Medium Format ... long may it live!

[Keith]

I've been shooting a lot more of it lately ... mainly with my RF645 and although I like and am a frequent user of 35mm nothing does it for me like 120 film and I suspect that I may eventually have to sell my soul to the devil to get the new Bessa Folder!

Unfortunately I can also think of a few other MF cameras I'd like to own ... a Mamiya C330 comes to mind and possibly an RB67 ... a Hasselblad wouldn't go astray either. From what I can perceive used MF gear offers an incredible range of stunningly competent cameras and lenses at extrordinary value.

I went out yesterday with a tripod, my RF645, a meter and a couple of rolls of film ... I only used one roll (PanF+) and spent quite a few hours shooting that one ... in terms of satisfaction that roll of film was probably worth more to me than the last five rolls of 35mm I've shot.

Please show me some of your pics that have made you smile and think to yourself ... "Yep, I love MF!"

[35mmdelux]

MF detail is amazing. I shoot MF concurrent with my Leicas. These include Hasselblad (60mm/100mm), Makina 67, and Mamiya 6 (75mm). Occasionally I get lucky with a great shot.

[FallisPhoto]

Originally Posted by Keith

...nothing does it for me like 120 film and I suspect that I may eventually have to sell my soul to the devil to get the new Bessa Folder! ...

You use a handheld meter don't you? If so, just get one of the older Voigtlander rangefinders (Bessa II or RF) with a Heliar.

BTW, I love that photo!

[Keith]

Incidentally ... Fergus, if you happen to see this thread this shot was taken with one of the rolls of film you generously gave away to Australian RFFers several months ago.

Thanks again for that selfless gesture mate!

[ReeRay]

I too recently acquired MF with a good deal on a Rollei 6002 and 50/80/150.

Very fortunate to also get a good deal on a Minolta Multi Pro for scanning.

Just need the weather to change now and I'll be in heaven

[Leighgion]

MF is pretty awesome. Even with a camera I'm now angry with and may never get fixed.

(Treasonous) Fuji GS645 on Arista.EDU Ultra 100 dev in D-76

[Al Kaplan]

I can't say that I went out and bought any 120 film but I did dig out some of my boxes of 120 negatives and contact sheets, mostly from the sixties and seventies. Seeing those photos for the first time after all those years is a revelation! I still have a couple of TLR's. Maybe I will buy some film.

[zgeeRF]

I dared to pack my Yashicamat (in addition to the 35m RF stuff) in a recent trip for the first time, and didn't regret it.
In fact I shot my first 220 roll with it.

Here is one of the frames I like (PlusX in Rodinal):


here for larger:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zgee/3578830418/

[zgeeRF]

I forgot to comment that your shot is awesome Keith!

[ishpop]

Great thread Keith. I always enjoy my MF shots more, and seem to have a much higher "hit rate" with my MF cameras. For that reason I have been trying to shoot 35mm more, as I felt like clearly the issue is me, and I simply need to get "better". That being said, I still love shooting MF. Here is my most recent effort:

Exakta 66 Mod II - Flektogon 50

[mrisney]

Originally Posted by 35mmdelux

MF detail is amazing. I shoot MF concurrent with my Leicas. These include Hasselblad (60mm/100mm), Makina 67, and Mamiya 6 (75mm). Occasionally I get lucky with a great shot.

You have excellent tastes in cameras The Makina 67 is amazing.
I have the Mamiya 6, and can't imagine parting with it, in my life.
I load up my ThinkTank with my M4-P, Mamiya 6 (75mm, and 50mm),
and the Polaroid 600 SE with the 127mm, and the 75mm, and for digital
- the Lumix G1 and a Gitzo 1227 - awesome tripod. That's my travel kit.




The detail I can get from the Mamiya 6, is very impressive.








I do think the Mamiya 6 and its lenses are a bit contrasty, I am actually thinking of dumping a Rollie 6003,
and get a Mamiya TLR C220, for an interior, studio camera,
keep everything else for street, field, and candid's.
I use the Lumix G1 for snapshots and when there is a need for digital,
I like that I can use the M mount lenses on it, via an adapter,
it keeps me - one toe in the digital world I suppose.

Anyways - most images of the C330 or C220 makes me think that this
will work for me, not as expensive as a Rolleiflex, and I am really
charmed by Mamiya lenses in general, after a few years with a 645 outfit,
I realized I prefer rangefinders, and recently sold it off an got the Mamiya 6 outfit.

[charjohncarter]

120 is great; even a Brownie Hawkeye Flash at a carshow will produce stuff that nobody else can muster:

[Morca007]

As much as I like mf, I'm beginning to dislike my Yashica-D, and have an itch to try a 6x6 slr, but they're quite a bit above my little tlr in terms of price. Maybe I'll have a little sale soon to try and raise some money for an Kiev 6c(or 60)...

[bradfordco]

Yes, long live MF, taken with my blonde love

[shiro_kuro]

Here are a few from a recent contact sheet .....

Plaubel Makina 670

[Todd.Hanz]

Keith,
your preaching to the choir man.

Great pic, very "Aussie".

Rolleiflex 2.8E


Rolleiflex 3.5F


Mamiya 7II


Hassy


Todd

[Keith]

To me MF can produce images at f16 that I feel I can walk into ... without resorting to the ultra wide aperture bokeh gymanstics of 35mm! (which I quite like too incidentally!)

Paul, that Velvia shot is stunning ... I knew as soon as iI looked it wasn't Wellington ... where I spent twenty wind blown years of my life!

[fergus]

Originally Posted by Keith

Incidentally ... Fergus, if you happen to see this thread this shot was taken with one of the rolls of film you generously gave away to Australian RFFers several months ago.

Thanks again for that selfless gesture mate!

No worries Keith, good to see it's getting some use.

I was wondering when I saw your shot in the gallery... titled 'the call'... if you had stopped driving and jumped out trying to get a better mobile phone signal?

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Todd.Hanz

Keith,
your preaching to the choir man.

Great pic, very "Aussie".Todd

Hey, not a sermon Todd ... more like a celebration or confirmation!

I know all you guys are hooked or you wouldn't be here ... the 35mm devotees can only look in awe!

[ItsReallyDarren]

I wanted to see firsthand a MF film in person. I picked up a Yashica 124 at a camera show and loaded it with some Ilford XP2. At the time I didn't develop my own film so C-41 it was. I drove down to the bay and walked along the water. These were my first MF shots, I was hooked.

[nuckabean]

I've been MF deprived for a little while since I've been captivated with the M6 since I started using it. I did send 4 rolls of 120 into the lab the other day which I'm very eagerly awaiting the return of.

Here's some old stuff.
Mamiya 7, 80mm, Velvia 50

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4726969...7618506679207/

Yashicamat, Plus X

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4726969...7618023431274/

Yashicamat, Portra 160nc

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4726969...7617587937978/

Mamiya 7, 80mm, TMX 100

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4726969...7617224374784/

Hasselblad 503cx, 80mm, Velvia 50

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4726969...7610843170742/

[snausages]

Keith - thanks for the thread. Great photos by everyone. I love MF and I've succumbed to several of its instruments.

Rollei 2.8 Planar...



Mamiya 7...



Pentax 67...



Mamiya 645...

[jslabovitz]

This has been a most enjoyable thread. Here are a few shots of mine, done on either a Bronica RF645 or my Mamiya RB67. My Rolleiflex was the magic box that got me into MF in the first place, but I find I don't use it quite as much as I used to.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/jslabovitz/3675162757/

Shot as part of a portrait series at a programmer's conference here in Portland, Oregon.



Also in Portland, at a wonderful art/street festival that happens every month.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jslabov...57619753307264



http://www.flickr.com/photos/jslabov...57617221702207

From a series of closeups of artist studios.

[vdonovan]

Another great RFF thread!

[mfogiel]

This is one of the recent MF shots that I like most. For me the tonality and the quality of the Zeiss Hasselblad lenses are unique - this one shot on Tri X with the 100/3.5 Planar wide open:

[jmilkins]

I'm just starting in MF.

From first roll with Fuji GA645wi on Reala mono ps:






I have a bit to learn but I'll enjoy the journey

[vdonovan]

My usual portrait rig: Bronica SQ-A, Kodak TXP 320, 150mm Zenzanon, Xtol 1:1

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by mfogiel

... For me the tonality and the quality of the Zeiss Hasselblad lenses are unique ...

Amen to that Brother!

A few of my medium format efforts:


Hasselblad, 80mm





Mamiya M654 1000s 80mm

[Keith]

Originally Posted by vdonovan

My usual portrait rig: Bronica SQ-A, Kodak TXP 320, 150mm Zenzanon, Xtol 1:1

Great portrait ... that TXP320 is something else ... I might have to order some from Freestyle I think! I'm already a devoted Xtol 1+1 user.

What do you expose the Tri-X at?

[Ronald_H]

Ok, I'll post one too. Dipped my toe into the wonderful world of medium format with the usual suspect, a Yashica Mat 124. Basic, but with a stellar lens and a fresh CLA too.

This is a recent shot, Fuji Superia 100, bw conversion, Eposn V500:

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Darkhorse

I've been scouting wedding locations. Particularly arboretums or botanical gardens etc. I slapped on Rolleinars on my Autocord and, with the help of Portra, shot some of the larger exotic plants. When I saw the results this afternoon I was happy with how the plants seemed to jump out from the image. I have a 120 roll of PlusX I shot this afternoon in the bathroom, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Darkhorse - your second shot reminded me of this one.

[Keith]

Does anyone have examples with the 'cheap and cheerful' films like Lucky and Arista EDU?.

I gather the drawback with these may be scanning ... I've noticed the lesser films tend to be a bit curly!

[abumac]

Hasselblad 500 c/m with CF 2.8/80.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Keith

Does anyone have examples with the 'cheap and cheerful' films like Lucky and Arista EDU?.

I gather the drawback with these may be scanning ... I've noticed the lesser films tend to be a bit curly!

Here's some from Lucky SHD 400, probably developed in DD-x 1+4. The absence of an anti-halation layer does give the images a certain "glow", but the curl is horrible! I just checked the negs for these shots, and after two years in the folder the curl is still strong enough to lift the ANR glass in my Betterscanning film holder!

[Keith]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Here's some from Lucky SHD 400, probably developed in DD-x 1+4. The absence of an anti-halation layer does give the images a certain "glow", but the curl is horrible! I just checked the negs for these shots, and after two years in the folder the curl is still strong enough to lift the ANR glass in my Betterscanning film holder!

Nice ... 'Lucky glow' as against 'Leica glow!'

[Lilserenity]

Oh no, look what you've gone and done now all you very talented people, I now want to get a medium format camera again...

or I can't decided!

I suppose I was thinking about that Mamiya 645 Super... Gnghhhh!!!! But if I do go for it, the EOS 3 definitely gets sold too.

[mgd711]

Originally Posted by Keith

Does anyone have examples with the 'cheap and cheerful' films like Lucky and Arista EDU?.

I gather the drawback with these may be scanning ... I've noticed the lesser films tend to be a bit curly!

I did have 10 roll's of Arista EDU, terrible film with a very blue base. As mentioned the curl was terrible. I used the last few roll's to practice loading SS reels with.

I never got anything I'd consider worth posting using that film.

[Frank1969]

Here is one from India, Hasselblad with 80mm lens:

[Frank1969]

And one more from India, Hasselblad with 50mm lens on Astia

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Lilserenity

Oh no, look what you've gone and done now all you very talented people, I now want to get a medium format camera again...

or I can't decided!

I suppose I was thinking about that Mamiya 645 Super... Gnghhhh!!!! But if I do go for it, the EOS 3 definitely gets sold too.

I thought you had a Mamiya C330/220 ... ?????

Go on ... you know you need those big negatives!