tom_westbrook

The info on my site is a direct copy without alteration of what was originally posted on the official Mamiya Forums site (formerly http://www.macuserforums.com). I personally wouldn't use the procedure myself, but thought it useful information that someone might need to have available in an emergency. I assumed the MAC forums wouldn't last forever. I personally send mine to a pro (Precision Camera works in Chicago) every couple of years for a CLA which incl. RF adjustment.

My preference would be for a 6x9 with a medium-wide lens (e.g. 65mm). At any rate it looks nicely compact and if its not too pricey it would be a nice camera for daily carrying around.

I have used Precision Camera Works in Chicago for a few years for CLA's and other repairs on my Mamiya 7ii. They do great work with a pretty fast turn-around. I imagine they work on 6's, too. Email them via their web site and they'll tell you if they can help you out: http://www.precisioncameraworks.com.

For color, at least, I have found the investment I made in a used Jobo CPP2 processing machine to have probably paid for itself in lab costs. The local labs I've tried are getting more expensive and they seem to be more careless with handling & dust, so I've pretty much given up on them.

 

The Jobo works well and color isn't much more difficult than BW once you get the process down (at least for C41--I haven't tried E6 processing with it, yet).

I just use the cheap 20" cloth covered ones, e.g. that B&H sells for around $10. It works fine. I've never had any problems, esp. with stripping the socket--just go in finger tight. I always remove the release when I take the camera off the tripod, since it would be fairly easy to break it off in the socket if you banged it on something.

Do you have kids or others who might be handling the camera without your knowledge? Sometimes that can be where mysterious damage comes from. I've never had any problems after about 4 years of use, and I'm not all that gentle with mine, though I haven't dropped it (yet). I presume you aren't carrying the spare lens unsecured in the bag with the camera...

I usually ignore the Negafix function completely. It never quite seems to do the right thing, esp. for color films. Just do a raw scan and invert in PS. As for the black preview, you might have to move the selection window around to see if it readjusts things. Silverfast also has separate image caches for some of the different scanning settings so you need to redo the preview scan if switching between modes.

<p>

If it helps, my typical workflow for BW is:<p>

 

1. I scan at the max advertised optical rez in RGB mode (incl. BW) (4800dpi/48bit RGB HDR raw mode for the 4990) using Silverfast SE to a TIFF file.<br>

2. Open the TIFF file in PS2 and delete all the color channels except the one that looks the sharpest, usually that's the blue or green.<br>

3. Downsample to 2400dpi in PS2 using bicubic sharper mode, since the 4990 has a "real" rez of about that (see test reviews). This gives a bit beeter scan than just scanning at 2400dpi.<br>

4. Then I spot the image (digital ice doesn't work for BW).<br>

5. Save a copy as a PSD for the archives (I also save the original scan file).<br>

6. Adjust tonality as desired.<br>

7. Convert to 8-bit from 16.<br>

8. Duotone here if desired.<br>

9. Adjust image size as needed.<br>

10. Sharpen image (I use Photokit Sharpener).<br>

11. Save.<br>

Couple of thoughts:<br>

1. I use a Mamiya 7 and crank the advance lever a number of times more than strictly necessary to be sure the film is as tightly wound on the take up spool as possible before opening the back. I also manually take up all slack after taking the film out (do this in subdued light) before taping it down.<br>

2. I use an opaque film bag I get from Photographers Formulary for storage until I take it to the lab. The bag I use is meant for 4x5 film holders, so it's long a narrow and will easily hold quite a few rolls of 120/220: http://tinyurl.com/7n3z4 . You can also use those bags enlarging paper comes in.

The downside of only an MF outfit is no large format ;^)

 

Seriously, it really depends only on what you shoot. From the images you have on photo.net (nice work, BTW) I'd say MF will serve you well since I don's see a lot of action shots there. One thing you might consider is a 6x9 or 4x5 view camera--there are plenty used on that auction site. It will likely increase quality of your images--the movements available allow a lot of depth of field manipulation.

Until the experts arrive, here's a link with useful info:

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/gw.html

 

(I've been thinking about a 6x9 myself.)

I agree with Helen--use a negative color film. Velvia is a pretty high-contrast film and depending on how sunny its going to be, might be over-the-top for an already contrasty area like GC. I would probably pick Kodak's Portra VC film if I were going (haven't tried the new Fuji films yet).

 

For B&W I'd take Tmax 100. Neopan is pretty close the the same thing, so that's fine, too.

Just wanted to mention that 220 is still readily available in most color emulsions (at least judging from Calumet's web site), as for B&W the only ones I know of in 220 are Tri-x 320 and Plus-X (oh, and BW400CN). I usually use 220 to avoid frequent film changes.

From John Sexton's article here: <a href="http://www.largeformatphotography.info/articles/sexton-tmax.html">http://www.largeformatphotography.info/articles/sexton-tmax.html</a>

 

<blockquote>

Some photographers have encountered dichroic fog (an ugly brown metallic stain) on sheet film processed in T-MAX developer. The new T-MAX RS developer-replenisher should eliminate this problem with sheet film. If you encounter dichroic fog, one method of removing it is to immerse the wet negative into normal strength Farmer's Reducer for about 30 seconds with continuous agitation. This will have no effect on the density of T-Max emulsions, but will completely eliminate the Dichroic Fog. Wash the film after reduction.

</blockquote>

One thing that I don't think anyone else mentioned: I've heard before that the battery holds the Mamiya 7 shutter open, so if you're doing multiple long exposures, bring extra batteries and prepare to live with the shutter closing unexpectedly if the battery dies mid-exposure. I don't tend to do long exposures with mine, so can't say if that's a big problem.

I have used Precision Camera Works in Chicago for one CLA (so far) on my 7II. I was quite pleased with their work, price and speed of service.

<a href="http://precisioncameraworks.com">http://precisioncameraworks.com</a>

Oops, I guess I'm showing my digital ignorance: Betterlight just makes LF scanning backs, no? So I guess I'm wondering whether digital MF can be easily handheld or not--that would definitely be a consideration in dumping the Mamiya 7. Weight doesn't seem to be mentioned for backs on B&H's web site.

It would be interesting to see a full comparison with any digital back with a full range of lenses of similar quality and focal length from the 43mm thru 150mm. I have heard that digital chips don't do as well with wide angles (wider than 65mm, I mean). I wouldn't get digital until it performed equally well throughout the lens range and not weigh a 1/2 ton (how much does a Hassie with a Betterlight back weigh, anyway?).

Falloff is also a type of vignetting (the type that Godfrey is referring to is called mechanical vignetting). See http://www.vanwalree.com/optics/vignetting.html for a good intro.

There are those who feel that price is the paramount consideration. There are others who feel that their local communities are. I think the former have a pretty narrow viewpoint and don't consider where their money is going and what they sacrifice for those low prices.

 

I try to buy things locally when possible. Having seen the effects of using only price as criteria for purchases (see Wal-Mart?s evisceration of rural America) I try to support my local community by buying locally. It's less expensive in the long run.

While stepping thru the critique request area, after a few images, I get

 

Server Error

The requested URL cannot be accessed due to a system error on this

server.

AOLserver/4.0 on http://www.photo.net

 

using either IE6 or Firefox 1.0.6

I'd say you're jumping the gun, Vimal. Maybe wait until it works--like acceptable B&W prints--before dumping inkjet so soon.

I use a black body because that's what I could find used when I was buying a few years ago. I would have gone either way, though. I think the champagne color has been discontinued, though, at least I haven't seen it for sale new for a while. There are used ones around now, though.

The NPS back uses pack film and you can not save it for later since pulling it from the holder will start development. See the Polaroid site for more info on pack films. You'd have to use the 4x5 packets to be able to save them until later (but you apparently already know that).

For the repair policy see previous thread: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Bu1B or from Mamiya: http://www.macuserforums.com/webx?14@17.DiaGaoNlpQu.2@.1dce0821/0

If it were me and could afford it, I'd go with digital for general shooting for publication unless it called for architectural or very wide angle shots (I'd use my Mamiya 7 or 4x5 for those--wide angel doesn't seem to do very well in small format SLRs). Since you have (had?) various camera formats already, adding a good digital to the stable would be good business sense. I can?t imagine the workflow being any worse than film unless you are really married to wet printing. Personally I won't buy digital until it's more affordable and the B&W printing is better, but I'm not a working pro--if the economics make sense for your situation go for it.