| Photography Forum: Medium Format Photography Forum: |
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Q. Bits and Bobs odds and Sods
Asked by Snedley Mc'alister
(K=256) on 7/26/2002
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Greetings fellow MF'rs,
I just wanted to add a bit of life to this apparently much overlooked area of the forums by way of introducing myself and posing a few questions to others out there in MF-ville to get the ball rolling.
Who am I? Ahhh the eternal question. I am your friendly Mamiya Rb67 Pro-S user with a 127mm C lens (Not a coke bottle) armed with a Sekonic L358 light meter. I like shooting colour slide in the way of Velvia and E100VS and TMAX 100/400 black and white print film. These are my preffered films, I don't mind a drop of Astia from time to time but find it a little subdued for what I am getting at in colour.
What MF systems are you using, lenses, filters if any and how do you rate your films, what are your preferences and results? I am a Nocturne who loves - if not only night photography itself - twilight photography, noir, outdoor, nature, landscape, architecture, some industrial and street, lightning and the like. I rate my Velvia at 40 and my VS at 100, I meter from my hand mostly and carry a massive/heavy old architectural Linhof tripod which keeps me very fit along with lugging the Mamiya about.
Sign on MF users hereabouts and lets hear your voice and get this forum area warmed up a bit eh?
Syd
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Joffre Swait
(K=626) - Comment Date 7/26/2002
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Hi Syd,
Glad someone decided to take on the challenge of bringing this forum to life!
I'm a bit more of an equipment tramp than you seem to be. I have been shooting MF mostly with old equipment (Rolleicord III, Voigtlander Perkeo I 6x6 folder, Ensign Selfix 820 6x9 folder), though recently I bought a Mamiya 7II with 50, 80 and 150mm lenses. I use a Gossen Luna Pro for metering, almost exclusively in incident mode; I use the hand-held meter even when shooting the Mamiya, and I have yet to use the AE capabilities of that fine camera. Maybe I bought something I shouldn't have? :>) Wouldn't be the first time!
As for film, I shoot only TMax 100 and Provia 100F, both rated at their nominal ISO's. I do not do any film processing, I've always found that end of things less interesting than making images.
I scan my images and use archival color and quadtone inks to produce prints.
So, well, what do you have to say to that? :>)
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Snedley Mc'alister
(K=256) - Comment Date 7/26/2002
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Greetings Joffre!
Thanks for adding your voice my new found MFreind here's hoping it will encourage others of our ilk to pour from the proverbial. I am very curious to know what you think of the Mamiya 7 and all you have to share on this camera, I have often thought about it for ease of use and I also hear it takes splendid photographs! I wouldn't get rid of the RB though.
On the question of Tmax 100 I was recently chatting to my B&W Lab guy who hand prints only B&W, has been in the business for 35 years and takes gorgeous images with an RB himsef which I have seen blown up to wall size, pin sharp!
When I first met him I took him a roll of Tmax100 for 120 roll and told him that I don't like much else. Expecting him to react like most people, saying that he didn't like Tmax and preffered the Ilfords and the like, he actually said he only shot Tmax B&W and that he wouldn't touch the Ilfords of the world with a 40ft bargepole. Now he's only been printing for 35yr, he concluded that Ilford prints flat and muddy and I had to agree that there was something I just hated about the Delta's and Hp's.
I asked him about Scala (bw Slide) and he felt this to be another gimmick film which is not a grain film but rather made up of all these weird lines shooting off into different directions. The film he recommended was MS 100/1000 which he said was a great all rounder that didn't seem that great below 400 asa.
Anyway, whats your style of shooting and how long have you been at it. What do you like about the certain films you are using (Provia) and the like?
Syd
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Joffre Swait
(K=626) - Comment Date 7/27/2002
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Well, Syd, looks like the two of us got a good ramble goin' here! You asked a lot of questions, and I may not get around to all of them, but here's my try:
(1) Mamiya 7II: This is a fantastic camera for someone that's got rangefinders in their blood, which I do! It's super-well-built, as Mamiya equipment is want to do, but you know that, having the RB. As indicated before, I've got 3 lenses (50, 80, 150), but since I shoot mostly landscapes, 90% of the time I use the 50. That is one great lens; people rave about the 43mm, but that's just too wide for me. If I were to buy the system again, I'd dispense with the 80mm entirely ... maybe I ought to sell it! I don't know what the camera is like for portraits (I've heard some negative comments about it), but it's likely to be very nice for street photography also.
(2) Tmax Rules! Until a few weeks ago when I started shooting some LF with Type 55, I've shot Tmax 100 exclusively for B&W. For the landscape photography I do, I have found it to be sufficiently flexible for all kinds of light situations, maintaining good tonality and contrast. My thinking is that one should standardize on a film and really get to know it. This focus obviously becomes a disincentive towards trying new things. On the other hand, it is my experience that the main contributor to making a good photograph is the photographer's eye for composition. Thus, my philosophy is to remove (ie standardize) other variables (camera, exposure technique, film, film development) from the picture and concentrate on getting my eye working! That's why I've used (and still do use) old equipment, so that I'm in control of as much as possible.
Back to you ...
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Phillip Cohen
(K=10561) - Comment Date 7/27/2002
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Hi Syd and Joffre, glad to see this place is finally coming to life.
I shoot mainly with the Mamiya RZ67 Pro II. I have a variety of the RZ lenses, and shoot mainly in the studio with it. Mostly product type shots and some portrait work. My film of prefferrence is Kodak E100S and E100SW, I really like the stuff. For BW I have been shooting a lot of good ole fashioned Tri-X but do use TMAX from time to time.
My first MF camera was a Fuji GW690II. I bought it primarily because there were no accessories for it, and knowing myself as I do, would not be tempted to purchase everything under the sun for it since it was just a test to see if I liked MF. Well I fell in love with MF although I did find the Fuji hard to use as I wear glasses, and the Fuji viewfinder and glasses are just not compatible. I also decided that a rangefinder type camera was not for me, I like the SLR approach which is vital for macro work which is why I settled on the RZ system. (plenty of accessories to take care of my gearhead habbit too ;=] )
So there you have it. Nice to meet you both, lets see if there are any other MFers out there we can shake out of the woodwork.
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Charles Carstensen
(K=17) - Comment Date 7/30/2002
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OK, you talked me into it. Am a Hassy user, 503CW, 80 mm lens for everything. No filters, I shoot Kodak 400 CN and Provia 100 and Portra 400. My specialty is Aerial Photography from a Cessna 182. The film use depends on the job. Also, use digital Olympus E10, but that is not apropos for this forum - ha. The digital is really for backup and/or planning.
When we get an assignment the Blad comes out so can blow the prints up to 40 x 50. I get all film scanned to 250 DPI upon development. Then use Lightjet 500 to make the prints.
If customer wants smaller, I'll take the Epson 1280 to 13wide and everyone is happy. I shoot construction sites, legal sites and real estate sales. Have had a few assignments where an office wants a Christmas present for the owner/boss and the staff chips in to the cost. We have several high end summer homes in the mountains.
Glad to see this MF forum active.
Best,
Chuck Carstensen
Montrose, Colorado
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David Goldfarb
(K=7611) - Comment Date 7/31/2002
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Used to use a Pentacon Six system for street photography in Eastern Europe. Traded that for studio lights when I got back to the U.S.
These days its a Bronica S2A system for general MF use, and my carry-all "Pocket 'Blad" that I keep with me for snapshots and travel, when I'm not specifically going for photography, is a Voigtlander Perkeo II.
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Scott McFadden
(K=5663) - Comment Date 8/2/2002
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Ok I shoot some stuff and mainly having been used to 35mm went out and bought an old kiev.
The Lenses are of pentacon origin one 50 and one 180 f2
mainly I got it for the 180 f2 though I rarely use it as much as my 35's.
Not to say I Dont use it, and I think if I can get it to work better I'll use it more.
The problem mostly is of sharpness v's shakes.
seems the shakes are on the winning side.
I will be using slide more since print cost too much and developing b+w film is a pain in med/format.
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Joffre Swait
(K=626) - Comment Date 8/2/2002
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Let me take this thread in a slightly different direction, motivated by David's equipment list, particularly his "Pocket Blad".
I also use a Voigtlander Perkeo I, rather than a II, but they're pretty similar. I like these and other old folders because they're so basic: no meter, generally no RF, fixed lens, it's nothing more than a light-tight box with 120 film capability. The better Perkeo's have the 80mm Color Skopar f/3.5 lens, which is multi-coated and very sharp.
I have done some of my best shooting with this camera. I did a trip to Vermont last year to shoot foliage, and took my Perkeo I (6x6) and an Ensign Selfix 820 (6x9). I used them both on and off tripods, and enjoyed the experience immensely.
I'd urge anyone trying to learn photography, or trying to re-energize their shooting, to look into such cameras!
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David Goldfarb
(K=7611) - Comment Date 8/3/2002
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The old folders can be great compact cameras. The Perkeos are smaller than many 35mm rangefinders, and the Color-Skopar is a nice coated Tessar-type lens, and they have quiet leaf shutters for handholding at low speeds and flash-sync at any speed. Downside: tiny squinty viewfinders, but you can add an auxiliary finder usually.
I can get away with scale focusing outdoors in good light, but I like to shoot portraits fairly close, so I've added a shoe-mount rangefinder to mine. If you don't get a Leica rangefinder with its inflated collectors' price, you can find these things for under $50, and they can often be user calibrated. Mine is a Widor, which has two calibration screws to control horizontal and vertical alignment, and it works perfectly.
Here are some Perkeo II pix in my usefilm portfolio:
http://www.usefilm.com/showphoto.php?id=13657
http://www.usefilm.com/showphoto.php?id=13658
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Joffre Swait
(K=626) - Comment Date 8/3/2002
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Continuing on the folders, David, I found a Voigtlander rangefinder on Ebay which is shoe-mounted, and use it mostly to do critical focusing, as do you. Otherwise, it's scale focusing for me ... in fact, the distance scales on the Perkeo I (and I'd imagine the II) has two points indicated for "portrait" and "landscape" focusing for use with f/8 and above. So when I'm doing landscape shooting, I just put it at that second point and forget about focusing.
That's part of the point about these cameras: they make you go back to the basics and forget about the auto this-and-that feature, and concentrate on composition and metering!
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Snedley Mc'alister
(K=256) - Comment Date 8/3/2002
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Precisely what I love about the RB, that same pure mechanical simplicity. It slows you right down and allows you to get, dare I say, Zen with the art of construction and composition of images. Pinholes are great too for unchained simplicity...
Syd
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Chris Lauritzen
(K=14949) - Comment Date 1/13/2003
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Syd,
I have taken a different route with my MF stuff, I use Kiev gear. Call me stupid but there is something about purchasing Carl Ziess and shooting with it. My current line up includes the following:
1. Kiev 60ttl with a Volna 80/2.8, Carl Ziess 50/2.8, Ziess 120/2.8, Ziess 180/2.8
2. Kiev 88cm? Same lens work on both cameras, this is my studio camera.
As far as film goes I shoot Velvia, Provia, T-Max100, and Illford FP4+.
Some day I will get a scanner so I can post MF stuff
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Greg O'Conner
(K=2398) - Comment Date 1/25/2003
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I use a Bronica SQ-a with a 80mm lens. I like to use red and ND filters. I'm strictly balck and white. I use FPF, HP5, Pan F and Tri-X. I like to use it hand held and tri-pod mounted. I shoot everything and anything.
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Greg O'Conner
(K=2398) - Comment Date 1/25/2003
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Oh! I forgot my $15 alternative to the Bronica. The Holga!!! I like to use Tri-X in it and then overdevelop it for 5-10 minutes longer than recomended.
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greg W:-)
(K=193) - Comment Date 4/18/2005
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I use exsclusively Kiev medium formats.
I didnt skimp on purchase price and I have had good reliability and even better picture quality than I could have thought possible from these russian bricks.
Check out my Kiev60LSR website at ..
www.geocities.com/kiev60slr/
gregW:-)
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