Film anyone ???

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stevewestern

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OK, so joxby (here on TP) is selling a Mamiya 6, a medium format film camera, with a 75mm (standard) lens. Anyone know much about medium format ?
Now, while I have no money, I am tempted, as meduim format appeals, especially the discipline it will enforce on me.
Howwever, I have not used film for many years (20 or more) and need some idea of darkroom stuff, scanning film to digital etc. Anyone out there who can help with some pointers ?
I guess I would be doing mainly portraiture, black and white, and need to know what is available (in my day it was patterson tanks, durst enlargers, and rather heath robinson in some ways- maybe that was just the cheaper end of it all, which was and still is my end)). Have things moved on much ?

Please let me know anything you can that may help me spend more of the bank managers money... Thanks !
Steve
 
in my day it was patterson tanks, durst enlargers, and rather heath robinson in some ways- maybe that was just the cheaper end of it all, which was and still is my end)). Have things moved on much ?
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Nope. :D

You might want to consider scanning and going over to a digital process at the negative stage rather than set up a darkroom or let someone else do your printing. Although the printing stage is possibly the most rewarding if it's viable.

As for the camera, I'm quite surprised that Joxby is parting with this. We seem to have some similar passions in terms of film cameras and this one combines three fabulous things. 120 film, mamiya lenses (which are just superb) and rangefinder.

If this had come up at a time when I had 400 spare quids it would be mine. :D
 
steveinspain said:
Please let me know anything you can
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Its still patterson tanks and durst enlargers.
Personally, I develope my own B/W (easy) and scan it...unsuccessfully, I have equipment to develope E6 (slides) and C41, but I never got around to doing it.
The main reason is, I dont want to print really, I want to print digitally from scan, but top quality scanners for M/F are very expensive, 35mm isn't such a problem and much cheaper.
I dunno, maybe I just got a bad scanner, its hard to tell.
Anyway, chances are, thats where you could sink all your dosh.
You could always use your digital camera and slide copy.
Mamiya 6 is essentially a street camera, compact unobtrusive but still shoots a big high quality negative, ofcourse you can use it for anything with the right lenses but there are only 3 manufactured.
Its not really a portrait camera, it doesn't focus close enough to fill the frame with a face, maybe half the frame, all rangefinders are like that.
You dont have to spend a lot on camera equipment, theres a lot of old manual equipment of tremendous quality kicking about on fleabay if you fancy a dabble in analogue.
All the fun is in the shooting + processing, I find its very.....theraputic.....except the scanning...thats just plain irritating..
 
I've got to agree with Joxby, the shooting and processing is great, scanning and messing around in photoshop not so good, but I don't have access to a darkroom, so I'm stuck.

I don't know about this mamiya but my maiya lenses for my RB are excellent, they feel nice and solid, and shooting 120 film is great.

If you have the cash spare and feel you would like to try MF this is probably a very good place to start, as it will handle quite similarly to your SLRs wihtout having to play with WLFs.

If I hadn't just bought a load of stuff I might have been interested myself. Go for it, you know you want to.
 
dazzajl said:
Nope. :D
As for the camera, I'm quite surprised that Joxby is parting with this. We seem to have some similar passions in terms of film cameras and this one combines three fabulous things. 120 film, mamiya lenses (which are just superb) and rangefinder.
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Well I'm not to happy about it, everything they say is true, it is a fabulous system, just to hold, wind on/stuff.
I admire it but it doesn't touch me like fat old Veronica:cuckoo:
I'd like to try the 50, but at 400-£500 for a lens for a camera I dont truly enjoy using, seems a bit of a waste.
It needs to go to somone who appreciates what its does best, and the film format.
I'm going to buy a 500cm instead:)
 
I'm going to buy a 500cm instead
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Ahhhh, 6x6 is still probably my favourite format and the pull of a blad has always been strong. I could never quite think of getting one though without feeling like I was cheating on my SQ-B. :cuckoo::lol:
 
Dazzijl - what can you tell me about scanning - I have a flatbed scanner - is that up to the job ?
I have to say, my memories of printing in a wet darkroom are wonderful - I was just not much good at it !
A sad tale - I lost almost all my film negatives when I was given the use of a room for a darkroom (this was out here in Spain 25 years ago) I set it all up, and when a toilet was installed in the room above, I saw no reason to worry. However, the Spanish craftsman who did the install did just what he was asked - he installed the toilet. Not the waste pipe. So, when I went in to do some printing a few days later, all my equipment was covered by a slurry of fly and festering fluids etc.

Sheep - thanks - I'll M Hoodi, and am still chasing up things for you..!
 
So, anyone got any tanks and film processing stuff they want to part with ?
I think I am going to give this a try, so have sent joxby a PM...
Any input about scanners would be good too - I have an Epson 5000f, but figure I'll need something else - like what ??
From what I have read, there are a few scanners that do medium format better than 35mm, so what do you all know ?
Also, any pointers for getting started in B/W developing - books or andive maybe ?

Many thanks,
Steve - always keen to spend money he can't even borrow !
 
I still have all my darkroom kit but, as of yet, I have not decided to sell it.
I have an LPL7700 enlarger gathering dust in the loft along with all the other junk requiredto print stuff.
Anyhoo! I had a reasonable amount of success scanning med format with a Canon lide flatbed scanner but, in all honesty, nothing (and I mean nothing) comes close to projected medium format slides.
Projectors are as rare as chickens teeth as I found out when my one caught fire and I tried to get another one.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
 
The best scanners are drum scanners......you dont want to know..
The second best scanners are dedicated for scanning just film like nikons coolscans, only the 8000 and 9000 do medium format film, also there is microtek artixscan 120tf & Polaroid sprintscan 120 (both exactly the same model), minolta did 2 models Minolta Dimages scan Multi & a Pro version with a higher scanning resolution, both are no longer manufactured but still flying about on flebay.
All scan at max res of 4000dpi optical except the minolta non pro...I think its 1200dpi for m/f film, and all of them go 2nd hand at the orrible side of £500, coolscans £700+ and are the only ones available in England to buy new.
They are the second best because they scan nothing else but film, no compromises.
Third best are flatbeds, they aren't dedicated for just film and all scanning takes place through glass.
The best flatbeds I suppose are the epson 700 and 750, the 750 has a slightly better spec optically than the 700 and includes a fluid mount like a drum scanner...vid here...at the bottom down the left.
You can get decent results with other flatbeds, but I dont know which, everybodys idea of decent is different.
Microtek make a few flatbeds that have 2 scanning areas, 1 on the top for ordinary print stuff and a drawer into which you slide film, glassless scanning flatbed...i900 or something, actually they just released a new film flatbed called M1:suspect:
All flatbeds seem to get mixed reports to me.
Cant find much detail about the 5000f in relation to film scanning, might do a decent job if it will take m/f, who knows.

B/W developing -

1 x small developing tank + reel
2 x plastic Tesco jugs with ml scale
1 x thermometer
1 x small container or something to measure 0 - 60ish ml
developer
fixer
plenty of water @ 22c or there abouts, I just use the mixer tap:)

Some peeps use a stop bath to stop development, I just use water.
Some peeps use a whetting agent like photoflow to help the film dry without watermarks/streaks, I dont, its never been a problem, must be all the sheep p**s in Yorkshire water.
All in all, it takes 20mins from empty work surface to glistening wet film running off the reel.
 
Just waiting for my Mamiya 645 to arrive :)
Ilford have a great article on their website on developing B&W.
Also waiting on a Canon scanner from Calumet.

This should be fun! Wish me luck boys, I'm going in!
(Too many years since I developed a B&W film) oops!
 
Dazzijl - what can you tell me about scanning
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absolutley naff all my man, I don't even own one. :)

I will need to find a solution but I've not looked into it as I know the answer wont be cheap. Since the only film I'm likely to be needing to digitise right now will out of my £10 60 year old plastic lensed agfa clack, quality is not going to be paramount. ;)

For what it's worth, this was from a 617 slide that I "scanned" by putting it on the light box and taking a snap.

tusc3.jpg


If it's just for web and email then the lowest quality will be just fine. If you're getting prints made and need something better, then you can always get a scan and print done at a lab.

It's all worth it for the feel of (ooooh dare I say it........????) real photography. ;):D
 
you have a fuji 617 ?

.....I'll fight ya for it, *looks around house*.....errr...my girlfriend as collateral

and...and...and an X reg brown poodle..:boxer:



envy = terrible thing
 
joxby said:
you have a fuji 617 ?
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I had a fuji 617. :D

Bought it when money was free, used it for a couple of years and passed it on. :D

It's the most stupid camera really. It's a daft format, has some serious design faults, is very large and heavy and I totally loved every second of shooting with it.
 
joxby said:
...the 750 has a slightly better spec optically than the 700 and includes a fluid mount like a drum scanner.
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I was under the impression the only difference between the 700 & 750 was that you got a full pro license for the Epson scan & SilverFast software (which isn't much cop) Optically they're identical.

Still getting to grips with my 700 but I'm very impressed so far.
 
dazzajl said:
I had a fuji 617. :D

Bought it when money was free, used it for a couple of years and passed it on. :D

It's the most stupid camera really. It's a daft format, has some serious design faults, is very large and heavy and I totally loved every second of shooting with it.
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Awww
I got into Fuji's during my never ending review reading mission called buy a m/f rangefinder..the 670 was in my sight for a while.
But that 617 is mental, like 2 shots per roll, and the tea trolly handles are bonkers, I've seen some fabulous up'n'down panos from that camera, at the YSP there was an exhibition of 617 panos they were stunning.
...no photography please...oops

o8grvl.jpg


this is a fuji 617 for anyone thats innerested...:lol: bonkers

fuji-617-1.jpg


sprog said:
I was under the impression the only difference between the 700 & 750 was that you got a full pro license for the Epson scan & SilverFast software (which isn't much cop) Optically they're identical.

Still getting to grips with my 700 but I'm very impressed so far.
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I have read that the 750 is optically a shade better that the 700 and manufactured that way, how you can actually tell I dunno, but that was the word on the street. I think the only reason to get a 750 over a 700 is Silverfast Ai software which is meant to be the dogs cajones and the fluid mount, the fluid mount hasn't convinced me, outside the paid for reviews its been a luke warm response.
I'm interested to know how good the v700 is for sharpness, the Dmax value is good enough.

photostar_1 said:
:lol: :lol: @ Joxby.........if you think I'm going to go through all that with my 'ronica...think again!! :lol::lol:


Get me an easy option plureeeeze!!
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I thought you were going to send your film away ??
You dont need any of that stuffs to shoot your Bronnie.

Ere...do I detect a wavering of enthusiasm regarding this film lark.......cos if I do, I might have to deploy plan B, and end all excuses for excuses.
This s2a polaroid back is no damn good on my EC and its only a first class stamp in cost and distance.
Anymore dissent and I'm sending it for free...so think on :D
 
What is the scaffolding for:lol:
 
I think it looks naff when a manufacturer stamps "professional" on there products, even if they are aimed in that direction, imagine if they were to stamp professional on the Canon 1D series. or the Nikon whatever.......
 
But that 617 is mental, like 2 shots per roll
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Well my photographic spiritual home will always be 6x6 so really for me, it's 3 shots per frame and 4 frames per roll. Which if you want to bracket is a pain. You get one image per roll and an annoying frame left over.

I really don't miss it as long as I don't think about it, see one or have too look at a room full of 617 images. ;)

The scaffolding is just another part of the daftness of this camera. Although it did prove useful once or twice as these aren't studio cameras. They are made to go to the wilds of the world and do their thing.
 
Now, how about this. I have committed (to myself, even if not to Joxby) to buy his camera. Today, I delivered a photo to a Dutch lady. She is a painter, and her first husband took a lot of pictures before he died. She kept his Yashica TLR as a memento (sp ?)
Today, she has promised to bring it from holland next time and give it to me.
How wonderful and touching is that !

Rather like buses then - you wait for ages, then along come two at once...!

Today, I am feeling rather chuffed.
 
I see that you, Joxby might be after a 50cm.
That for real ?
I am in contact with a wedding photography company that is going digital, so it soon to be clearing out their Hassleblad gear, including a 50cm and several other bits....
 
Yeah, its probably for real, its on my list....just under the gas bill:lol:
 
I am in contact with a wedding photography company that is going digital, so it soon to be clearing out their Hassleblad gear
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Those blads make a very good digital platform and I suspect it would be cheaper to get a decent back than to re-invest in 35mm style digi. Although you do have to go pretty high end to get decent high ISO performance and I guess being able to shoot at 1600 ISO plus does open up a lot of possibilities for a wedding snapper.

Anyway, I'll shut up now as this has nothing to do with the topic at all. Glad you've decided to dip a toe or two into MF Steve. You might love it, you might hate it but at least you'll know. :D
 
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