 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| PhotoKB HomeDiscussion Groups Digital Photography Digital PhotoDSLR CamerasZLR CamerasPoint & Shoot CamerasFilm Photography 35 mmLarge FormatMedium formatDarkroomFilm and LabsOther EquipmentPhoto Technique Nature PhotographyPeople PhotographyTechnique GeneralGeneral Photo Topics General TopicsAustralian PhotographyUK PhotographyDirectoryPhoto Clubs |
Photo Forum / Film Photography / Medium format / December 2006Mamiya RZ and flash
I'm going to shoot some macro medium format underwater using my RZ. This may read a little odd. In fact the subjects will be in an aquarium. Lighting will be studio flash. Reading about the RZ and flash I'm slightly surprised there has aparently never been any sort of in camera flash metering offered. Which is clearly the only meaningful way to meter for studio flash in this situation, you can't exactly dip a flashmeter into the scene here. I don't need on-the-fly auto TTL at all, just wondered if maybe some third party company has ever made a flashmeter that worked on the focussing screen, sounds technically possible. Maybe not the demand... Anyway best solution I can come up with is using a digital Nikon in manual mode to find the exposure first. Which should work, but kind of dilutes the purity of the MF experience. Any other ideas welcome. Steve > I'm going to shoot some macro medium format underwater > using my RZ. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > should work, but kind of dilutes the purity of the MF > experience. Any other ideas welcome. Two thoughts: The Minolta Booster II, which works with certain Minolta and Sekonic meters, can be used to meter off the ground glass screen, and this allows you to take a TTL flash reading from a camera without TTL flash metering. Another idea is to use a flash meter that works in reflected as well as incident mode, possibly metering off a plastic grey card dipped in the aquarium. My Sekonic L608 can be used as a reflective spot-meter for flash as well as in incident mode, for example. Peter >Two thoughts: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >aquarium. My Sekonic L608 can be used as a reflective spot-meter for flash >as well as in incident mode, for example. That's two really useful pointers thanks, I'll explore those options. I didn't know that reflective flash metering was available, sounds interesting, Steve >I didn't know that reflective flash metering was available, sounds >interesting, The two largest manufacturers of light meters both offer it - Sekonic and Gossen. >The two largest manufacturers of light meters both offer it - Sekonic >and Gossen. Interesting. I'm currently wondering how well this works in modest macro situations, subject distance maybe a foot or a bit less. Comments on this welcomed. Steve >>The two largest manufacturers of light meters both offer it - Sekonic >>and Gossen. > >Interesting. I'm currently wondering how well this works in modest >macro situations, subject distance maybe a foot or a bit less. >Comments on this welcomed. I think that would be asking an awful lot of this technique. In that situation, using your Nikon DSLR as a meter might be the best (or the least worst) option, but you would be well advised to bracket widely as well. Is shooting digital really not an option? Renting a Canon 1Ds MkII and a lens might be quite cost-effective, given that you can review your results on the spot. >Is shooting digital really not an option? Renting a Canon 1Ds MkII >and a lens might be quite cost-effective, given that you can review >your results on the spot. This is only amateur stuff for fun, so it will be with what I have which is the Mamiya RZ on 120. I rather suspected reflective metering for macro might not be viable. Will look at the TTL off the screen flash and DSLR options. Some bracketing isn't a problem, it was just that with 6x7 on 120 you want to have a good idea of the exposure first, given the limitations on film available. Steve >>Is shooting digital really not an option? Renting a Canon 1Ds MkII >>and a lens might be quite cost-effective, given that you can review [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >that with 6x7 on 120 you want to have a good idea of the exposure >first, given the limitations on film available. If it is for fun, why not do it once to learn the technique, and a second time when you know the technique works? A few test shots should tell you all you need to know, and you only need to pay for the film to be developed; you can work out whether your exposures are in the right ball park from the negs without any need to have them printed. >> Is shooting digital really not an option? Renting a Canon 1Ds MkII >> and a lens might be quite cost-effective, given that you can review [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > which is the Mamiya RZ on 120. I rather suspected reflective > metering for macro might not be viable. Whether or not the subject will be "macro" has nothing to do with taking a light reading. _______________ > Will look at the TTL off > the screen flash and DSLR options. Some bracketing isn't a > problem, it was just that with 6x7 on 120 you want to have a good > idea of the exposure first, given the limitations on film available. Then back your light(s) off a way so you can use guide numbers with some accuracy and adjust that for bellows extension.  SignaturedadiOH ____________________________ dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico >Whether or not the subject will be "macro" has nothing to do with >taking a light reading. >Then back your light(s) off a way so you can use guide numbers with >some accuracy and adjust that for bellows extension. Thanks for the input. I actually shot 3 test rolls yesterday, sadly being MF colour film it will be after Christmas before I can check the results. What I tried on that occasion was first taking an incident light reading with a standard meter positioned at the same distance from the light (a softbox) as for the shoot, but outside of the tank, then just used the f22 setting it gave me. I bracketed a few 1 stop either side. Be interested to see what we get. Steve >I actually shot 3 test rolls yesterday, sadly being MF colour film it >will be after Christmas before I can check the results. What I tried Here's a digital shot taken tonight which gives a view of the subject matter I'm working with for those curious. This is a Nikon D50 flash exposure at f16, wonder how that translates to that Ektachrome 120 at f22, yesterday's exposure. I would very much like to do better than this, and in MF, but it's quite a challenge as (moving) subjects go. http://www.risedale.com/nonpublic/clownfish.jpg Steve so does a MINOLTA AUTO METER IV |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.