Buying a medium format camera

I agree with Daz, I think this is a timely loan which should give you more of an idea about your preferred format.
 
foodpoison said:
SQ 120 - think this is what it's meant to be called
SQA 120 - the SQA bit is irrelevant, fits on all SQ cameras?
SQA 120J - 6x4.5 format?

Oohh I feel like such a newbie all over again asking all these questions :D
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the difference between the sq and sqa backs is the positioning of the ISO dial. On the SQs it's on the top and can't be reached when you have a prism fitted if you want to dial in exposure comp. SQA backs have the dial on the back so it's readily accessible. I never use the meter in my prism anyway so it doesn't matter what my ISO dial is set to.

645 is actually quite nice, I made a mask for my screen for when I've got the 120J back fitted and it's a nice shape (4:3), much prefer it to the usual 3:2 format and you don't always want to shoot square.
 
Ahhhh that makes sense. Yeah no hassle for me, I'll be using manual anyway :)

I've shot 6 frames so far with the Mamiya 645 and I'm loving it already and I haven't even processed the film yet!

I yearn for square format though :(
 
Sort of, I'm still trying to strip the film holder, one of the screws won't budge. I'n the mean time I stuck one of the film holders from a 6x6 back in it. will develop at the weekend to see what happened.
 
So, my MOT and service totalled to £250.

Looks like I'm not getting myself a camera.

Next month I have car insurance and £100 deposit on a holiday to pay for, so I can't afford to leave myself with nothing this month.

Effing car, will be the death of me.
 
Time to get aquainted with your overdraft, man-up, dive in and make the most of it. Overdrafts are there for when you can't be bothered saving. Think of it as free money!

Anyone else need financial advise?
 
Sitting here watching the fantastically priced SQ-B auction come to a close is devastating :( to top it off when I shoot off to uni my dad expects me to give him my car since I owe him £850. The car is worth £2400 as it is!
 
Just been looking at it. Now I'm not very clever but you can't let that one slip.
 
Well they seem to be getting about £300+, so I hope that was your £165.
 
I know, and no it wasn't. :(

I literally couldn't afford it. It would leave me with £40 to last me the month.
I was anticipating my MOT to be £150, leaving me with a decent amount of money, and with the sale of my guitar I'd be a little short this month but not too badly.

On the occassion, one goes for around £100-£180, so I'm likely to get one in the future if I'm patient.

But still.
Gutted.
 
foodpoison said:
I heard that borrowing money from gangsters was an awesome idea, especially since they are so rich they don't mind if you never pay them back!
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Not quite true according to the radio today, if you can't pay them cash they expect payment in kind:exit:
 
I think they'll want to stick more than a finger inside you!
 
So, I'm thinking of buying everything seperately. This will allow me to get (hopefully) everything at a reasonable price, but allow me to spread the costs.

The only thing that is troubling me is getting the waist level finder.
They only seem to come on complete cameras, which at the moment are kind of tricky to find at a reasonable price! Any idea on where I can get a waist level finder, and what sort of price I should be paying?
 
Yeah Matt that's what I was thinking of doing.
Only problem is the body and WLF clock in at £160 really, and if I'm patient I can get a complete one at that price.
Was looking at a back this month, then perhaps the rest next month in chunks. Can always keep/sell the back if a complete pops up.
 
I'm pretty sure I've used them for something but can't remember what. If I remember rightly they're not too quick at answering emails so if I was you I'd pick up the phone.
 
Love this thread (y)

It has been very informative .. thank you foodposion for starting this, and everyone who's participated.

A question, about aperture ......

ekimeno said:
foodpoison, the 35mm equivalent for MF lenses is as follows:

40mm MF = 23mm in 35mm format
50mm MF = 28mm in 35mm format
75/80mm MF = 45mm in 35mm format (standard lens)
150mm MF = 85mm in 35mm format

For light meters, a simple selenium based one can usually be picked up for £30-odd. Also in you calculations you'll also need to add in a finder... waist level is the best of course :)

FYI, I have an SQ-A and it is a lovely camera to operate. :love:
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... and it may have been posted here, but I would have probably missed it ...

What is the focal length & aperture on a 50mm f/4 (MF) equivelant in 35mm format?

Thanks



... and I hope you get your MF very soon, foodpoison.
 
I don't really understand the question.

Are you approaching this with a view to having the same metering or the same depth of field?

Image size changes depth of field, but has nothing to do with metering.
 
May be I didn't make it clear, and I don't want to hijack the thread; but my concern is that I wanted to keep the same depth of field :shrug:
 
Wail said:
What is the focal length & aperture on a 50mm f/4 (MF) equivelant in 35mm format?
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Not sure on the Aperature side because normally when you see comaprisons between MF and 35mm it is the focal length that is quoted, so 50mm MF lens = 28mm, 35mm lens.

As for the aperature, most 6x6 and larger format MF lens have a smaller maximum aperature like f4 because the cost of making faster aperature lens would be sky high.

But because the whole lens is bigger than a 35mm counter part I would think that at f4, it would be like using a 35mm lens at say f2.8 (guess I could be wrong) because if I use my lenses at f4 it certainly throws the background out of focus.
 
Wail said:
Love this thread (y)

It has been very informative .. thank you foodposion for starting this, and everyone who's participated.

A question, about aperture ......




... and it may have been posted here, but I would have probably missed it ...

What is the focal length & aperture on a 50mm f/4 (MF) equivelant in 35mm format?

Thanks



... and I hope you get your MF very soon, foodpoison.
Click to expand...

It's been fantastic, hasn't it :)

as far as metering goes, it's exactly the same as 35mm I would assume, simply because handheld lightmeters don't have a medium format setting.

Also, if you think about the whole depth of field thing on digital compacts. They say "f/2.8-f/6" lens, but in actual fact a hell of a lot more is in focus, more like f/16-f/32. That's because the sensor is super small. I would say just as a completely uneducated guess that f/4 on MF would be similar to as someone said, f/2.8 on 35mm
 
Knikki said:
Not sure on the Aperature side because normally when you see comaprisons between MF and 35mm it is the focal length that is quoted, so 50mm MF lens = 28mm, 35mm lens.

As for the aperature, most 6x6 and larger format MF lens have a smaller maximum aperature like f4 because the cost of making faster aperature lens would be sky high.

But because the whole lens is bigger than a 35mm counter part I would think that at f4, it would be like using a 35mm lens at say f2.8 (guess I could be wrong) because if I use my lenses at f4 it certainly throws the background out of focus.
Click to expand...

Also, how come most of the standard lenses are f/1.9 etc? :shrug:
 
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