I have not made many pictures with my Mamiyaflex II either, but I hope to remedy that over time. I was initially not very impressed with the camera's performance when I first acquired it at a local garage sale a couple years ago. Since then, though, I've decided that my dissatisfaction with the images from the Mamiyaflex was due more to poor technique on my part rather than any deficiency in the camera. In fact, the camera's feature set is quite competitive with others of the period; it has auto frame spacing and shutter cocking coupled to the film advance and a pretty nice pair of coated lenses. I took a walk around Old Town Albuquerque recently with the camera loaded with Kodak Tri-X which I processed in HC-110, semi-stand.
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| bicycle shop |
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| Grey Dog Trading |
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| sculpture garden |
Photographers today looking to shoot a medium-format tlr will particularly appreciate the Mamiya's capacity to accept standard 120 film, as opposed to the now-obsolete 620 Kodak. While shutter operation and focusing smoothness compare very favorably with Kodak's tlr, the optics of the Mamiya seem to me to be a little less sharp.
It is not surprising that the Mamiya Sekor lens could not achieve quite the sharpness of the four-element Kodak Anastar, which was one of the great lenses of the era. It is a little hard to fathom, though, why Mamiya did not choose to brighten the screen image of its reflex with the addition of a Fresnel intensifier as was the case in the Kodak Reflex II. It may just be that Mamiya saw that the design strategy embodied in the Reflex II tradition was a dead-end, and that the path to success was much more likely to point in the direction of new ideas which would be incorporated in their innovative press cameras and the extraordinary C-line of twin-lens cameras.
The Mamiyaflex II Manual is at the Butkus site.
6 comments:
Love the bicycle shop shot. This film/developer combination seems to hit the sweet spot for me. And I don't know...this old Mamiya lens looks pretty darn sharp to me.
I thought these turned out pretty well with the semi-stand processing. I actually preferred the tones I got with the Arista Edu Ultra 400 over the Tri-X, but it is hard to make meaningful comparisons unless you are shooting the same subject with the same lighting conditions. My only real complaint with the camera is the rather dull viewing screen. Mamiya offered a large hood accessory which could be placed on top of the view screen, but it looks like it would be kind of awkward in use. Might be worth rigging up something like that, however, just to see how effective it might be. I could also stop procrastinating about cataract surgery, which would likely make all my old cameras work better.
Well, I can recommend the surgery. I had it in November. Prior that, there were cameras that I could no longer use. Worse than that, driving at night was almost impossible. Now...vision is clear...better than 20/20...night driving is just fine...and I put all of my diopter correction lenses away. Amazing to be able to see again and enjoy all of my old photographic relics.
I always love to see your light/shadow work, like Grey Dog Trading. But Bicycle Shop in particular has an almost 3D effect to it; I believe I can touch the wall and feel its texture.
Recently, while delving into my collection of vintage cameras, I stumbled upon a surprising film discovery. Tucked away in a forgotten corner was an old roll that had somehow escaped my notice for years. As I excitedly loaded it into my trusty old camera, I couldn't help but marvel at the prospect of capturing moments with a medium that seemed almost forgotten in today's digital age.
What made the discovery even more intriguing was the juxtaposition of using old cameras in a world dominated by cutting-edge technology. While smartphones and digital cameras offer convenience and instant gratification, there's a certain charm to the deliberate process of shooting with a film camera. The anticipation of waiting for the film to be developed, the imperfections that lend character to each shot – it's a reminder of a bygone era when photography was more art than science.
As I ventured out to test my newly rediscovered film, I couldn't shake the feeling of nostalgia that washed over me. Each click of the shutter transported me back in time, reminding me of simpler days when photography was a tangible, tactile experience.
In the midst of this exploration, I came across an intriguing app called old roll mod apk. It promised to bring the vintage aesthetic of film photography to the digital realm, offering filters and effects that mimic the look of old-school film stocks. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try, curious to see if it could capture the essence of shooting with actual film.
To my surprise, the app exceeded my expectations. With its authentic grain patterns and subtle color shifts, it truly felt like I was working with traditional film. It was a fascinating blend of old and new – embracing the nostalgia of film photography while harnessing the convenience of digital technology.
In the end, my journey into the world of old cameras and surprising film discoveries left me with a newfound appreciation for the art of photography, reminding me that sometimes, the most memorable moments are captured through a lens steeped in history.
A bit of spam on behalf of that app, but brings up some subjects of some interest. The idea that you can emulate film results with digital is unappealing to me. There are opportunities for creativity and self-expression throughout the analog process. You may get a similar outcome, but not the pleasure of the process.
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