Red,

The ultimate photo backpack comes from PhotoBackpacker. I have owned several other brand name packs and was never satisfied until I found the PhotoBackpacker. The owner Bruce takes a Kelty backpack and modifies it to carry camera systems completely customized to your needs and body size. What you get is a comfortable, durable piece of equipment that you can count on and have pride in owning, just like your camera. Do yourself a favor and check it out before you make a final decision. Call Bruce and you will find what customer service is all about.

I have two of his backpacks each set up for a different system with all the trimmings and would never consider anything else. wwwPhotoBackpacker.com And no I don't work for nor am I Bruce I am just that happy with his product and customer service. I am a customer for life.

I still have mine! In fact I have two. They are some of my most important photographic tools. They carry all my 8x10 equipment. Whether I am shooting building art downtown Phoenix or the Race Track of Death Valley one goes with me. The original wagon is all but retired since I got a "All Terrain" with pneumatic tires but I just can't part with it.

Exactly my point oldtigger! Understand your camera and it's abilities and you can create the images you want. If sharpness is your goal then all these things play an important role.

To some it is about the process, to others it's about the equipment, or the history of photography, or the image, or being around other photographers. Not all of us are in this for the same reason. Tolerance my friends, tolerance.

Zig,

It's obvious from the responses you are getting about sharpness they simply don't care what their equipment is capable of acheiving. It always amazes me that some photographers don't learn about the tools they are using or how to use them to best capture their vision then wonder why their images don't come out like they wanted.

Quality lens', solid tripods, sweet spot apertures, understanding how your equipment works together are just a part of being able to call yourself a photographer. So run these tests on your equipment and don't worry about what others say. You don't think the likes of Ansel Adams understood what his equipment was capable of? Damn right he did, right down to which developer he was going to use with which paper he was going to print on; before he took the shot!

What you are doing will make you a better photographer.

I highly recommend "PhotoBackpacker." I shoot with an 8x10 large format camera and have about 50 lbs of camera, lenses, and everything else I need in one of Bruce's backpacks. The suspension system he uses is unique and fitted to your body. It is awesome! It is so good I bought another one for my medium format outfit. And his customer service is the best ever. Check out his website.

That is a great stretch of road for photography. You have canyons, bridges, granite boulders teetering on top of each other, more Joshua Trees than in the National Park and a few little places with old decaying buildings. What else could you ask for? Oh yea, a quaint little restaurant with good food and Snoopy riding a missile. Definitely take SR93 just be sure to plan for a lot of shooting time and bring a ton of film. (I am an analog guy).

A funny story to lighten up the thread.
I arrived well before sunrise and anyone else to get the perfect shot of Zabriskie Point in Death Valley hauling up over 60 pounds of large format gear. Set up my over priced 8x10 Ebony camera with an equally overpriced Rodenstock lens on the overpriced Ries Tripod. Just loving the whole thought of being their when...hoards of people start to arrive with their overpriced digital cameras and lens', not one tripod among them. So out of the blue some old guy comes over to me and says "Hey you with the view camera-move!"
Pretty funny! Those people and their expensive cameras think they own the place. All photographers are we!!

Just read your story about running into a large format photographer. Loved it! There is nothing like looking at an image on the ground glass. Do it long enough and you don't even realize the image is upside down and backwards. You know your eye is a lens and it sends the image to your brain the same way a large format lens does to the ground glass.

I just got back last night from a week in Death Valley National Park with a few large format photographers one of which is the great photographer, printer and all around nice person Lynn Radeka. (You should Google him if you want to see what a skilled person can do with one of those cameras).

We hiked up Gold Canyon over two miles to shoot some petroglyphs. While humping over 50 lbs. of camera equipment up a sandy wash is not my idea of fun it was worth the effort just to see this beautiful place.

And by the way most of us large format photographers are awfully proud of what we are doing and why we are doing it. If someone seems interested I always ask if they want to see the ground glass image and am happy to answer questions, as long as the light is not changing. I am always in awe of that 8x10 image.

The film I am using is $7.00 a sheet and I took twelve images in four days in Death Valley. Off to the darkroom to process the film. I sure hope I did not screw any of them up!

Loved your post.

It is a VERY rough road! My wife, who is the best in the world, told me she NEVER wants to drive that 27 mile road one way from hell again. I can't say I blame her it was miserable but worth it once you were there. Then the drive back out, another 27 miles! That sucked. But I want to go back!! She said she will go. She puts up with my photography adventures. I love her!

The Racetrack was a very cool place almost a religious experience but I was a little disturbed. People are stealing the rocks! So what you have is a trail with no rock at the end. Sure hope its not photographers stealing them.

I have not printed any of the negatives from the Racetrack yet. I will post them someday.

"No Rock" Track

Now I know why we have a lot of Canadians in my neck of the woods during the winter months. We call them "Snow Birds."

Great shots that definitely captures the mood.

The Arizona version of cold winter weather.

Waiting for the right light.

Okay David did you know Weston's quote without looking? If so I am very impressed! I love that quote and now I can use it correctly. Thanks.

Thanks to everyone for the warm greetings. And David I do appreciate a serious set of legs.

I think it was Edward Weston (I am sure if its not someone will correct me) made a comment that if its more than fifty feet from the car its not worth photographing. I love that philosophy when I am using my "BIG" camera.

"The Race Track" Death Valley, CA 2013