That's one reason I went to Linhof for one job, even when I had Hasselblads: c/u with tubes and Proxars is horribly limiting next to a bellows. An RB would have been better still. I was shooting an airbrush artist at work, showing technique (distance from ground, finger movements, etc.) and continuous focusing is MUCH easier.
Cheers,
Roger
I use both RB's and Hasselblads, Paul is right, for macro/close up work, the RB wins hands down. In fact, for most tabletop/product work, it's 1000 times easier to shoot with.
Even with an extension tube it's quite easily managable, though a prism becomes needed
Try as I might, even with the auto bellows on the 500c/m, it's far more of a struggle to get the shot, so much so that I will probably be selling the bellows and just using the 500 for what I bought it for, as a nice small, lightweight, out of the house/studio shooting outfit.
For macro with a 6x6 a Mamya C-330 or one of it's variants would be a good choice. These have a bellows and can focus very close. You would have parallax to contend with, but that isn't a difficult problem to solve.
I no longer own one, and don't have the specs at hand. As I recall it can focus to 6 inches or so. Not a true macro capability if one is looking to fill the frame with very small things. But it can focus way closer than something like a Hasselblad without resorting to close up lenses or extension tubes.
IDK what Willie has in mind for his macro shots, so the Mamiya may or may not fit his requirement.
Perhaps it's the several years of shooting tabletop/product with RB's and sinar P 4x5/8x10's that give me a tremendous familiarity with them. IF I was shooting true macro (>1:1), I would probably start with the 90 and the 82mm tube, though 99% of the time, I use a 180 with either the 45 or 82 tube to achieve the close focusing while having a decent working distance. One of my RB's has a permanent home on a studio stand, and is perfectly counterbalance, so the weight/mass is insignificant in that situation.1000 times easier? Just curious, what is it about the RB that you feel makes it easier? I've used an RB before, and something that big and awkward (for me anyway) would definitely not be my choice for macro work. The bellows is way to short for any significant macro work. You still have to use one or more extension tubes for extreme close up (1:1 or larger), so I don't see any difference between using an RB and using any other MF SLR, except that the RB is bigger and heavier. The only advantage I see with the RB is the rotating back. To me it's not worth the trade off of the increased size and weight.
Why don't you like the waist level finder for macro, is it not as bright as a prism finder? Harder to focus? A metered finder REALLY comes in handy for macro.
I don't understand how it could be a struggle. Is it a rail system with movement at both ends? If so, did you leave the lens at a set position and focus by moving the film plane? Personally, I would love using a bellows with a rail system for macro, but I just can't see spending that much money for one.
How long is the bellows? How close is "very close"? 6 inches? A foot? 2 feet?
Dear Phillip,I was always under the impression that a macro lens would be better than tubes due to the lens being designed for a flat field with minimal fall off at the edges.
Dear Mark,Having said that, you could get through a hell of a lot of film for that money...
Dear Mark,
True, but the simple truth is that even without the pressure from the clients for immediate results, by the time you've couriered a roll of tranny film to and from the lab, and paid the rush fee, your cost per exposure is so high that the digiback pays for itself quite quickly. At least that is true in advertising. When I started in the 70s it was quite normal to make two or three trips to the lab a day, plus rush fees of 100-200 per cent for immediate processing. Go to overnight shoots, where the lab stayed open just for you, and it got REALLY expensive.
Cheers,
Roger
Dear Steve,True, but then I am in photography for myself. No clients, no pressure, no rushing ... and with opto-chemical custom photofinishers still alive and healthy in my area I'll stick to film.
Steve
I came home today and pulled out my C330, along with the 80mm lens and the 65mm lens. I used a "Post-It" note as a subject (3" x 3" or 76mm x 76mm square).
With the 65mm lens, when the bellows is extended to it's maximum, the camera plus lens is about 177mm (7 inches) from the front surface of the front lens element to the back of the camera. When the bellows is extended to it's maximum, and the subject is in focus, the subject is about 75 mm (3 inches) from the front surface of the front lens element to the subject. The image in the viewfinder is about 2 1/4" x 2 1/4 " (60mm x 60mm) or approximately life size.
With the 80mm lens, when the bellows is extended to it's maximum, the camera plus lens is about 165mm (6.5 inches) from the front surface of the front lens element to the back of the camera. When the bellows is extended to it's maximum, and the subject is in focus, it is about 190 mm (7.5 inches) from the front surface of the front lens element to the subject. The image in the viewfinder is about 3" x 3" (76mm x 76mm) or approximately 0.80 life size.
These measurements are "tape measure" measurements, rather than "laboratory quality" measurements, but I hope they assist.
By the way, with a good paramender, close focus work with a Mamiya TLR is very satisfying.
Matt
The "paramender" Matt referenced was made by Mamiya exactly for this purpose. It is mounted between the camera and tripod and allows the camera to be shifted by the distance between the viewing and taking lenses. The paramender makes it easy, but it's not essential.
Be warned, though, that Mamiya TLRs are love-'em-or-hate-'em, and that these responses are all from the love-'em camp.
Cheers,
Roger
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