joey

Dang... you're up over $3500 even before the medium format! I think your first purchase should be a glass case to showcase all this gear :)<Br><br>

 

I think the combo without the 100-400 will be the best option. If you don't usually make prints over 16x20", don't bother with the MF at this point. 645 isn't THAT much of an improvement over a 6mp digital camera (I'm not trying to troll here). Enjoy photography with your digital, and if you find that you can't do something with the gear you have, then it might be the right time to upgrade to a larger format.

<i>I do not have a calibration system but i don't think that's the issue.</i><br><Br>

 

Yeah, it is, actually. You can't get accurate color matching without a calibrated monitor--try software like Spyder or Greytag-Macbeth. Also, you are not going to get a perfect scan directly from the scanner software; you have to tweak the colors and contrast in Photoshop. For starters, though, scan as a color transparency, highest resolution (3200), and no sharpening. Then, adjust the curves and color balance in Photoshop to match the original.<Br><br>

 

There are books written about this stuff... it's not easy. You might start with the book <i>Photoshop Artistry</i>. Good luck!

Put together a portfolio of travel shots. These don't necessarily need to be from exotic locations; local landscapes and good, candid people shots will be fine.

 

Next, define how your photos will fill a gap in the travel photography market. Why would anybody want to hire you, instead of me? Does your work stand out in some way? Do you have a specialty? Defining your goals is the first step to accomplishing them.

 

Now, with your portfolio in hand, write a cover letter explaining your goals, and penetrate the market. Tell the photo buyers why you're a better option--and show them how, too. The companies that look like they have a large budget but mediocre photos are a prime target. Most importantly, don't get discouraged. Not many people are willing to pay for a vacation for a newbie photographer (would you?), and there are no travel photographers that need assistants. Somewhere, though, there's a travel company willing to take a chance on you, and that's where you can really take advantage of the situation and make the most of the opportunity.

 

In high school I landed a scholarship with a national travel company--it was incredible, and I got to spend 3 weeks abroad doing what I love to do. I got lucky, but I also put a lot of work into it. I worked "like a bastard" to put together a dynamite portfolio, and then I spent days writing the perfect cover letter (less than a page long, eventually). I got the job because I showed that both of us were getting a good deal: they got photos from a responsible photographer at a discount price, and I benefited by being able to add the experience to my resume and the photos to my portfolio.

 

You can do it, but it takes a lot of self initiative. It's also real WORK. It's not a vacation by any means. I had to pack all the necessary gear, plus backups, and I had to shoot boatloads of film. It was tough, and definitely trying at times (like oh $#!%, my film is jammed!!). It's definitely worth it, though. Anyway, if you have what it takes, go for it! Let us know what happens.

For those interested, the link to the Metz website manuals page is here:<Br><br>

 

<a href="http://www.metz.de/en/service_support/photo_electronics.128.html">http://www.metz.de/en/service_support/photo_electronics.128.html</a><br><br>

 

It doesn't look like they have one for the 60... but you can get a manual for the 45 CT-4, which is pretty much the same model with less power.

Yup, the finders are interchangeable. You might poke around on the user forums at Mamiya.com for more info.

Manuals can be found at www.mecablitz.de, although you'll have to dig around a bit to find them. They are in PDF format.

Thanks everybody!

I use monolights quite a bit--two Photogenics that work pretty well. However, I still think that a pack and head system is better for my needs. For now, this will be used mostly as a still life and head/shoulders portrait setup, and occasionally location portraits. I want to buy a good, solid pack, and then add extra lights as a need them (and can afford them!). Adding an extra monolight of the same quality costs quite a bit more than adding an extra head to a pack.

 

Now I'm looking more towards a Speedo D402 pack. What would I expect to pay for one of these used in good condition? Also, for the Norman pack, which heads will work with it?

 

Thank you!

Ok... I'm not new to studio flash. I use them quite a bit, but up to

now I don't own my own set. I'd like to get a good, solid set of

strobes so that I can develop my skills without having to borrow

somebody else's lights.

 

What I want is a setup that is relatively cheap (around $600 max),

but one that I can grow and add on to in the future. I don't really

want to waste time or money with lower end systems like Photogenic

or Novatron. Also, since I'd like to start cheap and add lights as I

go along, I want to go with a pack-and-head system instead of

monolights (unless you guys can convince me otherwise!).

 

Right now, I'm looking at used Speedotron Brownline or Norman sets--

leaning towards Speedotron. I can't afford Blackline or Profoto

stuff at the moment (student budget). Power is not a huge concern;

600ws would be plenty, and I can live with 400. I want lights that

allow different modifiers (mainly grids, snoots, and softboxes), and

I need them to be reliable (they should still be usable 5 or 10

years from now.

 

I found a good looking Speedotron D300 pack with three heads. The

price is right in my range, allowing for additional accessories

(medium, large, and small softboxes). Is this a good option? I know

it's small and low powered, but it seems perfect for my needs right

now. Any reason I shouldn't go for this?

 

Also, the Norman P800D pack looks excellent, although pricier. What

I'm concerned about is the lack of availability of used gear,

compared to Speedotron. Is this an issue?

 

Finally, where should I look for used lighting gear? KEH, B&H, and

Adorama don't have too much, and even Ebay is looking scanty.

 

Thanks for your advice! I really appreciate it.

<i>My favorite films in 120 are Velvia and Provia</i>

<br><br>

Bingo... mine too. Provia is my favorite all-around film, and it handles contrasty situations very well. Velvia sucks in open sun, but it's great for cloudy, overcast days where you need a little extra punch. I can't speak for the Kodak films--I'm don't use them very often--but the two Fuji E-6 films you mentioned are great for architecture.<br><br>

 

I'd run your own film tests, because nobody knows what you like. You might love the contrastiness of Velvia, or you might love the more subtle look of Astia. Use the same lab for all the tests, and draw your own conclusions.

<i>Doesn't this defeat the purpose of timed exposure photography, where by touching the camera will introduce camera shake in the exposed photo?</i><br><Br>

 

Not really. All you have to do is put a hat or something in front of the lens to end the exposure, and then you can turn the shutter dial to close the shutter without any fear of camera shake. The advantage of the Mamiya method of long exposures is that you don't need a locking cable release (don't need to carry one, and you don't need to worry about it accidentally becoming unlocked).

Don't forget the Bronica and Mamiya 6x7 SLRs. Personally, I think these huge cameras are easier to handhold with a waistlevel finder than the Pentax is (with its prism). I can use the neckstrap bear the weight of most of the camera, and then the hands can steady the big vibrations. It works really well, although you're stuck with a slightly lower viewing angle. I shot a few basketball games with my RB handheld this year, and the results were stunning. Before you jump right in to the Pentax system, I'd urge to you check out the Bronica GS and Mamiya RB/RZ systems as well.

A few years ago I was ready to dive headfirst into medium format with a 645 system--probably Mamiya or Pentax. These were the cheapest options (I definitely couldn't afford a usable Blad or Rollei). I was all set to go, but then as I looked through E-bay, I came across a heavily used Mamiya RB camera. What was this? Bigger film size, interchangeable backs, bellows? Sounds neat... it looked like a good substitute for a boat anchor, but from what I read, it looked like it could also take on any other medium format SLR on a tripod. So I gave it a try--and it was awesome! I would never go to 645 now... 6x7 is definitely for me. Like it's electronic brother, the RZ, the RB67 is a great studio camera, and a good nature/landscape camera too (if you've got a strong back!). I just love these cameras, to be honest. They do everything I need them to, and then some. The only drawback that I know of is the weight and bulk. In most cases, I can live with that.

 

If you can afford to buy and maintain a Hasselblad or Rollei system, go for it. I'm put off by the fact that a good portrait lens for the Blad costs almost as much as my entire camera system, for a smaller negative! But, on the upper end, I think the German cameras have slightly better optics and mechanics (although only in the most extreme situations; you need perfect technique and huge prints to see the differences). Plus, Hasselblads have a better resale value, so if you buy a used camera and decide you don't like it you can resell it for what you paid (thus, they're also more expensive on the used market).

 

I find TLRs and rangefinders to be too limiting. I don't like the camera to limit me when it costs me $0.50 per frame. However, I do own a TLR, and it's a nice break from the titanic RB (handholdable, too!).

 

Good luck...

If I was shooting only landscapes, I would go with either a view camera with a 6x7cm rollfilm back, or a Pentax 67 SLR. But I don't shoot only landscapes, so I use a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S system. It's big and bulky, but it's built like a tank and it'll cover all your bases. It has more useful features for landscape/nature photography than any other medium format SLR on the market, but the trade-off is that it's heavy and bulky. Some of those features are the rotating back (no camera flipping!), huge bellows extension (great for close-ups), totally modular (everything is interchangeable and widely available on the market), totally mechanical (no batteries), interchangeable backs (polaroid!), and so on. Also, you can use lenses up to 360mm--remember that landscape photography is not limited to ultrawides (although the 50mm is sweet as well).

 

A rangefinder is nice if you need to travel fast and light, but you want the quality of medium format. The problem is that you'll find yourself at the limits of the camera pretty quickly. Most rangefinder systems only have a view lenses available, and it's a pain to use ND filters and polarizers. Also, no interchangeable film backs. Ideally, you'd have both an SLR system and a rangefinder, but most of us real people can't afford that. A TLR is a nice alternative as a light MF camera.

 

Good luck! If you can, try before you buy. There are big differences between medium format cameras.

<i>How does freelance photography work, and how does one get started in it?</i><Br><Br>

 

You starve for a few years until you've built up some solid archives, and then you market yourself to stock agencies and magazines.<br><br>

 

<i>Do freelance photographers have the same, i guess i could say "benefits" as newspaper photographers, or magazine photographers?</i> <br><br> Nope... you have no salary and no constant employment. However, you don't have a boss, either. Some people enjoy this lifestyle, and it works for them, but you've got to have a LOT of self-initiative.<br><Br>

 

<i>Do they need a press pass stating wich paper they are with?</i><br><br>There are no universal press passes, and no cards that you just stick in your hat. Press passes are event specific, and you'll have to talk to the event coordinator to get your paws on one. Working as a freelancer, it's extremely tough to get these, especially for the larger events. If you're on assignment from a legitimate publication, your editor should be taking care of permissions and all that.<br><Br>

 

Another piece of advice: before you dive head-first and break your neck on the bottom of the pool, learn to write articles! This isn't that hard, but it will guarantee that your photos have a saleable output. If you can put together a complete article with accompanying photos, magazines will be EXTREMELY interested. Start with smaller magazines, and then work your way up. Before you start, though, write to all the magazines you can find and request their submission guidelines. These will tell you exactly how to submit photos and articles for consideration.<br><br>

 

Good luck! It's a tough business, but with enough work you can make it happen...

oops<div></div>

I think I've shown this before, but it fits...

The only benefits of the 9 are slightly better build quality and faster frame rate. The 7 is newer technology, with better autofocus and metering, and it will work with the newer SSM lenses. I've never missed the extra 1 FPS that the 9 offers, and the D flash metering of the 7 more than makes up for it.

 

Don't wait for the digital! Get out there and shoot and work on your skills. Good luck!

Provia 100F is the best slide film that I know if in terms of reciprocity correction. You shouldn't need any compensation up to two minutes (I don't know how Astia 100F and Velvia 100F act with long exposures). The only Velvia has a nasty green shift after a few seconds, and it becomes a real pain to work with when you get exposure times in the minutes. I would go with Provia for this one.

Many fond memories from this place. This photo was taken on an island off the gold coast of Australia.<div></div>

...<div></div>

I like 6 minutes (EI 125), two inversions per minute. Works great for me... you might try a shorter time (~5 mins) for a condenser enlarger.

Philadelphia, April 17-18. John Shaw 2-Day Seminar, put on by the Rocky Mountain School of Photography (800-394-7677). I'm about to go to one of those today and tomorrow. The first day covers general techniques--probably basic stuff like lens and film choice. The second day goes into setting up a digital darkroom and getting the best prints out of Photoshop, as well as preparing images for publication. See johnshawphoto.com for more.

 

(No I don't work for them... I'm just anxious to see how it'll be!)

I've got the Canoscan FS400US. You can load any number of unmounted frames in the film holder, from 1 to 6. There's also the slide mount holder, which takes up to 4 mounted frames.

 

This is a great scanner. Slower than many other models, but the results are top notch!

It's not the sturdiest adapter... but you should be able to mount a solid ball head on top of it. If I remember right, the thread on the adapter should be about the same length as the thread on the center column. You might've gotten a defective piece (I lost my adapter a long time ago...).

P.S. Stay away from the older non-C lenses for the RB. They flare up really badly and don't do well for outdoor work.