6x9 portraits

RobertP · Feb 3, 2017

I've noticed that not many portraits are being done in the 6x9 format. Has anyone tried using a Kodak Medalist with a Kodak Portra lens attachment for doing Portraits? Would be interesting to see the results. Robert

tedr1 · Feb 3, 2017

Perhaps it has less to do with the negative format than with the type of camera? In my experience portraiture is very sensitive to framing. When the camera has an optical viewfinder, as the Medalist does, then framing at portrait distances can be tricky because of parallax error, the face framed in the viewfinder is not how the framing will appear on the negative unfortunately.

RobertP · Feb 3, 2017

Yes. But after shooting a bessa II folder for a long time you kinda get use to compensating for parallax. I'm wondering how the portra lens would look on the image size and quality. Thanks

Prest_400 · Feb 3, 2017

Kodak Ektar lens?

I have to agree that there are way less portraits shot on 6x9 because of its history and cameras. The most doable/accurate may be the 2x3 view cameras framed by GG. 6x9 SLRs there maybe was an old model.
6x7 has P67 and RB/RZ67 which were popular studio cameras.

I have a Fuji GW690 and only shot environmentals, my tendency is not to frame people with a close portrait.
The older G690 models had a close focusing adapter and were supposed to hive fantastic ability on it. Haven't seen much of it though.

RobertP · Feb 3, 2017

I also forgot to add that a medalist also has a ground glass accessory that would solve the parallax problem when focusing but then you are limited to sheet film.

derelict · Feb 3, 2017

I was thinking about doing this a little with my Ercona. It is not rangefinder so framing might be difficult. I think I could figure it out though having spent enough time with it to roughly understand where the framing lay.

Paul Howell · Feb 3, 2017

I agree, when I shoot portraits or still life I use my Kowa SL66 and save the Mamyia Press for landscapes, I have both the 6X7 and 6X9 backs so it is not an issue with the format just the viewing system.

John Koehrer · Feb 3, 2017

It seems like it wold be easy enough to raise the camera by the distance between finder & lens ala paramender.

hsandler · Feb 3, 2017

I recently acquired a Kodak portra close up set. I tried them on my speed graphic 4x5, but not for portraits as yet. I think you will find it nearly impossible to get accurate focus without a ground glass.

RobertP · Feb 3, 2017

From what i understand you have to take a pretty accurate measurement from subject to front of lens and set the focus accordingly to get a good result. But yes the ground glass makes it much more accurate as you compose like any large format camera and actually see what the film sees.

tedr1 · Feb 4, 2017

The lens may be calibrated for focusing distance measured between the film plane and the subject rather than the front of the lens and the subject, if this isn't clear with the camera in question it may be worthwhile making a test first, the difference can be significant, three or four inches is a lot at close-up portrait distances, the DOF may be less than this.

RobertP · Feb 4, 2017

Yes the Medalist manual states the distance is measured to the front of the portra lens.

moto-uno · Feb 4, 2017

^ This is getting a bit confusing folks , what is a Portra lens ? My Medalist has an Ektar lens .
Is there a special lens for this camera I'm not aware of ? Regards,Peter

RobertP · Feb 4, 2017

The Kodak Portra lenses are just a supplementary lens that slips over your camera lens for doing close-up shots. I guess diopter would be the term I'm looking for. Kinda like reading glasses for your Ektar. I'm sure someone else could explain it better.

TheFlyingCamera · Feb 4, 2017

6x9 is an odd proportion for portraiture - it lends itself better to landscape or architecture because of the oblong-ness of it. 6x8 or 6x7 are more boxy and as such are more comfortable visually for portraits. Rather I should say traditional head-and-shoulders portraiture - if you're doing environmental portraiture, then it makes a great format for full-length figures. I think part of it might also be the format is big enough that a portrait-length lens for it is right there on the cusp of hand-holdable - you're talking a 210mm-250mm lens for a good portrait length, and most cameras in that format have a top shutter speed of at max 1/500th, which makes them hard to hand-hold.

moto-uno · Feb 4, 2017

^^ Thanks RobertP, that in fact is a good description . I'm waiting for an "Auto-up" supplementary attachment for my Fujica GL 690.
Pretty well designed to do the same thing . Peter

Trask · Feb 4, 2017

Please post a picture of that Auto-Up for the GL690 when you get it -- I've got the same camera so would be interested to see it in person, so to speak.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2017

Since the 6x9cm format and 35mm frame have nearly the same proportions, I'm not sure how one would tell the difference in a photograph, unless one read the notes in the book or show, examined the prints up close, or the frame edges were included in the print.

LMNOP · Feb 4, 2017

I've got a Medalist listed on the bay right now and I have been very tempted to keep it. That ektar lens must be incredible for portraits. I shoot portraits occasionally with my GW690, personally I like the cinematic look 6x9 can offer.

darinwc · Feb 5, 2017

I don't understand why people think 6x9 is bad for portraits.. if is the exact same format as a 35mm frame and 35mm is used for portraits all the time.

If the 6x9 cameras are not suited for portraits, that is a different issue.

OzJohn · Feb 5, 2017

darinwc said:
I don't understand why people think 6x9 is bad for portraits..

Bad no - inconvenient perhaps for the same reason that 35mm, while used extensively, has never has been the preferred format for portraits. The 2:3 formats like 6x9 and 35mm used for portraits are almost always cropped to get a pleasing portrait print. Professionally, portraits were mostly taken in 6x7, 6x4.5 or 6x6 formats even though the latter usually required cropping too. Now that most professional portraiture is done digitally and nearly all cameras have the 2:3 format, it is no coincidence that one of the most sought after features is the option to shoot in 4:5 portrait format - generally only available on pro level cameras.

derelict · Feb 5, 2017

John Koehrer said:
It seems like it wold be easy enough to raise the camera by the distance between finder & lens ala paramender.

I popped the back door open and looked through the lens and found the center. I measured roughly where that was off the top and the side. I wrote that measurement down and transferred it to the back cover. I roughly line that dot up with what I am shooting. Works well enough. No need for a paramender.

6x9 portraits

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