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Starting out...which to get?

ondebanks

Member
Another very good choice for 6x7 format is the Mamiya RZ67...the RZ67 Pro II being the sweet spot for film use. Fantastic and very affordable lenses. Completely modular. WLF or metering/AE prism. Close-focusing by nature. Perhaps a bit on the large/heavy side, though...the Pentax 67 would be a bit easier to use as a hand-held camera.

Ray
 

Kjarahz

New member
Another very good choice for 6x7 format is the Mamiya RZ67...the RZ67 Pro II being the sweet spot for film use. Fantastic and very affordable lenses. Completely modular. WLF or metering/AE prism. Close-focusing by nature. Perhaps a bit on the large/heavy side, though...the Pentax 67 would be a bit easier to use as a hand-held camera.

Ray
I've been looking at the 67 photo's on flickr (Flickr Search: Fujifilm GW690 II) they seem to have a look to them like the pictures I've mentioned that I like.

Can this come down to the camera itself or just the processing? So far the 67 is the nicest in terms of product, by opinion off of these pictures of course.
 

pgmj

Member
It's been mentioned several times already - the Mamiya C330 is a very nice camera that can be had for very little money. Use your smartphone as a light meter and you are set to go.
 

craigosh

Member
Personally, if you can afford it, I'd go for the Fuji or Mamiya 7. Both would be superb for traveling with. While yes, they would cost you probably twice your current budget for a good example, they will hold their value really well, especially the Mamiya as it is quite sort after.

Now you could go smaller format, 6x4.5 and look at some of the awesome Fuji rangefinders like the GA645, GA645w and GA645zi. Basically big compact cameras with cracking lenses, AF and auto exposure modes. I'd say they will give you a very similar quality to what you want from the larger formats, but in really travel friendly formats. There is also the older GS645 which isn't AF but does have a simple meter, a great lens and rangefinder.

Here is one example from a GA645zi.
Príncipe Felipe Science Museum / SANTIAGO CALATRAVA | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
You might want to check out Roger Hick's site:
medium format cameras

Also I found his book on medium format camera systems useful in the past. You can see just about every make/model there.
Amazon.com: Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35Mm for Better Pictures (9780817445577): Roger Hicks, Frances Schultz: Books

Avoid the temptation to buy an Alpa :D and then just get a big Fuji or Mamiya 6/7. I really think that you'll enjoy the larger format vs 6x4.5. The danger of the smaller MF format is that you won't really feel the images are that much different than you can get from your DSLR system.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Actually, the Fuji 645 p&s cameras are very cool. Easy to use, very compact for medium format and have AF. Just be aware that they shoot portrait format when you hold the camera upright.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Actually, the Fuji 645 p&s cameras are very cool. Easy to use, very compact for medium format and have AF. Just be aware that they shoot portrait format when you hold the camera upright.
Ditto the Bronica RF 645 (portrait mode). I had one of those for a while. Sweet camera and lenses albeit a bit plastic. I was almost tempted not long ago to buy another one but cracked and bought another Mamiya 7II instead (which I should have kept).
 

Kjarahz

New member
Went with the C330! Purchased some Fuji 400 film plan to shoot 2 stops over at minimum while exposing for shadows.

Will post results when I have them :)

Also picked up the 180mm super, camera comes with 80mm 2.8. Got the L508 light meter on a bargain deal also.

I should be set no?
 

Grayhand

Well-known member
I should be set no?
Famose last words..

I can guarantee you that there is not an active participant in the "Medium Format System", that if you ask the person concerned privately "If he is happy and finally satisfied with his camera equipment?" which will respond to your question with: Yes, there is nothing more to buy that would improve my equipment.

The sole exception from that group is of course me :angel:

Ray
 

Grayhand

Well-known member
I think the C330 is an interesting camera.
It has two of my favorite components for a camera, square format and a wlf.

When I started with mf-cameras I bought a RZ system from a pro going digital.
The kit included lots of lenses and half a freezer with film.
It also included some different roll film holders, 6x45, 6x6 and 6x7.
And suddenly I become aware of different form factors in a way that I was not as a 35mm shooter.
I become addicted to the square format, and I realized that I mostly see "square", or multiples of square.
So, now that I am rebuilding my RZ-system again, I will get a 6x6 holder for film.

But if you find out that you hate the 6x6 format, then you are in some trubble with the C330.
One way is to make some thin markings on the ground glass for your preferred format to help you compose.
If you have perfect visualization then of course, no problem.
Then it is just to: Look, shoot and then crop to your preferred form factor.

What really will increase your presence in the analog process is to start develop the film by your self.
Suddenly you will gain controll over the whole chain of events, from seeing to the finished result.
(scanning for digital print or analog printing is a matter of taste, but digital is a quicker way to get good results).

And it might be the best way to also get controll over the quality of development.
I don't know the situation in your area, but here it is big problem with quality from labs.
I have had really bad experience with pro-lab that delivers really horrible result.
So if you have a good lab then you are lucky.

Regarding lenses, I think it is hard to recommend someone what to get, even based on the individual preferences in the 35mm world.
There is something happening when you switch format. Especially as you go for really big film format.
So you might find that there suddenly is more that two lenses in your camera bag...

But shooting analog is interesting, it drags you more into the whole process, in a way that I don't think digital does.
But that is of course my personal view :)
 

Kjarahz

New member
Yeah one of the most important things I'm doing now is deciding who will process my film.

I can get the exact look I want by a company that processes said photographers film and use his color pac or go with one a bit less and have them use a couple sample images as reference.

I tried to get my Wife to let me make the walk in closet a dark room...she declined, for now...also I have an issue with doing it myself since I'm dead set on what I want to come out. I believe I can do it, but not for a little while due to experience obviously. So it might not be worth getting crappy prints because I'm terrible right off the bat.

Oh and "am I set" turned into a Hasselblad 500cm arriving next week :ROTFL:

So I have the TLR coming and the 500cm...my Wife is only moderately annoyed, so it's a win win!

It came with 3 film backs a 150mm and 80mm (CF) for a STEAL...so I couldn't say no :facesmack:

Someone let me know I'm not completely mental, or at least I have good taste, or something!
 
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