RB67... should I?

milkplus-mesto · Jan 12, 2009

I've been using 35mm for a while now, and i've been doing a lot of digital as well. But i've always had a feeling I wanted to try medium format, and this year, i finally think the time has come.

I mainly shoot people, places, and performance - that is to say, music, occasional architecture, and music performance (rock/pop/comedy).

I do plan on using it for portraits and architectural images, but i'm not sure about much of the music stuff. Could I feasibly take it to a gig with me, just to try, perhaps with some delta 3200?

The main question i have here is "should I or shouldn't I?" is there any reason why i shouldn't?

And, would £279 strike you as a good price for an RB67, 90mm f/3.8, WLF and back?

mcgrattan · Jan 12, 2009

They are huge, and heavy -- they are a lot bigger than Hasselblads or Rolleiflexes. I can't imagine you'd even get in to a gig with one. They can be hand held [I've tried it and the results were pretty good] but I wouldn't want to attempt it in the sort of light you'd get at a gig. Impossible. You also need to cock the shutter and wind the film separately. They aren't easy things to use standing up, hand-held.

I was offered one a year or so ago for £200, that seemed like an excellent deal at the time -- I borrowed it and used it for a week or so. In the end I couldn't justify the expense at the time.

The results were great, though.

GGardner · Jan 12, 2009

milkplus-mesto said:
The main question i have here is "should I or shouldn't I?" is there any reason why i shouldn't?

Consider the £279 solely the security deposit on a rental. Try it out for a few weeks, and if you don't like it, sell it. I bet you'll spend more on film, processing and printing than (any!) loss from re-selling it.

keithwms · Jan 12, 2009

For portraiture, and closeups in general, the rb is an excellent choice. Quite possibly one of the very best choices.

For a gig, I think you'd be much better off with an rz and the 110/2.8 lens, if you must shoot 6x7. The rb lenses will be too dark for most available light stuff, if that's what you mean by "gig." I recently found a mamiya 645 with an 80/1.9 to be good for club scene. I found myself shooting pro z at 1600 with that lens wide open and still was exposing at 1/15 sec, so... I wouldn't even want to think about attempting that kind of thing with an f/3.8 lens. f/2.8, maybe, but that's still a far cry from what you can pull off with 35mm kit. A medium format slr is generally not so advantageous for spontaneous, available light work. A tlr may be a bit more practical ...

For architecture, I'd say the rb is also not the best choice, unless you are willing to do scanning and digital perspective correction and such (which is a very viable route, actually; I am just saying). Even a $200 old crown graphic kicks the butt of pretty much any slr for architecture, IMHO.

Jeff Kubach · Jan 12, 2009

I use my RB67 alot, usually landscapes, closeups, and somtimes people. I wouldn't think it be good at gigs especially during nightime.

Jeff

Katier · Jan 12, 2009

*wonders how a TLR would go in a gig*

Off hand not sure what the speed of the lens is like compared to a MF SLR and they are 6x6 not 6x7 BUT they're hand holdable and good, so I'm lead to believe, for shots where the shot is very quick ( martial arts was the example I read but the same I'm sure could be said of a gig ).

eddie gunks · Jan 12, 2009

i love my RB. i hand hold it regularly. i have traveled around the world with it. these photos were shot with it. hand held with 400 and 800 speed film. i was using a 250mm for many of the shots.

here are several more.

you will love it!

just do it!

eddie

mikebarger · Jan 12, 2009

Very nice Eddie.

I had the use of an RB once, I don't know, in my advancing years, if I would be trusting of
my skill to handhold it so far from home.

My hat is off to you!

Mike

paul ron · Jan 12, 2009

Ed, those shots are beautiful. I'll have to agree with Ed about hand held RBs. Yes they are big n play like tanks but you'll never get a tougher, top of the line, pro camera at such low prices. Because it's all mechanical, it is easy to repair n maintain n won't let you down.

At the price you're getting it at, as someone said, you just sell it, you get your money right back.

gerryyaum · Jan 12, 2009

I took a RB67 from Canada to Thailand in 1996 and photographed people in a studio setup and on locations. I like the camera and the negs made but boy was it a HUGE CAR BATTERY to carry around. I would not recommend it for any type of shoulder carrying over distance. If your just getting out of a car and setting it up on a tripod, it should work great.

gerryyaum · Jan 12, 2009

eddie gunks said:
i love my RB. i hand hold it regularly. i have traveled around the world with it. these photos were shot with it. hand held with 400 and 800 speed film. i was using a 250mm for many of the shots.

here are several more.

you will love it!

just do it!

eddie

Nice shots Eddie, I have been there and done that also, how did you manage to get all that equipment onto the boat? When I was there thou I shot 35 mm and a Mamiya 6 camera which was lighter, also hand held. You got the better shots thou! : )

epatsellis · Jan 12, 2009

keithwms said:
For architecture, I'd say the rb is also not the best choice, unless you are willing to do scanning and digital perspective correction and such (which is a very viable route, actually; I am just saying). Even a $200 old crown graphic kicks the butt of pretty much any slr for architecture, IMHO.

Unless you're handy, and a bit crazy helps too, but Keith probably knew I'd be chiming in....

RB's can be great for architecture, if you're willing to put some work into it, basically take a monorail, mount an RB front lens mount and a revolving back on it, and "voila" instant RB flavored arcbody sortaclone (more functional, actually).

keithwms · Jan 12, 2009

Erie, I am not quite as crazy as you, but I did try some of my rb lenses on a rittreck 5x7 and indeed it is quite a thing. Problem being, the rittreck metal 5x7 is about the only camera that can support those lenses!

Speaking of craziness, I have now gutted an rb so that I can shoot ~8x8cm on it. Lovely.

epatsellis · Jan 13, 2009

for those that are totally lost, this is what can happen with too much free time on your hands:

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Jan 13, 2009

That's just plain cool right there. How do you go about cocking the shutter in the lens?
We've had quite a few RB67 topics in the last few weeks it seems, but I'll say it again - they're brilliant cameras. One of the best purchases I've made in a while.

Steve Smith · Jan 13, 2009

That really is nice. I have been thinking about making a mini folding wooden field camera with an RB67 revolving back on it. I have some oak here waiting to be turned into something useful!

Is a scrap RB67 the only source of revolving backs/film back holders or is there another option?

I suppose a scrap/spare body also gives me the option of using the RB67 lenses which I wasn't considering.... until I saw that picture!

Steve.

Steve Smith · Jan 13, 2009

One more question. What do you do for focusing? An RB67 screen in a scrap film back mount (or similar)?

Steve.

keithwms · Jan 13, 2009

Yeah scrap rb bodies are a dime a dozen, so you can get at the lens holder/cocking mechanism quite easily- Erie sent me one (whata guy!). You can use LF film holders- don't have to use roll film. In Erie's gizmo, you can take off the holder and compose on ground glass.

In my own toying with rigged rb lenses, I am using them almost entirely for macro... thus long enough exposures that I don't need the cocking mechnism at all. I just leave the lens open and cap it when I'm done.

I will post some images of my pimped out 8x8cm rb when its finished! Suffice it to say that the mirror catch inside the body is pretty superfluous and you can pick up quite a lot of exposure area just by dremeling most of that out.

epatsellis · Jan 13, 2009

Between work and school right now, for the impatient, check out the info on my website for a quick start.

erie

walter23 · Jan 13, 2009

milkplus-mesto said:
I mainly shoot people, places, and performance - that is to say, music, occasional architecture, and music performance (rock/pop/comedy).

With the exception of architecture it sounds like you're describing the stuff 35mm (by that I mean both film & DSLR) is most suited for.

MF is great fun but you might find it cumbersome for the kind of shooting you do.

For arranged portraits (as opposed to performances) you would probably like the RB.

eddie gunks · Jan 14, 2009

another option is a koni rapid. 6x7 negs. it is a rangefinder. but it is very small and you will be able to shoot it very quick and easy. they are like a giant 35mm. cheap too.

eddie gunks · Jan 14, 2009

gerryyaum said:
Nice shots Eddie, I have been there and done that also, how did you manage to get all that equipment onto the boat? When I was there thou I shot 35 mm and a Mamiya 6 camera which was lighter, also hand held. You got the better shots thou! : )

thanks for the comments everyone.

gerryyaum, i do not find the RB to be that big......but i am a 6'2" guy so take that into account. i try not to think about how big it is. i just think about how great the negs look...especially the slides.

FWIW my last shoot in sept to utah i carried my chamonix 4x5, 8x10, 3 lenses, and RB on the plane with me (carry in items)! how is that for good packing?

eddie

milkplus-mesto · Jan 14, 2009

Well, i've given it a lot of thought, and i've decided that the money would be better spent on expanding my 35mm system (which also comes in handy for digital as well) so i'll treat myself to a couple of fast primes and some more film, i think.

paul ron · Jan 15, 2009

How did we let this one get away?

35mm system? You have no idea what you passed up. This is a hobby that will get you so hooked like no other. Once you try MF, you'll never go back to that microscopic negative ever again.

Robert Budding · Jan 18, 2009

milkplus-mesto said:
I've been using 35mm for a while now, and i've been doing a lot of digital as well. But i've always had a feeling I wanted to try medium format, and this year, i finally think the time has come. . .

Don't do it! Medium format is a 'bridge drug'. Pretty soon you'll be eyeing large format.

RB67... should I?

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