New 4x5 Lenses, Embracing Digital, and Three Assignments 

I'm from Russia I don't understand anything in your videos. I am writing this comment using Google Translate)) But every video of yours makes me happy! Examples of your photographs inspire, even without knowing the language) 👍🔥THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK! YOU TAKE PHOTOS WITH MEANING INSIDE

Get a small flash like a Godox AD200 a small soft box and a collapsible stand and you will get better flash images and with a super small foot print. It will drastically improve your work.

I think for assignments or important projects sending to a lab makes sense. For everything else processing at home is fine. I’m working on a long term project but I have time to go back and remake photos if I mess up home developing. Thanks for sharing your process!

Yeah man, that 135mm seems like a great fit for you. Those two roadside landscapes in the 90 and 135 are so drastically different. The 135 version is excellent. If it ain't broke...!

I kind of fell out of love with my 90mm when I started shooting more with my 135mm. It wasn't as fast as yours but just as comically large.

Take my comment with a grain of salt, as I do not currently shoot any 4x5 large format. I had done some serious research about it though, after Intrepid released their Mk 5 version of their field camera. They make a very decent camera, especially for someone who hasn't shot large format before, and it was a compelling case. However, after doing my research about lenses, I determine that decent wide angle lenses are very tricky to shoot, and very expensive to cover 4x5. They're also generally quite big and bulky, unless you suffer with the f/8 versions, as you know. I think for me, my sweet spot for lenses was a 2-lens system consisting of 135mm f/5.6 and 210mm f/5.6 lenses from Fujinon. These lenses are plentiful, decently made, allow a reasonable amount of movements, and can be found for prices under $200 for the 135mm, and under $300 for the 210mm, depending on the shutter they're attached to. These lenses provide both slightly wide-normal and short-portrait focal lengths, and they will not cause any focusing issues with the standard bellows on any folding 4x5 camera.

I was one of the other photographers on the home wine making story! I've been watching your videos for a bit too so that's nice.

Between old cars and their owners on up to NYT assignments, you got the goods for sure. Enjoy your content!

My 90mm has been sitting on my shelf for over a year

I really enjoy your vulnerable style of videos. It's great to hear your thoughts on your assignments too, even the things you felt didn't go so well. Thanks for another video; they're always inspiring me to try to shoot more and with purpose and meaning.

I shoot digital for work, film for personal projects and fun. Sometimes if a client has a lot of time I can shoot some film and get them dev. and I can scan them, included them with the keepers. Time is the key for me.

I feel you regarding limiting yourself to one prime. It's such a relief to not think about focal length etc. I just love to use my 35 1.4 GM on he Sony A1 - that beast can do everything I need and it's nice to know exactly where I need to stand to achieve a certain result and not try out a lot.

I considered trying different lenses for my Shen Hao but definitely enjoying making the most of 1 lens. I think passing film over to a lab for assignments as well as utilising digital is a good idea. I’ve just been given my first commission (finished college in June) and very happy I’ve been told I can use my 4x5.

Great video, great shots. And lots of honesty as always. Really pleased to see the NYT is using you, must increase your exposure a lot.

Hi Bryan, Thanks so much for your insights into your current photography programme. Constantly evolving and making step changes are all positive signs of progress. Proud of you man!

For digital, try adapting vintage lenses. I use a Nikon 5.8cm f1.4 and it is awesome on digital for portraits. Helps keep that film-ish look

Starting off strong with tool. Love it.

Superb and inspiring!

Congrats on the amount of times you are working with the NYT these days, that's great dude.

Don't know how much to say. However to keep it simple; film captures emotion, digital captures memory. Keep up the great work!

Congrats on the your wedding. Long happy life together!

Hi Bryan, hopefully you get something out of these assignments. I have experience with this and it can be discouraging. Also, I understand the tricky nature of working with digital and film on the same shoot. My brain will go one way or another but not both. Yes, digital offers more flexibility, and I use it a lot, and sometimes prefer it, but when I go out with my 4x5, or 8x10, it is a completely different experience and outcome and when I am in that mode, I like it. Keep in mind that you owe the viewer nothing, shoot what you want. Shooting film while ignoring digital is a kin to being a carpenter and using a manual hammer all the time because you like the handle. In reality the electric hammer will get the job done faster.

Thanks

Thanks!

I appreciate the honesty man. What a breath of fresh air. Are you on patreon?

Another honest & really good video. I got an Pentax 645z medium format 50 mega pixel camera & even thought film has been my thing & keeps drawing me in.

This is awesome, Bryan! Seeing those photos really makes me miss working on F-18s, especially as a civilian. It was cool doing 2 hours of prep work to only do an hour of real work then going to lunch lol

I’m eager to see your digital work evolve. I’m making kind of a similar move right now. Always shot on film but got myself a Lumix a while back and trying to learn developing those raw files. Would be great to hear your thoughts on editing and color processing in the future. I think the work on the weapons manufacturing looked super!

Great video! I'm really interested in your assignment work for NYT, would love to see another video dedicated to that topic.

Hi have u ever considered a digital setup that allows you to have movements? in order to match better your film work.

Bryan I have used the Nikon 90- f8 for most of my 4x5 images. I know it’s dark but the Quality, size and weight are Excellent. I think your perception of Wide angle was clouded by convention. The geography of the US is So Large your 135 is most likely a 'wide angle’ for most landscapes. You are right to stick with it 👍

@3:11 is an absolutely stunning photo

Cool seeing those images from the 90mm (hope you got your money back). The only 4x5 lens I have is my Grandagon-N and then a few for 8x10, so I forget how massive those cells are compared to most other lenses. The 90mm photos are nice, but they feel almost uncomfortable compared to the 135mm ones. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Plus, hard to beat that Xenotar... Fingers crossed on the lab as well. Botching color rolls put me off for a while, recently found a jobo on the cheap and have felt comfortable enough using it to get more color work in. Fuji chems are next step in hoping for more consistency vs the kits I've been using. Slide 4x5 when? Maybe with more sponsors lol

GFX has been well worth it in my experience

If you are in the mood to buy a 90mm next Time, try the Rodenstock 1:6,8 90mm Grandagon. You can focus on the groundglas and it´s not as Heavy as a 4.5 or 5.6 One.

Limiting your gear is one of the best things you can do to have a more enjoyable shooting experience, in my opinion!

Hi Bryan, great Video! Your style is cool. Regarding 90mm lenses, I too have the Nikon 90mm f8 and the 90mm Grandagon f5,6 which both were very dark on the Linhof Technika but on the Chamonix both are easy to use and the difference between f8 and 5,6 is not that much. I do like the rendering of the Nikon which was the reason to buy it and have it beside the Grandagon. The Grandagon has a press shutter so I'm able to make multiple exposures without moving the camera while making the exposure, this is needed if you ant to make a long time exposure of water and wind without having the boring melted surface of water and branches.

I see a Bryan Birks video uploaded, I press play

With the GFX 100s + 80mm F/1.7 I have almost the same feeling than film photography, but film is really ahead, specially large format

really nice work! which digital camera you use?

shout out to Breadeux Pizza. Haven't had that place in years.

Thinking to get a 135, my 150 is awesome, but I wonder always if I can get just a little more in my image.

Since you do shoot quite a lot of digital work for jobs now, wouldn't it make sense to jump into GFX medium format? That way you retain that "medium format" look which is consistence with your work.

Hello ，what's the camera you use for this video？😊

👍

Hey Bryan , seems like it’s very easy for you selling LF lenses , which platform you use ?

How are you scanning?

Digital back on 4x5 :)?

Were you able to see my comments on orginal video?

Why drive 8 hours for a 30 minute gig? Aren't there regional or small airlines serving the two cities? You could have been back at your home base by mid-afternoon and not been so rushed and tired that you screwed up the processing.

re-upload?

Thanks!