The One-Year Camera

In my recent article, I explored a deeply personal idea—setting aside my photographic gear for one year and focusing solely on making prints from my vast archive of negatives.

But I left the door open just slightly, allowing:

Photographing the wild horses and making new calotypes.

I’m not quite ready to walk away from these sacred connections, but I want this next season to be different. I want it to be focused, restricted, and purpose-driven. But, how do I get there? I have some ideas that I will share with you in this article.

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The One-Year Camera – Evaluating My Final Field Tools for the Wild Horses & Calotypes

There is no need to wonder or ponder over gear for my calotypes because I already know the answer. My Chamonix 8×10 allows me to make 8×10, whole plate, 5×7, and 4×5 calotypes, so I am covered. I will use my Verito 11 1/2″ F4 and my Hermagis Ediscope 275mm F4.5 to narrow my lenses. This was easy. The gear for the wild horses is much more complex.

So now I face a practical decision that carries real weight: If I’m going to carry just one camera and two lenses into the field for the wild horses, what should they be?

I’ve narrowed it down to three options. Each system has served me in meaningful ways, and each has trade-offs. What follows is a comparison of the contenders.

Option 1: Canon EOS-1V (35mm Film System)

Overview

Canon’s EOS-1V is a professional-grade 35mm film SLR—responsive, weather-sealed, and built for action. It integrates seamlessly with Canon’s extensive EF lens system and gives me modern tools in a traditional analog format.

I’ve long considered this system for its versatility, but two lenses in particular have made it stand out for wild horse photography: the Sigma 120–300mm f/2.8 and the Canon 600mm f/4L IS II.

Pros

• Speed & Autofocus Precision: With fast lenses like the 120–300mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4, the EOS-1V allows me to respond quickly in dynamic field situations—critical for photographing fast-moving herds.
• Shallow Depth of Field at Long Focal Lengths: The wide f/2.8 and f/4 apertures offer beautiful background separation, even in distant scenes—a rare aesthetic in wildlife film photography.
• Long Reach: The 600mm f/4 allows me to isolate subjects at great distances without disrupting them, perfect for more intimate moments from afar.
• Lens Flexibility: The 120–300mm is a dream for mid-range action. It’s like having several fast primes in one lens, especially valuable when the horses move unpredictably.
• Lightweight Film Format: Compared to hauling a medium format system and heavy lenses, this setup offers more mobility, especially when hiking into remote terrain.

Cons

• Smaller Negative: 35mm film, even when exposed through world-class glass, can’t match the tonal richness or fine detail of medium format—especially in larger darkroom prints.
• Higher Grain Visibility: Even with excellent films like FP4, T-Max 400, and HP5, enlargements beyond 16×20 can begin to reveal noticeable grain and reduced tonal smoothness, especially compared to medium format negatives.
• Overshooting Risk: With 36 frames per roll, there’s a tendency to shoot more than necessary—less deliberate compared to the slower pace of medium format.
• Lens Weight: While the camera body is compact, both the 120–300mm and 600mm are heavy. Shooting handheld for long periods is impractical, and a monopod or tripod is a must.

Creative Implication

This setup is clearly built for performance. It enables me to document the wild horses with precision, speed, and aesthetic control—especially in those fleeting, high-energy moments that would be impossible to capture with a slower medium format system.

Yet the trade-off is emotional texture. The EOS-1V may give me access, but not always the gravitas I crave in the final print. The question becomes: Is emotional proximity through focal length enough, or does the negative format itself need to carry that weight?

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Option 2: Pentax 67II with 165mm f/2.8 & 300mm f/4

Overview

The Pentax 67II offers a massive 6×7 negative—ideal for fine art printing. It’s a camera that commands patience and rewards precision.

Pros

• Gorgeous Negative Size: 6×7 format yields stunning detail and subtle tonal transitions—perfect for large fiber prints.
• Lenses with Character: The 165mm f/2.8 has a beautiful rendering, and the 300mm f/4 brings reach without sacrificing quality.
• Intimate & Sculptural: The rendering of the wild horses from this format often feels more poetic than documentary.

Cons

• Heavy and Cumbersome: This system demands a tripod or very steady hands; it’s not a grab-and-go camera.
• Slower Workflow: Manual advance, metering, and exposure controls slow things down in fast-paced situations.
• Manual Focus Only: The camera is fully manual focus, and with fast-moving subjects like wild horses, there’s a high risk of missed focus, especially when working at longer focal lengths or wide apertures.
• Limited Frames per Roll: Only 10 shots per 120 roll—makes every frame count but slows the overall pace dramatically.

Creative Implication

This system invites a different kind of seeing. It’s less reactive and more meditative—perfect if I want to distill the essence of each moment rather than chase action.

Option 3: Mamiya 645N II with 150–300mm f/5.6 & 300mm f/4

Overview

The Mamiya 645N II strikes a balance between 35mm agility and medium format richness. Autofocus and auto-exposure features make it surprisingly modern.

Pros

• Medium Format Quality: The 6×4.5 negative still provides excellent tonality and detail—better than 35mm, more manageable than 6×7.
• Faster Handling: Autofocus and ergonomic controls make it much easier to operate in the field compared to the Pentax.
• Long Lens Options: The 150–300mm zoom and 300mm prime provide meaningful reach while keeping things simple.

Cons

• Lens Speed: Both lenses are relatively slow (f/5.6 and f/4), limiting depth of field control and low light capability.
• Less Drama in Format: Compared to 6×7, the images feel a bit more restrained and less cinematic.
• System Fragility: The Mamiya’s electronics can be a concern long-term, especially in rugged environments.

Creative Implication

This may be the most practical blend of control, quality, and speed. It allows me to stay mobile while still producing prints with real depth and nuance—though it may not evoke the same sculptural feel as the 6×7 negatives.

Reflections and Next Steps

This isn’t a gear comparison for the sake of specs or trends. It’s about finding the tool that best supports a one-year experiment in artistic restraint—a period where I limit distractions and lean deeply into vision and purpose.

• The Canon EOS-1V is the most mobile and responsive, allowing me to keep pace with the horses. But, I have image quality concerns if I need to make large prints.
• The Pentax 67II offers unrivaled image quality and emotional weight, but its bulk, slower operation, and manual focus could limit the type of scenes I can capture.
• The Mamiya 645N II may be the “middle path”—not quite as deep or fast, but a compelling compromise.

For now, I’ll take time to revisit prints made from each of these systems. I’ll sit with them. I’ll live with them. I will think more deeply about the field experience with each system and factor that into my thoughts. Ultimately, the choice is not about gear but what kind of emotional resonance I want to create in the final print. More to follow as I make my final decision.

In my next article, I will have made my final decision about all of this and share my thoughts and direction.

Thoughts?

Have you ever gone through a season of simplifying your gear to find your voice again? Or faced the tough decision of choosing one system to carry forward?

I have been on a journey of simplifying and downsizing in almost every area of my life, including photography. I know that I need to do it, and I also know that by downsizing and working with a clear purpose, I will have more freedom to create more compelling and meaningful work. I have spent decades working on various projects that, in many cases, required new gear or tools. Collecting that much gear over a long period can become suffocating and limit progress moving forward.

When considering Edward Weston, most people think 8×10, one triple-convertible lens, and silver gelatin contact prints. The truth is that Weston may have ended at that place, but decades of work were created using other formats, lenses, and materials. Once he transitioned to modernism and the 8×10 format, he found his path and never deviated from it again. While his subjects varied, the format remained the same. I can relate to Weston in many ways, and I feel like I am at a similar crossroads.

More to follow about all of this as I narrow my thoughts and make a final decision.

Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear how others navigate this kind of transition.

Are You Investing in Your Creative Growth? Photographers often invest heavily in gear, equipment, and supplies—but how often do we invest in ourselves? For just $10 a month, the Darkroom Diary Premium Membership offers you the chance to join a vibrant community dedicated to growth, learning, and sharing creative journeys.

This is more than a membership—it’s a space to connect, evolve your vision, and draw inspiration from fellow analog photography enthusiasts. If you’re ready to take the next step in your creative journey, we’d be honored to have you join us in building this unique community.

Art Collector Resources

• Collector and Student Testimonials [read]
• Collector’s Guide [read]
• Why Analog Photography is Essential to Fine Art Creation [read]
• Why I Create [read]
• Aura – What is it, and why does it matter? [read]
• Why Analog Photography Is a Smart Investment [read]
• Analog photography in the Digital Age: Examining transformation, alienation and authenticity in modern photographic practice. https://doi.org/10.55927/ijads.v2i3.11019