How do you deal with change....

[robert_kennedy]

Today I had an interesting experience...

 

I mostly shoot with my old ETR. It's used more than my Nikons.

Well, last week I finally had to break down and get both backs CLA'd

and patched up. So the Bronica is out of business for a couple of

weeks.

 

No problem. I have my old Mamiya C3s sitting in the closet. They

will work.

 

]So I'm shooting a few shots for a friend. Kind of bimbling along...

 

When the problems start.

 

First of all I couldn't seem to get the film mounted.

 

- Until I realized that I was mounting it backwards. The C3 has the

take-up reel at the top, not the bottom. D'oh!

 

Then I found that I was having trouble getting the model to do what I

wanted! Everytime I said "Move your right hand over there...", she

moved her left!

 

-Until I realized that everything was reversed on the screen. D'oh

part 2!

 

Worst of all, the shutter didn't work! Nothing! Not even any

movement in the cable release!

 

-Until I realized that I had to cock the shutter AFTER I wound to the

next frame!

 

All of a sudden it was like I had never used the camera before! I

just was awkward and awful with it. Nothing looked right in the

square format either.

 

I realized that I had spent too much time away from my back-up

equipment.

 

So here is my question, for those of you who have similar systems:

 

How do you keep current? I just can't see finding enough time to

shoot BOTH formats. The Bronica is nice because it is easy. I can

just about use it as a p&s camera. Very quick to get going with.

The Mamiyas are harder of course. And forget hand holding most of

the time.

 

Part of me thinks I should just buckle down and keep current in both

so that at any time I can use them if need be.

 

Part of me thinks I should store the Mamiyas and look at getting an

ETRsi and an AEIII prism and use the old ETR and AE as my back-up.

Easier to use in the end. Only one system to learn....

 

But it just seems wrong to dump the 6x6 format entirely!

 

Any advice/philosophy on this?

[jon_wilson]

Hi Robert:

 

I am sure most of us can relate to the frustration of a camera breaking at a most inappropriate time. This is especially true for those times when we have the opportunity to slip away and enjoy the beauty of that anticipated event, only find a mechanical frustration. I recently had my ETRsi breakdown, but fortunately had my ETRS as a back up. I totally enjoy my ETRsi with its AEIII and highly recommend it. However, I too enjoy the 6x6 format and decided to get a Bronica S2A workhorse for those times when I feel I want the 6x6 format and am willing to carry the load.

 

As to the philosophical angle....I sure enjoy reading "The Art of Motorcycle Maintence."

 

Best wishes, Jon

[ivor_nigel_grate]

I keep my change in a jar. I would have a backup system the same as my primary system. Like a liferaft, or a rocket launcher, they're useless if you don't know how to use them, but they *MAY* save your life. sort of...

[david_henderson]

I use two systems- a 6x6 SLR and a 67 rangefinder- in parallel and I must admit it was a bit confusing for a while and I made some mistakes. I think the key is to make a lot of use of both rather than simply see one as occasional back up. I see the "two systems" and "two bodies" arguments differently. Having a back -up body is to protect against malfunction. Having a second system is to provide a different aspect and greater flexibility. For example my rangefinder enables me to hand-hold; gets me into places that don't like tripods; take a rectangular picture with a big transparency rather than crop; walk further than I like to with the SLR and lenses; as well as being there should the SLR break.

 

Whilst I still fell most comfortable when I'm photographing with one system rather than both, I am finding over time that I make fewer mistakes (even with different film in the two cameras) and that the benefit of flexibility outweighs the undoubted hassle.

[frank_kimble]

A backup should be something that if the primary breaks, you just swap and keep on trucking. In 35mm, another body, same brand and maybe a slightly older model but with same control layout. I'm an ETRSi person, there are 3 bodies in my main bag. I never leave home without at least 2. Sometimes I use 2 concurrently, with different lens/films. In your case you could sell the C3 and pick up another body, a newer ETRSi as you mention and make it the prime. If you really want to stay with 6X6, then get a SQa, same as a ETRSi only slightly bigger. You could swap off and have no operational problems.They even make a 6X45 back fot it. Of course you will have to lay out a lot more money. Either use the C3 enough to stay familiar or get an ETRSi body. A backup you can't use is useless.

[scott_laughlin]

Robert,

 

I don't think your situation is unique at all. I use both 35mm and 6x6 and if I put one away for long enough I have similar problems. Try having your model sitting in the freezing cold while you're trying to figure out why the shutter wont fire (all together now Hassey users..."Take the dark slide out dummy!"). Once I start using them in tandom all that goes away. I can easily jump from AF Nikons, to manual F2, to 6x6 and hardly miss a beat. If you want to stay current and in practice bring both along and shoot the backup for a few frames each time just to stay familiar. One roll of film, 12 exposures, it's really not that much cost for the benefit you get from it.

[christian deichert]

Well, if you like having an all-manual backup around, you could make some changes to bring your Mamiya lineup a bit more up to speed. Swap the C3s for a C330 (or -f or -s), it cocks the lenses for you when you wind. Get a Mamiya prism, they're wonderful and eliminate the mirror-image issue. Easiest of all, when you take your film out of the Mamiya, immediately move the now empty spool on the bottom up to the take-up spot on the top.

[eric friedemann]

If you are going to keep the Mamiya stuff, make a point of shooting a roll or two with it at least every other month. You'll keep current with the camera and you'll make sure that the camera doesn't get out of repair from a lack of use.

 

I have cameras that I don't use all the time, but make a point of shooting them. As such, I'm always familiar with my equipment and know that it will work when I need it to.

[tim_brown5]

When the shutter conked out on my 10 y.o. YashicaMat for the second time I bought a Mamiya C22. I liked the system and bought a C330 a couple years later. The C22 then spent alot of time on the shelf. When I did ocasioanlly use the C22 I would forget to open the trap door, cock the shutter etc. And I really missed the parallax pointer. I was spoiled by the C330. So I had to trade the C22 in for a second C330 body. I like shooting manual, but not too manual.

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

If I am doing serious photography, for which I need the movements of my Sinar p, my Flexbody might suffice for backup.

 

My 501CM is a simpler version of my 555ELD, and, in the studio I use both of them to save changing lenses, or so that I can take �studio candids� with the radio remote control. It seems like hard work, having to wind on manually� but I manage.

 

My FM is similar to my F3, and lens-compatible, and I have motor drives fo both.

 

Of course, I am looking for a Sinar P2, so I could then use my p as a backup.

 

Buy a new camera similar to (and accessory compatible with) your main camera, and use your current main camera as a backup: I traded in my Mamiya C330 in the late 1970s!

[rick_allin]

SELL it all and buy a couple of SQa's with both 645 and 66

backs!

[robert_kennedy]

Actually for sentimental reasons the Mamiyas will never be sold.

 

But I do like 6x6, so maybe SQ-i is the way to go in the future.

 

Just got my negs back. Another problem I had was since it's not an SLR, I don't notice when I'm obstructing the lens! :p

 

D'Oh!

 

But hey, these are all problems with me and not the equipment.

[jeffrey_abelson]

<i>I realized that I had spent too much time away from my back-up equipment</i>

<p>

It takes about 15 minutes before your memory takes over and it's like you never stopped using the gear. When I switch from the TLR to the F4 my fingers are confused for a few moments, then it's back to the groove.

[robert_kennedy]

Actually after about 15 minutes I was doing better....

 

I must say though I fell in love with the Mamiya again after I saw the pics. While the bokeh isn't as groovy as on my Bronica, the lens just has a nice quality to it that makes it ideal for portraits. Especially it seems in B/W. Very nice. Which makes me think now "O.k. use the Mamiya for this look, the Bronica for this look..."

 

I have this sneaky feeling I'm gonna end up with 2 Bronica bodies, and eventually a few more TLR lenses....