Interested in MFD, Equipment suggestions

[bazooka]

Hey all, it's a been a loooooong time since I've posted here. A lot has happened since. I'm a full time artist now selling my landscape photography. It's been fantastic. Anywho.....

I've been shooting a 5d mk2 and am overall pleased with it, but I'm printing up to 50x38 on canvas now, and while I've even blown a 40D capture to that size and it looks decent, I want it to look stellar up close. I've done some stitching and am pleased with the result, but I just don't want to mess with it. I'd rather see the entire image in the viewfinder than having to imagine what it will look like, and not have to worry about parallax error or mis-matched focus.

So I'm interested in switching to MFD as my main rig. I've been reading a lot the past few days and am a little overwhelmed with both the prices and the options. Here is what I think I need, and what I think I don't need:

Landscape only and still life only.
I shoot from tripod always.
I could get by with manual focus, as I like to take my time with each shot.
Speed is not critical.
Usually shoot base ISO.
Ability to work with speedlights and leaf shutters a plus, but not mandatory.
I do a lot of post work in PS... masked contrast adjustments and such.
Shoot both color and B&W.
I might be getting wet and cold.
I'd like to have the option to upgrade to a higher res back later.
Have never worked with film.
Prefer used equipment.
I'd like to keep the price to less than $4k.

Is MFD for me, or would I be better off just doing what I'm doing and stitching two or three shots together for my big canvases? Will the difference in print quality at this price point be significant to justify the entry cost? If I had access to see some similar sized MF prints, I could compare them myself, but I don't have those kinds of connections right now. Should I start with an inexpensive ($500) film rig and see how I like it? I've looked at rental prices and they're in the thousands for these systems so that doesn't seem to be worth it. Advice? Any camera bodies & back recommendations?

 

[tirediron]

At 4K you're not even in the door. The current "entry level" MFD is the Pentax Z, which is around $10K, body only, and $2-5K per lens, depending on what you want. You could go the route "converting", buying say a Mamiya RB67 or 645 AFD w/ lenses for <$2000 and then $6-8K for a used digital back, but that's probably not going to put you ahead of your current rig, or not by enough to make it worth the investment.

 

[Patrice Lanteigne]

Not quite along the lines you were thinking of but for $4000 you could get a medium format 645 or 6x7 body, a couple of lenses, plus the whatnots necessary to develop colour positive film. You then use a magnifier and light table to select an image to enlarge and send that for a good drum scan. You are now back in the digital realm, where you are comfortable, but in medium format.

I sometimes shoot slide 6x6 and process at home and digitize at home on a flatbed high res scanner.

 

[Gary A.]

I just put together an 6x8 system. It is a Fuji 680II. A very good condition body, two backs, three lenses, eye level finder and the latest and greatest Epson v850 scanner all for about $3,000. The Fuji is a huge and heavy studio type camera. The Fuji has built-in tilt and swing and can accept a digital back. For another $500 you can get a dedicated MF Plustek film scanner.

The Fuji sans back. (iPhone photo)

 

[bazooka]

Tired, that's about what I figured. Is it practical to get a 645 w/ film back, shoot b&w, develop and scan myself, and be ahead of my current system at least on the B&W side of things? Or it just better to stitch?

 

[bazooka]

Or hope that Canon comes out with higher resolution FF system like Nikon has with the 800.

 

[bazooka]

Sorry for chain posting, but what about the Pentax 645D? It's a built-in sensor, but would it be a huge upgrade in image quality? And only $4500. Also was looking at the Leica monochrome for about the same price.

 

[AKUK]

Canon are coming out with a 50MP sensor in the Canon 5Ds and 5Ds R. That's some pretty big resolution right there!

 

[bazooka]

Canon are coming out with a 50MP sensor in the Canon 5Ds and 5Ds R. That's some pretty big resolution right there!

YESSS!!!!! Thank you so much for this. I also see they'll release a filter-free version. Gonna start saving up!

 

[AKUK]

No problem. Yup, saving would be a good idea. I suspect they won't come cheap. At least the same price as the MKIII or a touch higher, at least initally.