Re: [KOML] Some of the Competition...

[jeff teich <jteich@ameritech.net>]

Sorry Eric,  Did not know CAPS on internet was shouting,  looks better without
my trifocals on, just lazy that night when I wrote this.
      The only time you have a choice to use German Glass is view camera work.
In Med Format
by the prime manufacture's equipment you do not have a choice. Unless you
greatly modify by expert machine shop magic, then and only then you will be
able to put on German glass. Plus it will not fully function,  meant only for
a special set up shot, mostly studio. I have seen some Rube Goldberg
engineered projects on certain cameras that were very exotic, but were not
suited for every day shooting.  

> For the most part, the commercial professional world I've known all works
> with chromes; it's the only way to maintain an absolute color reference and
> the dynamic range is more suited to reproduction. But if you're making
> prints for families, then I guess negative's the way to go.

This is where graphic houses have the commercial photogs by the balls. The
tail wags the dog. 
Many graphic houses are to lazy to work from a neg. The main reason is by you
supplying the
original chrome, the graphic house says we matched the original, they do not
want to make the
finite adjustments. With a neg they have bust their balls to zero out and come
up with a good
product. Since the commercial photog will give them a decent exposed and
corrected original
they have very little to do.  Better for them max's their bottom line. They
make the photog jump thru hoops to provide the perfect original. So we have to
bracket shoot & run snip tests which triple our costs.
Case in point. Recently  a few of us decided to test the custom labs here, we
set up a studio still life using a macbeth color test chart [in picture],
flowers, vise and some color paper sample kit. Shot it with the same emulsion
chrome film. Basically locked down camera & strobes shoot 25 rolls and sent
one roll to five different labs on monday then tuesday and for the rest of the week.
when we received all the processed film we laid out each roll by lab and day processed.
We were very suprised to see how the color shifts from lab to lab and how each
lab compared by  
themselves on a daily basis. One set was sent to a local camera store and had
Kodak process one
set. Only one custom lab was consistent, Kodak came in second the other custom
labs were all
over the place.    
>> 
> Well that's a strange one... here in Boston we have no problem with E6.
> Still fine labs in NYC and LA as well. Maybe you need to ship your film out
> or state?
>Sorry I do not have to tell you of the horror stories about sending out ,
that is why many of the photogs I know will not ever send out their film to be
processed and will not ever send out one
of their originals, unless the client will sign a contract for a min of $1700
to $ 2500 for damage loss. 
>  
> Here again, you're running against the tide I know. I don't know of anyone
> who would characterize Mamiya lenses as "coke bottles" but to each their
> own! They are used by many, many highly skilled and very well known
> photographers all over the world and I have seen some wonderful images from
> them, but then again I've seen wonderful images from all kinds of cameras.
> It's really much more about matching the character of the equipment to the
> nature of the assignment...
>
  Are we talking about a Kick Ass  Image or the Techno Nerd Specs. I think you
& I have seen 
enough images that are great, but they could been better  on the tech side.
   
> Well, I personally kinda feel like cameras are for making pictures and not
> for investing. If your interested in making some good investments, sell your
> Hassies and put the money into a good technology fund, you'll do much
> better... 8-). I gave up on Hassies years ago, they are just about the least
> ergonomic camera you could possibly use...
   
        No,  not selling my toys, been using blads since late 50's and over
the years the pile seems to get bigger. Between myself and my partner we can
own a Mercedes Dealership. As a Lefty there isn't a camera outfit that I used
, that I had to modify, by bracket or handle/grip or gizmo. 
 
>I don't want to speak for Carl but from what I remember reading I think the
> reflex viewing played a big part in his decision.

  Judging from what Carl W 3 stated what he owned, mostly reflexes, I agree.

Regards,   Jeff Teich