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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Medium format / November 2006RB67 question
A while back I was looking at buying a Mamiya TLR, and got some good comments here. I also found an FAQ site that went into great detail on the model differences, lens differences, accessory descriptions, etc. Now I am looking at RB67s. Does anybody know of an FAQ for the RB67[ProS] similar to G. A. Patterson's for the TLRs? I want to read some more about it before I start asking questions. The number of back options alone are almost overwhelming. A Google search results in pages of "For Sale" or very specific questions.  SignatureBruce "This space for rent" Baumgart babaumgart@newsguy.com > A while back I was looking at buying a Mamiya TLR, and got some good > comments here. I also found an FAQ site that went into great detail on the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > almost overwhelming. A Google search results in pages of "For Sale" or > very specific questions. The suckers are huge. I never took mine off the camera stand in the studio...and only had one lens (150mm soft focus). You need at least two backs because they're not well made. I had trouble remembering to turn the thing between vertical and horizontal. I guess it's the Hasselblad in me. I love mine a beast of a thing but a workhorse. I have a 90mm K/L as standard although the 127mm is usually supplied for that. The 50mm is a C lens and needs a collar for use on the RB67 SD Pro and I also use a 250 K/L a real beauty and the 140mm Macro with floating elements. Once you get the hang of using the floating elements its simple to use and is equally fine for general use. With this I have three backs and on Polaroid back. This kit is far too heavy to hand hold and perhaps when I was younger I could have held it. Although it makes me wonder how the old press pros lugged around plate cameras. Were photographers then stronger? I mainly use it in studio and have a 45mm tube for macro/close up work. I picked up a 45 degree head for it a while back which is useful when shooting portraits and forgetting that it's a reversed image on screen. Otherwise I take off the waist finder and use chinagraph pencils to mark up double exposures. The kit is boxy, bulky and clunky but what results. If I needed to use digital I'd hire a back for it so it's highly flexible. Being entirely mechanical it's forgiving and fool proof with the interlocking system. I did find a loose grub screw in one of the backs a couple of days ago. Can't find where it came from but doesn't seem to affect the use. RB Kit is very cheap these days especially the original S and Pro S. Can't remember the difference the SD Pro is as it really doesn't make too much difference to me or the client as long as they get the shots they want. I'd definitely thing twice about taking it out on a shoot and I'd rather use my Hasselbalds to do that as they are lighter. I would say what do you want one for and what do you expect to use it to do. That way we could be more constructive in our comments. Duncan >> A while back I was looking at buying a Mamiya TLR, and got some good >> comments here. I also found an FAQ site that went into great detail on [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > turn the thing between vertical and horizontal. I guess it's the > Hasselblad in me. Duncan and Roger replied to me, so here goes: I really like to read about something before I start asking questions. That's why I was hoping for an FAQ pointer. An intelligent question gets a better answer. If you don't start with "What is a shutter?" or "Is film dead?", people won't get [so] tired of hearing from you. I am an amateur, but have shot a lot of 35mm and 6x6 (only under the name of 2 1/4 x 2 1/4). I like the big negatives and slides. I will be shooting primarily portraits with it. But since I live about 1 1/2 hours from Yellowstone Park, landscape is definitely up there (I can see Grand Teton from my office window). I can drive close enough to where I would be shooting that I am not too worried about the weight. I'm in the process of losing 20 pounds of excess me, so I might as well replace it with camera. Why I want the RB over other MF is the 6x8 back. I can always crop down to 6x6, but it is kinda hard to crop a 6x6 up to 6x7 or 6x8. Also, although I like film, I do think that the digital backs will eventually come down in price enough that us mere mortals can afford a used one. I am going to buy used. I prefer KEH over eBay. RB prices are really low right now. I can afford the C lenses. I have read of some people complaining about inconsistent quality in them. I'll start with the body (Pro S) and the 127mm, then go from there. Roger: Did you ever try the 150 SF as a standard tele? What I've read says that at F8 or higher it will work as that. But I haven't heard a user say it. >Roger: Did you ever try the 150 SF as a standard tele? What I've read >says that at F8 or higher it will work as that. But I haven't heard a >user say it. Yes, the 150SF is soft-focus only with apertures wider than f/8. Stopped down to f/8 or smaller, it functions as a standard lens. As for hand-holding the RB... I've done it. I've shot with it for hours with a neckstrap, the 50mm "C" lens (which is heavier than most of the lenses below 180mm), and a lenshood. It's not as impossible as some claim. You should have at least two 120 6x7 backs, and maybe a Polaroid and a 645 or two. It's nice to be able to switch aspect ratios and film types on the fly. Polaroids are still fun in their way, and for studio work with strobe, they're very helpful. I haven't had reliability problems with winders or anything, but I'm also using Pro-S and Pro-SD backs (2nd and 3rd gen.). With the Pro-S/SD, you have the framing indicators in the viewfinder so you shouldn't have Randall's problem of forgetting to rotate the back into the proper position. It's a very nice mechanical system that produces wonderful images when handled properly. I've lugged it on a tripod over my shoulder for 4-5 hours and only grumbled a little. ;-) SignatureRob on the Web: http://rob.rnovak.net > <SNIP> > > You should have at least two 120 6x7 backs, and maybe a Polaroid and a > 645 or two. It's nice to be able to switch aspect ratios and film > types on the fly. Polaroids are still fun in their way, and for > studio work with strobe, they're very helpful. There are different Polaroid backs. I assume for different films, or are they just "upgrades" and all take the same film? I know that Polaroid has stopped production of some of their stuff. Do I need to worry about back/film compatability? > <SNIP> > > It's a very nice mechanical system that produces wonderful images when > handled properly. I've lugged it on a tripod over my shoulder for 4-5 > hours and only grumbled a little. ;-) Any thoughts or experiences on the RB mechanical vs the RZ electronic shutter? A concern is getting a used camera that is being sold because it is waaaaay past its shutter life and needs to be rebuilt. SignatureBruce "This space for rent" Baumgart babaumgart@newsguy.com >There are different Polaroid backs. I assume for different films, or are >they just "upgrades" and all take the same film? I know that Polaroid has >stopped production of some of their stuff. Do I need to worry about >back/film compatability? Pretty much all of them take 600-series 3-1/4 x 4-1/4" pack film, unless they specifically state 4x5 or otherwise. There are some subtle differences between backs - just look for ones that don't require a special P-adapter for the RB. The NPC MF-3 is perfectly servicable. >Any thoughts or experiences on the RB mechanical vs the RZ electronic >shutter? A concern is getting a used camera that is being sold because it >is waaaaay past its shutter life and needs to be rebuilt. A CLA and shutter timing from KEH on Mamiya "C" lenses is around $140 on average. Typically, it's the slowest speeds that first start showing timing problems with the Seiko shutters. If the shutter needs replacing, I'm sure it'd be considerably more, but unless it's a real beater that's usually not required. SignatureCentral Maryland Photographer's Guild - http://www.cmpg.org Strange, Geometrical Hinges - http://sgh.rnovak.net > Now I am looking at RB67s. Does anybody know of an FAQ for the RB67[ProS] > similar to G. A. Patterson's for the TLRs? I want to read some more about > it before I start asking questions. The number of back options alone are > almost overwhelming. A Google search results in pages of "For Sale" or > very specific questions. This is a good intro: http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?MamiyaRB67.ht ml~mainFrame there is another site for medium format with plenty of info, but I don't have the link here. I'll post it tonite when I get home. I've got a rb67pros and it's a beast of a camera. But it's my choice for MF: can put just about anything in it, including dig backs. I use mostly the chimney finder with meter: got one of the original ones made by Nikon and it's just perfect. The prism ones will give you a smaller image and you'll need a split-image r/f screen to work effectively with them. MOF, I'd say this or a microprism screen is a mandatory item with this camera, unless you're working in a studio. You need a tripod for this camera. Hand-held is possible, but nor recommended. Alternatively, some form of bean bag or similar. I stuff the camera, two backs and three lenses in a large carry-bag which is then used to land the camera when shooting. When I'm not carrying my big Benbo. The C lenses are quite satisfactory. Got a 50 and a 180. The 180 is just perfect for protrait. I also like it for landscape, but I'm weird! The 50 is just a classic 24mm-class wide angle. Very good, but not for everything. Recently I got a 127 K/L which is being experimented with at the mo. There are also some good examples of shots taken with the 75mm K/L at photobase, so pay them a visit and see if you like the looks. At the moment I can't recommend KEH: they have been sitting on a wrong item sent to me for over a month now, and I'm not happy at all with their service. You might get different results? > there is another site for medium format with plenty of info, > but I don't have the link here. I'll post it tonite when I get home. There you go: http://medfmt.8k.com/ just surf around this one: plenty of good stuff there, some of it a bit dated but most is still solid. |
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