Medium format tips?

Eric De Santiago · Jul 1, 2019

Hey, I’ve been shooting 35mm film for a while now (Canon AE-1P and a Canon A-1). I just ordered a Mamiya RZ67 online. I thought I should ask you guys: Is there anything I should know about shooting medium format before I go out and shoot?

MattKing · Jul 1, 2019

Yes .
More seriously, I would recommend obtaining, studying and becoming familiar with the instruction manual.
Learn how the safety interlocks work.
Have you worked with 120 film before? Loading it into the camera is relatively easy and straightforward, once you get the hang of it, but you will benefit from a bit of practice. Things like dealing with the sealing tape at either end of the film is easy and second nature once you have done it a couple of times, but a bit of care when you are learning is needed.
Your camera is relatively large and relatively heavy. It would be best to familiarize yourself with how to hold and carry and operate it ahead of time. Also, mounting it to a tripod is straightforward, but familiarity will help because the camera is bigger than what you are used to.
The full spool that the film comes on becomes, once emptied, the take-up spool for your next roll, but you will need to move it from the feed side to the take-up side.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 1, 2019

Depth of field will appear shallower. Focus carefully. Concentrate on keeping the camera steady.

Sirius Glass · Jul 1, 2019

MattKing said:
Yes .
More seriously, I would recommend obtaining, studying and becoming familiar with the instruction manual.
Learn how the safety interlocks work.
Have you worked with 120 film before? Loading it into the camera is relatively easy and straightforward, once you get the hang of it, but you will benefit from a bit of practice. Things like dealing with the sealing tape at either end of the film is easy and second nature once you have done it a couple of times, but a bit of care when you are learning is needed.
Your camera is relatively large and relatively heavy. It would be best to familiarize yourself with how to hold and carry and operate it ahead of time. Also, mounting it to a tripod is straightforward, but familiarity will help because the camera is bigger than what you are used to.
The full spool that the film comes on becomes, once emptied, the take-up spool for your next roll, but you will need to move it from the feed side to the take-up side.

Every thing he said time 10.

Arklatexian · Jul 2, 2019

Eric De Santiago said:
Hey, I’ve been shooting 35mm film for a while now (Canon AE-1P and a Canon A-1). I just ordered a Mamiya RZ67 online. I thought I should ask you guys: Is there anything I should know about shooting medium format before I go out and shoot?

After using medium format for a while, resist the urge to make "boat-anchors" out of your 35mm cameras. You might want to use "postage-stamp" film again just to see "how the other half lives"......Regards!

Vaughn · Jul 2, 2019

Unload the film in low light -- at least not in the direct sun...light can sneak in from the ends of the spool -- especially if the camera does not wind the roll tightly on the spool.

I am not familiar with this particular camera, but it does have a mirror lock-up with is good to use at slow shutter speed to reduce camera shake.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 2, 2019

Eric De Santiago said:
Hey, I’ve been shooting 35mm film for a while now (Canon AE-1P and a Canon A-1). I just ordered a Mamiya RZ67 online. I thought I should ask you guys: Is there anything I should know about shooting medium format before I go out and shoot?

while the 'sweet spot' of 35-mm enses is usually arouns f/8-11, in MF it is f/11-16.

foveon_m · Jul 2, 2019

get a monopod^^

awty · Jul 2, 2019

Swear, thats what I do when using my rz67..

GLS · Jul 2, 2019

Vaughn said:
Unload the film in low light -- at least not in the direct sun...light can sneak in from the ends of the spool -- especially if the camera does not wind the roll tightly on the spool.

Yes, and this is especially true of any film which uses a PET base (i.e. the so-called "light piping" effect is greater).

An RZ67 is a quite a beast of a camera. Hand holding is possible, but you will achieve best results on a tripod using mirror lock up.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 2, 2019

foveon_m said:
get a monopod^^

+1very useful with MF.

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 2, 2019

You might want to use chrome film (slide) at first and bracket to verify the metering is working correctly. What do you plan to do with the shots? Print? Scan? What film type are your using? (negative film, slide film? BW? Color?) What kind of photography will you shoot? (landscape, still life, indoor, outdoor, portrait, etc? ). Good luck.

Dan Daniel · Jul 2, 2019

Sacrifice a roll of film up front to practice loading and using the camera. After you run it through the first time, just respool to use it again. When you do the first respooling, you'll find that the end of the film itslef under the paper is not attached at the end of the roll, so you'll need to put some tape across the film at this point. ONce you set up a roll like this, you can run it backwards and forwards again and again for practice.

I'm not familiar with the film backs on your camera, but watch out for 'fat spooling.' As others have mentioned, if the film is loose on the spool, light can get in the edges and fog things. When you first load the film, keep some tension on the spool so it doesn't relax and unwind; this relaxing at the beginning of a roll can lead to very loose winding with some cameras.

narsuitus · Jul 2, 2019

In addition to obtaining, studying and becoming familiar with the instruction manual, I recommend watching some of the excellent RV67 videos on YouTube.

Luckless · Jul 2, 2019

I feel like suggestions to sacrifice a roll to 'practice' with are possibly a tad melodramatic and suggest that the process is far more complex than it really is.

While I wouldn't suggest heading out to photograph a once in a life time event as your first trip out with a new medium format camera [and I wouldn't suggest doing that with a new to you camera of any kind to be honest], I would instead suggest planning to keep things fairly casual and low pressure for your first few rolls.

Focus on practice, play with different depths of field, and aim more towards photographs that will show off what your gear will do and how it reacts.
- Photograph light through trees with different levels of depth of field.
- Try some panning or motion shots if you're at all interested in non-static subjects.
- Remember your goal to start is to learn, not to create the perfect master piece.

Loading film in a medium format camera is easy enough. The 'fun part' is getting it onto a reel if you're developing it yourself. But even that isn't that hard, just take your time and don't force things if something feels like it has jammed.

markbau · Jul 2, 2019

When you are loading the film onto the reel you will come to the end of the film where it is attached to the backing paper by a piece of tape, DO NOT peel the film off the tape or the tape off the backing paper, cut it with scissors. Tearing it creates static electricity which can/will fog the film. I learned this the hard way! I know, people will say they have been tearing it off for years with no effect but believe me, it can cause a small flash of light which can fog film.

warden · Jul 2, 2019

markbau said:
When you are loading the film onto the reel you will come to the end of the film where it is attached to the backing paper by a piece of tape, DO NOT peel the film off the tape or the tape off the backing paper, cut it with scissors. Tearing it creates static electricity which can/will fog the film. I learned this the hard way! I know, people will say they have been tearing it off for years with no effect but believe me, it can cause a small flash of light which can fog film.

This is the first time I've heard of fogging from the tape.

removed account4 · Jul 2, 2019

bring a tripod or monopod or make one with a rope and tripod socket screw
bring lots of film, 12 exposures goes fast

MattKing · Jul 2, 2019

jawarden said:
This is the first time I've heard of fogging from the tape.

There is at least one long thread about the effect here on Photrio/APUG. The conclusion is essentially that the light emitted is almost invariably of too low an intensity to fog film.
It is difficult to search for that thread, because I cannot remember the correct name for the effect!

markbau · Jul 2, 2019

jawarden said:
This is the first time I've heard of fogging from the tape.

It happened to me several times when I tore the tape, it has never happened to me since I used scissors.If it hasn't happened to you whilst tearing the tape there is no problem, for you!

tokam · Jul 2, 2019

jnantz said:
bring a tripod or monopod or make one with a rope and tripod socket screw
bring lots of film, 12 exposures goes fast

I have tripod, monopod and the Mamiya grip for my RZ67. All bases covered.

PS With the standard 6x7 film backs I only get 10 shots per roll. Two loaded backs normally sees me right for a session. Fatigue
from lugging the behemoth after 20 considered shots sets in at this time.

markbau · Jul 2, 2019

MattKing said:
There is at least one long thread about the effect here on Photrio/APUG. The conclusion is essentially that the light emitted is almost invariably of too low an intensity to fog film.
It is difficult to search for that thread, because I cannot remember the correct name for the effect!

I can assure you that it is enough to fog film, it happened to me many years ago, the problem stopped when I started using scissors. BTW, what does "almost invariably" even mean? Does it means it never happens except sometimes it happens? Or does it mean that it happens but usually doesn't happen?

jvo · Jul 2, 2019

MORE - more film, more chemicals, more weight, more time, and more satisfaction and more fun!

GLS · Jul 2, 2019

markbau said:
I can assure you that it is enough to fog film, it happened to me many years ago, the problem stopped when I started using scissors. BTW, what does "almost invariably" even mean? Does it means it never happens except sometimes it happens? Or does it mean that it happens but usually doesn't happen?

I really doubt this is caused by static. I think it more likely that the action of peeling the tape off can cause buckling/stress in the film, which thereby affects the structure of the emulsion in those areas and how the chemistry acts on it afterwards.

wy2l · Jul 2, 2019

Suggest the use of a tripod. Yes, it's a pain to use, but the results are worth it.

Medium format tips?

Eric De Santiago

MattKing

Moderator

Theo Sulphate

Sirius Glass

Arklatexian

Vaughn

RalphLambrecht

foveon_m

awty

GLS

RalphLambrecht

Alan Edward Klein

Dan Daniel

narsuitus

Luckless

markbau

warden

removed account4

MattKing

Moderator

markbau

tokam

markbau

jvo

GLS

wy2l

Medium format tips?

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