Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/07/01

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Subject: [Leica] Now MF, was where oh where is the DMR now Canon
From: bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Fri Jul 1 09:26:57 2005

Congratulations, Jim - And as to the photos - the exposures look great, but
why are the images so, uh, square? :-)


On 7/1/05 10:24 AM, "Jim Hemenway" <Jim@hemenway.com> wrote:

> Scott:
> 
> You might take a look at a Rollei 6x6 SLR.  The metering system is the
> best that I've ever used, that of my R8 is second best.
> 
> Here's some using various lenses. The first two are not with the Rollei
> 6008i but the rest are.
> http://www.hemenway.com/DarkDayAcadia/
> 
> And, here's just one roll from my 37 year old daughter's wedding three
> weeks ago, (91 F)     http://www.hemenway.com/Wedding/
> A small, very non-formal ceremony in the happy couple's home, attended
> by both crazy families.
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> 
> Scott McLoughlin wrote:
> 
>> Mark,
>> 
>> Well, you "caught" me :-)  Yes, I've been eye-balling a RZ67 kit. About
>> $1K in
>> EX or EX+ condition from KEH with the 110/2.8 longer normal lens. Then I'd
>> spring for the 210/4.5 APO or some other short tele, and that's pretty
>> much it.
>> 
>> A good buddy of mine has a Mamiya 7II and the normal lens, and I don't 
>> know
>> if this is the right beast for me. He had a hell of a time getting the
>> RF aligned
>> precisely, and more significantly, it's really not so good for head
>> shots. But he
>> also sings the praises of the 6x7 to me (he's coming from 4x5).
>> 
>> Generally, I'm planning on shooting people with this camera on a tripod 
>> and
>> some studio lights.
>> 
>> In 6x6, I have also been eyeballing 'blad 501 stuff, and TLR's as well.
>> TLR's
>> would allow for hand holding and candid photography. Maybe a 'blad, with
>> it's
>> lower weight would be 1 do-all  tripod/handheld combo system.
>> 
>> I'll see.
>> 
>> As for MF RF Texas Leicas, I'm pretty happy with my actual Leicas :-)
>> 
>> Scott
>> 
>> Mark Rabiner wrote:
>> 
>>>> Anyway, back to photography, I find there are so many factors that
>>>> make/break a photo more than the capture device. Film processing,
>>>> scanning technique, "digital darkroom" dodge/burn and sharpening
>>>> work, tripod use or handheld steadiness, printing, mood - and light!
>>>> 
>>>> The real "competitor" to my Nikon DSLR is likely to be a 6x7 MF
>>>> system I've been researching and shopping around for. I want a big
>>>> scan of a big B&W negative. That's what I really want for Xmas.
>>>> 
>>>> And until then, my 2 Leica M6TTL's and a few lenses get a good
>>>> 90% of my shooting time anyway. Just fits in a small bag so nicely.
>>>> 
>>>> Scott
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>   
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Well Scott when you say "6x7 MF system " you should tell us if it's
>>> SLR or
>>> not. I do have this one theory on 6x7. On presentation on the light table
>>> being its only real advantage; not image quality in larger prints which
>>> would be the only reason I can think of of getting into it.
>>> A 6x7 blows away all 6x6's on the light table is what sums it up. My
>>> little
>>> theory that is. Not so on the gallery walls I'm sure. Large prints.
>>> But for some non logical reason a 6x7 seems twice as big as a 6x6 on a
>>> light
>>> table. And at the movement of reckoning...............
>>> When you're showing them you're "take".
>>> No ones looking at the 6x6's. It's like they are not even there.
>>> So it gets people like Anne Liebowitz and Herb Ritz putting their
>>> Hassies on
>>> the shelf for the interim..
>>> 
>>> Just keep in mind what a backless, lensless, prismlesss, Hasselblad
>>> 500 CM
>>> or W looks like if you've ever seen one which most have probably not.
>>> Its a 500 gram 3 inch hollow cube with a mirror in it. Made in Sweden.
>>> Yours for a couple hundred bucks.
>>> Glass from Zeiss made in Germany as good as it gets of all shapes and
>>> sizes
>>> each one with it's own shutter for a couple hundred bucks a pop. Ok I
>>> slightly exaggerate.*
>>> 
>>> A new Leica MP weights 100 grams more than this. (600 grams for a new
>>> Leica
>>> MP)
>>> Cost ten times more..
>>> And gives you a neg 3.5 times smaller.
>>> This only occasionally freaks me out.
>>> 
>>> What does get my attention is that to get that extra centimeter for 6x7
>>> instead of 6x6 means to get a camera which is three times bigger and
>>> heaver.
>>> Especially if you're wanting that rotatable back of the RB or RZ.
>>> I'd go check that out; look up the Mamiya site for the 6x7 RZ like I just
>>> did with the Leica site and I weighted and measured my Blad on my own but
>>> I'll leave the RZ specs to the home viewer.
>>> Suffice to say 12 on a roll instead of 10 or 9.
>>> Squares (with their natural centers making for much easier composition
>>> and
>>> later flexibility) RULE!!
>>> http://rabinergroup.com/ImagePages/Biteme.html
>>> 
>>> 
>>> So hopefully you're thinking a Mamiya or Fuji Rangefinder.
>>> Texas Leicas.
>>> Wonder bread Leicas. Leicas with a whole lot of air pumped into them.
>>> Me I'd opt for one of the 645 jobs.
>>> Once you've gotten into Brownie Film you're over that "trying to pump
>>> light
>>> though a keyhole" effect you've got with 35mm which you don't with medium
>>> format.
>>> Medium format opens it up. Lets the light pour through.
>>> But to me it only needs 645 to do that.
>>> And that's 16 on a roll. A slice of pie for everybody.
>>> On the  "A 16-member Pakistan cricket team "!
>>> 
>>> Or a murder of 16 crows if that's how many are up there!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> * a couple of hundred bucks now for Hassy stuff used.
>>> But once the medium format digital backs hit that magic price point that
>>> gear will be in a Bear market again.
>>> Of course the idea is to sell high; buy low.
>>> Those who sold their Hassies for a song. Some extra memory cards I say
>>> "phooey" to. And your dog!!!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Mark Rabiner
>>> Photography
>>> Portland Oregon
>>> http://rabinergroup.com/
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>>  
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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>> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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Replies: Reply from Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway) ([Leica] Now MF, was where oh where is the DMR now Canon)
In reply to: Message from Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway) ([Leica] Now MF, was where oh where is the DMR now Canon)