 each but theyre like oxygen and bullets, you can never have too many of them

factor in a decent tripod and not a flimsy £40 special from jessops or wherever
film - £30ish a box for B&W £40ish for colour no idea how much LF polaroids are!
darkcloth for focusing out in the sun, i just got a meter of black velvet from the local fabric shop and an elastic band to strap it on the camera :)
a decent loupe for focussing

Never tried portraits with it but would love to. I would seriously think about processing yourself. I brought back 35 negs from xmas and sent them off and it cost £120 I usually do them myself in small batches but just couldnt face the effort of doing that many. But having a string of 5x4's drying does look lovely :)
 
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essexash said:
my setup cost was

Wista field camera with 150mm lens £600
90mm lens £300 ish i think
i think the general rule is to divide by 3 to get the full frame equiv

1degree spot meter £140 but you can get them cheaper now
7 x film cartridges, i think they were about £20 each but theyre like oxygen and bullets, you can never have too many of them

factor in a decent tripod and not a flimsy £40 special from jessops or wherever
film - £30ish a box for B&W £40ish for colour no idea how much LF polaroids are!
darkcloth for focusing out in the sun, i just got a meter of black velvet from the local fabric shop and an elastic band to strap it on the camera :)
a decent loupe for focussing

Never tried portraits with it but would love to.
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Out of interest, what do you shoot with your camera if you don't shoot portraits? I'm not sure what else I'd shoot with mine! Portraits, nudes, that kind of thing!

See you're in Chelmsford - we should get a coffee sometime!
 
landscapes and macro, yeah if you ever wanted to check the gear out to see if you like the thought of it then by all means, LF is lovely but it does have its quirks. I keep saying im going to flog it all but when it comes down to it there's just nothing like it when you get a good image out of it :)
 
essexash said:
LF is lovely but it does have its quirks. I keep saying im going to flog it all but when it comes down to it there's just nothing like it when you get a good image out of it :)
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I completely agree with this, every time I think I am fed up with both medium format or large format, I get a slide or negative back and then decide that I am wrong. Digital is a lot easier for me to get half decent results, but large format portraits I think look stunning when done properly, the depth of field in particular along with the colour rendition and dynamic range of films like Portra look incredible in the right hands (i.e. not mine).

A digital camera could be used as a light meter although I used an old zeiss ikophot meter for ages, which I managed to get acceptable results with, even on side film.
 
For portraits your best bet is a monorail, because of all the people out there going don't buy a monorail buy a wooden field camera this means that many go for next to nothing and they are far more suited for portraits anyway.

It should be entirely possible to get a basic set up for between 300 - 500

MrCad in London often ave scruffy but entirely useable Monorails for around 150 and this at Peter Walnes would probably be a good buy.

I have a small mountain of Sinar bits and could certainly loan you a some what scruffy F and a few lenses for some months at least if you want to experiment.
 
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