A while back I posted about my experience in using John’s behemothic Nikon F2 but it’s really only a featherweight when comparing it to one of his other acquisitions: a 6×9 Mamiya Press camera.
Over the past few months John has been carving a dent in his shoulder carrying The Press in a satchel on our little journeys around the state. The first roll of film we tried, Kodak Porta 400NC, was plagued by some serious light leaks due to the decaying seals on the filmback. This problem was corrected by John for the subsequent rolls by encasing the camera with gaffa tape once the film was spooled.
The two photographs displayed here are my own composition using The Press on Fujichrome Velvia 50 slide film through the Seikosha-S 90mm f/3.5 lens. The first was taken at the Maroondah Reservoir and the second just outside the Cathedral Range State Park (which we couldn’t enter due to the bushfire damage).
We’ve been having a lot of trouble with the parallax error associated with this huge rangefinder camera and the focusing of nearer objects. Hopefully we can work it all out with a couple more test rolls because the resulting slides are brilliant to peruse.
Love Maroondah Reservoir in autumn.
Great take on this location Cain, really like the way you composed the shot.
looks like you’re having fun with film !
yep, it’s unfortunate autumn swings by so fast. thanks Jared
I so want a Mamiya Press.
i’ve been on the semi-lookout for one myself, losing a couple of bids on ebay. i once saw a koni omega rangefinder that would have been perfect…
nice shots Cain !
I’m not sure about you but I feel there is a ‘real’ satisfaction of ‘making’ a photograph with medium/large format film gear as opposed to shooting digi. It’s a feeling that I really enjoy and hence I still shoot it as well as some stuff with the 5D2.
cheers,
for sure Tony. in some ways i often see digital as being too flexible and too forgiving, albeit extremely convenient in comparison. it’s interesting to note you persist with film despite owning the 5D2. i wonder what it would take to make you stop shooting 6×17?
I don’t really compare the two – in my opinion they are different cameras for different needs. I just purely enjoy using the 6×17 – limitations and all. You hold or set the big sucker up on the tripod and look through the BIG impressive viewfinder work out your exposure and take the shot. Regardless of wave or say tree movement not matching up in stitches… or say taking 5-8 shots then stuffing about stitching them. Recently in the high country amidst snow,sleet and drizzle I was trying to shoot pans with my 5D2 and was becoming frustrated at times having to re-shoot or clean the lens halfway through the set with all the pivoting and extra time with the lens exposed to the elements etc.
You may find this of interest (a couple of years old now I think).
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm
As for your original question – I like both mediums and have no intention of stop shooting my 6×17 anytime soon.
that link was good – learned a bit and confirmed a few thoughts regarding the survival of film. i fiddle with it because i am inquisitive and basically want to know what all the fuss is about. not only do you appear to enjoy using traditional methods, with experience and confidence in exposure it can produce superior results (with a minimal amount of post-processing fuss!). with the 6×17, you have access to a perspective that only those serious about photography can be granted. in watching Matt Lauder’s recent clip, it’s incredible the inherent colour some of his slides store. i wouldn’t give it up either Tony.