Switch Into 6x7 Format, Any Suggestions?

[ike k]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm an advanced amateur photographer and would consider too become

professional after all these years enjoying photography as hobby and

friends also family suggestions that i should start as a

professional, right now i have maxxum 9 with mamiya c330 s camera, i

love both of them and now i'm thinking to get an rz67 pro 2 or rb

pro sd as i love big negatives and would be sufficient for me and

for my client if they want a big enlargement, and i'm into portrait

photography ( wedding included) but also all around photography.i'm

beginning to set my own studio but i like to do my shoot outdoor, i

like beautiful vista of outdoor it's just more passion for me to do

it outdoor, eventhough i can not play around with light but no

problem at all.And now i want any good advice from mamiya users

especially rz and rb users, if is it worth for me to let my system

that i own now to get a newer rzpro 2 sytem( or maybe rb67 pro sd)

with portrait lenses, i 've been looking around on ebay and if i

don't get any good deal will consider to get it from b&h for new but

that will cost me more for the lenses.Just consider advantage and

disadvantage from this system. Thanks so much and any suggestion will

be appreciated.

[jonathan_ratzlaff]

what's wrong with the C330. it is a medium format camera with interchangable lenses that are readily available. The advantage to a TLR is that you can see what is happening through the viewfinder while you are taking the picture. with the rb67 or rz67 you lose contact with your subject unless you have the camera on a tripod. Both have advantages. To be frank, if you are wondering about what type of camera you should use to go professional, you do not have the experience to go there yet.

[ahaohio]

For studio why not go the whole nine yards and get a 4x5 view camera?

 

The 6x7 gives a film area of (roughly) 3750 sq.mm. The 4x5 has c. 12900 sq.mm. Approx 3.4 times the area of a 6x7. Plus all the perspective control features that no 6x7 can match.

[abintraphoto]

Hello Iznoor !

You do not need experience to go professional .... you need desire and talent and it sounds like you have both. Everyone needs to start somewhere and Photo.net is a good place to begin. You will receive excellent feedback here from professional photographers and from Mamiya users as well. It will be your good fortune if you get responses from such excellent Photo.net sources such as Dick, Kevin, Art, Victor, Barry, Roger, Piotr, John, Daniel, Ellis and numerous others who have assisted me recently. Your 2nd stop should be the bookstore ... Many good books on the subjects you are interested in.

I'll leave it to the Mamiya users to give you direction on your rb vs. rz question. But be Persistant and Believe ... and you'll get where you want to go !

 

Ken,

[george_rhodes]

Hi Iznoor,

 

Actually, I personally think it makes the most sense for you to start your attempt at going professional by making due with the cameras you already have. As the need arises, you'll know what other kind or format of cameras you'll need in order to get various jobs done. I also currently use the Maxxum 9 for my 35mm work and have found it to be a very capable camera with a nice system of lenses and accessories available. I once used a Mamiya twin lens for my medium format work. It's a nice camera for shooting weddings, etc. There's no mirror bounce and you can flash synch at any shutter speed. There is a reasonably extensive set of interchangeable lenses available for this camera on the used market. Try shooting your jobs with what you already have. Additional equipment can be rented at first. You'll know if you need to buy new equipment or not, when the jobs start coming your way. This is, I believe, the most practical way for you to go at this time.

[miles_feigenbaum___dallas_]

Howdy Izzy!

I own the RZ Pro as well as my 13 yr. old daughter owning the same. That said, I really don't see the NEED for abandoning the C330S , as its REALLY perfect for the work you describe. I think if you check the archives, you'll see how some folks have been using that for their whole career.

best wishes!

m.

[karl_brozyna]

Your mamiya c330 should be capable of taking excellent pictures, but if you are interested into getting into another Mamiya system I can offer you a few words of advice. About a year ago I was in a similar situation in which my rolleiflex 3.5 tlr camera broke on me and I decided to buy into another system. I ended up buying the Mamiya rz pro II and I love using it, however it has taken me a while to buy other accessories for the camera. I am very happy that I choose to buy a RZ pro II, but I missed out on a lot of photo oppurtunities becuase I could not afford the equipment. I would just like to warn you that buying into another system has its price and you need to decide if it is worth making such an investment at this time in your photgraphic journey. In my case I justified buying into the RZ II system because I am young college student that loves taking photographs and will be doing this for MANY MANY years to come. Another word of advice is to look at the website of Robert White. He offers prices that are substancially cheaper then B & H and his service is A+. http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/ I hope this helps.

[chris_waller]

I use a Mamiya C3 and a Mamiya RB67. I recommend the RB67 for its legendary robustness and reliability.

[joseph_verdesca]

The question is phrased like a belated April 1 post, but assuming it's not, I would suggest the following:

 

* Think long and hard about going pro - it turns your hobby into work, which tends to make the hobby much less interesting and rewarding.

 

* Fully develop technical skills before going pro. Take more pictures and learn more techniques, particularly use of flash and reflectors. You state that you cannot play around with light outdoors, which is entirely untrue. Perhaps you meant that statement in some other way, but wedding photography outdoors without some sort of fill flash to control shadows is not likely to provie results that most people would be happy with.

 

* Fill out your lighting equipment before buying another camera - if you cannot properly light now (using your 35mm or TLR) your subjects in the situations that you you will need to shoot them (in the church, under the gazebo, in front of the sunset, etc.), you will be better served by buying the necessary lighting equipment (strobes, stands, reflectors) and learning how to use it.

 

* Remember that the answer to most photographic questions has something to do with light and the understanding and control / manipulation thereof by the photographer. Time and money spent learning lighting (including lighting involving no artificial light) will serve you in whatever format (35, 130, LF) or technology (analog / digital) that you use.

 

* All of the above aside, the RZ is a wonderful system that has inspired me to learn more, try more, and do more. The 6x7 negs and slides are wonderful, the tonality that one can pull from them fantastic, etc. The RZ and its lenses are easy to rent (which you should certainly do before buying anything of this price range, including trying out Hassies and other alternatives). But do your homework first - read everything there is to read about the system here in the medium format forum archives (there is a whole folder just for RZ questions and answers) and photo.net - this will take you a while, but will be worthwhile in making your decision.

 

* Buyer beware about e-bay purchases, especialy when you're talking about high value items or delicate optical instruments like medium format cameras.

 

* Robert White is an excellent suggestion - I have bought much RZ equipment from them for great prices with good service.

 

* Don't forget point number 1 above, about thinking long and hard about going pro before you do it.

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

If you want more detail than you can get with you C330, use a finer grain film or buy a Hasselblad.

 

If you want a larger format go for 69 or 6 x 12 - perhaps using roll film adaptors on LF.

[frank_bunnik]

I made the mistake once to thoink that bigger is better. A mistake I now regret but I learned the hard way.

 

Your 330 is a fine camera with good optics. If a lens breaks down, another one is cheaply found. Remember that portraits look very good in a square and that nothing is wrong with a square landscape. Ansel Adams took most of his pictures with a Hasselblad from the late 1960's onwards. Also, a 6x6 slide projector is readily available for low prices, for instance the Rollei P11. A 6x7 slide projector is very expensive and hard to find.

 

I used the RZ II for a while. A very fine camera. However, as with every 6x7 camera except the Mamiya 7, it is mostly a tripod camera. 6x6 camera's can easily be handheld, with 6x7 camera's this is hardly possible. They are also much heavier.

 

If I were you, I would stick with the 330.

 

Good luck, Frank

[walter_groves]

i personally love the rb6x7 camera i do all my work on it, weddings, portraits, commercial. i notice that many seem terrified about taking this camera of the tripod. i weigh 135lbs.5'7in. i have shot entire weddings from 10;a.m to 10:p.m many being hand held candid photos with the 6x7 and a metz 60 ct-1 flash on auto, using the tripod for the formal stuff. you can get used equipment at great prices and the system is easy to maintain.i understand the blackout thing many recommend the tlrs. but if you have the ability to really connect with your subject and direct them and have them follow your body language you will be fine. i get very few images i am unhappy with because of closed eyes or poor expressions. you just have to know when to release that shutter as you are connecting with your subject.bye the way all of my commercial clients are absaloutely floored when they see those 6x7 transparencies on the light table. if you like check out my page www.exposures-photography.com all the wedding,[exception of a few 35mm infrared] are shot on 6x7. all the engagement,commercial and families are shot on 6x7.