New to medium format.

Seconded on the utility of a folder (in some situations), and the price. I got a folder, an Ikonta, from Jurgen and am pleased. It had some problems, he made it right. Couldn't ask for more. I'd buy from him again.

But also depends on what you want to do with the camera. Many folders, you have to guess the distance for focus. A TLR is easier to use in that case, because you can see what the focus looks like on the groundglass. Other folders have rangefinder focus, and then my gripe isn't valid. You can still have the lens / bellows in the way when composing, but you learn to work around that.

Anyway, due to lack of rangefinder focus, my own folder isn't much good for close-up or portraits, but it's great for scenics (ie, not closeups) where there's lots of light and the focus is far and the DOF is wide, and focus not so critical. It folds small enough to fit in a very small drybox, so it can go kayaking / rafting / to the beach with me.

The original poster wants to try MF. I'd guess cheaply, to get a taste. So I'd tend to steer him / her away from a Hassy or Rollei and into something more low-end with most of the same performance. That leaves the folders, Yashicamat TLR, Ciro-Flex TLR. Any of them, in good shape, will give negs that blow 35mm away.

Agreed on the groundglass focussing. Makes me feel like an artist instead of a squinter.

nlochner said:

what film do most of you use?

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Kodak Portra 400NC

what size film do you use?

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6x7, 6x9, 6x12 on 220 (I rarely if ever buy 120)

what film is easiest to get?

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Depends where you are. Around Boston Portra is easy to find. In Santa Fe and Albuquerque, I had a lot of trouble. Interestingly enough, in New Mexico, E-6 is the primary color medium format film.

What is the cost of film?

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Getting more expensive every day. I buy from Adorama.

how do you get your film processed?

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Pro lab two towns over (www.colorvisionphotographics.com)

Do professional labs still print it?

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Yes, at least here in Boston they do.

I think you should get the Mamiya 645 pro camera or the Bronica ETRSi. These camera's are relatively affordable and are manageable off the tripod as well as on. The Bronica gets the nod with high sync speeds but the Mamiya gets the nod in everything else. Either of these would be a good place to start in medium format. For a new to the format person with a budget this is the way to go. Additional lenses are also relatively inexpensive. I have the Mamiya Pro tl and just purchased a 45mm lens in mint condition on ebay for only $85.00. For portrature I would suggest a lens of about 150mm. That is roughly an 80mm lens on a 35mm camera..The larger film size is really fun and it provides a new clarity to your images..You will have a lot of fun with the camera... It's also neat the way people respond to you with your camera..Your subjects will have more confidence in you just because your camera is big...Nolan

nlochner said:

how do you get your film processed?

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For processing your own -- and a couple of other basic questions -- you might want to have a look at the latest free module in the Photo School at www.rogerandfrances.com. Go to the Photo School and then to 'How do I...?' You'll find a module that shows you backing paper, loading, formats and a step-by-step sequence for loading 120 onto both steel and plastic spirals.

Cheers,

Roger

nlochner said:

Hello, i shoot a lot of 35mm, and know nothing of Medium Format photography. I really want to stat doing portraiture, and was wondering, if medium format is good for that, knowing that i don't want to start large format. Here are a few general questions i have.
What kind of camera would you recommend for a starter? (Student budget in mind.)

what film do most of you use?

what size film do you use?

what film is easiest to get?

What is the cost of film?

how do you get your film processed?

Do professional labs still print it?

What is the cost of film?
[...]
nlochner

Click to expand...

I am new to APUG, but do have some suggestions here:

With protraiture you will want a studio worthy camera - and the negative should be as big as possible - 6x6 or 6x7 if possible. 6x4.5 would be a good choice if you wanted a slightly larger naegative from 35mm in order to do a lot of action/nature shots and so on.

You can get a used Mamiya kit or Hasselblad 500-series without breaking the bank. I would recommand getting one of the Hasselblad 500C kits that are floating around now, and get a 1.4 teleconverter for the 80mm lens, and you will have a nearly perfect portrait setup! DOn't get hung up on if the lens is T* coated or not - all Hasselblad lenses are excellent and you can save money if it isn't. You can always get one later if you feel you must. Oh, you will also want to get a decent light meter if you don't want one already. Most 35mm cameras have a built in light meter, but most medium formats (older ones anyway) might not.

If you want portability, aside from TLR's your options are somewhat limited - an older Pentax 6x7 (6cm x 7cm negative!) might be your only choice that would have reasonable pricing. It is heavy enough that you should check it out carefully before committing - and mirror lock-up is important to avoid the camera shaking due to 'mirror slap.' The 'blad may be cheaper!

Film: Tmax 100/400/3200 and color slide film for copy work. C41 B&W if I want to shoot something and develop it cheaply.

Size film: ?? 6x6?

Easiest to get: It varies, but in Rochester, NY Kodak is easiest to get in any sizes. Fuji and Ilford are both available, but you have to look.

Developing: Color film I have a lab do it. I am trying out a couple of local labs here right now. B&W - due to some time constraints, I may break down and have a lab do it as well.

Most dedicated labs process and print the film. If they can do TMAX in 35mm, chances are they'll do 120 film. I know of 3 places in town that advertise that they do it (and incidentally 2 of those 3 places will do 4x5 negative processing!). If you aren't in a city, you may end up sending them off, though you'd be surprised. Hand processing is easy to do (B&W), though depending upon your situation, you may or may not want to do it.

Count me as someone who dislikes 6x6. I had a Minolta Autocord but found that I was always cropping to rectangles. Yes, some will say that that is an advantage. But I prefer to compose when I shoot. And I like to get a few extra shots per roll.

645 is a big improvement over 35mm. And you can still carry it about and hand hold. Yes, I prefer the largest neg that's practical. But there are tradeoff in size, weight, number of exposures, etc.

I'm partial to using a TLR for portraiture for reasons.
1. I like the way the 6x6 format works for framing portraits.
2. The silent shutter means less flinching and blinking. I once dated a woman who said no one ever could photograph her with her eyes open because she kept flinching. My Yashicamat did fine, as she couldn't even always tell when the shutter fired.
3. The continuous viewing lets you see what things look like as the shutter fires.
4. A waist level finder lets you get lower without straining the knees, and many people look better from lower angles.
5. TLRs are light and compact.
6. I learned to shoot with one.

I thought long and hard about taking my new Arax 88 to Sacramento over the weekend to shoot family portraits, but ended up packing the Yashicamat, which left room in the carry-on for Nikons, lenses, and Horizon 202. No regrets, except that the things I ended up shooting with the Nikons might have been better shot with a rangefinder.

TLRs are also really cheap. A decent Ciroflex can be under $20 and I just bought a very nice Rolleicord III with Xenar for $71. Even some of the older Rolleiflexes are not outrageously high.

I think ive mad my decision,

im going to try out a ciro flex, and give 120 a go, as the camera and the film is cheap.

Thanks to everyone that helped,

nlochner

nlochner said:

Hello, i shoot a lot of 35mm, and know nothing of Medium Format photography. I really want to stat doing portraiture, and was wondering, if medium format is good for that, knowing that i don't want to start large format. Here are a few general questions i have.
What kind of camera would you recommend for a starter? (Student budget in mind.)

what film do most of you use?

what size film do you use?

what film is easiest to get?

What is the cost of film?

how do you get your film processed?

Do professional labs still print it?

If i have a regular 35mm enlarger, can i get a new lens, and negative carrier to print my own?

What is the cost of film?

Thanks a lot for helping someone new to medium format

nlochner

Click to expand...

In MF I use black and white film and process it myself. I have used colour film too but then that has to be sent away to be developed. Personally I aim to be self-sufficient!

For cameras, I initially go for either a TLR such as a Rolleicord (the quality of the images this camera takes need to be seen to be appreciated!) or a folder such as a Zeiss Ikon (be smart on ebay and you can pick one of these up for very little money - mine cost me £8).

I like the square 6x6 format, and I like using a waist level finder rather than a viewfinder.

I find roll film easy to come by - certainly if you are using black and white then Ilford film is very good.

I think others know more about enlargers than I do and have answered those questions.

Euan

6x6mm for choice. If you're look up www.arax.com This ukranian firm sells an 'upmarket version of the Kiev. I have one and find it excellent. There are a choice of lenses that, judging by the quality I have, are a give-away. Recently I bought a 120mm Zeiss Biometar lens from Russia for £150. Bronica or Hasselblad would have been many times that price. The film I use is Fuji400 developed in Rodinal !:25 for 4 minutes. pyrometol

pyrometol said:

.... If you're look up www.arax.com This ukranian ...

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the correct address should be www.araxfoto.com though

I am also new to MF, and have a few other questions. I am coming to this a bit differently from the OP. I shoot mostly 4x5, B&W, and also have a bunch of 35mm stuff laying around that doesn't get a lot of use. A couple of times in the past few months, I have had a need for handheld shots, and used the 35mm (old manual focus minolta equipment) - I got good images, but got very frustrated in the darkroom with the limitations of a negative barely big enough for me to see. I decided to get something that I could use handheld that would give me a bigger negative. I sold of a spare LF camera and a couple of 35mm cameras and bought a Hasselblad outfit which I have just started to use. My darkroom is pretty much set up to handle the 6x6 negs, although I may want to upgrade my MF enlarging lens.

On to the questions:
I develop most of my LF film in a Jobo processor, with either HC110, or sometimes Pyro - most 35mm is done by hand, usually with D-76 or Rodinol (I feel that I get finer grain that way) - I'd be interested in any comments regarding processing of 120 by hand vs rotory, especially with HC110 (which I like for lots of reasons)

My second question is Hasselblad specific - I bought the camera used, and have been muddling through figuring out how it works without a manual (I am an engineer and in awe of the machine ). When I press the shutter release the mirror swings up, the baffle in the back of the body opens, the lens stops down, the shutter opens and closes and then the baffles close again. It sounds like the baffles close when I remove pressure from the shutter release button, then when I wind the lever, I recock the shutter, advance the film and the mirror drops back. - The question is if I have a long exposure, - say 1s, and I press and release the shutter button before the exposure is finished, do the baffles close before the shutter resulting in underexposure? The camera seems to protect me from most stupid mistakes, so if this does happen, it would seem out of place.

Mark

DBP said:

I'm partial to using a TLR for portraiture for reasons.
1. I like the way the 6x6 format works for framing portraits.
2. The silent shutter means less flinching and blinking. I once dated a woman who said no one ever could photograph her with her eyes open because she kept flinching. My Yashicamat did fine, as she couldn't even always tell when the shutter fired.
3. The continuous viewing lets you see what things look like as the shutter fires.
4. A waist level finder lets you get lower without straining the knees, and many people look better from lower angles.
5. TLRs are light and compact.
6. I learned to shoot with one.
.

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Only #3 is a TLR issue. I guess you could add the mirror noise from a SLR to #2

HC110 in Jobo

Mark_S said:

I am also new to MF, and have a few other questions. ...
I develop most of my LF film in a Jobo processor, with either HC110, or sometimes Pyro - most 35mm is done by hand, usually with D-76 or Rodinol (I feel that I get finer grain that way) - I'd be interested in any comments regarding processing of 120 by hand vs rotory, especially with HC110 (which I like for lots of reasons).

Click to expand...

Mark, interesting. I recently asked if anyone was using HC110 in Jobo tanks and got two replies that suggested it was not a worthwhile inquiry:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

So I would be interested in hearing more about your experiences. I'm processing 4x5 and 5x7 TXP sheets in Jobos with Rodinal (in 1:25 and 1:50 dilutions) and am happy with the results. But I have often wondered what would happen if I tried HC110 in the Jobo tanks.

I do shoot TX400 and Bergger in roll film, with a Rolleiflex and a Balda 6x6 folding camera. My girlfriend also shoots the same films in a 6x9 Agfa Record folder. I hand-process my roll film in HC110 but she uses the Jobo with Rodinal for hers and she gets great results. So, FWIW, I see no reason not to use the Jobo tanks for roll film, but you're on your own as to whether or how to use HC110 in it.

Sanders McNew

Mark_S said:

My second question is Hasselblad specific - I bought the camera used, and have been muddling through figuring out how it works without a manual (I am an engineer and in awe of the machine ). When I press the shutter release the mirror swings up, the baffle in the back of the body opens, the lens stops down, the shutter opens and closes and then the baffles close again. It sounds like the baffles close when I remove pressure from the shutter release button, then when I wind the lever, I recock the shutter, advance the film and the mirror drops back. - The question is if I have a long exposure, - say 1s, and I press and release the shutter button before the exposure is finished, do the baffles close before the shutter resulting in underexposure? The camera seems to protect me from most stupid mistakes, so if this does happen, it would seem out of place.

Mark

Click to expand...

Mark -

Yes, this is an issue with a Hasselblad. Here's a quote from a 501C instruction manual:

WARNING MARK

On the shutter speed scale you will find a marking above the 1, 1/2, and 1/4 settings. This is to warn you of possible exposure errors. The auxiliary shutter remains open only as long as you maintain pressure on the release button. If you relax the pressure too early the auxiliary shutter will interrupt the running exposure. Listen to the buzzing sound of the delay escapement in the lens' shutter and retain the pressure on the release button until the sound stops.

Elsewhere in the manual, they extend the warning all the way to 1/15.

Nick Zentena said:

Only #3 is a TLR issue. I guess you could add the mirror noise from a SLR to #2

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Admittedly some TLR virtues are found in rangefinders as well, and others in SLRs, but for the combination of features I was listing, a TLR is the best fit. Rangefinders can be as quiet and offer continous viewing, but don't have waist level finders. Many MF SLRs have waist level finders, but aren't even close to as quiet.

From cameras I have & use I'd suggest this,if a 'normal' lens will do,go with a Yashica tlr (any model that has the yashinon lens),if you need interchangeable lenses then either a Mamiya TLR or the Bronica SQ will do..they are both cheap & excellent.I'd also like to second the Arax 'Kiev' but only the '60' model with Ziess Jena lenses they are excellent..if you can live with 1/30 sec. flash synch.