> The last thing I'll be is disappointed if the Betterlight really is
> the answer. I'm going to have a big party the day I put my dark
> slides on ebay.
Paul:
I'm a big scanning back fan and this post really caught my eye.
While Better Light might not be the right brand for you, a scanning
back for large format could change your life for the better. However,
Kigamo may be a better choice than Better Light because it's
software is more tuned in to long exposures. Sadly, there are so
few of these units in use that it's hard to get opinions on them.
>
> I take your point about a large capture area and being able to use
> wide angle lenses on 5x4 cameras. I'm interested that you use one for
> architectural work and curious how they work in practice.
In practice, it's like a film holder ("dark slide" in British) with a cable
coming out of it. Inside the holder is a tiny hi-rez scanner. You'll
see it when you clean it. It presents software very much like a high-
end scanner and must be driven from a tethered computer. I use a
PhaseOne PowerPhase with a Mac Wallstreet.
> In my very limited knowledge of these backs aren't the scanning times
> typically minutes?
In many of the pictures on your website, the scanning time would
be three or four minutes, but in others like those low light
cityscapes, it could be twenty or twenty five minutes. Bring a book!
But remember, there is no loading or unloading of holders and no
trips to the lab. And although the software requires a bit of
knowledge and effort to learn, you'll find that once you get the hang
of it, you'll be able to deliver files straight from the camera.
> So would it be possible to shoot, say: A riverside building with a
> boat sailing past? Or an exterior in a city with people and traffic
> constantly going by?
Blurred motion looks a bit different with a scanning back than it
does with a time exposure, but it's not impossible. Of course, you
may not like the look the back provides and that counts too.
BTW...every picture on my current website is made with a
scanning back except my self-portrait on the information page.
Brian Yarvin
Photography from Edison, NJ
http://www.brianyarvin.com
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