focalintent (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
focalintent) wrote2007-01-29 06:18 pm
focalintent) wrote2007-01-29 06:18 pm
Entry tags:
first film
So, I got my first roll of film back with the medium format camera. I wouldn't say I was ecstatic about the shots. And I'm sure the 5x7 print size has left something to be desired.
But OMG - the negatives are... amazing. I can actually see an incredible amount of detail in them. I wish I had a negative scanner to be able to show them off. Alas, the crappy brother mfc-210c that is my only scanner at the moment does a really bad job with them. I know, I just tried to scan a strip of the film.
So - the best I can do, until I get a scanner that's better capable of handling film[1] is to scan the 5x7 prints that I got. Of course, see comment above about crappy scanner - 600x600 dpi is the best i can scan at, and the banding that i get is driving me up a wall. But for now, it's my best option for sharing these images out.
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film -1/250s @ f/16, or maybe 1/500s @ f/11
Unfortunately, I didn't keep notes about what exposures I used for the shots. The only reason I have a guess on the 3rd one is that I'm pretty sure I used the 'Sunny 16' for setting up the exposure. 'Sunny 16' states, roughly, that in a scene with full daylight outdoors, ideal exposure is f/16 @ 1/ISOs - where ISO is the film speed rating. So, with iso400 film, ideal exposure for that 3rd shot would have been 1/400s at f/16. Since the camera only has 1/250 and 1/500 - i'd have to choose between those two. Being just slightly overexposed (though I don't think the print blows out as much as the scan would claim) my guess is that i did 1/250 at f/16 or 1/500s at f/11.
All of these shots were framed with the prism viewfinder (non-ae). This past weekend I did a bunch of shooting with the waistlevel finder. In a number of ways, I think I almost prefer the waistlevel finder - though the reverse image is taking some getting used to.
At any rate - this has me even more excited about continuing to play with film. I already have my second roll of film at the lab for developing, and on thursday I start my darkroom & b&w photography course. I'm looking forward to the days when I can come in from shooting, and have scans turned around by that evening (between developing on my own and having a decent scanner for film).
Of course, i'm also thinking about where to go next with film. I've already got a 150mm lens on order, as well as an AE prism (to get me metering and even some level of auto-exposure (AV) in the camera) coming in. But beyond that - i'm starting to have thoughts involving an RZ67 based rig, for 6x7 medium format shooting. Unfortunately, while the RZ67 does have a 645 film back (so I could shoot 6x7 or 6x4.5) it doesn't appear to have a 6x6 back - which leaves me wondering if i'm going to be stuck with cropping to get 6x6 - or if i'm going to have to investigate a 3rd medium format rig. To be fair, if I moved to the rz67 - i'd probably sell/pass on the 645 pro-tl rig, since I can shoot 645 with the rz67 as well. I'm seriously thinking enough about the rz67 that I think i'm going to put a halt to any more investment in the 645 rig (barring film) until after the darkroom class - so that my 645 investment isn't -too- steep.
Speaking of that - i'm still at the ~$700 range of investment. Of course, that $700 has gotten me the 645 pro-tl body, the 80mm f/2.8N lens, the 150mm f/3.5N lens, a polaroid back, a 120 film back, a waistlevel viewfinder, the prism viewfinder, a second prism viewfinder with light meter/AE controls for the camera, manual winding handle, auto-winder grip and all the caps necessary to keep all the pieces happy and clean when the whole thing is disassembled.
[1] I'm seriously tempted by the Epson v700 - as its film scans apparently approach $2000 dedicated film scanners in quality (sometimes surpassing them) and I don't see myself dropping $18k on a drum scanner anytime soon (if I'm going to drop that kind of money, i'd say fuck it and get myself digital backs). In the meantime, I should find a good place to send 120 strips off to for scanning)
But OMG - the negatives are... amazing. I can actually see an incredible amount of detail in them. I wish I had a negative scanner to be able to show them off. Alas, the crappy brother mfc-210c that is my only scanner at the moment does a really bad job with them. I know, I just tried to scan a strip of the film.
So - the best I can do, until I get a scanner that's better capable of handling film[1] is to scan the 5x7 prints that I got. Of course, see comment above about crappy scanner - 600x600 dpi is the best i can scan at, and the banding that i get is driving me up a wall. But for now, it's my best option for sharing these images out.
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film
Mamiya 645 pro-tl with Kodak 400tx b&w 120 film -1/250s @ f/16, or maybe 1/500s @ f/11
Unfortunately, I didn't keep notes about what exposures I used for the shots. The only reason I have a guess on the 3rd one is that I'm pretty sure I used the 'Sunny 16' for setting up the exposure. 'Sunny 16' states, roughly, that in a scene with full daylight outdoors, ideal exposure is f/16 @ 1/ISOs - where ISO is the film speed rating. So, with iso400 film, ideal exposure for that 3rd shot would have been 1/400s at f/16. Since the camera only has 1/250 and 1/500 - i'd have to choose between those two. Being just slightly overexposed (though I don't think the print blows out as much as the scan would claim) my guess is that i did 1/250 at f/16 or 1/500s at f/11.
All of these shots were framed with the prism viewfinder (non-ae). This past weekend I did a bunch of shooting with the waistlevel finder. In a number of ways, I think I almost prefer the waistlevel finder - though the reverse image is taking some getting used to.
At any rate - this has me even more excited about continuing to play with film. I already have my second roll of film at the lab for developing, and on thursday I start my darkroom & b&w photography course. I'm looking forward to the days when I can come in from shooting, and have scans turned around by that evening (between developing on my own and having a decent scanner for film).
Of course, i'm also thinking about where to go next with film. I've already got a 150mm lens on order, as well as an AE prism (to get me metering and even some level of auto-exposure (AV) in the camera) coming in. But beyond that - i'm starting to have thoughts involving an RZ67 based rig, for 6x7 medium format shooting. Unfortunately, while the RZ67 does have a 645 film back (so I could shoot 6x7 or 6x4.5) it doesn't appear to have a 6x6 back - which leaves me wondering if i'm going to be stuck with cropping to get 6x6 - or if i'm going to have to investigate a 3rd medium format rig. To be fair, if I moved to the rz67 - i'd probably sell/pass on the 645 pro-tl rig, since I can shoot 645 with the rz67 as well. I'm seriously thinking enough about the rz67 that I think i'm going to put a halt to any more investment in the 645 rig (barring film) until after the darkroom class - so that my 645 investment isn't -too- steep.
Speaking of that - i'm still at the ~$700 range of investment. Of course, that $700 has gotten me the 645 pro-tl body, the 80mm f/2.8N lens, the 150mm f/3.5N lens, a polaroid back, a 120 film back, a waistlevel viewfinder, the prism viewfinder, a second prism viewfinder with light meter/AE controls for the camera, manual winding handle, auto-winder grip and all the caps necessary to keep all the pieces happy and clean when the whole thing is disassembled.
[1] I'm seriously tempted by the Epson v700 - as its film scans apparently approach $2000 dedicated film scanners in quality (sometimes surpassing them) and I don't see myself dropping $18k on a drum scanner anytime soon (if I'm going to drop that kind of money, i'd say fuck it and get myself digital backs). In the meantime, I should find a good place to send 120 strips off to for scanning)
no subject
I also like the second picture. Looks like a fire sprinkler system valve.. put up as art?
no subject
And yes - it is. The loft complex i'm living in used to be an art deco furniture factory. They turned the sprinkler system valve into a sculpture on one of the walkways here - i love it : )
They also turned a handful of ventilation fans into some really nifty lighting fixtures on one of the entrances.