I've finally entered the world of medium format!

[MarkoMijailovic]

Ever since starting out at photography (not that long ago), I've wanted a medium format system, but the ones I was interested in (Hasselblad H systems mainly) were prohibitively expensive and weren't in any way, shape or form an option for a then 20 year old student (I'm 21 as of last month  ). I didn't think of the film route then since digital was an absolute must for me (mainly because of the workflow), but over time I started using my 35mm film camera more and more and as I began appreciating film more I began thinking increasingly about purchasing a medium format film system. Just that I did last week when I bought a Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II w/ 110 f/2.8 lens and 120 back online. After doing much research on cameras in my general price range (up to $1500) I settled on the Mamiya for a few reasons. The rotating back (I shoot a lot of portraits and find this to be a big help), the large negative size, 6x7 (not a fan of square format) the superb lenses, the build quality/reliability and due to all the great reviews I've read about it being such a great studio camera.

Well, yesterday it came in and, needless to say, I was overjoyed when the postman delivered it (not so overjoyed about the customs bill  )... While I haven't put a roll of film through it yet (we're snowed in), I must say I'm really impressed with the overall feel of the camera. I was expecting manual focusing to be a nightmare (coming from a digital Nikon system which has amazing af), but when you open up that great big bright viewfinder it's an absolute joy! Focusing on this thing is brilliant and the fine tune feature is terrific. I'm gonna' load it up with some 100 T-Max tomorrow and shoot some portraits. All my fears of working with an MF camera were dismissed once I opened the box up and handled it for a bit... though I guess I can truly say that after shooting a roll or two with it! For the time being I'm going to use my dslr to meter, but will soon also purchase a dedicated meter. I'm really looking forward to developing that first roll and scanning the negatives at 3200 dpi just to see all that detail!

Sorry, I know this post is kinda' silly in that it's basically just a kid bragging about his new toy, but I had to share as this place has been such a great source of information! What a toy it is

If you've any pointers, feel free to share!

I'm looking to get one more lens for it and am thinking of the 180mm (non soft focus); what do you folks make of it? Also will need some filters, so if you could recommend any good must have filters, I'd greatly appreciate that!

Thanks, LL!

P.S. It's not THAT heavy! I like the heft of it!

[John R Smith]

Marko

Congratulations! And I'm glad you want to share your new toy with us, I've often felt exactly the same when I got a new camera or lens. The RZ 67 is a terrific camera - I've never owned one but have used them (on a tripod). If you want to do portraits the 180mm will be a very good choice, I would think. Make sure you use a big strong tripod for that mother, though 

John

[philipmccormick]

Well, as the sub-heading of the medium format forum over at GetDpi says, "Abandon Hope All ye Who Enter Here." (Dante) !!

[tcphoto1]

Congrats on the purchase. The RZ was my last medium format kit and I loved the system. It will force you to slow down and think about your shooting process. Soon, you will be lusting for the 65mm and 180mm lenses and then a digital back that will bring the system into the 21st Century. Enjoy! Here is one of my first images shot with my RZ...

[wolfnowl]

Congrats on the new toy tool toy!

Mike.

[Policar]

I own this system and really like it.  The 110mm f2.8 lens isn't the sharpest for the system (it's still very sharp) but it behaves very well wide open so I can see it being nice for slightly wide portraits.  The rotating back is awesome.

Going to buy some portra 400 and try it with that lens exclusively.  Might even be able to handhold a bit.

[Dick Roadnight]

I bought a Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II w/ 110 f/2.8 lens
If you've any pointers, feel free to share!

I had a C330, and I remember shooting side by side with a Mamiya 67... I was using warm film (Agfa CT18), and a warming 1.5 red filter to compensate for the blue cast of the overcast day. The Mamiya was using cold (ectachrome ) film and a blue batch correction filter... his results were awful, and mine were excellent, so bear this in mind if you use it outside in overcast conditions, unless the RZ lens  colour "characteristics" are different to the 1970s C330 and RB67 lenses.

[Policar]

I gave up on color correction filters for anything but black and white for the reason stated below:  you'll end up with weird, awful unnatural tints unless you really know what you are doing.  And I don't.  I process all my digital stuff at 2900K, 3200K, or 5600K; shoot film at its native balance then photoshop as necessary.

I found a few shots (the latter in particular is not my best, but eh...oh well) taken with your set up almost exactly:





They're full size (14MP) but don't display as much.  The first one was taken at f2.8!  The lens is low contrast but quite a great performer at that f-stop.  Sharper and shallower focus than my t2i with the 50mm f1.8.  Should be nice for portraits.  It has good bokeh, too.

[Dick Roadnight]

I gave up on color correction filters for anything but black and white for the reason stated below:  you'll end up with weird, awful unnatural tints unless you really know what you are doing.  And I don't.  I process all my digital stuff at 2900K, 3200K, or 5600K; shoot film at its native balance then photoshop as necessary.

Blue sky or overcast sky is way hotter than 5600K, and using a 1.5 red filter is the same as setting you WB to "cloudy".

[Policar]

Agreed, blue sky would be 20000K (if such a color existed) and cloudy days get as blue as 8000K.  But I find the color cast of strong optical filters offensive (kind of a bronze or red wash) and would rather adjust scans in photoshop or live with the blue tint (which can look great if there's also warm late-day light in frame).  I like the dramatic colors of late-day light, don't feel the need to cancel them out.

If there are people in frame and thus skintones have to be maintained it's probably good practice to correct white balance accordingly (especially if shooting slides), but I'd still prefer to do it to the scan than use filters.  Cheaper, too.  I have also found velvia to be awfully forgiving of a lack of filtration with light overcast conditions, more so than digital.  If you're going from slides straight to press then filters are probably more necessary.

Anyhow, the lenses have nice (normal) color rendition and good resolution but the 110 f2.8 has less contrast than some other lenses do.  I just find modern films, scanned, have enough flexibility to shoot without filters (except under extreme circumstances).

[MarkoMijailovic]

I should of clarified, I indeed meant filters for b/w photography. I also wouldn't bother with them on colour photos "unless I knew what I was really doing" 

[Policar]

It might just be about me not knowing what I'm doing, to be fair.  But I'd rather turn a few knobs in photoshop than carry around 10 kinds of 85 and 80 filters, especially since I don't own a color temperature meter.  Never been a fan of color filters for color photography and when I'm lighting a scene I'd rather use gels on the lights than filters on the camera.  I am really anal about color temperature looking funny; I hate mixing 3200K kino flos (even after gelling them) with tungsten softboxes, etc.  So this is my own weird set of preferences.  But the rz lenses are pretty neutral and very nice.  Ignore my terrible photos; I just wanted to show off the 110mm's resolving power.

All rz67 lenses are 77mm so you can take it from there.  For black and white, the 85b filter seems popular for just adding contrast to landscapes, etc.  If you're using daylight-balanced lights, a red filter is good for photographing anyone whose skin you want to soften, green is good for the opposite effect (so men are often photographed through a green filter, women through a red filter, but you know this, chances are).

[DeeJay]

Ah sweet memories. I built a career on that camera, I really love it still. Although it doesn't get used today it lives with me still in it's Pelican Case. I would never get rid of it.

I use to shoot Provia, Portra, T-Max 400 on it. Love the WLF, didn't really use the Prism I had for it as much. Have most of the lenses they are all really nice. Don't agree with the 110 being not so sharp, perhaps I had a good one. Yes I love the 180, it's a beautiful lens and was my portrait lens of choice normally.

I love the size of it too - and you can't beat that ground glass screen for size. There's something about using the WLF that I think is a magical combination.

Some advice though - Just go easy on the winding - the mechanisms, while well built, do get worn out. Be gentle to it, don't grind away at it. When they are warn it takes more than one wind of the lever to advance the film and cock the shutter, when they are really warn it takes 4 or 5 winds! If you are careful you shouldn't have any probs. I just didn't know this in the beginning and wore out a body, albeit with heavy use.

I prefer shooting film colour corrected with good filters.

Totally appreciate the feeling of excitment from new gear, and it gives you the right to brag about it IMO!

Goodluck and have fun - don't scrimp on a small cheap tripod, you'll regret it!

[TMARK]

The RZ is an amazing system.  I can't think of a bad lens.  The 65 W (non floating element) is amazingly sharp and contrasty.  The m/la version of the 65 is even sharper, if you have time to fool with setting the element.  I prefer the W lenses over the floating lement lenses due to weight.  I can easily handhold the 140W, 65W while I find the floating element versions too heavy.

Get the left hand grip.  It makes the camera very handholdable. 

As to filtration, I filter the lights, when possible, and use red and green filters on camera for B&W film when required.  The new Kodak films borrow from the motion picture films, in that the color balance is really designed to be set after telecine by colorists.  The digital intermediary is where the action is, the film just needs to be very neutral.