Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: CBarrett on November 27, 2009, 08:51:41 pm
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Well, we all seem to agree that different formats and brands all have their negative and positive aspects and as much as I really enjoy working with view cameras, I love pretty much all imaging devices. I'm a big gear junkie, I admit it. I think most photographers are...
I've had special relationships with many cameras through the years... here are a few:
- Konica T4 My Sister gave me this when I was 18... begin the obsession.
- Hasselblad 500 CM Really something magical about shooting this camera... every time.
- Nikon F3 My tank workhorse for the majority of my educational years.
- Leica CL Shot all my street work with this. I like the smaller size versus the M's.
- Contax G2 Had two with a few lenses. Really beautiful cameras, but never shot anything memorable with them. Focus sucked.
- Arca Swiss F Line 4x5 90% of my Career work was shot with this thing.
- Arca Swiss F Metric 6x9 My first digital view camera, had to leave that at HB : (
- Arca Swiss F Line 6x9 Bought this 15 year old from a friend when I quit HB. Got me going.
- Arca Swiss M Line 2 6x9 Utterly in love with this thing.
- Nikon D3 My very first dslr... really like this camera too!
- Phase One 645 AF Came with my P65+....is meh...anxiously awaiting DF to swap out. D lenses are really quite good!
What about you guys?
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When I think about what I 'want' to shoot it is on film. Tri-X pushed 2 stops on my Mamiya 645AFDII, And I am now going for another Canon 1V.
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Well, we all seem to agree that different formats and brands all have their negative and positive aspects and as much as I really enjoy working with view cameras, I love pretty much all imaging devices. I'm a big gear junkie, I admit it. I think most photographers are...
I've had special relationships with many cameras through the years... here are a few:
- Konica T4 My Sister gave me this when I was 18... begin the obsession.
- Hasselblad 500 CM Really something magical about shooting this camera... every time.
- Nikon F3 My tank workhorse for the majority of my educational years.
- Leica CL Shot all my street work with this. I like the smaller size versus the M's.
- Contax G2 Had two with a few lenses. Really beautiful cameras, but never shot anything memorable with them. Focus sucked.
- Arca Swiss F Line 4x5 90% of my Career work was shot with this thing.
- Arca Swiss F Metric 6x9 My first digital view camera, had to leave that at HB : (
- Arca Swiss F Line 6x9 Bought this 15 year old from a friend when I quit HB. Got me going.
- Arca Swiss M Line 2 6x9 Utterly in love with this thing.
- Nikon D3 My very first dslr... really like this camera too!
- Phase One 645 AF Came with my P65+....is meh...anxiously awaiting DF to swap out. D lenses are really quite good!
What about you guys?
When it comes to "special relationships" and being "in love," I have found women to be much superior to cameras .
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For me, not talking about commerce here, but moreso just personal expression, I'd love to see some Specs on some of these modern digital cameras that you never see. When I think about these modern cameras (and lenses) compared to film cameras (and lenses), the new ones just fall flat to me. Again, personal expression not commerce. For commerce, give me a digital camera any day.
Along with the endless list of Bragging Rights Specs for these modern digitals, such as Resolution, and Pixel Size, and Megabytes, and Screen Rez, I'd also like to see these bulleted items followed by a colon:
* Spirit: ______
* Atmosphere: ______
* Ability to successfully flare in backlight: ______
* Mojo: ______
* Softness of Contrast: ______
* Feeling: ______
* Ability to mimic the feel of 665 scanned neg: ______
* Ability to mimic the feel of Type 55: ______
* Ability to mimic the feel of Polaroid 669 on a cold day when you held it under your armpit too long: ______
* Ability to maybe have something accidental happen that's kinda cool looking: ______
I'm joking but not really. Go back and compare your early Hasselblad stuff, or whatever you shot, even plastic cameras or whatnot, and then put the Spirit or Feeling of those files next to the absolute soulless clinical perfection of these modern digitals. I guess I'm just going thru a phase (not!), but right now, the settings on my 5D2's are: Contrast: 1; Saturation: 1; Hue: 6; Sharpness: 0. Trying anything under the sun to get it to shoot not like a digital camera. In addition I'm rigging up 4" hard gel filters taped to a LeeProShade, and I'm rubbing vaseline on the filters in the corners. Even though I'm shooting digital, I'm trying to get something/anything organic going on in that file, when I look at it on the LCD. I love the thought of coming home, knowing that whatever I did to that file can't be undone in Post. And getting the emphasis away from "Just put your thumbprint on it only in post". I want that first RAW file to come up in DPP, and I want to say, "Wow, that's cool". Right then; not having to wait to "save it in Photoshop".
Also, to really get your head spinning, how about these stunning artists who don't even use a camera at all: Christopher Bucklow and Adam Fuss.
http://www.artnet.com/artist/3269/christopher-bucklow.html (http://www.artnet.com/artist/3269/christopher-bucklow.html)
http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Xavier_Hufkens.html (http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Xavier_Hufkens.html)
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For me, not talking about commerce here, but moreso just personal expression,........snip.................
* Ability to successfully flare in backlight: ______
for me, the one ground breaking camera, film or digital was the original 1ds.
(http://russellrutherford.com/fashion/thumbs/th_rr_fashion_0081.jpg)
It opened a new world as it looked like film, rarely moired, never broke and though by today's standards it was slow and had a tiny lcd, it allowed me to do more than I've ever been able to do, especially in commerce because it let me get the base idea in the can, know it's right and get on with experimenting.
I told our studio manager then and I believe it today that I should have bought 6 of those cameras, put 4 in a safety deposit box and never buy another camera. I would have saved myself $120,000 and about a billion hours or learning curve.
In fact I use to laugh at how easy the 1ds was for first level post production. I had the camera zoned out for the look I wanted, I'd just take the in camera jpegs and drop them into a web gallery and usually upload at a restaurant, coffee house or hotel patio while I enjoyed life, but being a masochist photographer I wanted more and dived deep into everything, including processing out jpegs until 3am.
Silly me.
I think it's easy to be nostalgic over film and some things I miss, like talking to the photographers at the labs, but some of the things I really don't miss, like seeing snips pulled 2/3's of a stop rather than pushed.
The only thing I really miss about film is the ability to shoot into the sun and get that soft pretty flare around a subject. Now that's something that almost always has to be modified in post production. I miss that and like gwtif says the happy little surprises, but not the unhappy big surprises.
Now I think I've come full circle in the digital world shoot 90% of my still images with the 1ds3's and the only camera that would make me open my wallet is this.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicGF1/ (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicGF1/) though I haven't bought it yet, or used it yet, but it looks intriguing, with multiple crops, 12 film settings, takes almost any lens and shoots video.
Actually maybe not (here I go again), as I did love the Aptus 22 with that Boris tilt shift. I didn't like the issues of the early Aptus (in all fairness Leaf eventually worked most of those out), but the look of the file was really nice with that funky lens.
(http://russellrutherford.com/wonderland_editorial/thumbs/th_wonderland_editorial0011.jpg)
JR
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When it comes to "special relationships" and being "in love," I have found women to be much superior to cameras .
no doubt ...
but the price of that hobby and/or profession is just staggering.
and you best choose "right" the first time around, when picking
a brand. as the them upgrade/trade-in costs will send you to
the poor house.
ok ... time to go and defrost some film
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Trying anything under the sun to get it to shoot not like a digital camera.
i assure you ... you ain't the only one
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JR
I wrote this in another forum a few hours ago....
"Camera's are funny things
This last week I shot two jobs one with a H3d2-39 and the other the H3d2-31 plus the usual 5D2 stuff, yet the camera I just can't put down is the GF-1.... go figure"
Grab one, they are tons of fun, plus think of it this way; the whole thing is the price of a H battery and a charger
am
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What about you guys?
Cameras I took good images with include:
- Praktika [still own]
- Nikon f601m
- Nikon F100 [still own]
- Nikon D100
- Kodal SLR/n
- Hasselblad H1
- Nikon D2x
- Ebony 45SU [still own]
- Mamiya ZD
- Nikon D3
- Nikon D3x [still own]
Out of those, the 3 cameras that frustrated me most are the H1, SLRn and ZD... I guess that I prefer cameras that work the way they are supposed to.
The one I like best is the Ebony 45SU, but it is also the one I use least.
Cheers,
Bernard
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for me, the one ground breaking camera, film or digital was the original 1ds.
+1.
I was pretty burned out doing photography, and when I bought that 1Ds, I felt like when I did when I was 19 and had just bought my first Mamiya Sekor SLR. Since that time photography has been more enjoyable for me than any other point in my 30+ years of professional photography.
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* Ability to maybe have something accidental happen that's kinda cool looking: ______
This is what I miss most with digital. Next to the too sterile images. Sure post can solve this but it still doesn't feel the same. OTOH I can't seem to bring myself the buy a scanner and start using film again as well, maybe I am afraid to lessen my personal feeling about the mystical qualities of film. Some things remain better as memories
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1. FED 2 - a Russian camera, may be a clone of Leica (I don't know), used it approx 35 years ago. It was great at that time.
2. Zenith 11 - this is another Russian camera with all metal construction, used it a few months, then broke and thrown in trash.
3. Nikon FM3a - a great compact film camera, sold it for more than I paid. A gem.
4. Nikon F6 - a great pro film camera, shot slide film, sold it for the same price that I paid. Another gem.
5. Nikon D40 - a gift to my wife, I use it rarely.
6. Contax 645 - these are my workhorses with two MFDBs. Passively looking to sell one of the MFDBs, which I don't use, and may be one Contax outfit.
7. ...waiting for the Nikon D4x...
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JR
I wrote this in another forum a few hours ago....
"Camera's are funny things
This last week I shot two jobs one with a H3d2-39 and the other the H3d2-31 plus the usual 5D2 stuff, yet the camera I just can't put down is the GF-1.... go figure"
Grab one, they are tons of fun, plus think of it this way; the whole thing is the price of a H battery and a charger
am
H battery and charger go for around $400. This camera sells for around $900.
Fuzzy math.
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My memories of cameras are of the viewfinders, and the experience of actually interacting with them:
** Fuji 680: Best camera I ever used, by far. Shooting it with the WL finder, with 665, using the full 8cm x 8cm ground glass viewer, was like looking into the soul of a person, when shooting portraits, and when shooting landscapes with the 65 and 50 lens, it was like watching a movie in 3D.
** Film Hasselblad: Great viewfinder with the WL, or still very nice with the 45 Viewer that magnified more than the 90 degree. Very nice experience.
* Any 35mm camera, film or digital: Very so-so experience.
* Hasselblad H: Really nice viewer. Contax 645: not so much.
* Graflex Super D 4x5 and GowlandFlex 4x5 with chimney viewer: Wow. Very nice. Huge GG.
* I went into a store the other day to consider a carry-around Canon G11. I picked it up, looked through that gloryhole of a laughable VF, and thought to myself, "You've got to be f'ing kidding me", and sat it back down immediately.
* Mamiya 6: Nice big image in the VF, but I could never shoot a RF camera; I always have to look thru the taking lens in order to feel the picture.
* RZ: I never shot a frame with an RZ, but I'd bet it would rank right up there at the top, justifying two asterisks.
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The hard thing about viewfinders is that once you go big, it's hard to go back. At one point I owned a 20D. Now when I look through an APC-S 35mm I can't believe how small it looks. I find that surprising about the 35mm market, that so many don't spend the relatively modest amount for a Full Frame view.
Steve Hendrix
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That offer for a P65+ is mighty sharp and interesting. Amazing that when showing interest for an upgrade of Hasselblad equipment the only offers & info I get are from a P1 dealer
Don't go changing your posts that quickly on me Steve!
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That offer for a P65+ is mighty sharp and interesting. Amazing that when showing interest for an upgrade of Hasselblad equipment the only offers & info I get are from a P1 dealer
Don't go changing your posts that quickly on me Steve!
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Nikon FM2: great camera, made completely of titanium and is still going strong, this was my first camera that I got when I was 14, fully manual which really forced me to learn.
Toyo View 45x: got this in college and pretty much fell in love with photography with it, I learn almost everything with this camera.
Quaker Oats box 8 x 10 pinhole, really cheap, requires a little work to get it going
Canon 5d with ts lenses.
Soon to get Alpa 12max
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I was referring to the need of an updated avatar.
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I was referring to the need of an updated avatar.
Yes, I was going to give Wayne a tickle about updating his avatar, but I didn't want to detract from the thread - it was not relevant to the subject.
Steve Hendrix
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* Graflex Super D 4x5 and GowlandFlex 4x5 with chimney viewer: Wow. Very nice. Huge GG.
(http://www.imagehut.eu/images/46252Screen%20shot%202009-11-29%20at%2014.58.40.png)
(http://www.imagehut.eu/images/16664Screen%20shot%202009-11-29%20at%2014.58.55.png)
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* RZ: I never shot a frame with an RZ, but I'd bet it would rank right up there at the top, justifying two asterisks.
they're great. totally addicting . For digital they're terrific as well! GX680'S are truelly a gem though!
-Dan
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Canon AE1...my first camera
Old used and cheap rolleicord in my first year at college...loved it...felt like my first real camera...square, looking down into that great big viewfinder.
Hasselblad 500cm...have had about four over the last 15 years with various lenses...always love going back to these for my fine art work..and am doing so right now.
Ebony 54's for my fine art...nice but keep going back to blads...
Tried a few mamiya 6 and 7's along the way but never got to grips with them...although my best selling photo was shot with one so...
Digital..sorry but I've still not found any digital cameras that do it for me..(tried various canon's and nikon's)...but of course 100% of my commercial work is done with them so no love but can't live without them.
Bessa Rf with 40mm lens loaded with tri-x for my honeymoon in Paris earlier this year...liked that.
Cheers,
Marc
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Ebony 54's for my fine art...nice but keep going back to blads...
I have had two Ebonys thru the years, but to me, they always fell into that Leica category -- "pretty to look at on the shelf, but not so great to use to actually make photographs". I think, too, like Leica, my brain got tricked into thinking that I liked them more than I really did. In use, I found them awkward, clumsy, and coarse. I always thought it was just me; that maybe I just didn't get it about Ebony. I was also afraid of them -- they were so pretty to look at, I was afraid I'd scratch them, and devalue them. In pure use, I found that my old Linhof Technika III was a much more usable, real world camera -- made of metal, and ready for World War III. I know everyone raves about Ebony, (but maybe it's just because they're high-priced, so you feel compelled to praise them, because you wrote the check?)
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Well since several have mentioned 35mm models, even though this is the "large sensor" thread...I have to say I thought the Canon Elan IIE I used to own was so cool. Just moving my eye to the spot and then it focusing, I couldn't believe it actually worked. I would love to see this in a digital model.
Steve Hendrix
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I love my XPan11 - so flexible and so perfect - but sadly not digital. add a digi chip to this format and a coupel of faster lenses - and I woudlnt want for any other system/ or camera.
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Started out with a Canon D30 - my first SLR; was very cool.
Upgraded to original 1D for more robust feature set.
Discovered film, purchased a Mamiya7 - still love that camera. Quiet, high-quality files, the 43mm lens is fantastic. Still considering to add lenses, the system is so good.
Added a Leica M7 and 35-lux.
Added a Leica M8 for best combination of quality and compactness in digital; added several lenses, love-and-hate the 75-lux; love the 50-lux and 28-cron. The M8 is a great camera. Love the combination of high-quality low-ISO files, and rough ISO-1250 shots, particularly in b/w, I shoot a lot of ISO-1250 during the day with a 3-fstop filter on lenses. No need for vaseline etc., the files have character. My Leicas were in whitewater canyons in Austria, in the Costa Rica rain forest etc. I shoot studio work with them too, pocketwizard/profoto and go...
Sold the Canon 1D, and bought a 5D; added a 5DII as backup body. Have lots of L glass, the best is the 70-200mm/f2.8, all is fine, but the cameras have no sexiness. Opposite of the Leicas.
Added a R9 and DMR last year; fantastic color via C1, but camera is finicky. Handling is superb. Focus is tough in low light, viewfinder is really great. If I could have just that system with full frame sensor...
Bought a Hassy503cw, added a Leaf Aptus-17; best lens is the 120mm/macro, that one is amazing.
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My camera zoo is not only for making images, it is also for enjoying the *process* of image making. That is something I recognized after my third model or so...
Peter
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I have had two Ebonys thru the years, but to me, they always fell into that Leica category -- ... I know everyone raves about Ebony, (but maybe it's just because they're high-priced, so you feel compelled to praise them, because you wrote the check?)
Hum... interesting, I have already had outstanding results with my Ebony 45SU in the field and have found the non folding design to be brilliant, together with the assymetric rear movements that really speed up focus.
I have used it in all weathers and carried it in my Osprey backpack without any problem. They are really robust.
It is the camera I think I will never sell.
Cheers,
Bernard
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Had about a dozen Plaubel Makina 67's, 670's and w67's all through the 90's until about 2004 - very special cameras.
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I know everyone raves about Ebony, (but maybe it's just because they're high-priced, so you feel compelled to praise them, because you wrote the check?)
Far from it the ebony I had was a great camera for what I used which was landscape with moderate architectural movements. Light, solid, smooth, quick set up, etc, etc. Why I'd feel compelled to like something just because it cost x amount I would never know. If something works you use it..if it doesn't...well you get something else.
Marc
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My passion as an image maker is just that, a passion for images, not cameras. Having said that, the following cameras have been a part of the journey.
I don't care about images, there are too many of them anyway......
But cameras, this is why I am in this business:
My best camera to date: leica m6 with a 35 cron 4th
closely followed by leica m9 with a 35cron asph
nowadays I am not touching film anymore, so the M9 will move to the top after a few more months of use.
best film SLR: pentax MX. tiny, undestructable, a viewfinder which gives any modern fullframe DSLR a beating.
best film nearly compact: black Hexar AF. image quality like m6/cron, easy to use
best film really compact: olympus XA, great lens, manual focus, tinissimo
best MF camera: Mamiya RZ. a pain to work handheld for a long day, but beautiful results, very reliable
best digi compact: Ricoh GR-D 3, like it a lot, perfect handling
best DSLR: canon 1dsmk3. It is unsexy, but that thing just works, maybe there are better files out there, but mine just keeps on filling my bank account. It earned its cost within a week and hasn't given me one single hitch in two years of use.
Cameras I really hated:
Leaf AFI: bad ergonomics, bad metering, bad AF, bad everything, a 20.000€ bad joke
canon G9: had it for a few months, I don't think I got one decent pictures out of thousands I took with it
nearly all Canon EOS film cameras before digital other than the 1 series, Nikon ruled film.
So currently I am a very happy bunny with my M9, it next contender will have to work hard
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Contax RTSII/III, really, really missed them.
Contax G2
Contax T2/T3
Leica M6/M7
Contax 645 was with film and now digital
Contax TV-S
Canon 1Ds 1/11/111
can't say or miss enough Contax.
Regards, K
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Canon 20D
Canon 5D
Hasselblad 503CW
Canon 1Ds Mark III
Panasonic GF1 (+20mm f1.7 Pancake)
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I'm 25... i'm in the business since 2 years... never did a job with film but i really miss the school years when i used to think about exposure. i think i have learned all the things i know about light thanks to the film. i had to think with my sekonic in the hand and of course no chance to mistakes, i actually understood the quality of the light, the intensity... now with digital, you don't think, just look to the histogram...
By the way i miss the 4x5 ground glass of the sinar
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Of the cameras I have used, and there have been a few, the one I really liked the best was the Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex Super BC. In fact, I still have it. It was a good camera system for that time, had 50mm, 35mm and 135mm lenses. Had the coolest fitted case ever made, and even had interchangeable film backs. I really loved that camera!
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Large format - my old Wisner 4x5 field camera still is magical. Gorgeous wood and burgundy leather. Sure it doesn't lock up as tight as a monorail, and can't focus with anything wider than a 65, but it's a great camera, and has been since I got it in 1994.
My Horseman VHR is similarly great. 6x7, 6x9 and 4x5 in a compact, well built body with an optional rangefinder. It has its limitations, for sure. But I do love it.
And my Leica M4-2 (and Canon RF lenses) is still the camera I have that sees the most daily use - albeit non of my professional use. My rolleiflex is the same way - I love to use it. But have almost no need for it professionally - but if asked, I think these are the two cameras I would keep first. Then the Wisner behind it.
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You guys wanting things to look organic and reminiscing about flare should stop buying new lenses ;-) The older Canons are pretty good at flareing. (This is the older Canon 50mm 1.8 metal mount. It flares as much as you could possibly want when pointed into the sun.)
[attachment=18606:IMGL9113.jpg]
[attachment=18607:IMG_3299.jpg]
It's difficult to get the 1.2 to flare this much. So it's nice to keep them both in the bag.
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Large format - my old Wisner 4x5 field camera still is magical. Gorgeous wood and burgundy leather. Sure it doesn't lock up as tight as a monorail, and can't focus with anything wider than a 65, but it's a great camera, and has been since I got it in 1994.
My Horseman VHR is similarly great. 6x7, 6x9 and 4x5 in a compact, well built body with an optional rangefinder. It has its limitations, for sure. But I do love it.
And my Leica M4-2 (and Canon RF lenses) is still the camera I have that sees the most daily use - albeit non of my professional use. My rolleiflex is the same way - I love to use it. But have almost no need for it professionally - but if asked, I think these are the two cameras I would keep first. Then the Wisner behind it.
1st- Canon Powershot G5, my first camera. What can I say, I got it a few days before going on a trip to Yosemite.. and that's what started it all.
2nd- Canon EOS 20D, my second camera and first DSLR. I used it for about 6 years.. and it has been through a lot; it has been to the canon irvine repair center a few times. I'm planning to replace the shutter button, so that I can use it as a beater, bring around everywhere camera. It's already pretty beat up though, there are scratches everywhere, the shutter button is worn out (it doesn't always shoot), the battery door is held closed by tape, the CF cover is squeaky (granted, it's like that on all non 1 series canon cameras, even when new ).
3rd- used Canon 1Ds Mark III, it's a tank. Even though it seems like Canon still hasn't gotten a real photographer to test the user interface of their cameras before releasing them, it's quite an improvement. It's pretty solid and the files can be pushed around pretty hard in LR and PS. Like others have said, there is nothing cool or hip about it but it just works like a reliable TOOL.
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You guys wanting things to look organic and reminiscing about flare should stop buying new lenses ;-)
You might be right, but Flared Digital is still a very far cry from Flared Film. Even with Noise/Grain added. Sad, but true. Still can't really figure out why. Yes, the word organic comes to mind.
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You might be right, but Flared Digital is still a very far cry from Flared Film. Even with Noise/Grain added. Sad, but true. Still can't really figure out why. Yes, the word organic comes to mind.
Really? I look at my flared film and it is not better or more organic-looking than what I just posted, other than the film grain of course.
A couple more cheap and old Canon lenses flaring:
[attachment=18609:IMG_0242.jpg]
[attachment=18610:flare.jpg]
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Really? I look at my flared film and it is not better or more organic-looking than what I just posted, other than the film grain of course.
A couple more cheap and old Canon lenses flaring:
[attachment=18609:IMG_0242.jpg]
[attachment=18610:flare.jpg]
Here's some flare with the Nikon 20 2.8D, Kodak 400UC. I made the same frames with the 1ds2 and 5D with the 20mm Canon, and did not like what I saw: Just large areas blown out. Sorry, I didn't keep the digital files.
[attachment=18616:Broadway...all4.sml.jpg]
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so, is anyone keeping score?
who's winning ... these camera wars??
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I made the same frames with the 1ds2 and 5D with the 20mm Canon, and did not like what I saw: Just large areas blown out.
I think Peggy Sirota does some of the best natural lensflare in the biz.
http://www.peggysirota.com/ (http://www.peggysirota.com/)
go to beauty and lifestyle sections and some of the later images are film.
Now my trick for lensflare, (previously with film) now with digital is,
(all pixel peepers please disregard this)
1. Take a Canon 50 1.4, you know that crappy plastic lens that womps.
2. Buy a uv filter.
3. Go to Will Rogers Beach in Malibu.
4. Mount camera on a tripod (the only time I use a tripod) and point towards the ocean. Just far enough away to NOT feel the ocean spray.
5. Leave someone to guard the camera and go for a walk.
6. Come back one hour later and shoot a test, into the sun, and away from it.
7. Continue step s 4 and 5 until you get the desired effect.
8. Mount UV filter on lens and NEVER let an assistant clean the front element, only clean the UV filter.
9. Keep the lens forever and the look is sharp but smooth will evenly flare into sun.
10. With cross light on the sun behind you will make a nice soft look with detail.
(http://russellrutherford.com/life/pictures/055rr_life_june_08.jpg)
12. When shooting for flare set the Canon for 1/2 stop bracketing and fire three frames where you would normally shoot just one frame. Even if the subject is moving quickly, you can fire fast enough so the images can be merged with a little work so you can hold detail in the areas you like, have flare in the areas you don't want detail.
Note.
If you want multiple looks do this sea spray effect with a series of UV filters, though you will find it very hard to keep them intact and perfect because somebody eventually is going to stick their thumb on it.
BC
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For me
Nikon FM2 Ti - The little camera that keeps on shooting no matter the conditions
Hasselblad 203 FE - Amazing what you can you get out of a center weighted metering system
My new loves
Linhof Technorama 617
Mamiya AFD with Phase One 45+ - Love the back, hate the camera
http://www.rafaelhernandezphotography.com (http://www.rafaelhernandezphotography.com)
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8. Mount UV filter on lens and NEVER let an assistant clean the front element, only clean the UV filter.
9. Keep the lens forever and the look is sharp but smooth will evenly flare into sun.
Brothers from a different mother.
I used to do the same thing: I'd make these weird filters with broken closeup filters, and vaseline, and then when I got them right, I'd buy a new Skylight filter and screw it into the good (bad) filter, therefore protecting it for life. Then you just clean the outside of the new skylight filter if it got horrible. Then, I'd take little slivers of Scotch Tape and wrap them around the filter, so that no one could ever unscrew them (and clean the the insides).
In the past two weeks, I have gone back to making these filters and using them on the 5d2. I like the fact that I'm committing to the weirdness into the RAW, just like the old days with film. My goal in life is to, one day, never again utter that dreaded sentence, "We'll do it in Post".
However, in your example above, I want to throw a 15 yard flag; i just know that you did a Curves adjustment layer to pull detail into that foam. I just know it. I smell Exposure2. There's just way too much fill on that guys face; it's too open.
But in general, I love the Custom SeaSpray filter approach that you've got going.
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However, in your example above, I want to throw a 15 yard flag; i just know that you did a Curves adjustment layer to pull detail into that foam. I just know it. I smell Exposure2. There's just way too much fill on that guys face; it's too open.
Your right I cheated, I did open up some of the shadows, though not by much and yes I did use Exposure 1 (now I use Exposure 2) to muck with the color, but if I can find the original image I'll post it cause it's not that much different. Actually the tone is within a few percent, I did more color work than anything.
But back to the "never again in Post". Man I agree with that and I'll tell you something I shot one job this year (yes hold your breath) jpeg only. JPEGS were my raws, Jpegs were my masters and I got the camera and filters set where I wanted and shot high quality jpegs on the Canons and Nikons. Mostly because I was doing a video effect and I need fast multiple frames, but also because I wanted to see if I could actually use the jpegs for print reproduction and yes it worked.
In fact I find the Jpegs out of the Canon as close as the raws in some ways better because if I start out with that lump in my throat thinking I better get this right on set, (remember transparency film) I got a much more refined and cleaner look.
I know, I know just the word jpeg is going to send some people here into a Catatonia, but it worked or better put I like it, or even better put, I got paid.
Still at the end of the day, film flares a lot prettier than digital.
BC
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Brothers from a different mother.
When I started out I shared space with a photographer that was 100% seat of the pants.
He had these great tricks for effects, one was called the thumb in the lens effect. Anything past 100mm he's just shoot almost wide open and stick his thumb or finger in front of the lens. Warmed everything up, caused some things to go soft and it was just beatuiful. Made great color.
In the darkroom with black and white he had the smoke a 100mm Cigrarette effect.
He's process by using a Tartington Cigarette, he would set in on it's end and when the ashes got to a certain length, he'd agitate. When the cigarette got to about 3/4"s of an inch from the filter he dump the developer and wash, then fix.
When he printed he would get 1/2 way into exposing a print, light a cigaette with one of those big kitchen matches and partially solarize part of the print. It was bloody beautiful.
Try to find this stuff on a mtf chart, pixel depth comparision thread or who makes the most detailed digital back image section.
BC
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Thanks for the sea spray tip! I have some frames somewhere from the Canon 24-70 with a cheap and dirty Hoya Skylight filter on it. No hood on that pig = lots of veiling flare, on film.
I do like Peggy Sirota lots. She got me onto the Briese.
I think Peggy Sirota does some of the best natural lensflare in the biz.
http://www.peggysirota.com/ (http://www.peggysirota.com/)
go to beauty and lifestyle sections and some of the later images are film.
Now my trick for lensflare, (previously with film) now with digital is,
(all pixel peepers please disregard this)
1. Take a Canon 50 1.4, you know that crappy plastic lens that womps.
2. Buy a uv filter.
3. Go to Will Rogers Beach in Malibu.
4. Mount camera on a tripod (the only time I use a tripod) and point towards the ocean. Just far enough away to NOT feel the ocean spray.
5. Leave someone to guard the camera and go for a walk.
6. Come back one hour later and shoot a test, into the sun, and away from it.
7. Continue step s 4 and 5 until you get the desired effect.
8. Mount UV filter on lens and NEVER let an assistant clean the front element, only clean the UV filter.
9. Keep the lens forever and the look is sharp but smooth will evenly flare into sun.
10. With cross light on the sun behind you will make a nice soft look with detail.
(http://russellrutherford.com/life/pictures/055rr_life_june_08.jpg)
12. When shooting for flare set the Canon for 1/2 stop bracketing and fire three frames where you would normally shoot just one frame. Even if the subject is moving quickly, you can fire fast enough so the images can be merged with a little work so you can hold detail in the areas you like, have flare in the areas you don't want detail.
Note.
If you want multiple looks do this sea spray effect with a series of UV filters, though you will find it very hard to keep them intact and perfect because somebody eventually is going to stick their thumb on it.
BC
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35mm film cameras include my first, a Minolta SRT 101, then to Nikon FE, F3HP, 8008, F4, F5, then to Canon 1VHS. Liked them all for what they were.
Then there was an affair with the Leica M4, 6's and 7's -- I love the Leica M, but again for what it is.
In MF I owned Hassy 500, Mamiya Press, RZ, 645 Pro, Pentax 645. Of those, my best images came from the Mamiyas, most from the RZ.
Then I wanted movements and started with LF. First was a Technikardan, then looking for lighter, a Phillips, then an Arca F-Metric (with micro Orbix), an Ebony 45SU, and a Chamonix. I won't bore you with my list of studio or 8x10 cameras. In the end, my favorite 4x5s were the F-Metric and Ebony 45SU, but I made some of my best images ever with the TK.
The camera that convinced me digital was real, at least for 35mm, was the original 1D. As soon as I got that, I basically sold all my 35mm film cameras -- even the Leicas. Then the 1Ds was a revelation -- good enough it convinced me to sell my MF film cameras, though I still shot my 4x5's or 8x10's for serious landscape work. Then the P45+ convinced me I no longer needed 4x5 film, so I sold my LF cams.
Today I am down to three basic kits: Phase P65+ -- love the Mamiya lenses, love the files from that back. For faster action, I have a basic 1Ds3 kit with a few lenses. And for my P&S camera, I have a GF1 and couple of lenses.
My absolute favorite and most fun camera to use of all time, probably a tie between the Arca F-Metric and the Ebony 45SU.
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Hasselblad 203 FE - Amazing what you can you get out of a center weighted metering system
I think I forgot to mention that camera. After the 680, this to me is the next best camera ever made. I've owned four of them, plus several 202FA's. They're both amazing cameras. Yes, about the meter, I would literally put them on "A", and just set the fstop, and shoot away. I'd get the contact sheets back, and would marvel that every frame was within a half stop or so. I have no idea what kind of light meter Hasselblad put in that camera, but it was bulletproof. The ease of just slapping it on Automatic, and actually trusting it, made it an incredible camera. Imagine the run on those bodies if someone/anyone could actually bring to market a real square 6x6 digital back for it, full frame. They'd shoot back up to their original sales price of about seven grand apiece, which, in those days, seemed astronomical, but after using it, you realized it was worth every penny, and then some.
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The older Canons are pretty good at flareing. (This is the older Canon 50mm 1.8 metal mount. It flares as much as you could possibly want when pointed into the sun.)
What is the oldest/earliest Canon 50 or 85 that will still mount on a 5D2 or 1ds3? (Or maybe even an offbrand without coating?) Thanks.
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What is the oldest/earliest Canon 50 or 85 that will still mount on a 5D2 or 1ds3? (Or maybe even an offbrand without coating?) Thanks.
I was thinking about this as well, and then I thought there's probably a way the remove the coatings from a lens. I might just buy one of those dirt cheap 50's and scrub the coating off of it just to see what happens.
I agree on the hassy 203fe, that cam with the 110 glued to it, a 6x6 inch chip, 5x5 inch lcd, with a porta 160nc internal processor and pixel binning so I could shoot about 5000 6mp pics to a card.
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For me it all started with the Leica IIIc my father lent me for a beginning photography class at the University of New Mexico. The rest is my life. I was an economics major and by my junior year had switched to art/photography. The leica was stolen. It produced the best 35mm b&w I have ever made. Then came the following. I never felt the need to have the best cameras with all the bells and whistles. I was always happy with something that just did the job well and would take a beating. Good lenses are more important than camera bodies (not so true with digital). I made my living for 31 years beginning with the Tachihara:
Pentax Spotmatic
Mamiya 330 twin lens (began to love the square format)
6x9 view camera (I can't remember the name)
Tachihara 4x5 (2x) (started shooting architecture with this camera in 1978. I did my first two books with this)
Zone VI (a great workhorse)
Hassleblad 500c (still have)
Calumet Widefield (highly modified-used for architecture-still have but don't use)
Phillips 4x5 (still have and use)
Canon 5D (my first digital-still have for a backup camera)
Canon 5DII
Well, we all seem to agree that different formats and brands all have their negative and positive aspects and as much as I really enjoy working with view cameras, I love pretty much all imaging devices. I'm a big gear junkie, I admit it. I think most photographers are...
I've had special relationships with many cameras through the years... here are a few:
- Konica T4 My Sister gave me this when I was 18... begin the obsession.
- Hasselblad 500 CM Really something magical about shooting this camera... every time.
- Nikon F3 My tank workhorse for the majority of my educational years.
- Leica CL Shot all my street work with this. I like the smaller size versus the M's.
- Contax G2 Had two with a few lenses. Really beautiful cameras, but never shot anything memorable with them. Focus sucked.
- Arca Swiss F Line 4x5 90% of my Career work was shot with this thing.
- Arca Swiss F Metric 6x9 My first digital view camera, had to leave that at HB : (
- Arca Swiss F Line 6x9 Bought this 15 year old from a friend when I quit HB. Got me going.
- Arca Swiss M Line 2 6x9 Utterly in love with this thing.
- Nikon D3 My very first dslr... really like this camera too!
- Phase One 645 AF Came with my P65+....is meh...anxiously awaiting DF to swap out. D lenses are really quite good!
What about you guys?
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I agree on the hassy 203fe, that cam with the 110 glued to it, a 6x6 inch chip, 5x5 inch lcd, with a porta 160nc internal processor and pixel binning so I could shoot about 5000 6mp pics to a card.
It's a waste of time to look back, but yes, that 110 f2 wide open was magic. And with those weird FE lenses, there was no shutter, so you could focus much closer than the CF lenses. Also, the FE lenses were, in general, one full stop faster, except for the 80. Plus, the awesome meter. Plus, the fact that somehow, there was virtually zero mirror slap. Plus, plus, plus. That's the story of that camera -- plus plus plus. The list was long.
All I'd want in a digital back for would be about 16MP, FF. Surely it could be done. But in the grand scheme of mass marketing, this would fall into about a .0000000001 percent of the marketplace's demands.
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What is the oldest/earliest Canon 50 or 85 that will still mount on a 5D2 or 1ds3? (Or maybe even an offbrand without coating?) Thanks.
I think that anything with an EF mount will have some type of coating on it.
I remember reading that Spielberg's DP used some vintage lenses with no coatings but also had Panavision make him lenses with no coatings to get the right kind of flare for Saving Private Ryan. In that vein, I've also read that you can use things like toothpaste take the coating off a lens. It has enough grit to it to get the coating off but not do too much more damage. Don't know anyone who's tried it.
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Site (http://www.jonroemer.com/) | Blog (http://www.jonroemer.com/blog/)
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Well another list:
Started with Nikon FTN, then Canon F1
gave it all up for Leica M2
many years later Hassy 500,
then changed to
Rollei 6003
Mamiya 6
Technikardan 45
Ebony 45RW
Rollei GX
Canon 20D
Leica M8
Rollei 6008 db20
Most fun: Rollei 6003.
Most romance: Leica M2
Most practical: gave that up long ago - altho the M8 is pretty solid. The Canon is bulletproof, but not much fun.
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fuji 680....best camera, best lenses....i also used to shoot it handheld with fuji NPH pushed 2 stops....beautiful grain and still crisp...
fuji 690...just amazing and so much fun....i used it for everything...from studio to p&s....shot a couple of rolls with it once with the lenscap on....the girl thought i was a complete idiot....
fuji 645 folder....not as sharp or good but so small and fun....best travel camera ever...
rollei 6008 phase 20...great combo, amazing lenses...
i have to bring up the dsII here because in many ways i think it wanted to be the camera the dsIII is and totally wasn't even close....and it really turned me off DSLR and cost me a lot of money and frustration....so that is a big thumbs down for the dsII.....
dsIII great, great, great.....5DII even better...i prefer the files....
i shoot mostly with older leica lenses, i have focus confirmation adapters...they really work....no it is not AF but i shoot the 5DII these days like a MF camera....angle finder...i just prefer looking down...and older manual lenses....a little slower shooting but great files....
the leica lenses make the highlight transitions look as film like as it gets...just don't get the newer (asph) ones.....if you want to get funky get really old ones....
anyone interested.....kevin's cameras sells a TON of really old, uncoated lenses...a lot for canon....everything from old movie lenses to leica, canon,....lenses from the 40's to newer ones...
i am really looking forward to what canon will show next year....i am dreaming of a magnified finder....the best thing about it...i am in no rush at all...every time i open up the files from a shoot i am blown away by the look, feel and ability to cover up problems and mistakes.....
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Old Canon FD got me started.
Moved to Nikon and then sold them all that for a 500 CM and 3 lenses. Still own them.
Needed 35 again so went with Leica R, outstanding lenses. Wish I still owned them.
Horseman 4X5, then Sinar F and P.
Arca Swiss 6X9 F is one of most wonderful cameras I've ever used. Taking it to the grave with me.
Still shooting the 1DS. Not selling that one either. Love the look.
Using 5DII and 7D for daily needs. Love the new 17 TS-E.
Just bought the SONY A850 and Zeiss 24-70. Sweet camera and outstanding lens.
I take a 4X5 pinhole and an old Baby Rollei twin out for fun on the weekends.
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started with twin eye 6x6 mamya c330 and various leica mp, m4p , m7
when starting with architecure shot with linhof technikardan and technorama 617,
also using leica r8
bought a roundshot seitz which i didnt used much.
using a scanmate 5000 drumscanner exzessively.
than digital started for me with fuji s2 and kodak 14n and slr,
created a photoshop batch, using white reference files for removing color casts with the kodak
or other sensors used with shift lenses.
worked with nd filters to use the kodak at iso6 in daylight which brought stunning results.
meanwhile still using 4x5" film but loved the "digital" colors for certain lights.
than sinar e22 together with custom made gottschalt camera.
than sinar e75 with unresolved centerfold.
stefan hess resolved the centerfold and we made togeter the brumbaer workflow for this combo.
first time content with digital. stopped finally with filmwork and sold all except leica m4p as memory .....
used the 1dsmk2 and later the 5d for details. added a contax system with second e75 back.
than sinar and i transformed my experiences with gottschalt cam and brumbaer tools in the artek and exposure architecture plugin. added sinar m system which i dont use much.
i moved for details to the 5dmk2. very content with the setup still.
than the 17tse and 24tse came out, i run excessive tests and question a bit my future in mf world in longer terms.
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Old Kodak camera's from the fifties.
My father's folding 35mm with a Zeiss lens (I think)
Canon FD with 50mm, 135mm, and 200mm (generic) manual aperture stop down with simple TTL metering
Nikon FTN with 50mm f/1.2 (talk about flare!) and then Micro Nik
Calumet 4x5 viewfinder with Schneider convertable lens (can't remember focal lengths)
Graphlex Speed Graphic (I've forgotten what lens)
Mamiya TLR (can't remember model number) with wide angle and normal lenses
Minolta X700 with 28mm, 50mm, and Sigma 70-200 zoom (poor QC with the Sigma), then bought a second used x700 and a vivitar 35mm-70mm zoom (I was so disappointed in 35mm at this point)
Konica Minolta diMage A2
Konica Minolta diMage A200
Sony alpha 850 with Sony Zeiss 24-70mm, one of the best cameras I've owned.
I have very fond memories of the Calumet view with the Schneider lens and the Graphlex and took my best photographs with them. It goes to show bells and whistles are not necessary. The craft of exposure, composition, film development and printing was a joy.
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forgot that funky polaroid viewfinder with the interchangeable lenses....and the grip....that thing always got great expressions.....but the pain of the b&w pola negative on location.....
most impressive thing ever still is a 8x10 plaroid..straight out of the camera....unless of course the 20x24 polaroid cameras:).....never owned an 8x10 but really enjoyed the couple of times i shot with one....also:contact 8x10s from b&w negs:)
also fun: nikon 950...the swivel thing...accepted lens attachments and worked great with studio flash....shot some editorials with it.....combined with the epson 1200? my first shoot, adjust, print 11x14s solution.....at that time this blew people away....