First Outing with Mamiya C3

DavidClapp · May 1, 2015

... well I made it as far as my garden.

Last week I bought myself a Mamiya C3 from the Camera Centre, Cardiff, simply because I liked the idea of a 6x6 camera and the camera had some kind of magnetism as soon as I looked through the viewfinder. So far I have done nothing but shoot flowers with it in my garden and this is the first in a series of floral images that I thought I would create for my house.

CAMERA - I shot this with a 65mm f3.5, the chrome version of this lens, on Fuji Pro 400H film, using a Epson v850 scanner, scanned using the Epson software that came with it. I bought a Paramender, the miniature centre column that corrects parallax errors between the capture lens and the viewing lens and the results are super accurate. I metered with a Weston Master V - still accurate all these years on.

SCANNING - Ive tried Silverfast and Vuescan as well, but their difficult interfaces and unpredictable results are driving me mad.

To say this has been a steep learning curve is to say the least... I came initially from a 35mm film background that I abandoned in 2005. After buying a Canon 5D I have shot nothing but digital images until January this year. With the knowledge I now have behind the camera, I made sense to make a return and I now have a Chamonix 5x4 too. With the quality of modern scanners, there has never been a better time to shoot film, but the variables that exist in film photography have caused and continue to cause me immense frustration.

It's successes like this that spur me on and make me realise that despite the complexity, it is worth pursuing - I think I see subtle colours, buttery smooth transitions but I am still not sure... I am trying to work out whether the 'look' of film actually contains more of my bloody minded will than actual disparity from digital imagery, but despite this, this 1960's Mamiya is an absolute joy to work with.

FILM LIVES and it has as much relevance as the any digital sensor... I think

pbromaghin · May 1, 2015

Wow. The pic popped up on the monitor and made me jump! Very, very nicely done. Welcome back to film. All those variables that cause the frustration are exactly what have drawn me farther and farther into it. The more one learns, the harder it gets.

Sirius Glass · May 1, 2015

Did you use a Paraminder to handle the parallax?

Great photograph.

DavidClapp · May 1, 2015

DavidClapp said:
Oh no, there was me thinking it would get easier...

Many thanks for your kind words, I appreciate it. I have just had a brainwave that I could also shoot macro with my 5x4...

I am headed out for a month of lectures in May, so I am going to shoot strictly urban using the C3 - I think I better stock up on some Portra 400 and 800.

Too old to care · May 1, 2015

Great image. My first Mamiya was also a C3 that I picked up used. That camera served me well for years, helped put me through college working as a wedding photographer in the 70s. I gave it to a friend a few years ago, he is now using it. I do not think you can kill them, and they take great photos. Enjoy it.

agfarapid · May 1, 2015

That image is breathtaking! Film, especially color in medium format, has a nuance you can't achieve any other way. For scanning I've used Silverfast with a Microtek i900 scanner for a while now, Yes, it has been a steep learning curve, but after a while it just "clicks".

ToddB · May 1, 2015

Incredible image!! I shoot that film too and absolutely love the color rendering. Love the narrow depth field too. Welcome back and shoot more.

Todd

benjiboy · May 2, 2015

No surprise to me David I've been using a Mamiya C330F for about thirty years and am still delighted with the photo-technical quality my camera can produce that none of my 35mm cameras can match, it's mechanical simplicity, versatility, straight film path and all at a very reasonable cost that will most probably still be taking pictures when your Nikon 5D has given up the ghost.

pbromaghin · May 2, 2015

We will be taking a vacation next month and I've been toying with the idea of bringing only the C33 and an incident meter, leaving the 35mm at home. This thread may have convinced me. These really are great cameras.

DavidClapp · May 2, 2015

agfarapid said:
That image is breathtaking! Film, especially color in medium format, has a nuance you can't achieve any other way. For scanning I've used Silverfast with a Microtek i900 scanner for a while now, Yes, it has been a steep learning curve, but after a while it just "clicks".

I do hope so, it's been pretty difficult so far and I am starting to realise because of the amount of variables there is no direct answer or single software solution like there is with digital. I've been adapting everything, using every bit of digital knowledge I have and then abandoning it all... Hard work but it's beginning to pay off.

DavidClapp · May 2, 2015

pbromaghin said:
We will be taking a vacation next month and I've been toying with the idea of bringing only the C33 and an incident meter, leaving the 35mm at home. This thread may have convinced me. These really are great cameras.

Does it have the parallax line inside the viewfinder? I'm really tempted to get the lighter C330s simply for weight reasons and the parallax corrector. I'm concerned about how much I can do with closer focusing and the C3, from a street photography perspective.

I like ice your idea, I am certain you whole trip would have a different feel in both recording the moment and your memories.

DavidClapp · May 2, 2015

benjiboy said:
No surprise to me David I've been using a Mamiya C330F for about thirty years and am still delighted with the photo-technical quality my camera can produce that none of my 35mm cameras can match, it's mechanical simplicity, versatility, straight film path and all at a very reasonable cost that will most probably still be taking pictures when your Nikon 5D has given up the ghost.

Yes I agree - it's bulletproof - it's been going for nearly 60yrs and when I think about it it'll be going for another 60 more. I think it's the fact that the lenses can be used in so many versatile ways thanks to the bellows system. It's really opened up a lot of possibilities that I yet to explore, so thanks for the vote of confidence.

Sirius Glass · May 2, 2015

Some models have a parallax indicator in the viewfinder. They are usually accurate, but I found a Paramender exactly correct.

They look like this https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...amiya+paramender&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004

Dead Link Removed

RattyMouse · May 2, 2015

Wow......what a great image. 400H film is so underrated.

pbromaghin · May 2, 2015

DavidClapp said:
Does it have the parallax line inside the viewfinder? I'm really tempted to get the lighter C330s simply for weight reasons and the parallax corrector. I'm concerned about how much I can do with closer focusing and the C3, from a street photography perspective.

I like ice your idea, I am certain you whole trip would have a different feel in both recording the moment and your memories.

Yes, as the bellows extend, a little red pointer comes down into the view to show where the top of the picture will be. It seems to work just fine. Do I hear the beginnings of a gas attack?

Sirius Glass · May 2, 2015

Resist the Force of GAS one cannot. _ Yoda, Star Wars XXVIII, All is Lost

leicarfcam · May 2, 2015

I much prefer the C220 over the C330. I use mine with a paramender when doing close ups..
The 65mm is probably the best in this line up for close ups.

benjiboy · May 3, 2015

leicarfcam said:
I much prefer the C220 over the C330. I use mine with a paramender when doing close ups..
The 65mm is probably the best in this line up for close ups.

I don't agree, I prefer the 55mm lens pair as the best for close ups because you can get full 1:1 life-size reproduction ratio with it

leicarfcam · May 3, 2015

benjiboy said:
I don't agree, I prefer the 55mm lens pair the best for close ups because you can get full 1:1 life-size reproduction ratio with it

I seldom want full 1:1. It gives too little room for cropping to what I want. I do agree though the 55mm is a good lens but I prefer it for wide use..

DavidClapp · May 3, 2015

benjiboy said:
I don't agree, I prefer the 55mm lens pair the best for close ups because you can get full 1:1 life-size reproduction ratio with it

Interesting - I was wondering whether the 55mm had any hidden strengths... that's great to read.

leicarfcam · May 3, 2015

DavidClapp said:
Interesting - I was wondering whether the 55mm had any hidden strengths... that's great to read.

I don't think it is better than another lens for random usage except maybe for landscape which is mainly what I use my 55mm for but the 80mm may just be the best close up lens in part because of the wider f/2.8 aperture but the 65mm which has a f/3.5 runs a close second in my opinion..

Sirius Glass · May 3, 2015

DavidClapp said:
Interesting - I was wondering whether the 55mm had any hidden strengths... that's great to read.

The 55mm lens is a great wide angle lens. The 80mm lenses is much better for close ups and macro work.

benjiboy · May 4, 2015

leicarfcam said:
I don't think it is better than another lens for random usage except maybe for landscape which is mainly what I use my 55mm for but the 80mm may just be the best close up lens in part because of the wider f/2.8 aperture but the 65mm which has a f/3.5 runs a close second in my opinion..[/QUOTE

A large aperture lens for close up photography in my experience is of no advantage because at such close distances you have to stop it down to f11, f16 or f22 to get enough depth of field to cover the subject.

Sirius Glass · May 4, 2015

The choice of lens for the close up photographs changes the perspective. The choice of perspective should not be ignored by arbitrarily choosing the lens.

landscapepics · May 4, 2015

A lovely image David and welcome back to the world of film

First Outing with Mamiya C3

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency