What I have learnt in the past 48 hours...

[Geoffrey Swan]

It has been 48 years since I was last in a darkroom.. and I have never before processed 110 film, only 35mm.

Took a roll of HP5 400 ASA and Pan 50 ASA and a brand new ND10 filter.. and my newly acquired Mamiya RB67 Pro SD .. a beautiful fully mechanical camera.

1. Do not forget to remove the dark slide before taking the pic.. otherwise there will be no exposure
2. Do not remove your $150 10 stop ND filter when the camera and tripod is on a quartz gravel surface because when you drop the filter, it hits a sharp rock.. it will leave a pinhole of white light
2. Do not attempt to load 110 film into the tank spool in a changing bag... just not enough space
3. Ensure the Patterson reel is properly aligned before turning out the lights.. else film will crease, drop to the floor, not feed in properly
4. Do not use the pantry as a darkroom just because it is the only room in the house without a window.. when trying to find the light switch in the dark it is very easy to swipe bottles of Balsamic and oils off the shelf onto the tile floor with a smash
5. Just because I shot two rolls of 110 film - HP5 and Pan F... do not confuse which one is being developed.. especially when one is 5.30 minutes and the other is 8.30 minutes developing time

But oh... that familiar darkroom smell is so wonderful... and the morning after the smell still lingers on my fingers.

Received Ansel Adams 40 photographs book in the post today.. and his first story is climbing a 4000 feet mountain when he was 25 years old carrying a 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 camera and only 12 film plates... and he tells of how he stuffed up the exposure, aperture, wrong filters... but #12 was the perfect shot... but as he was climbing back down he saw some wonderful photo opportunities but of course had no film plates left!!

I don't feel so bad now.. and will today drive a 3 hour round trip to buy some more 110 B&W film so I can play again.

 

[pdeeh]

lovely Geoffrey ... but do you mean 120 film?

 

[TSSPro]

Glad to hear that you're back in the darkroom and working on making new photographs. I'm sure plenty will mention "110" film you mention, perhaps suggesting 120 as a more accurate moniker, but otherwise it is always nice to hear that someone is shooting more film, getting back in the darkroom, and having a good time. Best of luck and hope to see some work on APUG!

All the best-

 

[MattKing]

As others have mentioned, I think you mean 120 film (which adds a sixth item to what you have learned).

Although I must say my first reaction was to wonder why Mamiya made a 110 back for the RB67.

Don't worry, there are a lot more fun things to learn.

In my case, I haven't yet learned the balsamic vinegar lesson .

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

Thank you everyone.. yes 120mm film... I was thinking it was not 220...and yes.. another lesson.

I did not mention.. out of the 20 shots.. I did remember to take out the dark slide for the last 2 pics and I have ONE pretty decent looking image. Can only improve from here..

 

[MattKing]

A couple more lessons
1) It isn't 120mm film. It is simply 120 film; and
2) You either have an un-matched film holder for your RB67 SD, or it isn't working properly. The interlocks built into an RB67 Pro-SD will prevent you from taking a photo when the dark slide is in if you have an RB Pro-S or RB Pro-SD back mounted. The interlocks will not work if you have an RB Pro back mounted.

 

[wiltw]

To resolve the issue of bottles of balsamic vinegar and oil hitting the floor...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191960221221?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

Thank you Matt... yes.. I thought I could not take a pic... was going to explore that again today. I do have correct film backs - motorised x 2... might try a manual one today. Thankyou.

And thanks Wilt for the clapper.. Balsamic is gone now... a big mess on the floor to clean up this morning. I must start building my darkroom.. now!!

 

[Sirius Glass]

2. Do not attempt to load 110 film into the tank spool in a changing bag... just not enough space

Ok 120 film. This will fix that problem and allow you to get into 4"x5" film
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/25001-Photoflex-Changing-Room

 

[bdial]

Note to self...

I have made some very fine images on dark slides

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

Ok 120 film. This will fix that problem and allow you to get into 4"x5" film
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/25001-Photoflex-Changing-Room

I think I need one of these!!... thanks

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

A couple more lessons
1) It isn't 120mm film. It is simply 120 film; and
2) You either have an un-matched film holder for your RB67 SD, or it isn't working properly. The interlocks built into an RB67 Pro-SD will prevent you from taking a photo when the dark slide is in if you have an RB Pro-S or RB Pro-SD back mounted. The interlocks will not work if you have an RB Pro back mounted.

It certainly will NOT allow me to take any pics when there is no film in the camera.. until I remove the dark slide... so will try with some new film soon. I was using the dual shutter release .. maybe I had the wrong way around.. the short release to the lens the longer release to the shutter??

Also trying to connect a standard shutter release to the T spot on the lens for time exposure .. this appears to be a very small release and I can find nothing on the web. Short of that I will resort to turning the lens shutter back from T towards 1 sec and place a black card over the lens as I do it.

 

[paul ron]

hahahahahahaha thats great. you are a quick learner too. it only took you 48 hours!

 

[paul ron]

Note to self...

I have made some very fine images on dark slides

maybe the start of a new tin type?

 

[HiHoSilver]

Big smile. I'm betting everyone has had a few days like this.
Arrive after hour drive. Discover you don't have the QD head for the tripod - its all handheld now. With slow film. On a cloudy day. In a canyon...
Spot a brilliant green maple leaf flash frozen w/ all color blazing. You brought BW film only...
'Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

It certainly will NOT allow me to take any pics when there is no film in the camera.. until I remove the dark slide... so will try with some new film soon. I was using the dual shutter release .. maybe I had the wrong way around.. the short release to the lens the longer release to the shutter??

Also trying to connect a standard shutter release to the T spot on the lens for time exposure .. this appears to be a very small release and I can find nothing on the web. Short of that I will resort to turning the lens shutter back from T towards 1 sec and place a black card over the lens as I do it.

And another lesson... the RB67 manual suggests (at least that is what I read) to connect a shutter release to the lens when doing time exposure... but taking my lens into the only remaining old fashioned camera shop and the young bloke was very polite telling me it is a flash connection

 

[MattKing]

Uh, actually no.
The connection with the red circle around it in the illustration is where you connect a cable release when you want to do time exposures. You start the time exposure by pushing the shutter release on the body. You end the time exposure by pushing the cable release again or by choosing the options listed in the manual. Essentially, the screwed in cable release stops the opened shutter from closing until the listed steps are taken.
It is the terminal nearby marked X which is the flash connection.
On the other side of the lens is another place you can screw a cable release into. That is the one that the double cable release is optimized for. It is used for mirror lock up photography.

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

Uh, actually no.
The connection with the red circle around it in the illustration is where you connect a cable release when you want to do time exposures. You start the time exposure by pushing the shutter release on the body. You end the time exposure by pushing the cable release again or by choosing the options listed in the manual. Essentially, the screwed in cable release stops the opened shutter from closing until the listed steps are taken.
It is the terminal nearby marked X which is the flash connection.
On the other side of the lens is another place you can screw a cable release into. That is the one that the double cable release is optimized for. It is used for mirror lock up photography.

Hello Matt.. and thanks again. Now I am really confused. The screw thread is very small and my standard or double shutter release cable does not fit into that connection.

I am familiar with the connection on the left side of the lens to work with the mirror up etc... is it a special cable that screws into the red circle area.. I can find no reference on the web.

 

[MattKing]

The screw thread is very small and my standard or double shutter release cable does not fit into that connection.

It should fit a normal cable release. It and the mirror lock up connector are threaded the same way, and fit the same cable release.
I checked this on the one K/L version lens I own, and it works this way with my standard cable release.
For clarity, I want to confirm we are talking about the same connector. It is the one with the small "B" beside it, not the flash synch connector with the X beside it.

EDIT: one further thought. Is there any chance you have an older, C series lens attached? They don't have a separate "B" connection for time exposures - just the flash synch X and the mirror lock up connection.

 

[Geoffrey Swan]

EDIT: one further thought. Is there any chance you have an older, C series lens attached? They don't have a separate "B" connection for time exposures - just the flash synch X and the mirror lock up connection.[/QUOTE]
Hello Matt... that's it... I must have the older C Series lens... it is a flash connector next to the "x". Mirror lock up on other side is OK. So when taking T exposures I need to open shutter, time the place a card or hat or whatever in front of lens the move the shutter from T towards 1 sec to close shutter. Thank you very much for the clarification and taking the time to assist me.