Mamiya C220 and some new portraits.

[Loren Sattler]

Beautiful work. Very impressed with the narrow depth of field and detail in these portraits. That 80mm Mamiya lens is razor sharp. My wife is always promoting less detail in my portraits. I say BS to her!

 

[baachitraka]

I still struggle with composition

That day is not far that you will make photos without putting any thought to it, just like breathing.

 

[Tel]

A camera with a waist-level finder does not hide the photographer's face, he or she can easily look up from the camera and better engage the subject. Same with large format.

And there’s the added advantage of distraction. When I shoot candid stuff on the street I like to use my Rollei baby or a Primo Jr. because the combination of waist-level and smaller size makes the camera almost invisible. And shooting Portra or HP5 in 127 format still gives a very high-res neg with room to crop.

 

[Dan Daniel]

I wouldn't worry about your compositions. Looks very nice.

Are you familiar wit the photos of August Sander? early 1900s, Germany. Your portraits echo him in ways to me.

https://www.moma.org/artists/5145

 

[Sirius Glass]

And there’s the added advantage of distraction. When I shoot candid stuff on the street I like to use my Rollei baby or a Primo Jr. because the combination of waist-level and smaller size makes the camera almost invisible. And shooting Portra or HP5 in 127 format still gives a very high-res neg with room to crop.

It is personal whether one uses a tlr and the portraits are looking up at subject's faces or an slr or range finder and looking close to level with the subject's face.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Beautiful work. Very impressed with the narrow depth of field and detail in these portraits. That 80mm Mamiya lens is razor sharp. My wife is always promoting less detail in my portraits. I say BS to her!

Thank you Loren. If you nail focus, there's no problem with sharpness . I think the 80 is very nice for portraits - you can also step back if you want more of the surroundings.

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

That day is not far that you will make photos without putting any thought to it, just like breathing.

I make sure to practice

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

I wouldn't worry about your compositions. Looks very nice.

Are you familiar wit the photos of August Sander? early 1900s, Germany. Your portraits echo him in ways to me.

https://www.moma.org/artists/5145

Thanks very much Dan - also for the link to August Sander. I will take a look at his work later today!

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

My pleasure Ulrik.
Not exactly from waist level, but intentionally from a bit lower, with room to breathe up top:
View attachment 386994
And then, quite intentionally, from down below, and looking up:
View attachment 386996

Yes, I see what you mean. What film is this you have used here? Looks really nice.

 

[Arthurwg]

Great stuff, Ulrik. For sure you have a book.

 

[MattKing]

Yes, I see what you mean. What film is this you have used here? Looks really nice.

The "Marked Gas" photo is 120 Ektachrome.
The "Sablefish" photo is 120 Kodak Ultra - and all sorts of different conflicting colour temperature light sources. Not with a waist level finder, but from a low angle never-the-less.
Here is another "portrait" from the same roll of Kodak Ultra, but this time from a higher point of view :

Group Portrait

• MattKing
• Mar 7, 2007
• 4

This was taken on the same outing as my previous upload - at the fisher's wharf in Steveston...

 

[Ulrik Christiansen]

Great stuff, Ulrik. For sure you have a book.

Thank you Arthur

 

[maruti660]

Hi, I was impressed by the first work you posted. It's a portrait of a woman with the sea in the background. What lens did you use for this? I like the 105mm.

Do you use any fill light for this? The light from the side makes her outline stand out, which is nice.

I personally prefer portraits taken with the Mamiya 220 or 330 to those taken with the Rollei. It has a slightly hard image and is unique.

I prefer the simple 220 to the unfriendly 330. People say that "winding" and "loading the shutter" are a pain, but for me, who shoots with 4x5 equipment, it's not a big deal. I also like the design of the vinyl skin on the surface of the 220. Keep taking lots of great portraits!

 

[markjwyatt]

Really liked these.

One thing I noticed in a couple of them is an emphasis imposed by using a waist-level finder. I think the subject's knees in #2, and the subject's thighs in #3 seem slightly disproportionate. And in #7 ("Allan") the vantage point was also noticeably low. I am not saying the lower-than-expected camera angles are good or bad -- only that it's something I happened to notice. Perhaps it is because after decades of using a 35mm SLR at eye level, my mind has become prejudiced to favor the slightly higher viewpoint?

As a recent convert to shooting with a TLR, I find myself constantly struggling to get the camera a bit higher by standing on tip-toes. In my "studio" (really just the loft of an old barn), I keep a step ladder handy so I can compose and focus with the TLR on a tripod at eye-level.

Try a pentaprism viewer. I use it a lot for my TLR shooting. They are heavy. I have a porro finder (mirror) also, but do not like it as much, but it is a lot lighter. Sport viewer is likely risky with portraits, especially given your concern for composition, but same weight as the waist level (for 80mm at least).

Great portraits. Love then idea.

 

[runswithsizzers]

Try a pentaprism viewer. I use it a lot for my TLR shooting. They are heavy. I have a porro finder (mirror) also, but do not like it as much, but it is a lot lighter. Sport viewer is likely risky with portraits, especially given your concern for composition, but same weight as the waist level (for 80mm at least).

Great portraits. Love then idea.

I probably should try a pentaprism viewer. But I am presently enjoying the significant reduction in weight and size that resulted when I switched from a Mamiya C220 to my new Rolleicord V, so I am a little reluctant to take a step backwards in that respect. ;-)

When I think of the additional benefits -- correct left-right view, no more sunlight glaring off of the viewfinder screen -- it certainly sounds attractive.

I will have to do some research to find out if Rollei even makes a prism finder that will fit my Rolleicord V.

Can anyone say, do Rollei prism viewfinders use the camera's existing focuing screen, or do they come with their own focusing screen?

Thanks.

 

[macfred]

Impressive photographs - very well done !! I salute.

 

[Dan Daniel]

I will have to do some research to find out if Rollei even makes a prism finder that will fit my Rolleicord V.

Can anyone say, do Rollei prism viewfinders use the camera's existing focuing screen, or do they come with their own focusing screen?

The Rolliecord Vb is the only 'Cord model that accepts the Rollei prism. The E2, E3 and all Fs also take a prism.

All use the existing screen. And the screen can be removed and exchanged without needing to adjust focus.