MF, Polaroids, & Brides

[georgedean]

Hi guys.. first post.

Here is my story (and I'm sticking to it).

I shoot about 10 weddings a year.

I would like to accomplish two goals... one short term and one long term perhaps.

Short Term: I would like to take some 'hand held/monopod' polaroid's during a wedding (a formal, a couple, during the cermony, candids at reception, ...) so at the end of the night, the bride could leave with 10-20 B&W polaroids from her wedding day to take with her. I think it would be a classy touch with a hint of old school artisty and a clever marketing tactic. I'm thinking RB67 with Polaroid back and 90mm.

Short term Goal II: I am also thinking of doing this for my studio work and letting each client walk out the door with one or two polaroids with my logo sticker on the back. Might create a cool buzz. Might need a 180mm for this.

Short Term Goal III: I want to fire my off camera flash with a pocket wizard from the MF camera. SO, thinking RZ67 (right???)

Long Term: I almost (well, wanted to) to buy a HD4 31 this year. So, my thought was... why not just get a RZ67 Pro II and add a digital back 'when I am ready'.

So... my thought is to get a RZ67 Pro II with 90mm and 180mm to accomplish ALL goals.

Is there an option I am not considering?? Logic flawed??

Thanks!
George

 

[georgedean]

Any thoughts?

 

[WilsonImages]

I have a mamyia universal that I use for polaroids and they look better i think than the non full framed polaroid cameras the 6x7. anyway, i only use that for fun

I do weddings also and have a package that includes polaroid coverage of their whole day up til cake cutting or so, for that I use 2 instax's and about 50 pictures.
I have pix of the images and of how I display at the wedding, message me with an email and I can show oyu.

todd

 

[maliha]

I cannot say I am a pro, but I have been assisting a photographer (although she doesn't do weddings) for some time now and she always uses her RZ 67 pro. I'm not too sure about her choice of lens, but I have seen her shoot with 110mm and 180. The picture quality is perfect, but I'm not too sure how you work a digital back or even a Polaroid back with this camera.

I guess my input to your thread would be that I personally like the quality of this camera a lot.
You can see some of her photographs in the following link and judge for yourself:
Dead Link Removed

 

[arpinum]

Have you considered the weight (2.5kg or so) you would be carrying during a wedding?
A bride doesn't want more things in her hand during the busiest day of her life. Keep it to < 5 shots and use the mini format so the groom can put them in his pocket.
Think about using a Fuji Instax camera.
Any hot shoe can take a wireless trigger.
You don't say anything about your current setup.

 

[georgedean]

Have you considered the weight (2.5kg or so) you would be carrying during a wedding?
A bride doesn't want more things in her hand during the busiest day of her life. Keep it to < 5 shots and use the mini format so the groom can put them in his pocket.
Think about using a Fuji Instax camera.
Any hot shoe can take a wireless trigger.
You don't say anything about your current setup.

My main camera is a 1Ds Mark III. (16-35, 24-70L 2.8, 100 macro 2.8, 135 2.0, 200 1.8)

If did it, I would place the polaroids in a nice box for her. I think it could make a perfect gift!

Weight isn't really an issue. I have an assistant that handles my equipment.

 

[hpulley]

I use my RB67's Polaroid back for proofs at times but it is better to use a camera which covers the whole piece of film. A simple Polaroid Land camera will do this for you in a compact folder, smaller than an RB67. Take a pack or two worth for fun!

 

[frontdrive34]

As a Polaroid pack film back on an RB67 won't give full film sheet coverage I think you will find it looks crappy for wedding shots. Also the long term issue will be availability of B&W pack film. Sure there still seems to be plenty of old Polaroid stock out there along with Fuji FP100-B (supposedly discontinued) and FP3000-B (does your camera handle ISO3000?)

 

[Ric Trexell]

I might be sort of a hassle with a RB

I have a couple RB67's and a Polaroid back I have never used, but hope to someday. I hope I get to use it before the film companies stop making it like was pointed out with the 100 B/W. Anyway, to shoot with a Polaroid back, you have to take off the whole back. Not a big deal, but it will require two dark slides (one for each back) and the careful removal of the back and storage. Again, I think what others have said about just getting a cheap Polaroid and shooting with that is a better idea. Also, the pictures will be a little wet and if they are put in the grooms pocket, they might end up sticking to it, or to the other pictures. The peel aparts are not like the SX-70 films. Also, you will have some garbage to deal with as you peel the film off the negative. The only way to do it right is to probably have a back up RB just for that and not changing backs. (Maybe that is what you were refering to.) Another thing you might encounter is that the bride will show one to her mother, who will then pass it to her sister, who will pass it to uncle Joe etc. Maybe a hour later 'all' the Polaroids will be found and you can then hand those scratched, bent pictures to the bride. You took ten pictures and 7 of them came back. I once took a few pictures with a SX-70 camera of a guy being pulled behind a boat on a kite. I showed them to the father and told him to show them to his wife and family on the beach. The guy said 'look what this nice man gave us'. I didn't have the heart to tell them that is not what I meant. Needless to say, I never did that again.

 

[Alastair_I]

.. you've almost described what I'm planning on doing next weekend ..

Although I'm not a pro, a very good friend (my usual photobuddy for day trips) is getting married on Saturday. The bride's uncle is a pro and will be taking shots of the day.. but as I'm the only eedji-it shooting film that he knows he's asked if I would bring the RB67 Pro S. Which is, incidentally, equally suitable for your plans as the RZ67 - although I haven't yet tried remote triggering flashes it should be possible via the PC socket on the lens and an adapter.

I wasn't planning on presenting the Polaroid (Fuji FP-100C) test shots to the bride due to the frame coverage issues (see here), but I will show them to the couple and they will be welcome to keep them.

I'm not sure if everyone that's replied is familiar with an RB67?

Switching backs between 120 film and Polaroid is quick, quicker than the FP-100C will self-develop. One latch drops off the Polaroid back complete with P-adapter and you can drop the 120 back (complete with rotating back adapter already attached) straight back on again.

You should have a darkslide for every back anyway. It's pretty much compulsory.

My planned load-out for the day.. RB67 Pro S, 90mm C, 180mm C, 2x 120 backs, 1x Polaroid back.. Kodak Portra 160 and 400, Fuji FP100-C and FP-3000B, tripod.

The biggest issue with the Polaroid back and the RB67 is the lack of interlocks.. it's easy to get reliant on the camera not firing of things aren't right. My current fix is 6" of bright red ribbon as a "remove before flight" tag on the handle of the Polaroid darkslide. Incidentally, the Polaroid back uses a unique darkslide that's not compatible with any of the other RB67 backs.

 

[hpulley]

It is quick to switch backs and I agree with all you said about a slide for every back and the slide on the Polaroid being different. It will be a heavy setup but the MF shots will yield priceless prints to be treasured.

I still have an old Pro back without interlocks along with some Pro-S backs so I always have to be careful to know what I'm using.

The Polaroid coverage makes me wish for an RB69 instead of an RB67 though.

 

[Aristophanes]

This guys uses Polaroids at weddings:

http://canlasphotography.blogspot.com/

 

[Ric Trexell]

Ya learn sumptin every time at APUG

I didn't know Polaroid darkslides were different than others for the RB's but I'm glad to know that little tidbit. Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps if might be better to have a 4X5 field camera for those Polaroid shots. That way you are giving them a bigger picture, and I believe there would not be the dark border cut off. You would have to load them seperately I think, (I'm not familiar with 4X5's). A used Toyo or something might be another option. I will take back the statement I made about the backs being a hassle to remove from the RB's. Yes, it is a quick process, but you then have a back to take care of. If you have an assistant, that person can be setting up the 4X5 while you are shooting something else. Just a thought, may not be a good one though.

 

[Ric Trexell]

One more thing,

Alistar made a comment about removing the back and said the whole thing drops off including the 'P' adapter. The newist back I think is the HP701 and that doesn't use the P adapter. It is all built in.

 

[Alastair_I]

That just makes it even easier Ric, or rather it doesn't make a difference.. if you're only using one Polaroid back it remains wedded to the P adapter and is treated as just one unit. With either version of the P-back it's still just a single lever under the body to release the whole. And it's only one more back to look after, you'll probably have at least two or three preloaded before you start the day and will be reloading in quiet moments (or have an assistant reload).

I agree that something with better coverage of the FP film would be better for using it as a product in it's own right. In idle moments I've been doodling a die cut fold-around card to get around the problem by matting it for presentation as a unique art card, but that's just making the best of a bad deal.

(PS the weather has been changeable of late, but that is by far the worst spell of my name in quite a while! )

 

[georgedean]

I believe for the wedding, only a p-back would be on the camera... No changing between 120s & p-backs.

I just want something "Artsy".

Not sure a little instant polaroid camera would be congruent with "Artsy". Some of this is PERCEIVED value of using a sb67 or rx67.

Alastair - I love the idea of the cut out and matting!! Thats what i am talking about - artsy/classy/thoughtful

G

 

[Ric Trexell]

Hey, what do you expect from an American?

[(PS the weather has been changeable of late, but that is by far the worst spell of my name in quite a while! )[/QUOTE]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I suppose you will be telling me next that 'color' is really spelled 'colour'. I used the American spelling of your name. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Alastair_I]

[(PS the weather has been changeable of late, but that is by far the worst spell of my name in quite a while! )

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I suppose you will be telling me next that 'color' is really spelled 'colour'. I used the American spelling of your name. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editted for politeness now that I've stewed on it..

 

[analoguey]

Thread jacking/reviving maybe, BUT

how does the shutter mechanism work for an RB on taking a instant photo? There are usually interlocks between the body and the film back right - do they exist for the polaroid backs as well?

 

[StoneNYC]

I wanted to address a few things, First off, I own the Mamiya RZ67 Pro II, it's a great camera, I also own the Polaroid back, there is only one polaroid back, the 545 is for large format backs so that won't at all be part of what you're looking for so don't worry about getting the wrong back, all the RZ polaroid backs take the same film.

Second, the OP said he wanted to use the RZ67 ONLY for the polaroid shots, and would use his Digital for the rest of the wedding, so weight isn't an issue (also the digital he uses is as heavy as the RZ67 just handles easier.

Third, polaoid pack film (fuji fp100-c and fp-3000bw are NOT discontinued... what is discontinued in the US market is the 4x5 versions called fp100-C-45 and fp100-bw-45 respectively... B&H is almost sold out of the last shipment of the 45 version and they are obvious because they are $40 a pack instead of $8 a pack, so the OP won't buy the wrong film... ) The normal fuji versions for the mamiya or similar camera are still in production, both B&W and Color versions. Yes the RZ67 can be stopped down to handle 3000 speed film, also for inside shots near a window or something, 3000 is perfect for a bride, really artistic images can be created with it.

Fourth, I also use my pocket wizards to fire off the RZ67 Pro II camera with studio strobes, it works great, BUT you MUST buy the NEW pocket wizard Plus III because the Plus II version isn't oriented correctly and gets in the way of the focusing knob on the body of the RZ. There's one work around, if you own the canon or nikon specific pocket wizards and got that little "interference" in between adapter thing, it's a small piece of metal and plastic that extends the height of the hot shoe slightly (and prevents interference if you add an on camera flash on top of your pocket wizard) anyway this little piece will extend the Plus II high enough that you can attach it properly, that's what I used until I switched to the Plus III system and realized I didn't need the stupid connector anymore (thank goodness I was always misplacing it).

What else is there... umm the RZ67 is a great camera... if you REALLY think you'll go into digital MF someday, and you have the money... look at the Mamiya RZ67 Pro II-D which is a step up and has digital connections so that the digital back can record information in the metadata about the shot like the f/stop and lens aperture at the time the shot is fired which can be useful. It's not necessary, you can use a digital back on the regular Pro II, but if you've got the kind of money for a 1D you probably can afford the increased cost of a used Pro II-D over the standard Pro II.

That said the Pro II's can be had for a song... I've just moved to LF from MF and I still use my Mamiya RZ but not like I used to, I'm still new to LF so I'm not sure I want to get rid of my whole RZ kit just yet, but I can see myself not using it anymore... if I'm going to have the 4x5 camera case, I don't need to cary around both huge setups and can always throw a 120 back on the 4x5 camera... so I MIGHT be convinced to sell it... and I have a 180mm, a 90mm, and a 50mm lens, Body, and TWO polaroid backs so you can load the B&W and Color, at least thats what I do PM me if you want to make an offer.

 

[StoneNYC]

Thread jacking/reviving maybe, BUT

how does the shutter mechanism work for an RB on taking a instant photo? There are usually interlocks between the body and the film back right - do they exist for the polaroid backs as well?

Just realized this was an old thread hahahaha

What do you mean? This isn't polaroid integral film, this is pack film... there doesn't need to be any communication between the back and the body. This is not The Impossible Project film, this is Fuji / Polaroid PACK film.. very different.

 

[analoguey]

My question has to do with interlocks. Now, with the rb pro, pro-s and finally Sd, thr exist different levels of interlocks. My camera body is an rb pro-s - so was wondering what locks would be missing. Reading around here, I know that, for example, the 'dark slide' lock is missing.
I'm wondering about multiple exposure, and other locks and fail safes that are built-in.

Aside- the RZ and flash question, are the RB and RZ familiar that ways?

- via tapatalk.

 

[StoneNYC]

My question has to do with interlocks. Now, with the rb pro, pro-s and finally Sd, thr exist different levels of interlocks. My camera body is an rb pro-s - so was wondering what locks would be missing. Reading around here, I know that, for example, the 'dark slide' lock is missing.
I'm wondering about multiple exposure, and other locks and fail safes that are built-in.

Aside- the RZ and flash question, are the RB and RZ familiar that ways?

- via tapatalk.

The RB and RZ are the same as far as bellows extension etc. The RB really doesn't have any safety things like the RZ does, I think you can even take the lens off while an exposure is happening haha! (I could be wrong, but I know you CANT do that with the RZ, it actually locks the breach). I think you have to wind both the film and the shutter on the RB, on the RZ the one cocking motion winds both the film advance and the shutter/mirror in one motion. I clearly don't have an RB so I can't be sure of the rest. I do use a 70mm back which is an RB back and I have the "G adapter" which adapts the mini-graflock attachment of the RB to the fancy rotating back system of the RZ (so yes the backs that attach are completely different. For the RZ there is a "rotating back" option you can buy separately that didn't come on the original models, I don't know if the Pro-S version has that included or not.

Basically the RZ is a much better design in almost every way with added "features" with one huge exception ... the RZ is electronic so it uses batteries for the shutter, not true for the RB so is your battery goes dead, you can use the RB in the middle of the night on a 2 hour exposure and have no worries, for the RZ it only functions at 1/400 when the battery dies, which is no help when you're 30 minutes into a 2 hour long exposure and the battery dies and the shutter closes on you... yes this happened to me ... twice.... lol

But all the safety features of the dark slide pulling prevention etc are really handy. I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to pull the dark slide out with the 70mm back and gotten a blank picture, if this were a normal RZ back, the camera body wouldn't let me take the picture and would have a little glowing red/orange light with a picture of a dark slide...

Also the optional viewfinder you can buy that has an exposure meter and auto exposure features is a nice touch, and is way fancier than the RB's one if it even has an auto exposure option, not sure.

I mean, that's why they make new models because the new models have more /better features...

I don't know anything about the auto winders you can get, I shoot film so I can slow down... haha

Hope that was helpful.

 

[analoguey]

Actually, yes, most of the interlocks are there on the RB as well - not clear indicators as such but the shutter won't fire and that basically tells me a Lock has been tripped!
As someone on a flickr group said 'if the camera isn't letting you fire the shutter, generally means you screwed up!'
Its just an amazing product and piece of design and engineering, I feel thrilled just to hold it.

I mixed up in my earlier post. I wanted to know if the usage of flash was similar between RZ and RB ; OR does the RZ have a hot shoe or something?

- via tapatalk.

 

[analoguey]

To add - the flash question stems from the mention of the cactus in your earlier post.



- via tapatalk.