[LargeFormat] A Modest Proposal

[rstein]

Dear Friends,

     Those of you familiar with Swift may scuttle off smiling now. The rest
gather around 'ere and give ear.

    I have been watching the evolutions on the computer auction site for the
last few months and have participated in a mild way myself. Most enjoyable -
I sold something for a decent price and bought several other things at
equally fair prices. No-one has diddled me yet. But there is one thing that
I want to do that may be a problem.

    Last year I purchased a new Leica camera from a local shop - the M6 TTL
model. I purchased 2 new 50mm standard lenses - one that has a wide aperture
and one that folds down flat for travel. I have used them a little in the
year, but most of the time the camera has sat in the bag unused.

    I have decided that my future in the photo game really is not the
miniature camera - all of the subjects I wish to pursue will be better
covered with medium or large format. Fortunately I have a studio monorail 4
x 5 and the darkroom gear to back it up and the impossibly large and
incredibly charming Mighty Shen Hao 10 x 12 to experiment with.

    The flaw in my system is the field camera. I have been trying to make
the World's Rattiest Nagaoka do what it never was intended to do out in the
bush. It has sometimes done well and sometimes done badly. If I am to
venture out there again with a field 4 x 5 I think I had better do so with
something sturdier and newer.

    Here is where I run into a puzzle with the auction site. I would like to
trade the Leica and the 2 lenses for a really good field or technical 4 x 5
with suitable glass - but all of the transactions are stated as sales and
not trade. Of course the auction site would like it to be that way - two
transactions and two percentage fees. I wish it could be different.

    Is there any interest on this list? I can send visual information via
the daughter's digital camera to let you see the Leica - though one Leica
looks very much like another. I am open to any proposal, modest or
otherwise, and promise faithfully not to laugh or swear.

     Uncle Dick