Oh, My!

Lawrenceu · Apr 7, 2011

Today I loaded up the new-to-me YashicaMat with HP5. It arrived last week and I spent a bit of time cleaning the dust out of the corners and just getting to know it. The shutter timing seems to be right. The aperture seems to adjust well. In short I think everything is fine.

I went outside just to play around with it, nothing serious. When I popped up the hood and looked at the focussing screen I was stunned. I had forgotten how wonderful of a view that is. I played around taking some close portraits of my daughter and was in awe of the '3D' effect on the screen. She was captivated by it as well, to say nothing of how 'cool' the camera is.

I can't wait to develop this strip and see what it looks like.

Dan Daniel · Apr 7, 2011

I showed the screen of a Minolta Autocord to someone who asked about the camera while on the street. A guy maybe 20, 25. He looked down and gasped- 'What a great LCD!!"

Vaughn · Apr 7, 2011

Dan Daniel said:
I showed the screen of a Minolta Autocord to someone who asked about the camera while on the sdtreet. A guy maybe 20, 25. He looked down and gasped- 'What a great LCD!!"

"And I haven't needed to change any batteries in years!"

rphenning · Apr 7, 2011

first time I showed my friend what my 4x5s GG looked like under the dark cloth, "It looks better than real life!" Sums it up nicely.

Sirius Glass · Apr 7, 2011

Lawrenceu said:
Today I loaded up the new-to-me YashicaMat with HP5. It arrived last week and I spent a bit of time cleaning the dust out of the corners and just getting to know it. The shutter timing seems to be right. The aperture seems to adjust well. In short I think everything is fine.

I went outside just to play around with it, nothing serious. When I popped up the hood and looked at the focussing screen I was stunned. I had forgotten how wonderful of a view that is. I played around taking some close portraits of my daughter and was in awe of the '3D' effect on the screen. She was captivated by it as well, to say nothing of how 'cool' the camera is.

I can't wait to develop this strip and see what it looks like.

Welcome to good optics and the wonderful world of film. The digi-snappers do not know what they are missing, but one is about to learn. My daughter sent snaps of her and her new born son from her cell phone and complained that when Costco printed them, they did not look good. She asked me to improve them. I had to break it to her that there was not enough resolution for starters and even the better ones were too soft in focus. I told here when I am back there next week to set up a time to meet when the baby is awake and I WILL SHOOT FILM.

Steve

Lawrenceu · Apr 7, 2011

Steve,
I can't tell you how much fun I am having. I really never got into the digi thing. Yeah, I have a P&S Nikon I got years ago for using on jobsites. We have used it for taking pictures at times. But, I never really liked it. I didn't realise how much I missed real photography. I'm going to have to find an enlarger now . . .

AlbertZeroK · Apr 8, 2011

Check Craigslist for enlargers, they pop up all time time if you're willing to drive a few hours. I just picked up a Coolscan 4000 with slide feeder for $400 and a Jobo CPP2+ for $300.

And thank you, I just bought a 124G off ebay this morning because of this thread. I'm tired of hauling out my RB67 or 645AF Mamiyas for every little thing. This will be a perfect camera to just leave in my car

elekm · Apr 8, 2011

I was out shooting with a Baby Rollei and forgot how much fun a TLR can be. Even a small one.

Jeff Kubach · Apr 8, 2011

My Rolleiflex is lotta fun to use also!

Jeff

Pumalite · Apr 8, 2011

My babies.

The extreme right is an Ikontaflex

Mainecoonmaniac · Apr 8, 2011

Oh the horror!

Dan Daniel said:
I showed the screen of a Minolta Autocord to someone who asked about the camera while on the street. A guy maybe 20, 25. He looked down and gasped- 'What a great LCD!!"

Probably somebody under 20 years old

R gould · Apr 8, 2011

I have 3 tlr's and I can't tell you how much fun I have using them, I love all 3 and they are my preferred cameras to use, you get a different view with the waist level finder, and just a different outlook on life and photography,Richard

Worker 11811 · Apr 8, 2011

Lawrenceu said:
Today I loaded up the new-to-me YashicaMat with HP5. ... I can't wait to develop this strip and see what it looks like.

If you think HP5 is good try some Pan F-Plus!

HP5 is good. Don't get me wrong. But remember that the YashicaMat was designed when 400 ISO film was not common. When I use 400 ISO film in my YashicaMat, I occasionally find that, on a sunny day, I'm bumping up against the upper end of my camera's shutter speed and aperture limits to get the exposure I want.

Use 100 ISO and you won't have that problem. Further, if you use Pan F, shooting at ISO 50, you'll be down, well inside the mechanical limits of the camera, PLUS with the qualities of 50-speed film on a 6x6 cm negative, your grain will be truly microscopic!

When I put Pan F negatives in my enlarger, even in 35mm, I have a hard time finding the grain through my focusing scope. When I do it with 120 format, grain is truly invisible!

Lawrenceu · Apr 8, 2011

Worker 11811 said:
If you think HP5 is good try some Pan F-Plus!

HP5 is good. Don't get me wrong. But remember that the YashicaMat was designed when 400 ISO film was not common. When I use 400 ISO film in my YashicaMat, I occasionally find that, on a sunny day, I'm bumping up against the upper end of my camera's shutter speed and aperture limits to get the exposure I want.

Use 100 ISO and you won't have that problem. Further, if you use Pan F, shooting at ISO 50, you'll be down, well inside the mechanical limits of the camera, PLUS with the qualities of 50-speed film on a 6x6 cm negative, your grain will be truly microscopic!

When I put Pan F negatives in my enlarger, even in 35mm, I have a hard time finding the grain through my focusing scope. When I do it with 120 format, grain is truly invisible!

I was thinking about that very thing this afternoon. HP5 is all that is available locally. I wanted to get the camera out quickly so I picked up a couple of rolls. I'm now looking for some other, more suitable, films online. I'm open to any suggestions.

I am absolutely loving this camera. At first I thought maybe it was just nostalgia. My father used one for a couple of years when I was really little, say four or five, when he was shooting some stuff for publications. I can still remember that. Now, I think it is beyond nostalgia. I just like the thing and the format.

Klainmeister · Apr 8, 2011

Pan F was my favorite for a while as well, especially when developed with the more standard developers that leave images with zero grain and very even tonal spread. I nowadays can recommend Acros 100 and shoot it near 64. It's one of the most forgiving and overall beautiful films I shoot and a 5 pack from Freestyle is $15!

Sirius Glass · Apr 8, 2011

Pumalite said:
My babies.

The extreme right is an Ikontaflex

They must be very happy to be with you because they are jumping up and down!

Steve

Dave in Kansas · Apr 8, 2011

I agree about the Pan F. Beautiful film, especially developed in Rodinal.

Dave

John R. · Apr 8, 2011

I have a beautiful Rolleiflex and the camera is a true joy to use. I keep it in a display case most of the time to protect it. I have a couple Hasselblads and full system. I must say that using the TLR is really a joyful photographic experience compared to the SLR medium format rigs. It's hard to explain but a TLR is just natural, it fits in to a work flow perfectly. Obviously they have limitations but they more than make up for those in other ways. My first TLR was a Yashica Mat 124G when they first came to market, that camera was a joy also, a terrific value.

Vaughn · Apr 9, 2011

Klainmeister said:
Pan F was my favorite ...!

Oh...but Panatomic-X was nice, too...back when the Rolleiflex was my only camera. :wizard:

A real wizard in Microdol-X (3:1)!

Dr.Pain-MD · Apr 9, 2011

I finally took my Mamiya C33 out yesterday to do some real street shooting and I had such a blast. I already knew that I liked using a TLR, but it was so comforting shooting street scenes through the wonderful waist level screen. I like taking my time to compose my shots, but pointing my 35mm SLR at people on the street for anything longer than a few seconds just doesn't work too well. With my TLR I can stare for as long as I want into the finder and nobody seems to even notice once they get over the crazy camera.

Pumalite · Apr 9, 2011

Sirius Glass said:
They must be very happy to be with you because they are jumping up and down!

Steve

Ask them

dpurdy · Apr 9, 2011

Never get tired of showing mine. The only cameras that never get put away. Always sitting out..

pbromaghin · Apr 9, 2011

Dr.Pain-MD said:
I finally took my Mamiya C33 out yesterday to do some real street shooting and I had such a blast. I already knew that I liked using a TLR, but it was so comforting shooting street scenes through the wonderful waist level screen. I like taking my time to compose my shots, but pointing my 35mm SLR at people on the street for anything longer than a few seconds just doesn't work too well. With my TLR I can stare for as long as I want into the finder and nobody seems to even notice once they get over the crazy camera.

Doc, this is nice to hear. I'm taking my new C33 out for the first time today, for some hand-held shooting at an orchid show, and maybe out on the street after that. This heavy beast is going to take some getting used to but the test roll done on the tripod was beautiful. I often feel the same way as you with a 35mm and find street photography very difficult. I'm hoping the telephoto lenses will make me oven more invisible.

fschifano · Apr 10, 2011

pbromaghin said:
...I'm hoping the telephoto lenses will make me oven more invisible.

I use a couple of C220's and the longest lens I have for these cameras is the 180. I don't use the 180 that much. I kind of gets in the way. The way I figure it, if you need the long lens, you're not close enough. Just do your thing, and people will ignore you, which is what you want if you want to be invisible.

pbromaghin · Apr 10, 2011

fschifano - I know I'm not close enough. I don't want to be close enough - that's why I do very little street photography and don't pretend to be any good at it.

Oh, My!

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency