MF System users: Menu or a la carte?

[RezaLoghme]

Dear esteemed medium format system users of all brands, Hasselbland V, Mamiya R, Rollei 6xxx....

Are all your bodies always stored in their "naked" state (including protection caps in place etc.) and when going on a photo trip, you attach the lenses and accessories that you see fit in that moment, or...

Do you have your preferred configuration and store your cameras fully assembled?

I am torn between these two options - my ELX for example is always ready, and I do not "mix and match", say an older body with a newer viewfinder.

But one of my other V system body is always naked and I base by decision how to spec it for a session on my mood, creativity and intuition.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have 2 Kowas, a older SL66 and the later Super, I keep the 80 on the Super and the 150 on the SL, for no particular good reason the waist level on the Super and eye level on the SL. For that matter there is no rhyme or reason as why the 80 is the Super. In my bag I also have the 55 and 250, I seldom shoot with the 250, but have just in case.

 

[Luckless]

My RB67s go into the cabinet in the configuration they were last used in, with the sole exception of the 500mm lens... Simply because that doesn't really fit as is in that cabinet without me shuffling a whole lot of stuff around. So that tends to get packed away again in its hard case and stowed atop the cabinet instead, and then typically whatever lens had come off that camera body when I set things up for the 500mm goes back on as a body cover simply to avoid the hassle of keeping track of extra caps.

Stuff will come out of the cabinet and be reconfigured as needed before use.

A lens and magazine will keep what little dust gets into that cabinet out of a body just as well as caps would, and that makes for three fewer caps to keep track of and keep clean. They're safely stowed away in a bin in the back of that cabinet, and I'm not really going to worry about them too much. "That will be the estate's problem." And that's hopefully decades away.

If I swap a lens, then the first lens comes off the body, steals end cap off the next lens I'm putting on, then the new lens goes on. No stray caps getting in the way or at risk of getting knocked off wherever I'm working. If I'm dealing with magazines, well, the camera isn't going to pick up a notable amount of dust in the few minutes it might sit in the cabinet while I load or unload film...

If I want to use the eye level finder, then I grab the body fitted with the eye level finder. If I want a waist level finder, then I grab that body.

 

[DWThomas]

I usually leave my Bronica with the last lens and last back I used attached; e. g., add film and go. However, I no longer use it as much as I used to and might switch it back to a "normal" lens before putting it away. I generally select a subset of the gear I own based on where I'm going and what I expect to do. I then take that in a smaller bag. (Not sure I can still carry the full set! )

 

[abruzzi]

My Bronicas are stored fully assembled, with WLF, film back, and standard lens mounted, same for my Fuji 6x9 setup except it doesnt have finders or backs. I store my baby Technika with the Xenotar 105/2.8 mounted, and the Horseman VH with the 105/3.5 in place. I don’t mount the film back until I’m ready to shoot, since I focus on the ground glass.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My Hasselblads and their lenses are stored with the lens caps on and the 80mm lens on the 503 CX body as well as the 903 SWC with its own body and lens attached while at home. When in use the lens caps move around except with the C lens caps stick with the C lenses due to their size, color and my OCD. The lens cap for the SWC and lens hood has YELLOW gaffers' tape on the edges to remind me to remove the lens cap before using. [One can see the YELLOW gaffers' tape through the view finder.

 

[brian steinberger]

All of my cameras are ready to go all the time in my “photo” closet. I also have a small selection of different size camera bags always empty so I can pick one and load it up depending on what I plan to do. I much prefer camera over shoulder only, or with a small shoulder bag with another lens or two and light meter. The older I get the lighter I like to travel.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

My Mamiya RB67 and all the lenses and accessories stay in the backpack—no storage cabinet in the house. When the photo trip is done, I take the lens off when I store the camera body back in the pack. But I leave the eye-level viewfinder on. I recall doing it this way because of space in the backpack. I wouldn't get excited doing it whatever way you set it up. It's not like wearing your shoes to bed at night.

 

[RezaLoghme]

You can see from the many responses that people enjoy exchanging views about the small stuff.

 

[Pieter12]

My Hasselblads and their lenses are stored with the lens caps on and the 80mm lens on the 503 CX body as well as the 903 SWC with its own body and lens attached while at home. When in use the lens caps move around except with the C lens caps stick with the C lenses due to their size, color and my OCD. The lens cap for the SWC and lens hood has YELLOW gaffers' tape on the edges to remind me to remove the lens cap before using. [One can see the YELLOW gaffers' tape through the view finder.

I usually find that I will notice if the cap is still on the SWC when I make the lens settings: f-stop, shutter speed and focus distance. It is more common for me to forget to put the lens cap of back on, since I usually leave caps off if the lens is on the camera during a shooting session and I have hoods for most of my lenses.

 

[Pieter12]

All of my cameras are ready to go all the time in my “photo” closet. I also have a small selection of different size camera bags always empty so I can pick one and load it up depending on what I plan to do. I much prefer camera over shoulder only, or with a small shoulder bag with another lens or two and light meter. The older I get the lighter I like to travel.

I usually have two bags loaded with a camera and 2 lenses (one mounted to the body), ready to go.

 

[RezaLoghme]

What about fungus prevention?

 

[BrianShaw]

What about fungus prevention?

Depends on where you live. I have 5 or 6 camera bags/cases that are grab-and-go. All I need to add is film. In the dry climate where I am there’s no real worry about fungus.

 

[eli griggs]

HVAC 24/7/52/365 helps me so far, but I also will use a fan in the darkroom, camera storage bookcase to keep air circulating.

The dealing with the possible dust is no big deal vs. fungus & mold, at least in my mind, though an anti-static gun would be a welcome piece of kit, one day.

 

[RezaLoghme]

Depends on where you live. I have 5 or 6 camera bags/cases that are grab-and-go. All I need to add is film. In the dry climate where I am there’s no real worry about fungus.

I am thinking about vintage camera bags/cases, like the Hasselblad reporter bag.

 

[BrianShaw]

I am thinking about vintage camera bags/cases, like the Hasselblad reporter bag.

Doesn't change my answer. Or, at least, I can't figure out why it would. Why would the clarification of what you are thinking change the question?

 

[Sirius Glass]

What about fungus prevention?

Even though I live in a dry climate, I only put cameras and lenses in camera bags is when I am taking them out of the house. On return, I remove all photographic equipment from the camera bags.

 

[RezaLoghme]

Same here.