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Best studio portrait lens for Phamiya?

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Carsten:

Yes, a Mola or other high-end "beauty dish" (ie Profoto, Elinchrom, Hensel) produces light like no other modifier -- focused centers with soft edges -- and the silver ones are more specular than the white ones... And the images from the danwinters portfolio above look like silver main dishes to me. The advantage to the Mola line specifically is they offer a few different shapes for different amounts of hot/feathered falloff -- compare the Seti to the Demi...
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
I think you might have nailed it here Jack... those dishes look like one of them might have been responsible... I wondered if the Bowens Softlight version might be any use but I guess not.

The Mola seems hard to find in the uk... as are most good things!
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I don't have any personal experience with the Bowens modifiers, sorry...
 

Qamaro

Member
On the Dan Winters photos, I'd agree with Jack small 22" - 28" silver beauty dish (not sure if its a mola only because mola's tend to have a particular circular wave catch light but, it could be), with a secondary light on the eyes for shrinking the pupils allowing for the color of the iris to shine through.

- Marq
 

robmac

Well-known member
Carsten

Just noticed your AF requirement. On the Mola, if you hit Mola's website (they're located in Toronto - as a Canuck, it was nice to buy Canadian for once), they list their UK dealer - though there is only one IIRC.

Have a Mola Demi (white) sitting here waiting for it's Elinchrom speedring - couldn't resist the temptation ;> The order process was simple and quick, looks like solid kit.

I went with the stock perforated reflector and held off on the optional (and more fragile) opal glass version as have the larger Elinchrom silver and translucent reflectors from my midi-octa if I decide the perforated units doesn't do it for me as it were.

Good luck with the lens hunt.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I have a Mola Demi with Grid and a softy diffuser. Just awesome, don't leave home without it. I use the Phase 150 2.8 D my screamer lens but sometimes WAY to sharp. LOL
 

robmac

Well-known member
That new 150 sounds like a killer. Have the 22" Kacey grid and softy as well (quickie SB in a hurry)- not that I've been able to try any of it yet - come on UPS..
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I only tried the Mamiya 2.8/150 D once, but the results are razor sharp and colors and contrast are just perfect. And the lens is pretty light for the aperture ;)

Also the 75-150 I tried during the last workshop delivered perfect results under all conditions I was running into. And this is the perfect travel landscape, portrait and everything lens.

These 2 lenses are my fix starters for a Phase System :)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
All the sample shots you are referencing are static. Why the push for AF? Even if the lens is AF for other applications, it's often better to manually focus portraits and control the DOF fall off yourself ... if needed, try a Mamiya flip magnifier or see if Brightscreen offers one for the Mamiya 645.

As an aside, my favorite studio Portrait set up is the Mamiya RZ Pro-II with just about any 645 digital back and the 180 short barrel on the T/S adapter, or for retina slicing sharpness the 210 APO ... all of which are available for the price of a dinner for two at Mc Donald's. But I digress.

The Mammy 150/2.8 would be stellar if you have the room ... but my first choice for portraits in any 645 that'll take it, is the Zeiss 110/2 ... wide open there's nothing quite like it, and stopped down its a razor blade.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
All the sample shots you are referencing are static. Why the push for AF? Even if the lens is AF for other applications, it's often better to manually focus portraits and control the DOF fall off yourself ... if needed, try a Mamiya flip magnifier or see if Brightscreen offers one for the Mamiya 645.

As an aside, my favorite studio Portrait set up is the Mamiya RZ Pro-II with just about any 645 digital back and the 180 short barrel on the T/S adapter, or for retina slicing sharpness the 210 APO ... all of which are available for the price of a dinner for two at Mc Donald's. But I digress.

The Mammy 150/2.8 would be stellar if you have the room ... but my first choice for portraits in any 645 that'll take it, is the Zeiss 110/2 ... wide open there's nothing quite like it, and stopped down its a razor blade.
Thanks - that's very useful!

I have tried shooting an old MF 150 3.5 tethered for focussing but I'm afraid that even at F11 if the subject moves their head more than a fraction, focus is lost. This little chap stayed nicely still and the results are very sharp (and this one was focussed untethered just off the camera LCD) but the sharpness hit-rate drops dramatically and the frames with the best expressions are generally those with the worst focus when I shoot this way...



 

tashley

Subscriber Member
I only tried the Mamiya 2.8/150 D once, but the results are razor sharp and colors and contrast are just perfect. And the lens is pretty light for the aperture ;)

Also the 75-150 I tried during the last workshop delivered perfect results under all conditions I was running into. And this is the perfect travel landscape, portrait and everything lens.

These 2 lenses are my fix starters for a Phase System :)
I have the chance to get a 75-150 nice and cheap, new. I may just go for it!

Thanks!
 

David K

Workshop Member
You mean these:

http://www.mola-light.com/

How do they look different? I have never seen one.
That's it. They're basically beauty dishes and can be used with or without a diffuser. The larger ones can get heavy and they are very cumbersome for location shooting... pretty much a studio item. They have a well deserved reputation for putting out some very special light. I have a 28" white (vs silver) version although it's really closer to cream color than white. Here's a link to a view of the inside.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/600821-REG/Mola_SS280P_Setti_28_Beauty_Dish_.html
 

David K

Workshop Member
tashley,

Nailing focus with MF gear, in studio with typically nothing more than the modeling light to assist, is not the easiest thing in the world. I find that sometimes AF helps and other times it hurts. My experience is that certain lenses are easier to manually focus, e.g. my Rollei 110 f/2 (and the Hassy version as well) because the image in the viewfinder seems to have more "pop" when it's focused properly. Another consideration is to make absolutely sure that your kit is properly focusing, although from the above shot it seems to be. I shoot a ruler at a 45 degree angle to determine this. I recently had to shim my Hasselblad adapter plate to obtain this and if you've ever seen the thickness of a shim you will appreciate how critically fine this difference can be. Several well regarded photographers consider 110mm to be an ideal focal length for portraits with MF. I've mentioned in other threads that the difference between a perfectly focused shot and one that's just the tiniest bit off can be quite dramatic with MF and, like you, find that I don't always nail the focus on the shot with the best facial expression. Take lots of shots :)
 

robmac

Well-known member
Slightly OT Question - do Phamiya bodies have a focus confirmation indicator and, if so, is it normally accurate?

MF or 35mm, I agree lens 'pop'. Some lenses within brands (and uncorrelated to price) due to how they handle _____(insert believed reason here, say micro-contrast, etc.)___ have a very clear 'pop' in VF when in focus, making them a pleasure to work with - others can be much more of a struggle. Can also be the right Karma kicking-in between lens and focus screen of choice.

That said, pop or no pop, if the subject is shifting around and DoF is skinny, nice strong C-mode center-point AF (my typical usage) is a godsend.

OP - will be curious as to which way you go and your post-purchase thoughts.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Slightly OT Question - do Phamiya bodies have a focus confirmation indicator and, if so, is it normally accurate?
They do, and it works with any lens you can put on the system (e.g. Phase D, Mamiya D, Mamiya AF, Mamiya N, Mamiya C, Pentax 6, Hassy 500, Hassy 200, etc etc).

It is very accurate. Like any "focus confirmation" system it will indicate proper focus for a very small, but physically measurable distance, so if you're shooting absolutely wide open then you should aim for the middle of that indicated range. We're talking mm of lens movement here, so for anything above around f/4 it's a moot point.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Yes and Yes there is a green light confirm. Doing portraits is tough with a 150 lens or longer the DOF is very narrow and the critical focus area very thin. It's tougher than the equivalent of 35mm lenses because obviously your F11 is a lot less DOF on the MF side of the house. It takes some care. One issue is AF which when doing a portrait the focus spot for AF does not hit the eye normally but more like someone's cheeks or chin. So AF in those spots maybe a 1/2 inch off from critical to someone's eyelashes for example. I normally switch to manual focusing and go from there, now folks not going to brag but I am damn good at focusing and I still miss it sometimes. It's very hard takes a load of patience and a subject that sits still. Now that is a big issue when doing kids. I just shot these quickly for a friend in NY and had only one box light and a kid that was RUNNING all around and moving at every turn. Makes it really tough to shoot but even if not critical focus on the eye it still can be a winner. This little girl tested every day of my 35 years of experience. She may have won the battle but ultimately you can win the war if you just have the patience but any AF system would have a hard time with this stuff because it is not always hitting the spot you want, It can't think at all and usually misses what you want. So manual focusing is truly the only way to go but it tests every nerve you have in your abilities. Bottom line is your going to miss and i don't care how good you are but you can keep it to a minimum. This young girl pretty much buried me with all her movement but with some time and patience I got a few kickers.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
BTW shot with the 150 Phase D lens and at F11 which at this range maybe the bare minimum for aperture as you can see the falloff very quickly here when I am fairly close
 

David K

Workshop Member
Great shots of a beautiful little girl Guy. Makes me feel better to hear that you don't nail it every time :)
 
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