Testing the MF Waters

[John Koehrer]

Not quite. 6x7 is 1.17:1, 10x8 is 1.25:1 - Some cropping or wasting of paper is still required.


Steve.

Picky, picky, picky.
Close enough for government work.

 

[Rick A]

I guess I bought into a lie for all these years, that 6x7 is the "ideal" format for no crop 8x10's. I seems the industry got one by me on that.

 

[MattKing]

Well if you are going to be picky ....

6x7 is rarely 6x7.

Using the Mamiya RB67 Pro S back as an example, the image area is actually 56mm x 68.4mm, which calculates out as a 1.22 ratio.

 

[stillsilver]

Another vote for the Bronica SQ. I have a 65mm and a 180mm lens. The next lens would be the 110 macro.

I bought the 180 about 7 months after the body and first lens. That was 4 years ago.

You can spread your purchases out as you need/want/can afford them. With modular SLRs you can also get different formats. 6x6, 6x4.5, 35mm (normal and panoramic). Lots of options.

Mike

 

[Sirius Glass]

6x6 TLR's are hand-holdable, and quiet(no mirror slap) I have hand-held my Kowas, and they are not too awfully heavy or awkward.

And what is wrong with a load K-THunk every now and then?

Steve

 

[Marvin]

Although they are discontinued I like the Bronica ETRSi and it is a 6x4.5 format. I have two of these and 50mm, 75mm and 150mm lenses. Bronica cameras are offered at good prices these days.

 

[denmark.yuzon]

Let's say printing at 8x10's or 8x8 (square)... which of the ratio's will give me the best output? maybe a little cropping here and there when printing..

 

[fdisk]

after looking at many hassy kits I went w. an old bronica s2a, under 400 bucks. But the rolliecords are nice, I had one and it worked great and its a very elegant design.

 

[John Koehrer]

Let's say printing at 8x10's or 8x8 (square)... which of the ratio's will give me the best output? maybe a little cropping here and there when printing..

Earlier you said you like the 8X8 because they're unique when you present them. That suggests a 6X6 camera.

If you also like the 8X10, it suggests a 6X7 camera.
If you use a 6X7 you can always crop down to a square.

Either will do with a little cropping here and there..

Which one do you like?

 

[denmark.yuzon]

does a 6x7 mean a bigger surface area for the image? better resolution? then I guess I would pick up a 6x7 and then crop it to a square image to give me a better image in terms of resolution.. i think it would be more flexible since I can create photographs in landscape or portrait orientation.. thanks for all the infos.. if you have more tips, please do post here...

 

[Brownman]

Hello Denmark, Kumusta diyan? Fellow Pinoy here but have been away for quite a long time in the Manila photo scene. In my days (80s to 90s) as freelance fotog there, Mamiya RBs and RZ' are standard medium format workhorses. These might be easier to find in the used market there than say, Blads, Bronicas, Pentax 67 or the Fuji line from GA645 to 69. Of course you can always source them online but how reliable is our postal system nowadays?
About the size format, its already a given, 6X7 is bigger than 6X6 hehehe, but seriously at least for me, i would prefer cropping paper than cropping the image.
Hope i've been a little help. kabayan!

 

[sidearm613]

does a 6x7 mean a bigger surface area for the image? better resolution? then I guess I would pick up a 6x7 and then crop it to a square image to give me a better image in terms of resolution.. i think it would be more flexible since I can create photographs in landscape or portrait orientation.. thanks for all the infos.. if you have more tips, please do post here...

Yes, 6x7 is a bigger surface area. You can go even bigger, because Fuji made some interesting cameras that were 6x8 or 6x9, and Mamiya makes a 6x8 back for the RB. That being said, the RB really is very large, and while I hear that it can be handheld, from my admittedly limited use with it says it can be a real pain. If you want to handhold a 6x7, go for one of the rangefinders or a Pentax 67 if SLRs are your gig. I personally use a Pentax 67, and I have high praise for it. Furthermore, contrary to what Rick says, in my experience it is very handholdable. Sure, slow exposures with big lenses at f/22 isn't going to happen, but I find that with the standard or wide lenses it is mobile, and very fast in use.

 

[sidearm613]

Oh, and a little blatant self promotion....
Most of the photos on my blog were taken with a Pentax 67, and almost all were hand held. Whether or not you find the actual photos to your liking, you can really get a sense of the depth and detail possible with a 6x7.

 

[Chazzy]

Oh, and a little blatant self promotion....
Most of the photos on my blog were taken with a Pentax 67, and almost all were hand held. Whether or not you find the actual photos to your liking, you can really get a sense of the depth and detail possible with a 6x7.

I just had a look at your blog, and liked very much what I saw. I wish that I had had a Pentax 67 when I was 17!

 

[John Koehrer]

If you're going to print square there's no size advantage to 6X7. 6CM is 6CM. The width will give you a little bit of room to crop the sides.

 

[Pumal]

I like Yashicamats a lot. I have several. I you want to go 6X6; choose a Bronica SQ for little money. Get a Mamiya RB6X7 if you dare to carry the beast. Another option; Mamiya M645 (very portable)(6X4.5). If you have money to burn; go Hasselblad (6X6)

 

[sidearm613]

I just had a look at your blog, and liked very much what I saw. I wish that I had had a Pentax 67 when I was 17!

Thanks Chazzy!

Its all about carefully planned usage of the Bar Mitzvah money for good causes....