phil_hanson
-
Posts
95 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Events
Downloads
Gallery
Store
Posts posted by phil_hanson
-
-
<p>The Bronica RF645 is very easy to hold and use in the horizontal position.</p>
-
<p>This is going back a few years and may not really be relevant, but a former senior British Airways steward who was a friend of mine and a camera enthusiast used to carry a Mamiya C330 6x6 film camera with him everywhere. He also carried a set of special screwdrivers as the low frequency vibrations of the planes caused the Mamiya's screws to gradually work loose. After a few years of this he reckoned he was half-way to being a camera repairman! He solved the problem by buying a Hasselblad.</p>
-
<p>As a Hasselblad owner, I think the GW690 is great. The viewfinder means it's a whole different way of looking at the subject and you have a nominal extra 3cm of horizontal negative to play with. I used a GW690 III quite a lot some years ago and if it wasn't for my need to have interchangeable lenses I'd be tempted to swap, or at least add one.</p>
-
<p>I have to travel overseas quite often and have tried all sorts of combos. I've settled on one body and the 24-105mm f4 with a polarizing lens. Good results, simple and reasonably light. For me, lugging a bunch of gear around is more trouble than it's worth, unless you're a pro on assignment.</p>
-
<p>Do what Tak says; buying 120-220 in Auckland is way too expensive, but in an emergency go to PCL-Labtec on Karaka Street. All their stock is refrigerated. </p>
-
<p><em>"I have both. I use the Superwide a LOT more than the 40mm. By itself the 40 CFE is almost as big as the whoe superwide. And the silent leaf shutter of the Superwide invites playfulness."</em><br>
Sums it up perfectly!</p>
-
<p>I'm a long-time 903 and SWC user and can never make the bubble stay steady. However, after some practice I can get sharp images at 1/30, hand-held; sometimes slower. So no, what you see in the viewfinder isn't what you'll get!</p>
-
<p>I agree with Scott Cole. I never get a used lens I buy serviced until/unless it shows a problem. I've only had to do this once in more than 30 years.</p>
-
<p>I'm surprised about the unreliability of the 203FE. Guess I'm lucky that mine, in five years of ownership, has performed without problem.</p>
-
<p>I bought a 203FE, used but in excellent condition five years ago, along with several E backs and have not had any problems. It gets used frequently, mostly with the 110mm lens, but not abused.</p>
-
<p>This is more of a comment than an answer to the question: the best street-photo MF camera I've ever used is the Bronica RF645, followed by the Hasselblad 903 (or any of the Superwide family).</p>
-
<p>I run 220 for b&w and color negative (used to use a lot of 220 transparency when it was available). I process the b&w myself and the lab I use charges only $2 more for a roll of 220 than for one roll of 120, so the economics are very good. Have used 220 backs on my Hasselblads for over 20 years and NEVER had a problem. Using 220 is really convenient and, these days, backs are so cheap. I bought a perfectly good one last year for $25 to supplement the two I already have.</p>
-
<p>So long as the reading is consistently "wrong" I wouldn't bother about it -- just compensate. If it's all over the place, that's another matter. I've used three metered prisms over the years (and now a built-in one in my 203FE) an have found them all reliable and accurate.</p>
-
<p>I was able to borrow the CV finder a few years ago and liked it very much for the ability to work comfortably from low angles. I wish now I'd bought one as prices for the few that appear on eBay are very high!</p>
-
<p>It doesn't matter where a camera, a car, or anything else is made; it's the manufacturing specification and quality control in the factory that count. Wherever Canon makes products, they will be made to Canon's quality standards.</p>
-
<p>Bronica RF645 !</p>
-
<p>I'm thinking seriously of getting a Hasselblad 2XE extender primarily for use with my 110FE lens. Could anyone who uses/has used this combination give any advice regarding loss of image quality, particularly at wider apertures. Thanks.</p>
-
<p>I've had the problem, too; it's a a shortcoming Hasselblad never seemed to solve.</p>
-
<p>As a Hasselblad user. I'd say the Rollei is best for your particular needs ! As Jack Welsh said, wide-angle Rolleis are expensive (and scarce). If using a Rollei with standard lens is limiting, then I'd suggest a member of the Hasselblad SWC family. I can reliably hand-hold mine to 1/30 and maybe slower with a bit of luck.</p>
-
<p>I have the 135mm for my 50D and it's a nice, compact lens (relatively speaking) of good quality. However, in the conditions you're describing I'd want to have it on a monopod.</p>
-
<p>Heck, I threw my last three rolls in the rubbish a couple of years ago!</p>
-
<p>I have used a Tele-Tessar 500 quite a bit, though never owned one. I found a tripod was basically mandatory. It's sharp wide open and I used to stop down only when more depth of field was needed (as it often was!). What can you photograph with it? Anything you like! It's often associated with wildlife photography, but I found it capable of producing powerful landscapes, "different" portraits and interesting architectural work.</p>
-
<p>I've agonized over this so many times! These days my "ideal" travel setup is a 203FE and 110mm lens. The 120 gives much the same view so I'd agree with that choice, too! My preferred two-lens outfit for travel is a 60mm and a 250.</p>
-
Kris - it may not be quite as bad as you think. Unless he has quit, CR Kennedy has a superb factory-trained technician. He was the main repair guy for CR Kennedy in New Zealand until they closed the service facility in favour of having all work done in Australia. Lars moved over there possibly a couple of years ago (hopefully after the botched 205 you mention!). I had four of five things repaired by him over the years without a problem and I know quite a few others with positive experience. Some things were best sent to Sweden (because of their superior bench equipment) and he always did that without hesitation.
Does it make sense to buy 60 f/3.5 if I already have 80 f/2.8?
in Medium Format
Posted