calebcondit

<p>I would suggest you spend some time with DPP. It gets the best natural color from canon cameras. Lightroom would be a great investment because it would allow you to have some great tools that aren't available even in photoshop and costs less when you want to use a different raw converter. </p>

I just wanted to share my experience doing this. I have an epson v700 and so I don't have the wet mount holder

to be able to scan the negatives from a 665 polaroid neg. They're slightly smaller than a 4x5 and bigger than a

6x7 negative so what I did was grab a processed 4x5 slide with no information on it, so its clear. I then just

taped the polaroid neg to that. I used a scratched 4x5 clear slide to add to the scratches on the negative, but

that if you want a perfect scan, you could also go with a perfectly clear slide. Its important to put the

negative on the correct side of the slide to get the right scan height. Anyways, its not perfect, but does the

job. I looked at the scans at 100%, after scanning them in at 2400 dpi resolution, big enough for a 36 inch wide

print, and wow. Not razor sharp but plenty of info there for a big print. Here's a couple of examples...

 

 

 

you can read about the subjects on my blog if you so desire as well at

 

http://calebjmcondit.blogspot.com/2008/11/david-lam-and-larry-johson.html

 

hope this helps anybody out trying to do the same thing. I had been trimming them to fit medium format holders

and was not liking cutting the negatives and also they are thin, so I wasn't getting the correct flatness. Its a

bit of DIY solution, but that's how I roll...

a Medium format sensor costs approximately 5k. The chances for getting a perfect one make it so expensive as a high percentage are flawed. Then you have to factor in R&D costs of the back design and even more costly is the manufacturer software to get the maximum amount of good info out of a raw file. Most manufacturers are teaming up to get better integration between the back and the cameras so that you don?t need cables to fire the backs. Plus most are small companies that hand build certain parts to keep QC high.

you need a general lens first, to build a book and shoot anything thrown at you and of good quality. Look hard at the 24-70 f2.8. Its an amazing lens that has made me 90% of the money I?ve made in photography over the past 3 years, from portraits to products to fashion. It?s not exactly a sports lens, but you might be better off trying a 70-200 f4 used at first to compliment the 24-70 (vs the expensive 2.8 IS) if you?re shooting outdoor sports. Honestly spending more on a lens means you can always get a good resale price on it if the lens ends up not suiting you or you change career path.

Good luck

Honestly, most work shown in the major galleries is all shot on film, scanned and then printed on an epson large format printer. The mamiya 645 might get you up to about 30 inches, but only if shot critically sharp. I?d really recomend looking at at least 6x7 if not 6x9 for prints that large. If you?ve never worked on a rangefinder, the mamiya 7 might not be the right route to take, but the lenses are second to none and you can get a body and a lens for about the price of a 40d. I guess also you?ll have to remember that shooting a mamiya 645 for documentary might be a bit strange as the motor drive is a bit loud at times.

 

if you can find this

http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/plaubel67.html

you might possibly have one of the highest quality 6x7 cameras in a really compact package. Hard to track down, but really great.

 

Also, a pentax 6x7 is handholdable, although heavy, and has pretty fanstic glass. Does have a bit of mirror slap though.

 

If you?re really set on a 645 system, I?d take contax over mamiya any day. f2.0 glass in most focal lengths and all zeiss. Its an amazing system, for sure and runs similar in price to the mamiya 645 afdII or III.

Thanks tom. I like that shot and how it is multiple doors, multiple you, etc. The gaffers tape is reality. I?ve started to come to terms again with color. We shook hands and made up.

will this include info on the Hy6 since it?s a sinar-rollei hybrid, using rollei lenses? Something to maybe think about. Thanks for the heads up, rollei cameras are pretty amazing.

Simple. Create folders, put your files there, open with DPP. Iphoto isn?t the best solution. Create a manual file hierarchy and stick to it. Aka, in your photos folder. Iphoto isn?t really necessary. you get decent previews by selecting a file and pushing the space bar. I use DPP on an Imac without issues.

put more up

http://calebjmcondit.blogspot.com/

http://calebjmcondit.blogspot.com/2008/03/me-myself-and-i.html

 

I?ve got these up on the blog as well.

 

 

<a href=" title="corner_bed by

//CJMC//, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2383/2342370049_3cf58b3bf1.jpg"

alt="corner_bed" height="334" width="500" /></a>

 

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//CJMC//, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/2342369923_d16764e650.jpg"

alt="double_me" height="334" width="500" /></a>

 

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title="sittingatthettable by //CJMC//, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2342370157_efdb02a09f.jpg"

alt="sittingatthettable" height="334" width="500" /></a>

I?d highly recommend the rz solely due to the fact that you are more likely to have an easier time getting it fixed, getting shutter blades fixed after they get older, etc. When getting a used body that my have been used or over used it?s something to take into consideration. Plus repairs may end up cheaper. And the lenses are really fantastic. Sure you may use it mostly handheld, but the times where you want to use a tripod the rotating back is great because a medium format system on it?s side on a tripod isn?t really all that stable.

Get a retainer. Doesn?t have to be huge but at least it covers your time if they don?t show and almost guarantees the shoot with come to fruition in the end. When I shoot bands I almost always ask for a retainer as they can be flakes sometimes or have excess drama going on.

Ok, so for shooting models, come up with a narrative to work through with her. Then look through W magazine or Italian vogue or similar for posing and lighting ideas.

 

I?d maybe try to get a softer light more towards the front and to the side and then add a harder light from the other side. Don?t use a backdrop. Find something interesting to use as a location. It?s more interesting that way anyways. What about on her bed, or in the kitchen, or on the front porch...

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title="mad_jan_218 by //CJMC//, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2227/2210203392_f092b0117d.jpg"

width="500" height="333" alt="mad_jan_218" /></a>

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by //CJMC//, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2212288832_f738262977_b.jpg"

width="767" height="1024" alt="disco" /></a>

Yeah, that sounds really expensive. Here in Spain I pay no more than 2 euros for a quality print. Wet darkroom prints of the same quality cost a bit more. But you shouldn?t rule out film. It?s still around, emulsions are better than ever and if you can find a reasonable price for prints, film, and processing go for it. When you consider film though, think about at least medium format. Medium format cameras run cheap these days, and medium format (think a 6x7 negs) is much better than digital for really big prints in comparison to your pentax digital. But film requires a bit more knowledge as far as how to work the light with your particular emulsion. Each film has its own tone curve.

Wow, gratuitous. i think maybe the photo is illustrating what the magazine is interested in. Order of posting process: Turn on brain, THEN post.

I?d go through and select your favorite shots. Then try to get it down to no more than 40 or 50.

maybe you could fix it...but I bought an off brand cord and have had 0 problems and paid only 30 bucks for it. It would really suck to get your stuff back only to fry it up...

GOod advice here. Fundamental to speak to your employer about what the shoot entails that you?re assisting. Keep your shirts to neutrals because theres nothing worse than your orange shirt reflecting in the perfectly lit whatever your shooting. A belt may be overkill for some situations, and a good idea in others. When I assisted we just wore jeans, tshirts and a coat for going outside when needed, but that was in a studio where the art directors tended to have more tatoos than everyone else combined...

I wouldn?t say its the ONLY 400 film...the new porta 400 is pretty amazing as well. Film is only getting better these days.

I?d go 50 1.4 and 80 1.8 for a couple of good lenses. I shoot a ton with a 24-70 doing all kinds of lifestyle, fashion and editorial work. I find that sometimes being able to shoot at 35mm is really helpful to create environmental portraits. Anyhow, with 3 non L lenses you?re still cheaper than the 70-200.

the widest I?d use would be a 35mm for fashion. Unless you need to grab a huge landscape with the model in the middle (to keep their face from over distorting) and then it?d be a 20mm.

the 24-70 is a superior lens. less distortion and f2.8. i tried the 24-105 for a week and wasn?t at all impressed. f4 is just slow enough to be uninteresting IMO. Not creamy smooth bokeh at 70mm either. I shoot for a living and can tell you that at 70mm, IS isn?t really necessary and isn?t a replacement for a nice 2.8 aperture.

just imagine if you shot a very unrepeatable photograph and then accidentally find out you deleted it later by accident. I did that last month...