Is 4x5 worth the effort

MartyNL said:
So, what's to love and what's to hate (not to love so much) about your T90?

And a Happy New Year!
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It had the well known issue of the shutter not working and throwing an error code. I seem to have fixed it but cannot be 100% sure.

If you have time to kill, Andreas Thaler shows his work on fixing a number of T90 errors here. He's quite the technician.

Otherwise, it's a cracking camera and feels really good in the hand. Also its shutter sounds like the camera on 'Girls on film' by Duran Duran so that's a good a reason as any to keep it
 
Nas said:
This morning was nice and crisp. I decided to take my 10x8 Intrepid out for some fresh air. Using this folding cart makes lugging big kit a lot more comfortable than on my back. Four sheets exposed. Was it worth the extra effort over medium format? It was for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now to develop the sheets which is yet more fun . Wishing you all a happy and creative New Year 2026.
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How do you like that Eckla carryall? Does it wheel on the beach? Any issues? How's the seat?
 
moggi1964 said:
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Otherwise, it's a cracking camera and feels really good in the hand. Also its shutter sounds like the camera on 'Girls on film' by Duran Duran so that's a good a reason as any to keep it
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Wasn't that the Nikon F3 with the MD-4 motor drive ?

Agree the T90's a nice camera to use .
The only issue I occasionally have is with the sticky magnets that respond well to a bashing on a carpeted floor . ;)
 
In answer to the original question on is 5x4 worth it , sure , why not .
I shoot 135 fill and full frame digital .
120 SLRs and TLRs.
5x4 and 7x5 , and I'm in the process of modifying another camera for 10x8 .
The sheet film cameras I use are really for how the images look as much as the pleasure I get from using them and developing the film rather than just image quality alone.

I've also just got for Christmas the Lomography Instax back which I think I'll enjoy using .
For film I prefer to use B&W , and nly occasionally using colour in 135 & 120 .
But I will be using colour Instax for a different result .
 
Alan Klein said:
How do you like that Eckla carryall? Does it wheel on the beach? Any issues? How's the seat?
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I like it so far. I haven't taken it to the beach but over bumpy terrain it's perfect compared to say a four wheeled cart with smaller wheels. The thing you need to be careful with is remembering to remove the pins before trying to fold it because the brackets which hold the pins are thin metal and can be easily bent. The seat is fine but I haven't really used it. I'm not a heavy guy so I can't speak to how well it might cope with someone larger than myself. The rack along the top bar is handy for securing my tripod. I bought this cart used and it came with the bar but I think it's an optional accessory.
 
This is what it’s all about for me. Contact print from a 10x8 neg I exposed and developed the previous day. From camera to print without going anywhere near a computer.

To answer the original question, was it worth all the effort? For me, yes. A fantastic experience. Will I enlarge this? Most likely not. Could I have shot this on a smaller format? 5x4? Of course, but that would be a different experience and not what I felt like that day. I used some front swing and none of my medium format cameras have that ability.
12 inch Golden Dagor lens
Fomapan 400 @ 200
Developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 7.5 mins.
 

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Nas said:
This is what it’s all about for me. Contact print from a 10x8 neg I exposed and developed the previous day. From camera to print without going anywhere near a computer.

To answer the original question, was it worth all the effort? For me, yes. A fantastic experience. Will I enlarge this? Most likely not. Could I have shot this on a smaller format? 5x4? Of course, but that would be a different experience and not what I felt like that day. I used some front swing and none of my medium format cameras have that ability.
12 inch Golden Dagor lens
Fomapan 400 @ 200
Developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 7.5 mins.
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Lovely image, Nas!
 
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Nas said:
This is what it’s all about for me. Contact print from a 10x8 neg I exposed and developed the previous day. From camera to print without going anywhere near a computer.

To answer the original question, was it worth all the effort? For me, yes. A fantastic experience. Will I enlarge this? Most likely not. Could I have shot this on a smaller format? 5x4? Of course, but that would be a different experience and not what I felt like that day. I used some front swing and none of my medium format cameras have that ability.
12 inch Golden Dagor lens
Fomapan 400 @ 200
Developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 7.5 mins.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you were very impressed by the 12" Gold rim Dagor. My own 1940/1 12" Dagor (Goerz Am Opt) was free with a 10x8 camera, and supposedly useless, yes the Compound shutter had issues, a very quick fix, the slow speed control piston just needed a CLA. Less than a minute's work, you don't have to disassemble the shutter - if it's a Compound.

I was stunned when I held my first 10x8negative, which was made with my 12" Dagor.

Ian
 
martin henson said:
The other day I was listening to a former professional photographer. He argued that there’s no point in bothering with 4 × 5 format, stick with medium format instead. The marginal gain in quality isn’t worth the hassle of lugging a bulky folding camera, lenses, film holders, and a tripod. You can pick up a medium‑format system for about the price of a single 4 × 5 lens. I’d love to hear what you think about his take on this
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Hi M,
Before getting an MPP 5x4, and before I got into large format photography, I bought a 1/2 plate De Vere enlarger, as it looked just great, with chains and endless belows. My best friend said that he had bought a wooden Kodak 1/2 camera, what a coincidence.
Anyway, he loaned me the camera, and I studied photography in all of it's forms, as I was having a great time learning.
Carrying this wooden camera, and old Manfrotti tripod and 6x films, was pretty uncomfortable, but walking through the New Forest, looking for shots, was absolutely worth the 'pain' and it certainly concentrated my mind to set everything up, Weston light meter, Cooke and Schneider-Kreuznach lenses and aperture and exposure.

I have since bought digital cameras and really don't like them, for all of their brilliance and too many menus to understand, they take the pleasure out of photography for me, so now I hardly take a photo these days.

C.
 
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Camerart said:
Hi A,
Interesting, it would be better to see it live and blown up though.
C
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I agree. I have some big prints here. If you are ever in the Vale of Pickering, feel free to call in and take a look at them...:)
I should say that several experienced photographers have looked at them and can't tell the difference between 6x7 and 5x4 in terms of grain, sharpness and general tonality.
 
It isn't one persons place to tell another person what medium they should use.
 
lharby said:
It isn't one persons place to tell another person what medium they should use.
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Not sure if you are referring to me but if you are you have misunderstood what I've been saying. Martin asked if there was any difference in image quality between 5x4 and medium format. I've simply been saying that in my experience there isn't. I have certainly not said that everyone should forget 5x4 and switch to medium format. If you read the thread you will see that I said I still use 5x4 myself. Because I like the movements.
 
Nas said:
This morning was nice and crisp. I decided to take my 10x8 Intrepid out for some fresh air. Using this folding cart makes lugging big kit a lot more comfortable than on my back. Four sheets exposed. Was it worth the extra effort over medium format? It was for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now to develop the sheets which is yet more fun . Wishing you all a happy and creative New Year 2026.
Click to expand...
Hey, what do you call the rig with the container strapped to the transporter? I think that might be useful for me. Is it something you buy as a whole unit?
 
Alan Clark said:
Not sure if you are referring to me but if you are you have misunderstood what I've been saying. Martin asked if there was any difference in image quality between 5x4 and medium format. I've simply been saying that in my experience there isn't. I have certainly not said that everyone should forget 5x4 and switch to medium format. If you read the thread you will see that I said I still use 5x4 myself. Because I like the movements.
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OK the thread title is "Is 4x5 worth the effort" - YES!

If the question is, is there a difference between MF and LF - YES!

If it's about the merits of one over the other then *snore* , but either way my initial statement stands. Each person should choose the right tool for the right job that suits them.

Ah yes sorry Alan, I re-read your response above. I was simply responding to the entire thread although I am late to the party. No offence intended.
 
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Of course each person should choose the right tool for the right job that suits them. Why wouldn't they? But that wasn't your initial statement. Your initial statement was "It isn't one persons place to tell another person what medium to use." Well, of course it isn't. But nobody on here was trying to do that.
 
Alan Clark said:
I agree. I have some big prints here. If you are ever in the Vale of Pickering, feel free to call in and take a look at them...:)
I should say that several experienced photographers have looked at them and can't tell the difference between 6x7 and 5x4 in terms of grain, sharpness and general tonality.
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Hi A,
Be careful of what you suggest ;)
C.
 
Ian Grant said:
I'm assuming you were very impressed by the 12" Gold rim Dagor.
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Hey Ian, the 12 inch Dagor I used has a gold dot, not a gold rim. I do have a gold rim version but it’s not in shutter. So far so good but I need to do some comparison shots against other lenses to see if it’s anything special. So far so good. I also need to get the Ilex shutter CLA’d. The slow speeds aren’t happy in the cold.
 
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