alberto pastorelli

Martyn, I use a 120mm FA on my pentax 645n with great satisfaction.

With the flash Pentax 280 T (connected with a ttl cable) I have very good results.

Be aware, that if you use a an extension tube or a teleconverter, you will loose the autofocus...but I think it has not so much importance for fixed (or enough fixed) subjects.

regards

Yes, .. I've read something related before but I really don't remember what and where...

I've owned both version in the same time (now I've sold one camera body...)

Anyway, I didn't find any differences (technically speaking) at all.

regards

First of all I must agree with Art Haykin regarding a good pro- laboratory. You can have the sharpest lens, but without a pro-laboratory with whome you can speak you have nothing.

Second observation (practical) 2.500 euro are not so much in medium format. The only solution is to buy used equipment.

The 6x4.5 format could be a perfect compromise, between money and results. I don't know which enlargment you'll desire, but in my experience (I have a wide range of formats and I print till the 100x150 cm) the 6x4.5 it's enough.

Obviously, the 6x7 or the 10x12 are better (expecially at 100x150) but at 50x70 cm they are enough similar. (consider that these kind of enlargment MUST be seen from a respectable distance...)

The 6x4.5 is cheaper also for the number of frame per roll (!)

And the 6x4.5 format is easily proportional to the normal range of paper.

"It doesn't have to be SLR " if the weight is not a problem go for a reflex camera. That's because it is more versatile and you can use in many situation (from macro, portrait..... to landscape.

Hasselblad are durable and well made, the lenses are, as you know. without doubts.

But, believe me, other brands have the same results.

For example, you can easily find the Pentax 645 (the "old" one not autofocus) on the used market at good prices. The lenses are great in every way, and you can easily find at cheap prices widely.

You can even share the lenses (I mean the 645's on the 35mm)with the 35mmm camera and, more, you'll find it "near" to the way you use your 35mm....

But you need the interchangeable magazines...

Contax makes an expensive 6x4.5 autofocus (I believe expensive on used market too...) Bronica and Mamiya are the only other brand.

Keep in mind that you're not only near to buy a camera, but that you're near to buy a system (a part of the system I mean)and you have to carefully look all the accessories you'll need in future (first of all the lenses range, ..the lenses prices...the lenses disponibility on the used market)

regards

Alberto

The above answer is perfect.

I can only testimony, that the Arsat bubble levelled has less distorsion than the Mamiya fish eye...

regards

The only problem I can imagine arise from the synchro flash of 1/60.

If you fire with enough daylight you can have "double images" that can give that softness.

Despite of this, my experience is opposite. I shot handheld with the 300mm without notice any softness.

I've also made some shot with the 2x + the 1.4x and the 300 (..not handheld !!) with great results (1 tripod under the camera and 1 monopod under the 300mm)

regards

Hello !

First, TTL is obviously mantained. What you loose is the "matrix" metered way. So, you can misure in center weighted or spot only.

By the way, the Sonnar 180mm is one of the best lens I have (and that I ever try) expecially speaking of sharpness ! (a little bit better than the sonnar 300 !)

regards

The Arsat (Russian optics) could be a good choice, but... it's a fish-eye for the 6x6 format, so on 6x4.5 the coverage is under 180 degrees on the diagonal.

If you want to take a look try Kievcamera.

regards

Regarding UK, I can highly recommend Ffordes.

regards

....according to the above comment...try to take both the cameras !

Or, if you can't... i'll find terrible to mount a polarizer on Mamiya

or to cannot use more than 3 lenses... or to cannot preview the frame... or to loose the info about the shot I've made... or to loose the autofocus while the children is playng...

I definitively take the Pentax with me.

regards

The Bronica.

You can buy it used at a very low price. The lenses are very-very good in terms of sharpness and color rendition.

It is capable of ttl flash (but only with the Bronica unit dedicated)

You need the Speed Grip (both for handholding and TTL connection)

The range of lenses is not wide , but you can chose between the 50mm, the 65mm, the 80, the 100, 150,200,250. For the 500mm you have to assault a bank before...

More, I can use it handheld with no problems.

I owned a Pentax 67 before, but I had problems with the vibrations from the big shutter at low -medium times. With the GS-1 these problems (obviously) disappears.

If you want , take a look at my portfolio. Many of my images are done with the GS-1.

hope it could be of help

regards

For me is the best choice in 6x7.

Mamiya is heavier and not so intuitive to use. If you plan to carry it for landscape in a backpack the GS-1 is really lighter.

Pentax 67 suffers from shutter's vibrations at middle-low times of exposure and has no interchangeable magazines. The GS-1, has a central shutter vibration-free.

All the three have great optics, but you'll find cheaper Zenzanon on the used market.

regards

Take a loook at :

http://www.agfa.com/photo/products/film/consumer/ultra/

and :

http://www.agfa.com/photokina/pdf/news_2002-09-25_1.pdf

Seems incredible that after all this time they've decided to

substitute the notable AGFA ULTRA 50 with the new ULTRA 100 only in

135 format.

I don't know if this can be related to the "rumours" abot AGFA's

crises, but, for many of us, it is a sad news.

" Ultra 100 film will be available in stores worldwide as a 135-36 film starting in early October 2002"

...and the medium format ??

I was surprised to find a news on Photozone :

http://www.photozone.de/

regarding Agfa Ultra 100. I followed the link and I was redirected to the Agfa website :

http://www.agfa.com/photo/products/film/consumer/ultra/

Incredible. I was sure that they were stopped the trials and the production.

However, nothing still on B&H.

Dear Michael, I own the 50, the 65, the 150 and the 250 plus both the 2 teleconverter.

The lenses are really great (I mainly shot landscapes), if you like, take a look at :

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=150487

and even if I like very much the 50mm I find myself using the 65mm more.

The 150 is great for ambiented portraits (you must add an extension tube to make headshot)

The 250 is a little bit heavy but it's the longest focal one can afford without to assault a bank !! :-)

A little note about a not-expensive-solution on the revolving adapter I've post time ago :

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001Cls

Regarding the filters : you can obviously buy the biggest you need and use it on the other lenses via an adapter (I personally buy 3 pola - only 3 because the 65 and the 150 share the same diameter)

Regarding vibration : this was the problem that I had with the Pentax 67 (from the big curtain shutter) and that moved me to change the Pentax with the Bronica.

On the GS-1 the vibration can arise : from the mirror slap (but you can always do the "mirror-up" before the shot, and from a particular "black rigid curtain" in the camera chamber that prevent ulteriorly that the light (when you change the lens after an exposion )can impress again the film if you have not insert the volet.

After all my extended use, I have NO vibrations noticed.

hoping to be helpful, regards

Like the many that have answered to you question, I can only confirm that's a great camera, very well balanced in terms of quality/price (expecially used...), capability of handhelding (very very important...)and lens' quality.

regards

The contact for the cable release is very simple. You can use any common cables for flash (for ex.) with the same connector, put in one end of the cable in the camera and short-circuit the other end.

regards

Hello Lynette. The above answer from Richard is correct.

I only would suggest you to try to shot (without film to don't waste it !! with the multiple exposure lever on) while moving (rotating)the connector in the camera hole. If it works, was only dirty.

By the way, the contact for the cable release is very simple. You can use any common cables for flash (for ex.) with the same connector, put in one end the hole and short-circuit the other end.

kind regards

Elaine, I normally do backpacking travels with a GS-1 set in a Lowepro Nature Trakker.

I frankly have to admit that is heavy (the body, 4 lenses, the Manfrotto accessory to quick reverse from landscape to portrait, the flash, filters amd films...)

Obviously , the quality is high (in both format)and the choice square or rectangular format is personal.

Lenses are similar in schemes and maximum aperture, the magazines are easy to change and not interchangeable between the 2 camera mentioned.

(however, with the GS-1 you can use 6x7, 6x6 and 6x4.5 magazines and the Polaroid, all dedicated to GS-1)

hoping to be helpful, kind regards

Developing and printing at home, is one of the greates pleasure if you love photography.

Obviously, is difficult, not so cheaper ( expecially if you are developing and printing one film per time )and needs a lot of time.

But, on the other side, it's a way (or The way ?) to understand and to learn deeply photography.

The most (all...) of the b&w films are suitable to be developed at home (maybe technical pan...not) by a novice for a standard sensibility and a normal contrast.

With the time you'll be able to chose different developers, different contrast... different enlarging lenses ... different papers...etc.etc.

By the way, in my opinion, the "true" b&w films has nothing to do with the new C41 "b&w" films, in terms of results, and obviously, in terms of grey-scale definition.

regards

One of the coolest thing in the Pentax family is the availability of rings that allow to use the lenses of 6x7 on 6x4,5 and 24x36, and the lenses of 6x4,5 on 24x36.

Even if the theoretical resolving power (lines x mm) of the biggest format lenses is lower than the lenses for 35mm (I really believe "theoretical" is correct expecially regarding the new 645 AF lenses...) the big advantage is that you use only the central part of the optics (the central part of the covering circle projected) which is , normally, the part more corrected in terms of aberration, resolving power and distorsion.

An other advantage of using lenses with more covering circle can be the use of a shift/tilt adapter (for example the Zork Pro Shift adapter : http://www.zoerk.de/pages/p_specia.htm )

I agree that the wide angle lenses(medium format) doesn't works very well on 35mm. On the contrary with a "normal" medium format lens you can obtain a wonderful portrait medium tele lens for 24x36.

regards

For studio portraits only, the only dilemma is : square or rectangular ?

And the answers, for me, are : Hasselblad and Mamiya RZ.

yes, the most of the vibrations come from the "slap" of the mirror

(first time you use the P67 you'll remain shocked from the movement, and the rumour, of the camera when you release the shutter..!)

But these vibrations doesn't affect the quality of the photo, because the shutter was closed few instants before.

So, rising up the mirror doesn't solve the problem...

The problem of vibrations come from the SHUTTER (the opening phase...)

My personal thought, is that "some" P67 have good dampening system, others not. That's why some photographer claims "no problem" and other the contrary.

When I owned a P67, I had this kind of problem, because my enlargement where no crisp like the other I make with other system.

So, I searched in literature and find others with the same problems.

(And I obviously used to shoot with mirror lock up and a cable release.)

Now. with a leaf shutter system, I only concentrate myself about composition, light, ....etc. etc. and I never have again problems of vibrations.

sincerly

Alberto