kurt_driver

<p>I'm thinking about one of these hoods and wondering if it will cause vignetting on any Mamiya lenses or will it go well with all of them. I really don't know if I need this hood, I don't shoot in a studio, but rather carry the camera to other places. With camera, lenses, and tripod I'm already carrying a bit. I guess that's a couple of questions, What is this useful for, and is it useful with all Mamiya lenses? Thanks, Kurt</p>

<p>Thanks everyone, I'll just have to go shoot some pics!</p>

<p>I usually shoot 135 film, but am just learning my RB67. I don't think I'll be using the RB67 all the time. So, I wonder if it is all right to put a loaded back in the fridge to preserve the film, or would it damage the back? Thanks, Kurt</p>

<p>No, there is a digital back for the RZ67, but not for the RB67 Pro.</p>

 

<p>That was it, thank you Vlad!</p>

<p>Hi, for the life of me I can't get the back onto the body again. I tried with another back (empty) and have the same problem.<br>

Anybody have any ideas about this? It's a RB67 Pro and I'm brand new to both it and medium format. Each of those backs went on yesterday.<br>

I shot four frames and they don't go back on, the lock levers are in the correct position, I'm at a loss. Thanks, Kurt</p>

<p>Hey Gopi, may I suggest that you start off with a photography class? You're new to serious photography? An beginner class with not only teach you a lot about photography, but also give you time to figure out what sort of photography interests you. That, in turn may influence what sort of a camera/lens/system you will want. Welcome to the addiction. Kurt</p>

<p>Thank you D.B. I hadn't realize that batteries varied that much in terms of longevity. I thought that drainage on bulb setting was largely a function of camera design. I didn't think you were preachy, I was unaware of these common courtesies and your post was a very helpful guide to shooting in large crowds.Thank you, Kurt</p>

<p>Thank you William, I did not understand about the motion of horses. Very complex, it would seem. Rebecca, I should have made it clear that those models were film cameras, and that the the rebel and d90 were digital, which you understood. Without wanting to fight the film vs digital battle, I was suggesting a film camera, although not those models in particular. I offered them as examples.You have indicated that you want a camera that will do certain things, and within a budget. You already have a digital camera and did not specify a desire for a digital camera in particular. Yet, the entire conversation has been along those lines. I wanted to make it clear, and still do, that there are options to digital cameras, and that those options are both inexpensive and entirely valid. You could get a EOS 1v which canon claims is the best SLR ever. See this:<br /> http://www.canon-europe.com/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/SLR/EOS_1V/index.asp<br>

<br /> 9 frames per second and fantastic sealing against water. I've seen them go for less than a thousand on Ebay, they looked to be in good condition. There's one on craiglist now for $550, maybe he'd ship it to Montana. An EOS 3 would be almost as good. A mechanical camera, such as a Nikon F2, takes great pictures with a great variety of accessories, including a huge collection of great lenses and up to 1/6400 iso, all at a reasonable price. And that camera is very rugged, You could leave it to your grandchildren and with a Cleaning, Lubrication, Adjustment, aka. a CLA, it will take great pictures for them. If one is buying a camera largely on the basis of Mega Pixals, what happens in a couple years when the best buy flyers are showing models with thrice as many as one has?</p>

<p>I'll be doing fireworks soon so this is quite topical. How do you focus on light before it's there or even during? Thanks, Kurt<br>

P.S. Thank you D.B. Cooper for those helpful tips, I probably would have annoyed the neighbours no end. I think that rather than "holding the shutter open with 'Bulb' setting and/or long exposure NR can drain some batteries pretty quickly", you meant that it can drain the batteries of some cameras quickly?</p>

<p>Charles, perhaps you could use a grey card? It would help a lot with your metering. P.S. to John, great post, thank you. Happy shooting, Kurt</p>

<p>Horses in action.<br /> Low light.<br /> Budget of $1,000 or less.<br /> Hmmm, I've taken wonderful pictures of moving bicycles in low light with a camera I bought for $186.00, a Canon T90. That's a great camera that will do just what you specified. You can get a Canon EOS 3 for around that if you want the new lenses with image stabilization. These are much cheaper on ebay than in the stores. I'd say pick a lens, get a second hand one or two, and then get a body to go with them. With the money you have budgeted you could get a top of the line camera that will never be obsolete, a couple of lenses, filters and a good tripod, and still have money left over to take a class in photography, which I think is a good idea. Buy that rebel or the D90 and you'll need to replace it in a few years. May I suggest you look for a class, discuss cameras with the instructor (not the guy at the camera shop, he's a salesman, remember) and put your decision off for a month or two. That's a lot of money, after all. You might join a photography club. If there isn't one in your town, perhaps you can get up to Missoula? http://www.rockymountainphotoclub.com<br /> In the picture of the horse with rider, is the subject really in focus, or the signs in the background? It's blurry, but I'm not experienced enough to tell if that's from the motion or incorrect focus. I also in a beginner. Panning with the camera would have eliminated motion blur. Happy shooting, Kurt P.S. Make sure your camera can do both manual exposure and manual focus.</p>

<p>I just heard that. I may have never shot it, but now I'm sad, the future is not bright.</p>

<p>Graeme, you sound like a street photographer, check out the category for street photography. http://www.photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/<br /> This is an example of panning: http://profile.imageshack.us/user/kurtdriver/images/detail/#134/00790008.jpg<br>

Notice that the cyclist is sharp because the camera was not moving relative to him, but everything else is blurry, as the camera was moving relative to stationary objects.</p>

<p>Graeme, in this case by exposure I referred to the period the shutter is open. Remember that opening the shutter (which is usually shut)is what exposes the film or sensor to light. Keeping it open for a longer period will expose, in your case, the sensor to more light. Unfortunately, more is not always better, keep it open overlong and the image will be overexposed, where your image is too bright and lacks detail. The opposite is underexposure in which your pics are dark and again, do not show details well. Use the search box above, search for <em>exposure, </em> there's a wealth of information at your fingertips. Pan is a technique for moving the camera with a moving subject. Shutter speed and apererature are closely related, again, read the results of that search. What do you like to take pictures of? What did you mean by blur? Happy shooting, Kurt</p>

<p>Motion blur requires motion, either of the subject, background, or the camera. Shoot a car on the freeway, and, if your camera is motionless relative to the car, the car with be blurry. Do this with a long exposure and it will not be visisble, although if you take that photo at night, the light from the headlights will show up. Kind of neat. Pan the camera, and the car will not be blurred but the background will be. Your lens should do all of that. Since your using digital, why not experiment a little? If you want to upgrade, maybe spend a couple extra dollars and get the 50mm 1.4? Just a little bit more useful because of its' faster lens.</p>

<p>Never touch the mirror, as you could move it out of alignment. If the mirror really needs cleaning, take it to a good shop. But, as Adam explained, the mirror isn't in the light's path to your film or sensor. Take your lens off someday and and watch as you fire the shutter, you'll see the mirror pop up. This is the <em>reflex</em> in SLR.</p>

<p>I'm looking at a patterson system on ebay, but the guy doesn;t know anything about it and neither do I. Should the reels be marked with film size numbers? My understanding is that you need particular reels for individual formats, one for 35mm, another for 120, etc. Is that correct? Thanks, Kurt </p>

<p>Hi Al, you asked about film SLRs for B&W, and indicate inexperience with film SLRs. I take this to mean that you are new to film photography and that perhaps you asked about SLRs because you were unaware of other types of cameras. So excuse me, please, if I got it wrong. I would suggest looking at alternative types as they can offer many advantages. A medium format negative is around four times the size of a 35mm film (which is not 35mm, these numbers are just formats) and provides better resolution, sharpness of images and enlargements. If you want large prints 35mm isn't really the way to go. Medium format cameras come in three main varieties, SLRs, TLRs, and rangefinders. You might want to read this:<br>

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/format.htm<br>

MF SLRs tend towards the heavy side, they're best used with a tripod, although some people manage to get clear pics handholding them. Your options here include those made by Mamiya, Bronica, and Pentax, amongst others. Avoid the very cheap ones made by Holda, Diana, and Lomo, these are $30 and up Brand new for a good reason, poor quality. TLRs, or twin lens reflex has a separate viewing lens, and cannot, except for one model, have a lens longer than 150mm. Consider this page<br>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-lens_reflex_camera<br>

And rangefinders I know nothing about, really, they tend to have smaller negatives with 120 film, often they are 6x4.5 rather than the 6X7 that is considered the ideal size for a negative. Rangefinders lack the mirrors. found in SLRs and TLRs and thus are quieter and have less vibration. Also, like with the TLR, you're not looking through the shooting lens and therefor your view of the image won't disappear (briefly) as it does with an SLR. Medium format cameras are very reasonable on ebay, make sure there are lots of photos, and that it's in good condition. I would suggest giving a seller who writes "I don't know anything about cameras but it looks good" a wide berth. Stick to people who regularly deal in camera gear or someone who used the camera for many years and can answer your questions. I just bought this:<br>

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250429416320<br>

and am very happy thus far.<br>

For portraits and landscapes, two subjects that usually can sit still for a second or two, you don't need a fast shutter, or auto anything. Get a separate meter, used ones go for next to nothing on ebay. You might even consider a larger negative 4x5 film is widely available, but that's a topic for another day, again wikipedia has a useful page:<br>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_format<br>

Lastly, you might consider devloping you own film, not only is this a moneysaver, but also gives you control over the entire process. Don't be hasty, study the situation, and please report back to us what you finally decide. Kurt</p>

<p>Kat, why spend $500 on a bottom of the line DSLR when you can get a top of the line SLR for less? Also as you're just beginning, and me too, you should probably focus on the basics, such as focussing, and setting exposures, and depth of field. Don't forget composition! For these lessons a manual camera is just the thing. You don't really need any of the gimicks. I would suggest you google "photography course your city". Find a beginners class and enjoy! P.S. For any photography class you'll want a manual focus SLR. Kurt<br /> http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/ProductList.aspx?Mode=searchproducts&item=0&ActivateTOC2=false&ID=&Size=&BC=&BCC=&CC=&CCC=&BCL=&GBC=&GCC=&KW=Canon+T90<br /> or<br /> http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/ProductList.aspx?Mode=&item=0&ActivateTOC2=&BC=CA&BCC=1&ID=12&CC=2&CCC=1&BCL=&GBC=&GCC=</p>

<p>Florin, I'm reading your responses assiduously cause I lack the courage, thus far, that you have.</p>

<p>Jean-Bernard Fischer, is it necessary to remove the batteries? Thanks, Kurt</p>

<p>Dale, I'm heavily invested in Canon's FD system. Two AE-1s and a T90 with several lenses will keep me going for a while. I also have a Canon EOS with two lenses, they are not interchangeable with the other Canons. The little Pentax auto 110 is always good for a laugh, but its' four lenses are actually quite good and it takes reasonable nice snaps. My Mamiya RB67 is another system. So, I wouldn't get into two 35 mm systems if I was looking for a backup, I guess I prefer the modular aproach: 3 FD bodies and a bunch of lenses allow for a good backup. The 6x7 is not backup, it's just for different types of pictures. And I just bought a Nikon F2A at a yard sale, starting to question my mental stability.</p>

<p>Igor, Perhaps you could be nice enough to send one to Mike Butkus who buys manuals and puts them up on his page. He doesn't seem to have that one. Kurt<br>

http://www.butkus.org</p>

<p>Uh, silly question and off topic, but my last post had a link that has gone, and the edit button has disappeared. The link is to http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/index.htm In case it disappeares again, www.mir(dot)com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/index.htm<br>

P.S. Welcome to film Kay</p>