bronica metered prism

fontmoss

fontmoss

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Dave
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After not finding a buyer for my bronica sq-am i started thinking about why i havent used as much as id hoped and i reckon a metered prism might make it less footery and more likely to be used if i keep it.

anyway ive heard some people complain that they can be a bit dim but never having laid hands on one Im not sure what to think/expect, ideally it'd function like with my DSLR and i can use it as a big SLR but i am barking up the wrong tree?
 
Yes, I think so, I mean you can shoot it how you want but I always feel nice and calm, with tripod, with light meter, with all the time in the world to set up wait, fanny about for yonks :LOL: and take one shot only..

I want that camera, without a motor...:(
 
Because I want to wind the thing on, I want to fanny about for hours on end twiddling and faffing like a retard, checking the light, wind speed, water temperature, price of chips, have a sandwich, contemplate the meaning of life, read a book and then faff about some more, and then, maybe then, I might consider the thought of pulling the trigger, only consider mind, it might not be right, I might have to come back next week and do it all over again....:LOL:

Metered heads are great if you're shooting something that doesn't allow you time to meter by hand, y'know, off the cuff stuff, af is the same.
If you think you might shoot it more often if it metered, then you could always try it.
I tried it and whilst I found it useful, it just seems like the closer we get back to that dslr the happier we will be, when actually we won't be properly happy till we are shooting the dslr...purely from a functional point of view.
If I wanted to shoot film with metering and all the gizmos, I'd be looking at 35mm, its much easier to handle in situations where you don't have time for anything.
If it had to be M/F with all the gizmos, probably be a rangefinder...:shrug:
Can still do all that faffing crap, I mean its only a motor winder after all, but I personally wouldn't need it....:)
Maybe I should get a 10x8 and have done with it...
 
lol fair enough! i want some faff but enough efficiency so that people dont get ****ed off while i take their portrait, possibly a prism would give me that bit more function although i didnt anticipate they'd be quite so expensive :(
 
I know what you mean..

I know a guy who shoots street portraits with a blad all hand held and natural light.
He just wanders about asking peeps for a photo, I went with him once just to watch him, we swapped cameras for a couple of shots.
It was total torture, I hadn't shot a wlf for a while, and had so much trouble keeping the subject on my side, what with the angle of the light, the metering, framing (cos as you know its opposite) and all the while trying to get a favourable expression......nightmare.
Its an art, he was in and out like a rat up a drain pipe and I was faffing, totally unprepared for both shots, he says stop peeps when they are already in the right light, don't drag em about like your shooting a cover for Vogue...., know your exposure and distance (shouldn't even need to focus) before the stop....and for godsake smile......:LOL:
Its was tough, its an art, it was kinda like slight of hand magic or picking pockets watching him work....:shrug:
 
I've tried using a metered prism with my Bronnie, though I've found the WLF to be a lot more discreet - especially when you're not asking permission :)

Bringing a massive bulking camera up to you face only draws attention. 35mm cameras are less conspicuous, but MF is better for capturing all the detail, so stick with a WLF and light meter for street stuff. As joxby says, you should know your light for a scene before 'going in.' The settings on your camera should stay pretty much the same for a scene - only change the settings if you think the light has changed.
 
I use AE11 prism on Etrsi on most landscape shots but when in studio situation I use a sekonic L308s like Joxby I love loads of fafing about with meters etc it slows things down a bit and seems to make me think about what im doing more :thinking:.
Possibly reason in my case I think reflected light is best measured by AE11 while incident light and studio fash lights are better measured with hand held meter:banana:.
 
its not so much for street stuff that i want the prism more for taking photos of people i know, i know should learn to use my lightmeter and get stuff nailed down but just started studying medicine and time is really limited. think maybe a prism will help me enjoy the bron with less faffage (for now)

now i just need to work out whats a decent price, couple metered prisms in mifsuds (i think, im still tryin to decipher names) but not cheap at all :(
 
fontmoss, acknowledging your dilemma, I've put my AE Prism Finder S up in the classifieds since I don't use it :)

Hope pointing this out is allowed... :(
 
I like my prism but only because sometimes it's easier than using a WLF, the thing is I never use it in metered mode. The one film I did use the meter on came out a load of carp. It's a spot meter and unlike a normal slr type camera holding the shutter half down doesn't hold the exposure while you re-compose. TBH the meter is a faff but I like having the option of using my SQA like an SLR on steroids.
 
prism should arrive tomorrow, ill batter through whats left of the film in it and send it away to be processed, hopefully shouldnt take too long and i can decide whether its for me or if i should sell up and get a cheap 35mm
 
joxby said:
Because I want to wind the thing on, I want to fanny about for hours on end twiddling and faffing like a retard, checking the light, wind speed, water temperature, price of chips, have a sandwich, contemplate the meaning of life, read a book and then faff about some more, and then, maybe then, I might consider the thought of pulling the trigger, only consider mind, it might not be right, I might have to come back next week and do it all over again....:LOL:
Click to expand...

Joxby old buddy, I have just stumbled on this thread.

That is the most splendid quote :) And while I am now digital through and through, there is just a tiny itch in my little toe that wishes I had my 5x4in Linhof back. And the black cloth.

Cheers, I really enojoyed that :D
 
joxby said:
I know what you mean..

I know a guy who shoots street portraits with a blad all hand held and natural light.
He just wanders about asking peeps for a photo, I went with him once just to watch him, we swapped cameras for a couple of shots.
It was total torture, I hadn't shot a wlf for a while, and had so much trouble keeping the subject on my side, what with the angle of the light, the metering, framing (cos as you know its opposite) and all the while trying to get a favourable expression......nightmare.
Its an art, he was in and out like a rat up a drain pipe and I was faffing, totally unprepared for both shots, he says stop peeps when they are already in the right light, don't drag em about like your shooting a cover for Vogue...., know your exposure and distance (shouldn't even need to focus) before the stop....and for godsake smile......:LOL:
Its was tough, its an art, it was kinda like slight of hand magic or picking pockets watching him work....:shrug:
Click to expand...

I love this man
 
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