Mamiya C220 and portraits of 100 strangers.

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Easy ones I hope. The diameter of the focus knob and the length, width and height of the camera (assuming viewfinder is closed and bellows is closed.)

Very much appreciated.

Sorry for the delay, here are the measurements:

Diameter of focus knob(s): 3cm
Height: 17cm
Width: 11,7cm
Length:12cm with 80mm lens attached + original plastic lens cap. 10,3cm with no lens attached.

/Ulrik

 

[Scott_PdP]

Thanks Ulrik. Very much appreciated.

 

[Mike Lopez]

Hello all

First post - I am new to this forum. I started shooting film about 1 and a half years ago, when I pulled out my fathers old cameras from the bottom of a closet. Among them was a Mamiya C220 and a Minolta Autocord. I decided to get learn how to use them and it has been such a joy shooting film and learning the development process as well.

Are there any others here who regularly shoot the C220? I'd love to see some of your favorite shots and hear about how you use it. I have started a little challenge for myself - a series of 100 portraits of strangers, combined with first name and their favorite music. It is a great way to practice technical skills, communication and this 6x6 type of portrait composition.

Here are a few samples, developed in DD-X 1+9 dilution.

View attachment 288693
Name: Maureen. Favorite music: Scylla and Sofiane Pamart. C220, Delta 100.

View attachment 288694
Name: Sushma. Favorite music: Anne Marie, To Be Young (Pop). C220, Delta 400.

View attachment 288695
Name: Diego. Favorite music: Led Zeppelin. Autocord, Delta 400.

View attachment 288696
Name: Nicky. Favorite music: Rozenberg (Hiphop). C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288697
Name: Andrea. Favorite music: Ari Ari. C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288698
Name: Clarissa. Favorite music: Lil' Wayne. C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288699
Name: Samuel. Favorite music: Bob Marley. C220, Tmax 100.

What have you been using you C220 for? Which lenses do you find attractive and do show samples or links to your work

Best regards,
Ulrik

You are off to a fantastic start! These are very nice to look at.

 

[removed account4]

Hello all

First post - I am new to this forum. I started shooting film about 1 and a half years ago, when I pulled out my fathers old cameras from the bottom of a closet. Among them was a Mamiya C220 and a Minolta Autocord. I decided to get learn how to use them and it has been such a joy shooting film and learning the development process as well.

Are there any others here who regularly shoot the C220? I'd love to see some of your favorite shots and hear about how you use it. I have started a little challenge for myself - a series of 100 portraits of strangers, combined with first name and their favorite music. It is a great way to practice technical skills, communication and this 6x6 type of portrait composition.

Here are a few samples, developed in DD-X 1+9 dilution.

View attachment 288693
Name: Maureen. Favorite music: Scylla and Sofiane Pamart. C220, Delta 100.

View attachment 288694
Name: Sushma. Favorite music: Anne Marie, To Be Young (Pop). C220, Delta 400.

View attachment 288695
Name: Diego. Favorite music: Led Zeppelin. Autocord, Delta 400.

View attachment 288696
Name: Nicky. Favorite music: Rozenberg (Hiphop). C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288697
Name: Andrea. Favorite music: Ari Ari. C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288698
Name: Clarissa. Favorite music: Lil' Wayne. C220, Fp4.

View attachment 288699
Name: Samuel. Favorite music: Bob Marley. C220, Tmax 100.

What have you been using you C220 for? Which lenses do you find attractive and do show samples or links to your work

Best regards,
Ulrik

thanks for posting and sharing your images !
and thanks for picking up that camera and making portraits
I have never used a C220, almost bought one years ago but somehow got distracted by life
but love photographing strangers.
keep up the great work!

John

ps. thanks for the Flickr link!!

nanianphoto.com is my site but no mamiya anymore ( I used to have a post war folder )

 

[pentaxpete]

i was given a C220 + 80 mm f2.8 'Blue Dot' Sekors by a Kind Fellow Camera Club member who then died but I e-mailed him results before he died. I have got 20x!6" Darkroom Prints from that lens. i then got a 135mm f4.5 'Blue Dot' Sekor set off e-bay for £75, very clean 1 I did a VIDEO about my C220 and showed some Prints which you can see here :

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

You are off to a fantastic start! These are very nice to look at.

Thank you Mike

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

thanks for posting and sharing your images !
and thanks for picking up that camera and making portraits
I have never used a C220, almost bought one years ago but somehow got distracted by life
but love photographing strangers.
keep up the great work!

John

ps. thanks for the Flickr link!!

nanianphoto.com is my site but no mamiya anymore ( I used to have a post war folder )

Thanks John. I think photographing strangers is very rewarding - not to say challenging as well. Thanks for your comments.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

i was given a C220 + 80 mm f2.8 'Blue Dot' Sekors by a Kind Fellow Camera Club member who then died but I e-mailed him results before he died. I have got 20x!6" Darkroom Prints from that lens. i then got a 135mm f4.5 'Blue Dot' Sekor set off e-bay for £75, very clean 1 I did a VIDEO about my C220 and showed some Prints which you can see here :

Hi Peter.

Nice rundown of the camera in your video and the images at the end is nice and interesting as well. It makes me want to try enlarging my own images, but that will have to wait

I have only made a few youtube videos, but I have one with my C220 with images from the first rolls I took with it. There's no talking, but there is self composed music to the images.

 

[Nokton48]

Hi Peter.

Nice rundown of the camera in your video and the images at the end is nice and interesting as well. It makes me want to try enlarging my own images, but that will have to wait

I have only made a few youtube videos, but I have one with my C220 with images from the first rolls I took with it. There's no talking, but there is self composed music to the images.

Every one is excellent! Well done

 

[pbromaghin]

I have only made a few youtube videos, but I have one with my C220 with images from the first rolls I took with it. There's no talking, but there is self composed music to the images.

Great photos!

 

[removed account4]

Thanks John. I think photographing strangers is very rewarding - not to say challenging as well. Thanks for your comments.

couldn't agree more !
are you going to keep photographing strangers ? I do whenever I can .. the tough part is going back to find them to give them a print, I had a 5x7 image in my car for 2 years .. never could find the guy
who "was here every day" with his buddy drinking beer out of a paper bag at the park... he was like a mirage .. I've experienced those before, spoken with people who were figments of my imagination I guess now I photograph them too.. I hope you are making physical prints and a book of these or somehow publish the collection ..

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Every one is excellent! Well done

Thank you! I see from your flickr images that you have a very interesting and fully rigged studio

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Great photos!

Thank you very much

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

couldn't agree more !
are you going to keep photographing strangers ? I do whenever I can .. the tough part is going back to find them to give them a print, I had a 5x7 image in my car for 2 years .. never could find the guy
who "was here every day" with his buddy drinking beer out of a paper bag at the park... he was like a mirage .. I've experienced those before, spoken with people who were figments of my imagination I guess now I photograph them too.. I hope you are making physical prints and a book of these or somehow publish the collection ..

Yes, I have set a challenge for myself to make 100 portraits of strangers and right now I am at the 25 mark. Looots of shooting to do
I always offer to send the portrait to the person I photograph - I think it is right to do that, since I have taken some of their time. That means I really have to make it work, which is not the case with every shot, of course. But it is a ton of learning, technically, composition wise, the light and with communication. If you can't get the (people) chemistry to work, the portrait will fail. When done, I will surely make a book with the 100 portraits - but probably only for myself, since I have no knowledge of the rights regarding publishing portraits of others. I am sure there are a lot of things to consider. As far as posting them on social media, I make sure to tell them that I will maybe do that. No one has made an objection of this yet. But if I were to sell them in a book, which I absolutely can't imagine would be relevant, as this is purely a hobby/learning project with material not even close to the quality of what I have seen in photo books, I would have to model releases I think.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

I'll just post the 5 latest portraits I made. These are with the Minolta Autocord, though the first one is taken with the Mamiya C220:


Alexia. Favorite music: Punk.


Mohamed. Favorite music: Al Firdaus Ensemble (Arabic music).


Tony. Favorite music: Burzum (Norwegian black metal).


Miguel. Favorite music: Spanish music.


Gloria. Favorite music: La Yegros.

 

[Pieter12]

Yes, I have set a challenge for myself to make 100 portraits of strangers and right now I am at the 25 mark. Looots of shooting to do
I always offer to send the portrait to the person I photograph - I think it is right to do that, since I have taken some of their time. That means I really have to make it work, which is not the case with every shot, of course. But it is a ton of learning, technically, composition wise, the light and with communication. If you can't get the (people) chemistry to work, the portrait will fail. When done, I will surely make a book with the 100 portraits - but probably only for myself, since I have no knowledge of the rights regarding publishing portraits of others. I am sure there are a lot of things to consider. As far as posting them on social media, I make sure to tell them that I will maybe do that. No one has made an objection of this yet. But if I were to sell them in a book, which I absolutely can't imagine would be relevant, as this is purely a hobby/learning project with material not even close to the quality of what I have seen in photo books, I would have to model releases I think.

If you choose to publish a book, although it would be best to have signed model releases for all the subjects,. In the U.S. none is required unless it is used for commercial purposes, such as to promote a product or service. A book like you are describing would be an art book and no release or permission would be required.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

If you choose to publish a book, although it would be best to have signed model releases for all the subjects,. In the U.S. none is required unless it is used for commercial purposes, such as to promote a product or service. A book like you are describing would be an art book and no release or permission would be required.

Hm, that is very interesting. I have to investigate how the rules are here in Denmark. Thank you Pieter.

 

[Moose22]

I'll just post the 5 latest portraits I made. These are with the Minolta Autocord, though the first one is taken with the Mamiya C220

I'm happy to see any of your portraits. They're great.

Of this batch, my favorite is the Tony portrait. That one has the pose, composition, for some reason the cigarette adds to it. It works in the square format. This is a great project. I'm sure you'll inspire me more if you are only 1/4 of the way done.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

I'm happy to see any of your portraits. They're great.

Of this batch, my favorite is the Tony portrait. That one has the pose, composition, for some reason the cigarette adds to it. It works in the square format. This is a great project. I'm sure you'll inspire me more if you are only 1/4 of the way done.

Thank you Moose22! - very inspiring . I plan to do 100, but with a full time job it is a slow process. I will get there, though!

 

[markjwyatt]

Great portraits! How long does it take you to get their copnfidence and agre to the shot? Do you use a little fill flash in some cases?

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Great portraits! How long does it take you to get their copnfidence and agre to the shot? Do you use a little fill flash in some cases?

Thanks Mark! It depends. It is different from person to person. But I have little checklist before I start the conversation. First I try to decide how I want the person to stand or sit and where depending on the light (preferable shadows, but if not, I try to place them where hard shadows do not form on the face. I even try to make a light meter reading if the light is constant. Then I can ask the person if I can make a portrait. This way I have much more time to just talk and see if it feels right. Of course, most of the time I can't do all checkpoints and must do them after they agree, but I find that the most important thing is the conversation and making them feel good in the moment. Again, it helps using a beautiful old camera - it usually makes it easier to get acceptance. And of course, I will offer to send the portrait to them, if they want it.

I don't use fill flash, because I don't know how to make it work with my C220 camera. I only have digital speedlights for my Fuji digital cameras and I think it may be possible with a PC cable, but I really have no knowledge of how it works, I'll have to learn that. I have had some negative feedback on my portraits for not using flash. But... I mean, I think this is just the way I would like to make them - I will just have to be careful and find the right natural light. And this is also really a learning process for me, both technically and socially, I guess you could say. When I started, I had to push myself to feel comfortable with just asking. But it became easier, when I started to think about how I wanted the portrait to turn out, prior to starting the conversation.

 

[drmoss_ca]

This is a great project, and skillfully done!

 

[MattKing]

I don't use fill flash, because I don't know how to make it work with my C220 camera.

I too really like what you are doing.
Most of my portrait work over the years has been with a Mamiya C330, so I agree with your choice .
It is worthwhile exploring using fill flash, and the C220 is perfect for it.
You may very well find it complements your very clear appreciation for natural light.
Reflectors are another great option - don't hesitate to make use of existing surfaces like walls.

 

[markjwyatt]

Thanks Mark! It depends. It is different from person to person. But I have little checklist before I start the conversation. First I try to decide how I want the person to stand or sit and where depending on the light (preferable shadows, but if not, I try to place them where hard shadows do not form on the face. I even try to make a light meter reading if the light is constant. Then I can ask the person if I can make a portrait. This way I have much more time to just talk and see if it feels right. Of course, most of the time I can't do all checkpoints and must do them after they agree, but I find that the most important thing is the conversation and making them feel good in the moment. Again, it helps using a beautiful old camera - it usually makes it easier to get acceptance. And of course, I will offer to send the portrait to them, if they want it.

I don't use fill flash, because I don't know how to make it work with my C220 camera. I only have digital speedlights for my Fuji digital cameras and I think it may be possible with a PC cable, but I really have no knowledge of how it works, I'll have to learn that. I have had some negative feedback on my portraits for not using flash. But... I mean, I think this is just the way I would like to make them - I will just have to be careful and find the right natural light. And this is also really a learning process for me, both technically and socially, I guess you could say. When I started, I had to push myself to feel comfortable with just asking. But it became easier, when I started to think about how I wanted the portrait to turn out, prior to starting the conversation.

The reason I brought up fill flash is because all your portraits seem to have nice lighting, and having that extra burden to find a location with nice lighting beyond convincing someone to take the picture is probably not always easy. But you do seem to do it.

I remember reading years ago about how natural light is sometimes less natural looking than using a little fill flash. This is especially true with color film and even more so with reversal beause of loss of latitude. I used to use a lot of flash with my Mamiya TLRs, and had good Metz equipment. I t was all done through PC cords, and the flash itself took care of it's own expoure. Sometimes if flash is overdone it does look harsh, so good natural lighting is always best (and maybe a little fill flash just to boost the shadows could be good). Usually when I went out just to shoot for fun, I left the flash at home. I still have the Metz flash equipment, but need to import replacement batteries from Malaysia if I want to use them again.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

This is a great project, and skillfully done!

Thank you very much