old school imaging !

[gaelicstorm7]

Hi guys,

While on holidays in Ireland, my tripod failed so had to buy a new one (went abit mad and bought a Velbon CF630 and a manfrotto 222 head, seems a cracking setup so far), and whilst in the shop spotted a Mamiya c330, always fancied having a bash at medium format, so bought it ! (think it was abit of a bargain 2 x CF330 bodies 55mm, 80mm, 135mm and 180mm lens's all for £200 ), so plans for the future are to maybe try it for piggyback widefield stuff.

Do any of you guys use anything similar any tips on what films are best to use ?. Any tips most appreciated.

Thanks,

Alan.

[Jamie]

Alan the only person on here that i know who uses medium/large format cameras

and could answer your questions would be Astroscot2 Drop him a PM see if he can help.

Hope this helps.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Cool idea! I was thinking along those lines a while ago, takes me back to days of PanF and stuff. Never thought of a piggyback though, have to get the Lubitel out and see what happens. My Bro. just bought a film scanner so I'll give him a bell when he gets back from his hols. see if it'll do 6X6.

Captain Chaos

[SteelRat]

Mama miya! Mamiya!

[gaelicstorm7]

Lubital should work nicely CC, they were great little camera's from what I recall, think with the negative size piggybacked widefields should be awesome !, still not sure what ISO films would be the best to use slow or fast ?

Alan

[gsjag]

My only comment would be to be prepared to use shed loads of film to get a single decent image. Don't be disapointed, thats just how it is.

Godd luck, sounds like a cracking setup for a minimal outlay.

[FLO]

I used to use one of those Alan. Nice camera and you seem to have picked up a clean example with the better, more recent optics. I liked the way it slowed the act of taking a picture down to a crawl; it meant I spent more time on each image and left me feeling the 'author of my own work' ... something I tend not to feel with the DSLR!

You might want to check the cost of processing 120 roll film lest you get carried away...

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

I'd go XP5 or whatever is the current equivalent B&W ISO 400 or more available in B&W. Wouldn't attempt colour until I'd at least got something average with home brewed B&W stuff. This has really got me going now, Alan, I have the processing kit but not the chemicals, if you want to pop round for a play, you're not far away, let me know. I think Jessops might have a customer on monday morning!

Captain Chaos

[gsjag]

CC - Isn't 400 a bit slow? Did a faster film not become available in this format? I was thinking about 1600? Perhaps I am stuck in 35mm...? Of course, the faster the film the bigger the grain...

[FLO]

BTW, the 80 and 180 are belters 8)

[gaelicstorm7]

Yup really looking forward to trying it out !, any reccomendations on the best films to use and on what I could expect to pay to for processing costs (and where from), was thinking of maybe getting the films processed and then scanned to cd.

Thanks

Alan

[gsjag]

Alan, if you get the films processed you really need to tell them what you were up to and the exposure times etc you were using. If you don't, they will process against standard parameters and you could just get blank positives.

[gaelicstorm7]

Glad to hear I've created a bit of a stir ! , I'm pretty exited about this myself too CC, I used to process all my own 35mm stuff, but sold my gear years back

Who know this could become a revolution back to good old film !

Thanks for the comments on the lenses Steve, from what I've seen on the net they seem to be the picks of the bunch, I'm on the lookout now for a 250mm to complete the set !

Cheers

Alan

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

I know I've got a patterson developing tank and (I think) an Ilford one that I got off my uncle about thirty years ago that have been sat about in the shed for years, it would be nice if they got used as that's why I didn't bin them. Stuff comes in usefull eventually. I'm up for a go at this as you have made me realise that I have the kit for MF widefield astro stuff already lying about gathering dust. I had pondered on getting a 6X6 SLR as they are (Russian ones) reasonably priced, but I'd forgotten about piggybacking and so didn't think about the Lubitel. Perhaps a much needed kick up the butt there, I'll get on with it sometime soon. If you want a go with the developing tanks, let me know, I suspect they're either giving them away or they cost loads these days, either way you're welcome to a loan of them Alan.

Captain Chaos