Have any experience in a studio? Yes? No? Doesn’t matter. You should give 4×5 a try. It’s addictive.
In this video, Willem Verbeeck shoots large format for the first time. Verbeeck loaded some Ilford HP5 in the holders and gave it a go. It was entertaining to see him carefully go through the steps of shooting large format, having done that enough myself and still walking through the steps out loud just the same as I did on my first frame. After their portrait session, he went through some Kodak Portra 400 in his Mamiya RZ67, the younger cousin of the RB67.
As someone who is still only at the beginning stage of shooting 4×5 in a studio, I found this video quite encouraging. I’ve only completely worked through two boxes of sheets and part way through a few others with every intention to continue on. The amount of detail you can get with large format is just unreal, far and above more than what’s needed for even an 8×10 or 11×14 print. The attribute that keeps pulling me back is in fact not the resolution, but the ability to adjust the front standard to get an angled plane of focus (I’m using a press camera, so no rear movements). I’m just a sucker for it.
Do you have any experience with 4×5 to share? Please share any advice and/or work.