Am I missing something on my RZ67?

[BrandonJ]

I have been shooting with my RZ for over a year now and recently tried my hand at pinhole ( with a Diana F+) photography which was a gateway drug to long exposures on the RZ . I have a bulb shutter release so I figured I can squeeze it and clamp it off for long exposures but it will only hold maybe a minute in the bulb setting so I tried by hand with the same results. To me bulb means until I am damn good and ready to close the shutter what gives am I missing something?

Thanks,
BrandonJ

 

[brucemuir]

The RZ has an electrically (battery) powered shutter.
Using bulb only allows a 60 second exposure as to not drain the battery.
You need to use the "T" setting for exposures longer than 60 seconds

 

[BrandonJ]

and there is the answer I was looking for! Thank you so much Bruce!!!

 

[brucemuir]

NP.
You will probably want to d-load the manual as the RZ has some quirky interlocks and if I don't use mine for awhile I need to refresh my memory on a few things.

You can get it from the mamiya site or butkus.org

 

[polyglot]

Worth noting that B ends about 60s after you release the mirror, not 60s after you first press the shutter release cable on the lens. So if you release the mirror (from the body) then wait 40s for your subject to do something, you've only got about 20s remaining in which to make an exposure.

B is electrically operated, T uses a mechanical latch to hold the shutter open until you slide the T selector back to N. If there are point-lights in your scene, sliding the selector back will bump the camera and your point-lights will have horrible little trails on them, therefore you should always put the lens cap back on before ending a T exposure.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I think you have to use mirror up mode. You first put a shutter release cable on the barrel of the lens, slide the lens switch to "T", fire the shutter release in the body. The shutter isn't released until you squeeze the shutter release cable on your lens. This mode is for reducing mirror shake for long exposures.

 

[tnabbott]

If there are point-lights in your scene, sliding the selector back will bump the camera and your point-lights will have horrible little trails on them, therefore you should always put the lens cap back on before ending a T exposure.

This is great advise. Thanks!

 

[brucemuir]

This is great advise. Thanks!

Yes, I always doubted the wisdom of that T lever design.
I don't even like to look at the camera too hard during timed exposures let alone touch the lens!

Thats a good tip/reminder Poly.