Mamiya Medium Format owners group

antonroland said:
Yes you should!:p

You guys are so fortunate on your side of the pond...you should be burning film like there is no tomorrow!
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What I've read is that Australia is the one of the worst places for film users. :eek:
 
excalibur2 said:
What I've read is that Australia is the one of the worst places for film users. :eek:
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Dunno about Oz but I can't see how it can be much worse than S.A.

Example...I live in Port Elizabeth...a town with probably 1.5-2 million people. I am fairly involved in the camera circles and I am fairly certain that we will not find 50 people who have touched film in the last 5 years...excepting maybe a few students who simply had to...

If there are even as many as 3 minilabs in the area who still develop ANY film I would eat my Mamiya...120 is simply no go.

The closest place that stock decent film is Orms in Cape Town 750 km away...that is also where I send my slide film for processing.

Dunno about inland up north and don't really care either...I am a sea baby...
 
Hi all

I have joined the ranks of Mamiya RB67 Pro SD.

Only just received it so been trolling around for film today with no luck at all. Looks like a trip into Aston Birmingham Monday, been around Birmingham today. Aston is only 15 miles away by car, but can get there easily by bus for free.

Looking forward to getting out for some Landscape shots, would like to take it with me on Wednesday a trip up Snowdon a little heavy though.

Trevor
 
trevormc said:
Hi all

I have joined the ranks of Mamiya RB67 Pro SD.

Only just received it so been trolling around for film today with no luck at all. Looks like a trip into Aston Birmingham Monday, been around Birmingham today. Aston is only 15 miles away by car, but can get there easily by bus for free.

Looking forward to getting out for some Landscape shots, would like to take it with me on Wednesday a trip up Snowdon a little heavy though.

Trevor
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You mean you hope to walk in somewhere and buy a few rolls of 120 fillum? :thinking: How quaint!:clap::clap:

Snowdon with an RB67? A proper country stroll! Hope you get it loaded - take plenty - have lots of fun learnin'
 
trevormc said:
Hi all

I have joined the ranks of Mamiya RB67 Pro SD.

Only just received it so been trolling around for film today with no luck at all. Looks like a trip into Aston Birmingham Monday, been around Birmingham today. Aston is only 15 miles away by car, but can get there easily by bus for free.

Looking forward to getting out for some Landscape shots, would like to take it with me on Wednesday a trip up Snowdon a little heavy though.

Trevor
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Pay a visit to Calumet on the Hagley Road. They have a good selection of 120 film fresh out of the fridge and the prices aren't too bad. I paid £4 per roll of HP5 from them a couple of weeks ago.

Mike
 
Thanks Mike forgot about them, was intending to go to AG Photo Lab in Aston tomorrow.

As for Snowdon mam will be too heavy to carry all way up there.

Trevor
 
trevormc said:
Thanks Mike forgot about them, was intending to go to AG Photo Lab in Aston tomorrow.

As for Snowdon mam will be too heavy to carry all way up there.

Trevor
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I can vouch for AG for film and for dev'.

Isn't there a train up Snowdon? Let the train take the strain?(y)
 
So, I regret that I am technically not part of the group any more... I've let my GF have the RB67 on perma-loan and I'm getting a roll film adapter for the 5x4. Sad times. However, I'm hoping that the fun I had with the RB will be mirrored with her and then perhaps one day I'll convince her LF is the way forward to :D
 
Yes I will be taking the train up Snowdon.

Picked up some film and developr from AG Photo Labs yesterday, been a long time since I did any developing I will soon be back into it.

Trevor
 
A thought I would try a little b&w still life with the C330. I think the first one was with the 80mm and the second with the 55mm lens, both on Fuji Acros 100. Just had a little crop and a bit of dust spotting and taken in window light.


Still-Life-2 by andysnapper1, on Flickr


Still-Life-1 by andysnapper1, on Flickr

I am constantly amazed at how sharp these lenses are.

Cheers

Andy
 
Exposure is beau on those Andy, lots of detail front to back..(y)

The infinity curve cloth backdrop is not right though, I mean if you have to have it, iron it, better still have these items on a flat table, it doesn't look like a natural arrangement, it doesn't look like you just walked in to a room and there it was, several misc items on a surface set against......a table cloth.....infinity curve ???....:D
 
You misunderstand John, this is not an infinity curve its a parahydronicom curve backdrop which leads the eye into the centre of the image. All the best, most expensive ones are made from the material you see here, costs a fortune, about £3000 per square foot.

Honestly you are soooo last year.....:naughty:

Andy
 
I rather like the bold, in-your-face compositions - "here's some old stuff on a tea towel - deal with it". :naughty:

Lovely tones, Andy, makes me want to rip the Pan-F out of my RZ back and stuff a roll of Acros in right now (y)
 
I'm a temporary member of this group, having been loaned a mamiya 645 1000S (I think), on a "try it, and if you like it, make me an offer" basis! 80mm lens, prism (non-metering) and WLF, 120 insert. The same fellow also loaned me an impenetrable-looking Goosens light meter plus manual... He also threw in a roll of Agfapan Professional 25 ISO film, expired in 2008 "for practice loading the film insert"! I have a roll of HP5 as well. 25 ISO in the current weather sounds like I'd definitely need to carry a tripod as well...

When I picked this up at first it felt about half the weight I was expecting. By the time I got it home it was at least twice the weight I was expecting!
 
I've got a 645 and despite my reluctance to try it after my less than favourable experience with the ETRS I ended up really liking it. I was using it on a tripod but found it a reasonable weight to lug around. For me it didn't have the plasticky feel of the Bronica and seemed more balanced.

It's obviously not as flexible as the Bronny but I prefer it.
 
Well I've shot my first roll in the [Edited for comprehension] Mamiya 645, round Holyrood Park. My friend had gone on and on about the perils of mirror slap on these MF cameras, so I lugged my tripod as well. That turned out not so well; the head isn't up to the job (or maybe its owner doesn't know how to lock it properly!). So after a while I took it off the tripod and felt much happier.

Pros for me: the WLF; I really liked looking *at* the image rather than through it, IYSWIM. Focussing was mostly OK except for a couple of shots of a doorway under some trees, where in the end I just estimated the distance and set it on the scale! I really liked the shutter button at the bottom, too; don't think I ever used the top one. And the sound! Loved it!

I couldn't get the loupe thingy to pop up and in my attempts the actual glass dropped out of its holder, so I'll have to get that back in place.

I didn't really feel much mirror slap (though no doubt it's there) and on reflection (!), the mirror may be heavier, but the body weighs over 1.5kg cf 400gm or so for my Pentaxes.

3 main Cons: a) weight, b) weight and c) no metering. The Gossen worked reasonably well (more weight), but another thing dangling round me somewhere was a pain. Oh and carting a tripod around! Winding on was awkward at first (dysfunctional right hand) but after a few left-handed tries I seemed to get the hang of it right-handed.

But I had a lot of fun. Roll of HP5 in with Trumps for process and scan, back Saturday, £9.49 I think.
 
On somthing like the 645 models I really would not worry about mirror slap, they are well dampend so don't become a problem.

However the large 67 machines it might become an issue, but having shot 100, 400 through my P67 (shutter noise on that machine scares small children :LOL: ) people make a big song and dance about nothing :)
 
tbh I'm not even that sure mirror slap on the RB is that bad. I shot a couple of rolls freehand recently and one close inspection what I thought was mirror slap was movement of the subject.

I had trouble with a cheaper tripod with the rb, the weight of the beasty was just too much and the head bent over slightly a concerning amount.

The loupe really helps with fine focus, I generally use it as a matter of course now so that won't have helped.

I liked my old phone as a meter it was pretty well spot on, my new one is rubbish unfortunately so I resorted to Sunny 8 yesterday when testing the Moskva.
 
For the RB67 I use the Slik SL-67 prototype.....one went on the bay for £10, I'm not suggesting it's the best but what I use. At the bootie a really heavy\sturdy tripod was sold for £10 so there are bargains around.

 
I think it's time I left the MMF group, I've barely touched my Pro-S in a year. So I guess this is a heads up for when I'll be listing body, backs and a selection of lenses later in the week..
 
steveo_mcg said:
tbh I'm not even that sure mirror slap on the RB is that bad.
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If holding by hand, you will move the camera more than the mirror can so it's irrelevant.

I don't know for sure, but I have an idea that the mirror on the RB67 runs on a cam and is damped at the end of it's travel.

Mine was certainly less of a 'clang' than my Bronica ETRS.


Steve.
 
Any one know if there is any quality differences between the 65mm and 65mm C on the RB67. I noticed the C is physically smaller than the original, is that the only difference?
 
I think the C versions have better coatings but I think that might not be the same for all focal lengths.
 
Mamiya C lenses have a floating element , non C lenses do not. With a non C lens you just focus the lens on the ground glass screen with the bellows focusing.

With a C lens you first focus the lens in the same way on the screen, but you actually have a further focusing ring to adjust on the front of the lens. Looking at the screen while you're doing so is no help because you won't see any difference however much you turn it, so you need to set this focusing ring by estimate of the camera to subject distance.

The purpose of this extra focusing movement is to focus the internal floating element which ensures that the image will be sharp right across the frame. It's very easy to forget this second focusing movement, but it's well worth the effort to ensure pin sharp images and you soon get used to it.

It's definitely worth the extra premium in my opinion over the non C lens. I have a 50mm Mamiya C lens and it's a very sharp performer.
 
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Cheers guys that's what I thought, it was just the differences in the physical layout off the camera that threw me.
 
I have 4 Mamiyaflex C2 bodies and two of them work with no issues. I've had the RB67 in the past but found it a little heavy to schlep around, but of course liked the output. A few
from the C2 using various film and devs some homebrew like Thorntons, and Caffenol CM (Cadillac)

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and one of the cameras, have just two lenses the Blue Dot 80/2.8 and old chrome 105/3.5
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Hi, welcome to the (medium) dark and fusty corners of TP, William! Another US member... soon there'll be enough to start organising American film meets :).
 
I'm joining this club I recently purchased a nice RB67 after seeing Paul with one on a Leeds trip.
I liked the simplicity of it and it fitted nicely with my FUJI GS645-Wide as a nice step up for image size and still gets 10 out of a roll.

I spent a few hours overhauling all the light seals in the film back and swivel plateand so far have just shot a half role I had kicking about and am very impessed.

I also stripped down the focus screen and gave that a proper clean so it looks lovely through the WLF.

Yesterday I bought another 120 film back for it so I can carry two pre loaded as loading in the field is a bit fiddly.

I am looking forward to better weather so I can go out and realy enjoy this beautty. :)
 
ChrisR said:
Hi, welcome to the (medium) dark and fusty corners of TP, William! Another US member... soon there'll be enough to start organising American film meets :).
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Chris, thanks, price/performance-wise, Mamiya is a great choice, my opinion, of course.:D
 
I have today purchased an RB67 pro-s, my first step into returning back to film photography. First impressions, its huge, the weight is frightening to hold after years of Canon digital.
I've spent the day, purely just playing,taking apart and marvelling at the simplistic nature of such a monster.
Should the weather clear later in the week, I'll be out with my new monster, I'll keep you all up to date and my stepping back.
 
Steve386 said:
I have today purchased an RB67 pro-s, my first step into returning back to film photography. First impressions, its huge, the weight is frightening to hold after years of Canon digital.
I've spent the day, purely just playing,taking apart and marvelling at the simplistic nature of such a monster.
Should the weather clear later in the week, I'll be out with my new monster, I'll keep you all up to date and my stepping back.
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oh its a fair weight thats for sure I have the Pro S I think
 
Hi Steve, good to see another returnee. I'm just up the road from you in Crewe, keep an eye open as we intend to organise a midlands film meet later in the year as there are a few of us within a few miles each other.

Andy
 
robhooley167 said:
I use my RB67 for landscapes, the WLF is very useful for tripod work but the only annoyance i have is the mirrored viewfinder, i've had the camera for a year and a half and i still turn it the wrong way about 1/3rd of the time.

The "newer" lenses the C and K/L ones are sodding sharp, yes you would probably see more detail with Zeiss lenses on a blad but only if you were using a tech film. You are far more likely to lose detail from scanning than you are from it not being Zeiss.
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@robhooley167 are the new lens's good?

I was considereing a new lens for mine I have the 90mm and fancy something a bit longer and was looking at this, 127mm brand new in box for £100 + some import doo dah

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW...53859801?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item48605579d9
 
I don't know about the K/L versions, I assume they are better yet than the C versions.

The 127mm is a good focal length. I picked up a 127mm C version for £37 on ebay and it's a minter so I wouldn't pay much more for a K/L one, even if it is new.
 
The K/L was redesigned and got the tiny speed increase, the 3.8 is either original or C. I can't honestly say I've seen any difference but I've only recently got a C and original to compare side by side, I don't expect there will be anything noticeable.

The amount of detail captured on my diminishing supply of Rollei Pan 25 is incredible whether with my 50mm C or 65 original.
 
Mines the 3.8
 
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