ryan_lombard

Patrick, is it just me or does our boat look a little empty? Are

there really so few young people out there dedicated at slugging

around LF?! I'm 25, using 4x5 and then 5x7 for the last few years.

And when I think of it now, I am very likely the only person in SA

currently doing 5x7.

So while everyone is going quiet around the dying fire I'll just

shove another wet log in the coals(a few disapproving grimaces from

across the settling cloud of sparks and ash). Ah-hem... Forgive my

interrupting the cricket in the background, but I always thought that

many forms of art(skills really) are almost like dots surrounding a

ball, all connected to it in tentacles growing in size as it

approaches the surface(pro-pomo people present will probably have no

problem visualising this, alas in some randomly twisted way). If you

are in the state of mind that places you at one(or many) of these

points then you are a purist(a master maybe or trying to master a

craft). A voyage towards the edge takes you further away from

mathematical precision and closer to chaos, aka the ball, where

things are rarely repeatable and often includes illegal substances

(probably related). In there anything goes. Elephants painting,

edge effects, digital effects(sorry), worms drowning in paint, hippy

young people subjecting mediums(the points) and sometimes themselves

to a variety of strange new experiences and generally pomo aplenty -

much of which should bypass censorship all together and be plucked

out of existence. Naturally those at the points will disapprove of

those further down(somewhat akin to road rage when the 'assholes'

drive faster than you and the 'idiots' drive slower). Fwiw, I

personally don't mind those skimming at the edge, it makes for new

art 'points' to be pulled out into outer perfection, the ball is

after all where a lot of creation takes place(those pro-pomo around

the fire are probably staring perplexed at the embers by now, the

others are in various states of siesta and by the sound of it the

cricket's still hoping he'll get a humpin before morning)

 

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I know a potter who explicitly makes bowls, vases, plates and such

mundane crockery to perfection. Asking her to make anything that

vaguely falls below her standards is nothing short of an insult, and

rightly so. She is a master at what she makes, anyone who ever saw

her work would agree, whether or not it would grace the walls of

some 'fashion museum', awaiting judgement. And that is just my

point, if you make something and wish many other people to see it

then you should be 100% prepared for criticism. But on top of that,

if someone thinks it is post modern(again, it depends only on where

on the tentacle they are stuck) then you'd better exchange yours for

a QuickLight2000[TM] Torch instead(Or the XP version if you are one

of those who are fooled by midnight commercials). Not exactly 2

cents, I suppose. If you're pro-pomo YMMV a lot. :)

It's already been said, but the 138 Laborator really is great to work

with. I only got one recently and can't say I've ever worked with a

more solid enlarger. Used they go for a decent price these days and

are well worth the investment. Vertical/Horizontal in no time,

smooth operation, and if it turns you on - tilts - enough to make

Scheimpflug jealous.

I printed and toned a portrait yesterday that I took last year some time. I'm a die hard non-digital MF/LF follower. And... without digital tech I would not be able to type these words.

 

Many years ago people with vision already predicted an information crisis. Today the internet is buckling under the weight of thousands of billions of little 1's and 0's. Data warehouses are bulging at the seams with information. 99.9% of which is duplicated trash. More and more companies going _completely_ digital. CD's and DVD wherever you look. It is much like radiation... you can not see it... you can not feel it... and many refused to believe that it can do damage. Digital cameras/back will be cheap one day. And fast. And effortless. Just give it 5 years. 20 years? 40 years? I can just see the mountain of DVD's, CD's and ???'s piled up at rubbish dumps. Thousands. Millions. Will anyone care to look twice at even one?

 

But somewhere between all of that will be a frame. Half broken, glass shattered, print stained since I sure as hell did not wash it properly, torn at one corner and lose besides. Yes. I can just see two tramps fighting over it. Digital will kill digital - unless we start seeing it as part of the future and not THE future.

Thanks for all the replies. Considering what I've hear so far I now

have myself torn between the 240 symmar s and the 150 super symmar

HM!!(both are multicoated) The 150 being maybe more suited to

landscaping. I don't have much of a problem with the weight but the

HM is mint and 2/3 of the price. Any recommendations?

I've currently got my eye on a Schneider 240mm Symmar-S (used) and need advice against/for buying it. I will use it primarily for landscapes(6x17 or 12) and possibly also for enlarging(??). I can get if mint for about $500 or 350BP as the exchange rate is going (South Africa).

Is this is a fairly high quality sharp lens? Can one read the date off the serial number? Is there anything else that I should be aware of for this lens? Am I scaling a tall tree if I want to use a medium-long lens in LF for landscaping? I mostly do MF and I�m fairly new to LF.

 

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Thanks, Ryan

It's likely that your film will pass through several X-ray machines on the trip back if you post them, but I've never had any damage that was noticeable in the final print/slide. But then it really is better to have them processed as soon as possible.

 

Many people think they are about to enter the jungle the moment they get of the plane, but finding a lab to at least process the negatives in our country(I live in Cape Town) is not at all a problem and not much more difficult for slides. Some small towns like Robertson can even handle that(neg) and sell some mf film(again less likely slide film). Cape Town itself and many of even half its size have hundreds of labs, many catering for pros and processing equipment/chemicals is also easy to come by.

 

All in all three months is a long time to leave a latent image waiting, if you are planning to pass through a city like Johannesburg or Cape Town for a couple of days then try to have them processed. If not, I'd keep them with me until I get back home - I'm still waiting for a set from the UK and that was almost 5 years ago.

If you want to DIY on the fp4 I'd recommend id11, I once tried it in a tent on a trip not so long ago and got ordered to find more beer somewhere during the 20 min (was a cold night) wait in the dev. phase and forgot it. A fix and rinse the next morning(or actually the same) and great prints when I got back home, considering.

But good luck, I'm assuming you're getting insurance...?

Just another view, If I�m not mistaken the length of 120�s is 80cm (I�m guessing after having struggled at first endlessly in the dark trying to load my reels) and the width around 7cm, that would give you about 560 cm^2 of film of which 5.6*5.6*12 = 376 cm^2 about is exposed(to what extent?). The remaining area is what you�d definitely fix, depending on emulsion � developing is another story. I�ve seen formulas for per cm^2 chemical load but working out your processing expenses would be splitting hairs a bit, unless you�re thinking of developing heap loads for an average subject. When budgeting I�d rather start at the type of chemicals you use and the way you use it.

Right. What you're looking for here is a pinhole camera.

Cheap, dispensable, artistic, and you can even do prints(stuff the 120's).... Think: "oatmeal box"

 

There, I said it, right out of the mouth of a Hasselblad owner.

Hi Derek

 

I have two 500cm's, an early model and a late one. The early model was one of the very first when they where still changing over from C to CM and it still has the rear curtain flash socket and double tripod connection (both 1/4 and 3/8).

 

The late model only has the 3/8 tripod connection, so keep that in mind. I'm sure it can be changed though.

 

Both are chrome. Both have interchangeable screens. And since I have taken my early model in for a overhaul it works ever smoother and quieter than my late model!.

 

A big difference to me that wasn't mentioned (I think) is that the baffling in the late model is considerable improved, keeping flare at bay. Not that it was ever bad at all, just a snappier neg. in theory.

 

All in all the old 500cm (and 500c's I believe) are great cameras that require little maintenance if you stay above (well above) sea level. Which reminds me that you should check for mould spots near exposed metal in the body, I had some on my early model, fixable with an overhaul.

 

Early or late, you won't be disappointed,

Ryan

Au contraire, a gentleman will walk but never run

:)

Ok, ok, I apologize. I never said a rollei is not a good camera, in fact I think it is a great camera, and so is hassy, pentax, mamiya, bronica,... (in no specific order). I am the last one to like an X vs. Y argument.

 

The only point I wanted to make was that given a camera like the 500CM, it is 100% mechanical, but still accurate. It doesn't make it superior, but it takes a lot from a manufacturer these days to resist the temptation of an easier way to getting energy from one point in a camera to another. The same thing goes for a 205 TCC without a battery, it still works and is by no means "low tech".

 

All things considered, I think the original poster would find the rollei a better option. Dime for dime it works out better.

 

A hassy is a hassle, true. But I never had a jam, and it takes me no more than 30 seconds to load mine in a hurry.

 

For one perfect camera to exist, there has to be only one mind and all others exactly alike. Fortunately, that is impossible.

Could you please take the battery out of your rollei

and repeat the above posting

 

>Won't work either!

 

Works with my 500cm.

I agree, you need to play around with f-stops. There seemed to be two types, chrome and black,(in bay 50) I think. Hard to find them(bay 50) mint. I have the chrome set and they are really well build(better than newer types), but should optically be the same. Flare might be a problem since it appears to be uncoated(all glass filters coated) but that would probably be uniform as to only soften the image a bit more.

 

The softars are about as good as they come. Works great on my 150mm C.

I don't have a 1.4x myself but I can imagine that it would be a problem with the 80mm because the rear of the 80mm extends a little further into the camera body(or 1.4x) according to The Hasselblad Manual. This is also the reason why the mirror could not simply be made longer to avoid cutoff, but also needed new movements, I think.

 

Ryan

I have read through many posts here and quite a few people recommend

developing your 120 b&w negatives yourself (I always just send mine

away). Is this due to cost, do you achieve similar/better results?

Can someone please give me an idea as to what is needed to do just

that(considering I've never done any developing before) and what the

damage would be like.

 

Sincerely,

Ryan

I would like to start of thanking everyone for their responses, it has been extremely helpful. On trying some of the ideas out this weekend I stubbornly went for the 150 instead of the 80 as recommended and quickly found myself missing potential shots. Fortunately the 80 was nearby and I eventually got a shot or two. This was using the sit-at-a-coffeeshop-with-blad-on-lap (although it was more like a pub), Brilliant, works like a bomb, I just don't know why I never though of it.

 

It's quite a bit more difficult to get 'interesting' subjects than I thought, but some locals working on a fence on a farm just outside town were all smiles when kindly asked to pose. I think that will be my best shot if it comes out. I kept guessing exposures though, it sure is hard work already not looking guilty. But then most people spotted me immediately but seemed not be bothered.

 

All in all I only brought in 5 shots while out a few hours, not too great, but at least I'm able to avoid shots these days that I know won't work. I'll try some of the other ideas mentioned next weekend.

 

Thanks again,

Ryan

I am thinking of taking some time off to drag my spare 500CM body,150C

lens and some b&w out for candid shots somewhere but I have never

thought about how to approach it in MF.

 

With my 35mm slr it was already a problem, I would have a whole crowd

staring at me before I even start focussing. Much less of a problem

with my compact, but much less of a decent picture.

 

I want quality (bigger negative/better lens) shots, but not of a

bunch of candids doing exactly what candids don't do: stare at the

camera. I remember a big bloke once getting all upset as I tried snap

a photo of a group of people sitting at a bus stop. Not the type of

response I'd ever want to induce. I'd love ideas of where(in general)

to go and any hard earned hints anyone (especially Hassy users) could

share on getting along unnoticed.

 

Ryan

I also noticed recently that two of my three backs seem to have worn

out light traps and I would like to replace them myself. I think I

know how(after studying other posts) but I don't have lighttraps and

don't know where to get them, since I live in South Africa.

 

But they are probably pretty thin and it probably would not be to

difficult to get a few mailed to me(??...). What do I do?

 

Sincerely

Ryan

thanks guys, I'll go snap those unmatched backs on right away! I'm

also posting another worry-about-me-gear Blad question soon

 

thanks again,

ryan

I recently bought a Hassy 500CM outfit and something has been bugging

me ever since. No, surprisingly not the price(not yet), but the

three A12 backs of which two are unmatched(term used for serial

number mismatch?).

 

Firstly, how does it happen that backs get unmatched, and I mean

obvious after-factory mismatches?

 

Secondly, are there professional Blad users out there who use

mismatched backs with great results? Do I really need to be "afraid"

to use them? Can I please worry about something else?

 

Oh, and I am absolutely amazed with the 500CM's I have - solid

perfection.

 

Sincerely

Riaan