[nathanm]

That's the main difference I'd say, with large format you start off with shallow depth of field and can use the f/stops or schleimpflug to get more whereas with a lot of digital cameras you get complete sharpness across the whole field without even trying.  It's almost impossible to get any blur unless you're shooting really close macros.  The 4x5 shot was wide open at f5.6  Fstops on my digital don't seem to mean much in regards to depth of field.  On the average outdoor wide shot everything is sharp no matter what.

Sometimes with the 4x5 and my 300mm pointed at an array of near and far objects you can selectively focus on things and they just POP off the ground glass in an almost 3-D effect.  It's really cool to see.   But really, my stuff's nothing, check out these shots by this Jim Galli fella.  His photos are a "cream dream" to paraphrase Tenacious D...  All sorts of old glass and huge cameras etc.  If his photos aren't a big enough endorsement for the cool looks you can get with large format B&W then I dunno what would! Click any page, you can't go wrong!

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/

[JohnR]

The 3D effect is what I meant in your photo! It's more than depth of field, I can get shallow DOF with my 85/1.4 but it's different. Well, I should try and find an example.

[Danberg]

WOW! Nathanm, those photos by Jim Galli are stunning!

When I got out of college eons ago, my interest in photography lead me to work at a local portrait photography studio. They had large format cameras there & I got to play around with them and develop the b&w film in their darkroom. Seeing Jim Galli's work brought back lots of enjoyable memories! 

Additionally, looking at the photos the landscape looked vaguely familiar.  When in college I was lucky enough to visit and hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains across from Death Valley where lots of his photos were taken.  He even mentions a place where I stayed in the desert. "Lone Pine."  In fact, our group of hikers stayed in the only local "hotel" (actually just a large house) the week before a couple of Charlie Manson's group were rounded up, I discovered later upon reading the book Helter Skelter!

I don't know how you found Jim's website but going to it sure made my evening, bringing back 40 year old memories from one of the best summers in my life!  Never would have expected that from visiting audio circles!