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jofoto photo
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p.1 #1 · For MF Film Shooters

Only if you are or where shooting weddings and portraits with 6x6 or 6x7 MF film today, what system would you choose. I'm looking for optical viewfinder, possibly AF, decent metering with spot metering.

Also for digitising was thinking Epson V750 scanner

Your thought without breaking the bank please

Jan 24, 2013 at 06:25 PM

ricardovaste
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p.1 #2 · For MF Film Shooters

I've had 2-3 great cameras but arrived faulty. In the end, I ended up with a Mamiya AFD2. It'll be very familiar in terms of dSLR handling. I wouldn't recommend using it in manual focus, you really need AF lenses with it (for accuracy).

The v750 seems a great choice. Beware of the time and craft involved with scanning...

Jan 24, 2013 at 06:39 PM

jofoto photo
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p.1 #3 · For MF Film Shooters

Thank Richard not looking for 645, I shot 35mm for years and used Nikon 5000 so no worries there. If it was 35mm It would be a very easy decision

Been using a friends Pentax 6X7 mark1 and 105mm 2.4, scanned on Imacon and really liking the results so far.

Thinking along the lines of Pentax 6x7 mark11 atm,

Jan 24, 2013 at 06:49 PM

Mark_L
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p.1 #4 · For MF Film Shooters

You'll probably have to scale back your requirements if you want to go bigger than 645. These cameras are not feature laden like dslrs, are usually most suited to tripods, are all manual focus, usually have a ground glass and most don't have meters let alone spot meters which is why they were only used for the quite static formal shots back in the day.

Your best bet is a mamiya 6 or 7 rangefinder.

Jan 24, 2013 at 08:15 PM

jofoto photo
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p.1 #5 · For MF Film Shooters

Did think about Mamiya 7 ii which is 6X7, lenses seem slow for weddings F4 seems the norm at best. But looks like a very manageable system

Jan 24, 2013 at 09:51 PM

awad
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p.1 #6 · For MF Film Shooters

if it were me, i'd go with a mamiya 645 afd. Something more modern. I spent way too long shooting with an RB-67.

Jan 24, 2013 at 09:53 PM

tdurnan
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p.1 #7 · For MF Film Shooters

I'd say the Pentax 67 also. It has a couple of 2.8 lenses and nice grip. The Mamiya 7 is also a good option, but watch the f-stops on these.

Jan 24, 2013 at 10:52 PM

CRFTony
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p.1 #8 · For MF Film Shooters

I just bought an RZ67. I've never used a medium format film camera so I can't lend much advice. I did see that many people are using dSLRs to photograph their negatives rather than investing in a film scanner. Most consumer scanners get poor reviews from my research. Here's a link showing one way to photograph your negs.
http://pauloricca.com/index.php?a=blog&idpost=24

Jan 24, 2013 at 10:54 PM

cineski
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p.1 #9 · For MF Film Shooters

Since we're talking weddings (handholding), I'll vote for Contax 645. Handles like an SLR, quick (as quick as MF film can be), great to use handheld all day if needed, Zeiss glass is amazing. Also has a 1/4000th top shutter speed, the 80 f/2, the 35, 45, 55, 140 are all stellar pieces of glass. Vacuum insert for 220 film. The Pentax 67 w/ 105 gives really nice results. It's also a flipping brick and has a lot of limitations. Ever going to use flash? 1/30th sync is all you get and a HUGE mirror that has it's own issues at times.

Honestly, unless you shoot a Hassy H4X with True Focus, don't count on accurate AF at a wedding with most medium format cameras unless you're shooting at f/16. It's pretty much manual focus or nothing.

Jan 25, 2013 at 12:12 AM

hardlyboring
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p.1 #10 · For MF Film Shooters

The above advice is good but my vote goes to the uber cheap and uber fantastic Mamiya Pro TL. You can get a meter prism for it and also a winder. Mine has neither. Don't really need either if you know what is going on.
The Contax 645 system is nice but it goes for anywhere between 2 and 3 thousand dollars!!!!! Holy crap. You can pick up the Pro TL and 80 1.9 for like 450$. There is not much noticeable difference between the two bodies and lenses picture wise. Both have fast 80mm lenses and shoot 645. Put good film in there and get a good lab and no one will tell the difference.
The RB and RZ systems are nice but they are HUGE and the lenses weigh a ton and take up soooo much space. The picture quality is amazing but we basically stopped using ours because it was cumbersome and I would rather carry around the 4x5 camera.

The Epson v700 scanner is amazing. WIth the Silverfast software you can scan BW film all day no problem with amazing results. I scan all of my 645 and 4x5 BW film with it and get amazing results. Heck I even keep the resolution at about 3/4 to save on file size. When I scan a 4x5 shot I am getting a file that is a little over 100mb. Short of a really nice frontier or noritsu drum scanner (which does not scan 4x5) you cannot go wrong.

So what do I think? I think for under 1000$ you can be shooting developing and scanning BW film. For color I would use either Pro Photo Irvine or Indie Film Lab. Richards was good but unless you have the money to setup a profile with them and or spend a TON of cash on developing with them they are not going to give you the time of day. PPI you can call and talk directly with someone holding your film... amazing people and amazing customer service.

The Mamiya 6 and 7 are cool but somewhat limited by there close focus distance. People buy the Contax because Jose Villa shoots it. Don't be seduced by it there are plenty of other fish in the sea that will get the job done just as well.

Jan 25, 2013 at 12:48 AM

D. Diggler
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p.1 #11 · For MF Film Shooters

What about a Fuji Folder? I was considering one of those at one point.

Compact, light weight, and 6x7:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/06/17/the-fuji-gf670-film-camera-review-medium-format-lives/

Jan 25, 2013 at 01:14 AM

CRFTony
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p.1 #12 · For MF Film Shooters

hardlyboring wrote:
The RB and RZ systems are nice but they are HUGE and the lenses weigh a ton and take up soooo much space. The picture quality is amazing but we basically stopped using ours because it was cumbersome and I would rather carry around the 4x5 camera.

What cam are you using to shoot 4x5? I was so tempted to go large format but it seems so intimidating between field/view cameras, bellows lengths for telephoto lenses, film holders, etc. I was just too scared to make the jump.

Maybe in another few years.

Jan 25, 2013 at 01:32 AM

hardlyboring
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p.1 #13 · For MF Film Shooters

CRFTony wrote:
hardlyboring wrote:
The RB and RZ systems are nice but they are HUGE and the lenses weigh a ton and take up soooo much space. The picture quality is amazing but we basically stopped using ours because it was cumbersome and I would rather carry around the 4x5 camera.

What cam are you using to shoot 4x5? I was so tempted to go large format but it seems so intimidating between field/view cameras, bellows lengths for telephoto lenses, film holders, etc. I was just too scared to make the jump.

Maybe in another few years.

I shoot with a plethora of Graflex Super D cameras both in 4x5 and 3.25x4.25. I also have a Crown Graphic that I rarely use because it is so hard to focus precisely with the rangefinder mechanism.
The Super Ds are quite hard to find... mostly because I buy everyone that becomes available

haha

Jan 25, 2013 at 02:50 AM

CRFTony
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p.1 #14 · For MF Film Shooters

Thanks for the info! I checked that out and it looks much less confusing than the other 4x5s I'd been researching.

I'm being nosy but what's your longest lens? I could never figure out how to tell whether the cameras I was looking at had long enough bellows for a lens around 300mm, but maybe it would be out of the ordinary to even use a lens that long on a 4x5 camera.

Jan 25, 2013 at 02:57 AM

maxwell1295
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p.1 #15 · For MF Film Shooters

The Pentax 67 with the 105/2.4 is the "new" hot combo being used by a lot of the film shooters. I've seen quite a few of them switch over to this combo.

Jan 25, 2013 at 03:03 AM

hardlyboring
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p.1 #16 · For MF Film Shooters

CRFTony wrote:
Thanks for the info! I checked that out and it looks much less confusing than the other 4x5s I'd been researching.

I'm being nosy but what's your longest lens? I could never figure out how to tell whether the cameras I was looking at had long enough bellows for a lens around 300mm, but maybe it would be out of the ordinary to even use a lens that long on a 4x5 camera.
My longest lens is a 150mm so roughly about 45 mm equivalent. Actually all my lenses are 150s.
You can get a longer one but all that stuff is complicated enough. No reason to carry a bunch of lenses. I carry one and am done.

Jan 25, 2013 at 03:11 AM

CRFTony
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p.1 #17 · For MF Film Shooters

Sounds like good advice to me.

If you ever decide to sell one, hit me up.

Jan 25, 2013 at 03:14 AM

hardlyboring
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p.1 #18 · For MF Film Shooters

Haha I have had a few offers but doubt I will be selling any of them anytime soon. I kind of collect them. I have a price and If I find one for that price I buy it

Jan 25, 2013 at 03:41 AM

Joshua Gull
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p.1 #19 · For MF Film Shooters

I'd agree with all of the above but do have to disagree with Doug on one point--the Contax 645. It's bare none the best camera I've ever owned and doesn't have anything to do with who else shoots with it. It offers some features that other cameras just can't measure up to in the way of ergonomics and usability.

Personally I shoot vertically as much i not more than I do horizontally and the vertical grip is a HUGE help. It adds bulk and weight but makes up for it in the ergonomic boost of not having to cock your wrist over the top while partially supporting the weight of a big camera system (because you'll be focusing with your left hand so you won't be fully supporting the weight of the rig).

It also runs on four AA batteries with the grip AND STILL holds an on-board 2CR5 battery that you can use as backup. I've had multiple medium format rigs and batteries go dead at the most inopportune time. With the Contax it's a simple flick of a switch on the grip and you're back to shooting until you can reload the AAs.

The 220 vacuum back insert is a very nice feature too. 645 is really great for wedding situations because you have interchangeable inserts AND you get 16/32 shots per roll of 120/220 respectively. That's a big deal when you can get that many shots on medium format and then quickly pop in another pre-loaded insert compared to only getting 10/20 shots on 120/220 from a 6x7 camera and then having to slowly reload a heavy, cumbersome camera on the fly. It's just not really practical unless you have two duplicate 6x7 rigs with an assistant to keep loading, unloading and rotating out cameras to you as you shoot through film.

With that said for portraits the bigger negatives are hard to beat and the speed and ergonomics aren't as big a concern so something like a Pentax 67ii would be a great setup.

V700/V750 are great for self-scanning B&W. There isn't really a good solution for self-scanning color short of buying a Noritsu or Frontier yourself (and many would argue even that isn't a very good solution).

Jan 25, 2013 at 07:11 AM

D. Diggler
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p.1 #20 · For MF Film Shooters

Joshua Gull wrote:

V700/V750 are great for self-scanning B&W. There isn't really a good solution for self-scanning color

What's the problem with using the V700 for color?

Jan 25, 2013 at 09:19 AM

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