My very first MF photo

nc5p · Mar 2, 2006

I've been busy but finally got this image uploaded. Winter (for here) scene near my house of an old cottonwood tree. I couldn't step back (fence behind me) so I used the 35mm lens and T-Max 400 in T-Max developer. I made an 11x14 just to see the difference with 35mm negatives. My Nikon gear may well be up for sale soon. This camera isn't much heavier than the Nikon but the difference in quality is astounding. Unfortunately most other photos on this roll were ruined because I was trying to figure out how to use the leaf shutter lens with the Sunpak 622, which I eventually did and it works fine, too. At least black and white film and developer are cheap.

Doug

Poco · Mar 3, 2006

Congratulations on your first MF shot!

There's a couple moments in my photographic "career" that really stand out in my memory: the first time I switched off program mode on my 35mm, determined exposure myself ...and it WORKED; and the first time I enlarged my first 6x7 neg. Like you said, it was astounding.

Enjoy!

benjiboy · Mar 3, 2006

The thing that shocked me with my first M/F camera ( a Yashica 124G ) was that a fairly inexpensive camera could blow my expensive 35mm gear ( all Nikon at that time ) out of the water for quality, and I could use fast film and still retain the the image quality.

Terence · Mar 3, 2006

It's a long slippery slope. MF seems good now, but soon you'll realize what a 4x5 LF negative would be like. From there, it's a short leap to 8x10. Realizing 8x10 is too heavy, you'll by a 5x7. Forgetting how heavy the 8x10 was, you'll start thinking about banquet cameras. Next thing you know an 8x20 will show up at the door. It only weighs a little more than an 8x10. Realizing this you'll decide you'd use the 8x10 if it was just a LITTLE lighter, so you buy another 8x10. Still too heavy, you'll realize MF wasn't so bad and buy a Hasselblad because if you're going to shoot "small" negs you may as well use the "best". Realizing how heavy the Hassie is you'll start to buy old folder MF cameras that you can slip into your pocket. Soon enough you're the photographic version of the old lady with 2000 cats.

Ask me how I know.

Congrats, though. MF was what made me really love photography. It IS just about the perfect combination of neg size vs camera size.

HolgaPhile · Mar 3, 2006

Skip the LF but yup, that pretty much how I went, A Zeiss Folders and a Holgas. The big plus for negs larger than 35 is how easy the are to print. You can get good negs with 35 with some work and yup they are a pleasure when you do but the MF's are a doddle. Less dust better range, little grain. Welcome aboard, now you are going to be buying ton's of film.

davetravis · Mar 3, 2006

Congrats! You never forget your first time!
If you want to go bigger, try some 100asa stuff. I go up to 20x24 and am very happy!

benjiboy · Mar 3, 2006

To my mind Medium format is the best compromise between image quality, and portability as Terence says that's why I have never been tempted to go into large format, I don't own a truss ! .

JustK · Mar 3, 2006

Congratulations Doug - what a beautiful photo, and on your first roll, it often takes me a few rolls to get something I really like, enjoy!

digiconvert · Mar 3, 2006

Congratulations, welcome to MF .

Terence · Mar 3, 2006

Bentley Boyd said:
To my mind Medium format is the best compromise between image quality, and portability as Terence says that's why I have never been tempted to go into large format, I don't own a truss ! .

Bentley, look at the watch . . .
You're getting sleepy . . . sleepy . . . sleepy . . .
A 4x5 MPP . . . only weighs . . . as much as a Hassie . . . with a 150mm lens . . .
When I snap my fingers . . . you'll wake up . . . and proceed directly to eBay . . .

gnashings · Mar 3, 2006

Bentley Boyd said:
The thing that shocked me with my first M/F camera ( a Yashica 124G ) was that a fairly inexpensive camera could blow my expensive 35mm gear ( all Nikon at that time ) out of the water for quality, and I could use fast film and still retain the the image quality.

I am sorry Ben, I think you will have to be banished now. How dare you post such sound, logical and evidence based information!!!???
Off with you, and don't you dare come back until you are thoroughly repentant and sporting a brand new "Leitz" tattoo!

Jokes aside, I have a proof sheet contact printed from a roll of 120 film - 12 6x6 exposures - and I actually keep that particular one with completed prints because I like it so much! 12 individual pictures that make up a really neat print. That really made me think - my 35mm proof sheets are not even very good proof sheets unless viewed through a loupe! I can't wait for my first LF negative, I am sure that will blow me away. Having said that - Ben is absolutely right - there is no better compromise I can think of for negative size, gear portability and flexibility, etc. Not to mention all wonderful old cameras that take 120 film - from folders to TLR's and so on - each with its own character, each giving you a unique experience. Gotta love it!

Peter.

benjiboy · Mar 4, 2006

Temptation

Terence said:
Bentley, look at the watch . . .
You're getting sleepy . . . sleepy . . . sleepy . . .
A 4x5 MPP . . . only weighs . . . as much as a Hassie . . . with a 150mm lens . . .
When I snap my fingers . . . you'll wake up . . . and proceed directly to eBay . . .

Don't temp me Terence , I have enough cameras.

Magnus W · Mar 4, 2006

Bentley Boyd said:
... I have enough cameras.

Strange. I understand each word, but together -- and in that order -- they make
no sense whatsoever.

-- MW

gnashings · Mar 4, 2006

Magnus W said:
Strange. I understand each word, but together -- and in that order -- they make
no sense whatsoever.

-- MW

You mean that was in English ??? I was just staring at it thinking that a sailboat would appear...

Digidurst · Mar 5, 2006

gnashings said:
You mean that was in English ??? I was just staring at it thinking that a sailboat would appear...

LOL! Stop it, stop it, stop it!! I'm laughing to hard!

Digidurst · Mar 5, 2006

Doug, that is a beautiful shot of a beautiful tree. I adore trees - they are so beautifully intricate. Have fun with the MF gear

benjiboy · Mar 5, 2006

Camerless

Bentley Boyd said:
Don't temp me Terence , I have enough cameras.

In fact I recently bought a new mobile phone , and with some difficulty managed to find one without an inbuilt digital camera.

Will Whelan · Mar 8, 2006

Haaah. It IS a slick slope... for the last few months I've been wishing I had like 4k to boot on photographic stuff. If only money was no object...

And, uhh, I've shot hundreds of MF photos, but, uhh, never made a print. I guess I'll have to hit the darkroom this weekend... my scanner can't be doing the negs full justice from what you all say.

Soeren · Mar 8, 2006

Terence said:
It's a long slippery slope. MF seems good now, but soon you'll realize what a 4x5 LF negative would be like. From there, it's a short leap to 8x10. Realizing 8x10 is too heavy, you'll by a 5x7. Forgetting how heavy the 8x10 was, you'll start thinking about banquet cameras. Next thing you know an 8x20 will show up at the door. It only weighs a little more than an 8x10. Realizing this you'll decide you'd use the 8x10 if it was just a LITTLE lighter, so you buy another 8x10. Still too heavy, you'll realize MF wasn't so bad and buy a Hasselblad because if you're going to shoot "small" negs you may as well use the "best". Realizing how heavy the Hassie is you'll start to buy old folder MF cameras that you can slip into your pocket. Soon enough you're the photographic version of the old lady with 2000 cats.

Ask me how I know.

Congrats, though. MF was what made me really love photography. It IS just about the perfect combination of neg size vs camera size.

Ok, how do you know ?
Didn't happen to me............................yet
regards Søren

Terence · Mar 8, 2006

Soren,
It's actually getting worse. I "somehow" picked up a 70mm film back (oh, and a 70mm aerial camera) and now find myself in possesion of 1500 feet of 70mm film. I SWEAR I don't know how it happens.

So is anyone looking for TWO C330 bodies, with three lenses, lens shades, a paramender, two WLFs, a metering prism . . . .

kaiyen · Mar 8, 2006

I, too, have started down the slippery slope.

About a month and a half ago, I decided that I wasn't getting the combination of sharpness and low-ish grain that I wanted out of 35mm. I still have quite a few rolls left and I'm playing with different developers, but I'm feeling disenchanted.

So I've been shooting a lot more MF. I've had a Yashica Mat 124 for a while now and have shot with it quite a bit, but not quite as intensively as the last month or so. I've shot everything from 25 to 400 speed film to see how I feel. I am really liking it.

However, I purchased a 5x7 at a camera show about 6 months ago. I finally got everything together for it in preparation for a zone system class I took this quarter. I went out with the class on Saturday for 7 hours and shot 14 sheets. I just did my required print last night (first time in the wet darkroom in almost 2 years). Wow. That's a big neg, and a sharp print (I can only contact print).

I am already thinking about 8x10.

Of course, it's about the right tools for the job. I certainly won't take LF with me all the time, and I will certainly shoot 35mm sometimes. It's just more equipment to buy..

allan

Terence · Mar 8, 2006

The 5x7 contact prints are great, but an 8x10 one will blow you away. I haven't shot any myself, but the first time I saw an 8x10 color transparency it was like looking out of a window into a forest. Unbelieveable. My 5x7 Korona isn't much heavier than some of my MF, so it makes the rounds more than my 8x10 Korona, which I could use as an anchor in a hurricane.

Back to MF . . . I find that I always print my MF, and can't even remember the last time I printed a 35mm shot.

Ken Lee · Mar 8, 2006

As Ken Rockwell has said, concerning some of the Mamiya 6 lenses:

"If you are used to slumming with Leica, Canon and Nikon you will be astounded."

HolgaPhile · Mar 9, 2006

Just bought a De Vere 504 enlarger so the slippery slope of LF is nearing for me.

sajianphotos · Mar 9, 2006

Congrats Doug and nice photo! I might have missed it somewhere but I'm curious what camera you used.
O yeah and what the next one in line will be

My very first MF photo

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