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02/01/2006 09:43:58 AM · #1 |
The only film cameras I have ever used were the Kodak disc camera when I was a kid and APS before digital became popular. I have learned to be a photographer on digital and I have never even used 35mm.
I have been very intrigued with large and medium format images I have seen so I thought I would give it a try. Originally I was reluctant because I still wanted the advantages of digital in regards to photoshop and printing. My plan is to have the images scanned in very high resolution after I get then developed. Then Iâll compare the quality and see if I want to continue using it.
I have a friend that shoots medium format and has several cameras, but he lives in New Mexico. He sent me one to play with, a Voigtlander Perko.
Day 1:
I stop at my local Wilson camera and they only have B&W 120 film. They call their other local stores and no one has color film. The kid behind the counter (he looked about 18) said he is a medium format shooter and suggested a place in downtown Phoenix to find color film. Too far of a drive with nasty traffic for me on a week day.
Day 2:
I locate a vintage camera shop not too far off my route home from work and they have color 120 film. Itâs almost like an antique store with all the old gear, except it smells of developing chemicals. I get ISO 100 because I intend to shoot landscape. Talking with the shop keeper ( a very attractive woman in her 20âs), she tells me a lot of people seem to be making the jump from digital to medium or large format in the last few weeks and attributes it to people that were disappointed with the digitals they got for Christmas.
I get it home and try to figure out how to load the film. It seems easy at first, but once the film is in and the case is closed I start advancing the film expecting a stop somewhere. After turning for what seemed like way too long, I notice a red X window on the back that I am guessing is there to tell me when to stop and when Iâm out of film. Whoops, I probably rolled through half my first roll of filmâ¦
I set up to take my first ever medium format picture, my very non exciting work bench in the garage. I set the tripod and compose my shot, deciding on using 1/100 shutter, and meter to determine what aperture to use (F8). The controls to set the settings seem very primitive from what Iâm use to on a digital, but I figure it out, cock the shutter, set the timer and fire the shot. After a few seconds of GRRRR from the little timer motor, is hear a very subdued âclickâ which just seemed way to anticlimactic to me. Of course then I realize I forgot to set the focus. I check and it was on 12ft, which was about the distance from my bench to the tripod so I think Iâm okay. Weâll see when I get it developed. It took about 10 minutes to set up for the shot and without a meter I would have had to guess at the correct settings to use.
For good measure I wanted to take another shot, just to see how the film advance worked and how I would know where to stop (since I had a problem with that earlier). My cat was sleeping on the futon in my office so he was my next victim. I was doing this handheld indoors so I set the shutter and aperture to the max (1/200& F4), set the focal range, cocked the shutter, advanced the film (this time there was a little click and the shutter button popped up) and another very anticlimactic âclick.â Weâll see if there was enough light in the room in a week or so.
Iâm not sure if it will be today as I have things that need to get done, but day three Iâm taking it outside!
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02/01/2006 09:58:30 AM · #2 |
Have fun. I wish I could learn all of that all over again just to be exploring. Like magic.
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02/01/2006 09:18:48 PM · #3 |
Update, I figured out how to tell how far you are advanced into the film and it turns out I haven't taken my first medium format shot yet. I hadn't even advanced to the first frame. Embarassing... I feel pretty dumb right about now. Tomorrow after work I'm planning on heading out to the Superstitons with it and really take some photos.
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02/01/2006 11:03:32 PM · #4 |
Heehee, reminds me of my learning curve with medium format. Don't be embarrassed, just continue to learn and have fun. There's a bit of trial and error in most things.
By the way, there's a lot to be said for an anticlimactic click... you can take photos without people realising. People are so used to cameras making beeps and the grind of film advance (or faked film advance on some digitals!) that noone expects the quiet click that was normal twenty years ago.
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02/01/2006 11:25:05 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by paddles:
Heehee, reminds me of my learning curve with medium format. Don't be embarrassed, just continue to learn and have fun. There's a bit of trial and error in most things.
By the way, there's a lot to be said for an anticlimactic click... you can take photos without people realising. People are so used to cameras making beeps and the grind of film advance (or faked film advance on some digitals!) that noone expects the quiet click that was normal twenty years ago. |
Unless you use a pentax 67. Then it's a "CLUNK" that could wake a rhyno...
Message edited by author 2006-02-03 12:17:18.
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02/04/2006 04:46:38 AM · #6 |
I'm just waiting until I win LOTTO, so I can buy myself a Hasselblad H1....
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