Asking for advice - Resuscitating 6x6 old camera

[rabanito]

I am thinking of re-activating my old 6x6 camera with the idea of slowing down, using again the light meter, manual focusing and all that paraphernalia
I've seen the horror faces at home when they heard about it - they are thinking of chemicals and all that - so I decided to start with films that can be sent to a labor and treated in C-41 and then scan them at home myself
For instance I'll try Ilford XP2 just for starters. I expect to replace the old Zone System with Photoshop :-)

As for colour negatives, I have no experience whatsoever. Any opinions or advice will be most welcome.
Thanks in advance

[TommyWeir]

That all sounds good.  I do borrow a friends Mamiya RB67 every now and then and run off a roll.  I'm less than happy with the lab who process though. I often have to retouch my scans, scratches and dust etc.  On the hunt for a good place.  My friend tells me I'm nuts not to process myself.

But my biggest issue is my rusty brain, who finds it difficult to switch back to techniques I've not used since the nineties, which has grown used to instant feedback, endless shooting, and now with the electronic viewfinder and histogram, confirmation of exposure.

I've started using an incident light meter on my landscape shoots, that's been great, I've extended it to my digital workflow, it's an improvement off the viewfinder.

[ced]

Try a roll or two & see if it is where you want to be.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Try a roll or two & see if it is where you want to be.

I agree. Go for it!
My old 6x6 Mamiya was the most fun camera I have ever used, and it was the last film camera I used, selling it when I went over to the "Dark Side" (digital.) I only used B&W film that I processed and printed myself, never bothered with color.

The only problem I ever had with it came from years of view cameras and SLRs. My Mamiya was a rangefinder camera, so on one roll I took the first three or four photos with the lens cap on!   

[Two23]

About six years ago I began to get bored with digital cameras and went back to shooting some film, almost all b&w.  I now shoot quite a bit of 4x5 film and also glass negatives.  I have a small collection of medium format cameras vintage 1914-1954.  My "newest" is a 1954 Rolleiflex.  (Also have a 1931 Baby Rolleiflex 4x4 now.)  There's something about the camera and the square format that really works for me.  I don't seem to have any problem coming up with compositions and now often find myself cropping photos made with my Nikon to square.  I think I've learned a lot more about photography by going back to the larger format film cameras (in addition to medium format I also shoot 4x5 and 5x7.)  There seems to be a sort of movement of people either partially going back to film or trying it for the first time.  I've noticed the prices of the better quality cameras and lenses have gone up dramatically in the past four years.  I suggest buying a couple of rolls of Ilford FP4 and Ilford HP5 and see where it takes you.


Kent in SD

[TommyWeir]

Lovely tones.

[petermfiore]

[quote author=Eric Myrvaagnes link=topic=128002.msg1082898#msg1082898 date=1544538085

The only problem I ever had with it came from years of view cameras and SLRs. My Mamiya was a rangefinder camera, so on one roll I took the first three or four photos with the lens cap on!   
[/quote]
Eric,
I bet those were the best almost photos ever taken by a human being, almost....

Peter

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

[quote author=Eric Myrvaagnes link=topic=128002.msg1082898#msg1082898 date=1544538085

The only problem I ever had with it came from years of view cameras and SLRs. My Mamiya was a rangefinder camera, so on one roll I took the first three or four photos with the lens cap on!   

Eric,
I bet those were the best almost photos ever taken by a human being, almost....

Peter

I should start a new genre: Portraits of Inside of a Lens Cap!   

[tcphoto1]

Absolutely, it's all about finding a lab that will process the film if you don't want to mess with the chemicals. I've been thinking about the same thing but haven't committed to it yet. Last month, I read about these guys https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1755997589/one-instant-analog-packfilm-re-invented that are raising funds to mass produce instant film packs and it looks like they're halfway there. My last 120 kit was the Mamiya RZ ProII, I'd love to find another to play with and perhaps a digital back down the road.

[Two23]

Just  yesterday I  ordered  an sp445 processing  tank, hc110, t4 fixer, and  photoflo.  I intend to begin processing my own 4x5  sheets and plates.   I'll  let you know  how it goes.


Kent in SD

[Harold Clark]

I agree. Go for it!
My old 6x6 Mamiya was the most fun camera I have ever used, and it was the last film camera I used, selling it when I went over to the "Dark Side" (digital.) I only used B&W film that I processed and printed myself, never bothered with color.

The only problem I ever had with it came from years of view cameras and SLRs. My Mamiya was a rangefinder camera, so on one roll I took the first three or four photos with the lens cap on!   

Ansel Adams mentioned something to the same effect regarding sheet film  "a blank he lived and a blank he died, he never remembered to pull the slide".

[jmlphotography]

You might want to consider a monobath developer for B&W.  Pour it into your tank, agitate off and on for aprox. 6 minutes and then wash for 5-10 min.  No mess, reusable.  I've used with 120 and 4x5.  Great way to get started or restarted in film. After trying it you can decide which (if any) of the more sophisticated methods to try.

[rabanito]

You might want to consider a monobath developer for B&W.  Pour it into your tank, agitate off and on for aprox. 6 minutes and then wash for 5-10 min.  No mess, reusable.  I've used with 120 and 4x5.  Great way to get started or restarted in film. After trying it you can decide which (if any) of the more sophisticated methods to try.

That could be an idea. I never thought of monobaths before. Thanks