Moving to Medium Format
- Thread starter Kimura_papaya
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The bronica system has been discontinued, so while it'll all be second hand and cheaper, there wouldn't be any new equipment to look forward to.
I have a MF camera myself and although I haven't shot it recently, I don't care, I like the bigger film size.
Try Safra Mount Faber. They have a good darkroom which is affordable. Though you might have to complete the course to be allowed to use the dark room.
Bronica is good. Not going to try and 'offload' or make a sales pitch... - I LOVE my Bronica SQ-B and look forward to keeping it for many more years to come
Medium format is awesome. Holding a MF neg is a totally different experience. 35mm is easy to work with, and has no 'kick' for me. MF is a whole different story. Shoot slides on MF and they look amazing when you develop them. You can actually admire it with your own eyes because the slide is so big.
I can easily scan to 30 megapixels on a $300 flatbed scanner and get them to come out SHARP. 8 megapixels is my practical limit for 35mm film. (I've tried more: didn't get much more out of it). Results can compare with and in some cases beat my digitals liao.
The downside is that MF cameras may potentially lack some of the conveniences you are used to in 35mm or digital, and they can be more challenging to operate. For example my SQ-B is a wonderful camera - and it has NO light meter whatsoever, requiring me to carry either another camera or a handheld meter. There is no power winder so you need to crank each shot by hand. There isn't even a SLR-type handgrip on the side, so you hold the weight with your left hand, use your right hand to stabilize the camera, left finger to trigger the shutter (no kidding!) Although I am quite used to doing that with my SLRs and bigger lenses so it's fine with me. You also get just 12 or 16 shots per roll and you have to master a new loading technique to get the film into the camera.
There are many kinds of MF camera that all use one kind of MF film (called 120). Unlike 35mm their picture size is NOT fixed - so you can have smaller rectangles, wider rectangles and squares or even panoramas. They just use more film.
645: 6 x 4.5cm image size, so you can fit 15-16 shots (depending on camera) onto one roll
6x6: 6 x 6 cm square image, 12 shots per roll
6x7: 6 x 7cm rectangle image, 9? (not sure) shots per roll
6x9 - you can guess, 6x9cm
6x17 - super panorama, think you only get 4 shots per roll!
I also have a Pentax645 as my 645 system. To some people I'm crazy for keeping 2 systems, but I didn't plan to go 6x6 so I only added the Bronica later. Oh well
I really like the Pentax because it feels like a contemporary 35mm camera though. Built in power winder, very accurate light meter, automatic shooting modes (Program, Av, Tv, M), very nice side grip and shutter button, flash hotshoe, all the essential features we know and like. If you want to go MF but enjoy the conveniences, the Pentax is a GREAT system.The disadvantage, or so they tell me, is that the Pentax is not very 'modular'. The Bronica for example can be completely taken apart - you can remove and change the prism/viewfinder, the film back (ie. change to Polaroid back, 35mm film back), the lens, the winder (if supported), and so on. Some people like to customize their systems this way, and the Pentax cannot because everything is built in. I like the Pentax BECAUSE everything is built in.. I like the Bronica because I can change things
Hi
I have a mamiya 645 pro TL pack. Are you interested?
Includes....
1 645 BODY with Power Drive Grip WG402 and AE Finder FK402
2 PRO LENS:
35 MM f /3.5 N
80 MM f/ 1: 2.8 N (not in pack)
120. 220 Roll Film Holder HA 401 X 2 (only 1 in pack)
MAMIYA POLAROID PACK FILM HOLDER HP 401 (not in pack)
645 PRO
TRIPOD ADAPTER N MODEL 2 (Brand New) ( this is a freebie if you buy pack)
Grace
I have a mamiya 645 pro TL pack. Are you interested?
Includes....
1 645 BODY with Power Drive Grip WG402 and AE Finder FK402
2 PRO LENS:
35 MM f /3.5 N
80 MM f/ 1: 2.8 N (not in pack)
120. 220 Roll Film Holder HA 401 X 2 (only 1 in pack)
MAMIYA POLAROID PACK FILM HOLDER HP 401 (not in pack)
645 PRO
TRIPOD ADAPTER N MODEL 2 (Brand New) ( this is a freebie if you buy pack)
Grace
Yup... You have to complete the B&W course. The course include (if i can recall):
1) how to use color filters to make your pics looks better.
2) how to load your film into the developing tank.
3) how to use chemicals to develop your films.
3) how to use the darkroom equipment.
4) how to expose a pic with different timing.
5) how to burn & dodge the pic.
6) how to fix the pic/print so on & so forth....
It's pretty fun as you can see people forget this & that when doing their printing in the darkroom as they are new to this. Me is one of them...hahaha... Anyway, do have a technical apron & wear short sleeve when there's chemical around. You don't want to get stain.
Have fun....If your objective is to shoot in the 6x4.5cm format, then do consider the Fuji GA645Zi being sold here: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=363869. That will leave you some budget left to get a used set of darkroom equipment.
The GA645Zi above is a rangefinder camera and has the equivalent of 34-to-56mm zoom in the 35mm format. I have the fixed-lens version, the Fuji GA645, and the camera handles beautifully, like a giant PnS, and lets you concentrate on shooting and being less of a gadget slut lusting over the next lens or accessory to get. Try shooting chrome on MF too, you'll be impressed.
More info here:
http://www.mcp.com.au/fuji/ga645zi.htm
The manual is here:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/fujica/fujifilm_ga645zi/fujifilm_ga645zi.htm
A MF RF with inter-changeable lenses to consider is the Mamiya 7 but it is pricer. Otherwise, the usual suspects already listed by the others can be considered.
With your budget of 1.5k, you can get the GA645Zi and Volk's darkroom set offer, and stay within budget. You can shoot with it immediately and not deal with leaky film backs or learn the handling quirks of other MF systems. Just remember to tighten the film lead on the take-up spool (i.e. tighten until there is no slack) of the Fuji when loading a roll, the user reports on the rewind and take-up problems are all due to user mis-loading of the film. I've gone through numerous rolls and suffered no such problems.
The GA645Zi above is a rangefinder camera and has the equivalent of 34-to-56mm zoom in the 35mm format. I have the fixed-lens version, the Fuji GA645, and the camera handles beautifully, like a giant PnS, and lets you concentrate on shooting and being less of a gadget slut lusting over the next lens or accessory to get. Try shooting chrome on MF too, you'll be impressed.
More info here:
http://www.mcp.com.au/fuji/ga645zi.htm
The manual is here:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/fujica/fujifilm_ga645zi/fujifilm_ga645zi.htm
A MF RF with inter-changeable lenses to consider is the Mamiya 7 but it is pricer. Otherwise, the usual suspects already listed by the others can be considered.
With your budget of 1.5k, you can get the GA645Zi and Volk's darkroom set offer, and stay within budget. You can shoot with it immediately and not deal with leaky film backs or learn the handling quirks of other MF systems. Just remember to tighten the film lead on the take-up spool (i.e. tighten until there is no slack) of the Fuji when loading a roll, the user reports on the rewind and take-up problems are all due to user mis-loading of the film. I've gone through numerous rolls and suffered no such problems.
Kimura_papaya
New Member
many thanks bro..for this valuable suggestion..appreciate that...i will definitely consider seriously..i ever saw fujifilm MF ..it looks good to me like a MR RF. ya...i will consider my darkroom kit as well...cos i have completed my black and white course in SAFRA...it is only i need to find a space for darkroom.
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