Just Bought My First Medium Format!

Colorado CJ · 09-16-2013, 07:24 PM

I just won an RB67 Pro S with prism, 90mm C f3.8 lens and, 6x7 back and extra fresnel focus screen, all in near new condition. I won it for only $163.00!

I was looking for a Pentax 67, but the prices are a little high for me right now. If I like MF (and I'm sure I will), I'll save up for a Pentax 67. It would make for a nicer hiking MF than the RB67

I can't wait for my camera and developing supplies to arrive! This might become a whole new avenue to feed my obsessive photography compulsion!

**blackcloudbrew** · 09-16-2013, 10:21 PM

I got back into B&W film several years ago and now have 2 645's and a 6x7. Medium format is wonderful to say the least. Enjoy.

LowVoltage · 09-16-2013, 10:25 PM

Good for you!

I was fortunate enough to borrow an RB67 from somebody many years ago. Very heavy, but what fun to use! That was my first medium format experience. After that I occasionally rented a Mamiya 6x4.5 - a lot of plastic, but far lighter to carry.

Make sure you have a sturdy tripod!

tuco · 09-17-2013, 05:01 AM

Congrats. That camera is more at home in a studio than out in the field hiking that's for sure. I have a Mamiya 7II I use for hiking and the street that is also a lightweight camera for medium format. But rangefinders have both strong and weak points. And that's the way it is with medium format film cameras it seems. Each one having a strong point at the expense of something else.

LaHo · 09-19-2013, 07:09 AM

Congrats. Medium format is fun, and the gear is cheaper than ever. That saving can be spent on lots of film. :-)

CDW · 09-19-2013, 02:55 PM

Congrats. The very first roll of 120 I ever shot was on an RB67 back in the early 1990s. After that I never looked back to 35mm and went on to shoot with a Pentax 67 and 645n, now a 645D and Pentax and SONY DSLRs. My 645n still sits of a shelf and I give it a loving pat every once in awhile thinking of all the great places it went with me. :-)

Colorado CJ · 09-21-2013, 10:23 AM - **2 Likes**

I received the RB67 Pro S Friday. Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning all the old light seals off the camera and film back and replaced them. Still can't believe how cheap I got this camera for.

Looking through the waist level finder is incredible! So 3D looking, it is hard to not just walk around looking through the finder.

LFLee · 09-21-2013, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by Colorado CJ

I received the RB67 Pro S Friday. Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning all the old light seals off the camera and film back and replaced them. Still can't believe how cheap I got this camera for.

Good deal! lucky!

tuco · 09-21-2013, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by Colorado CJ

...
Looking through the waist level finder is incredible! So 3D looking, it is hard to not just walk around looking through the finder.
...

It takes some getting use to seeing the reverse in a WLF. But after years I don't even notice anymore except when I'm trying to shoot a moving object. I shoot with WLF even on my Pentax 6x7. When I need to shoot more like a 35mm SLR, I use my M7II rangefinder; otherwise, I treat my 500C/M and Pentax 6x7 like I'm shooting my 4x5 view camera where a 100% view and magnifying glass for critical focus of the WLF comes in handy.

**qblade** · 09-21-2013, 05:02 PM

Looks like you got some really nice equipment for very little dollars. I always thought the B67 was a great camera - heavy, but well constructed and capable of producing great results. Enjoy!

**Buffy** · 09-22-2013, 07:01 AM

Congratulations! You are going to love the big negatives and you have a nice rugged camera there. I'd love a 67II myself but I am limited to things that can autofocus.

Colorado CJ · 09-22-2013, 04:51 PM

Just got back from running two rolls of film through the RB67. I went hiking up into the Snowy's, roughly 11,500 ft. I hiked only 5 miles, but I brought my full digital photography bag (~35 lbs, I can never leave anything behind

) and the RB67 on a tripod.

Since I hike with a lot of gear (a lot of weight) all the time, I really didn't feel the difference lugging the RB67 around. It balanced on my shoulder, mounted to the tripod, just fine, much like my D600 and a heavy lens.

I should have all my chemicals tomorrow, so I'll get to develop the rolls. The only problem right now is, I don't have a negative scanner. I do have a flatbed scanner, but it isn't set up to scan negatives. I am planning on getting a V700 within a week or two.

I am going to have to find some cheaper film, or sell some other gear though. I can tell already that I am going to LOVE shooting medium format, even before developing the first rolls. It is a very different form of photography and feels like it will fit real well with how I go about shooting.

**jva59** · 09-22-2013, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by Colorado CJ

Just got back from running two rolls of film through the RB67. I went hiking up into the Snowy's, roughly 11,500 ft. I hiked only 5 miles, but I brought my full digital photography bag (~35 lbs, I can never leave anything behind

) and the RB67 on a tripod.

Since I hike with a lot of gear (a lot of weight) all the time, I really didn't feel the difference lugging the RB67 around. It balanced on my shoulder, mounted to the tripod, just fine, much like my D600 and a heavy lens.

I should have all my chemicals tomorrow, so I'll get to develop the rolls. The only problem right now is, I don't have a negative scanner. I do have a flatbed scanner, but it isn't set up to scan negatives. I am planning on getting a V700 within a week or two.

I am going to have to find some cheaper film, or sell some other gear though. I can tell already that I am going to LOVE shooting medium format, even before developing the first rolls. It is a very different form of photography and feels like it will fit real well with how I go about shooting.

Keep us abreast developments, CJ. I've been following your work on the preset thread and expect great things!

Colorado CJ · 09-24-2013, 08:26 PM

Well I just finished developing my first roll of film ever! It is also the first roll of film out of the Mamiya RB67. The film is hanging up to dry right now.

I am hoping to get an enlarger in a few days, so I can try my had at printing as well. This could become a serious addiction

For those interested, the film is 120 roll film Delta 100. I developed it in Xtol 1:1 and fixed it using TF-4

Nuff · 09-25-2013, 04:33 AM

Looks great, if you keep shooting only black and white you might want to invest in yellow and orange filters to darken the sky a bit.

09-16-2013, 07:24 PM	#1
Colorado CJ Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,421	Just Bought My First Medium Format! I just won an RB67 Pro S with prism, 90mm C f3.8 lens and, 6x7 back and extra fresnel focus screen, all in near new condition. I won it for only $163.00! I was looking for a Pentax 67, but the prices are a little high for me right now. If I like MF (and I'm sure I will), I'll save up for a Pentax 67. It would make for a nicer hiking MF than the RB67 I can't wait for my camera and developing supplies to arrive! This might become a whole new avenue to feed my obsessive photography compulsion!

09-22-2013, 07:01 AM	#11
Buffy Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greater Boston area, Massachusetts Posts: 384	Re: First medium format Congratulations! You are going to love the big negatives and you have a nice rugged camera there. I'd love a 67II myself but I am limited to things that can autofocus.

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09-16-2013, 10:21 PM	#2
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,397	I got back into B&W film several years ago and now have 2 645's and a 6x7. Medium format is wonderful to say the least. Enjoy.

09-16-2013, 10:25 PM	#3
LowVoltage Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mount Joy, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 544	Good for you! I was fortunate enough to borrow an RB67 from somebody many years ago. Very heavy, but what fun to use! That was my first medium format experience. After that I occasionally rented a Mamiya 6x4.5 - a lot of plastic, but far lighter to carry. Make sure you have a sturdy tripod!

09-17-2013, 05:01 AM	#4
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 10,481	Congrats. That camera is more at home in a studio than out in the field hiking that's for sure. I have a Mamiya 7II I use for hiking and the street that is also a lightweight camera for medium format. But rangefinders have both strong and weak points. And that's the way it is with medium format film cameras it seems. Each one having a strong point at the expense of something else.

09-19-2013, 07:09 AM	#5
LaHo Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Greater Copenhagen Area Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 425	Congrats. Medium format is fun, and the gear is cheaper than ever. That saving can be spent on lots of film. :-)

09-19-2013, 02:55 PM	#6
CDW Site Supporter Join Date: May 2011 Location: Big Island, Hawaii & Utah Posts: 457	Congrats. The very first roll of 120 I ever shot was on an RB67 back in the early 1990s. After that I never looked back to 35mm and went on to shoot with a Pentax 67 and 645n, now a 645D and Pentax and SONY DSLRs. My 645n still sits of a shelf and I give it a loving pat every once in awhile thinking of all the great places it went with me. :-)

09-21-2013, 10:23 AM - 2 Likes	#7
Colorado CJ Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,421 Original Poster	I received the RB67 Pro S Friday. Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning all the old light seals off the camera and film back and replaced them. Still can't believe how cheap I got this camera for. Looking through the waist level finder is incredible! So 3D looking, it is hard to not just walk around looking through the finder.

09-21-2013, 10:38 AM	#8
LFLee Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southern California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,292	Originally posted by Colorado CJ I received the RB67 Pro S Friday. Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning all the old light seals off the camera and film back and replaced them. Still can't believe how cheap I got this camera for. Good deal! lucky!

09-21-2013, 11:03 AM	#9
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 10,481	Originally posted by Colorado CJ ... Looking through the waist level finder is incredible! So 3D looking, it is hard to not just walk around looking through the finder. ... It takes some getting use to seeing the reverse in a WLF. But after years I don't even notice anymore except when I'm trying to shoot a moving object. I shoot with WLF even on my Pentax 6x7. When I need to shoot more like a 35mm SLR, I use my M7II rangefinder; otherwise, I treat my 500C/M and Pentax 6x7 like I'm shooting my 4x5 view camera where a 100% view and magnifying glass for critical focus of the WLF comes in handy.

09-21-2013, 05:02 PM	#10
qblade Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Edina, MN Posts: 258	Looks like you got some really nice equipment for very little dollars. I always thought the B67 was a great camera - heavy, but well constructed and capable of producing great results. Enjoy!

09-22-2013, 04:51 PM	#12
Colorado CJ Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,421 Original Poster	Just got back from running two rolls of film through the RB67. I went hiking up into the Snowy's, roughly 11,500 ft. I hiked only 5 miles, but I brought my full digital photography bag (~35 lbs, I can never leave anything behind ) and the RB67 on a tripod. Since I hike with a lot of gear (a lot of weight) all the time, I really didn't feel the difference lugging the RB67 around. It balanced on my shoulder, mounted to the tripod, just fine, much like my D600 and a heavy lens. I should have all my chemicals tomorrow, so I'll get to develop the rolls. The only problem right now is, I don't have a negative scanner. I do have a flatbed scanner, but it isn't set up to scan negatives. I am planning on getting a V700 within a week or two. I am going to have to find some cheaper film, or sell some other gear though. I can tell already that I am going to LOVE shooting medium format, even before developing the first rolls. It is a very different form of photography and feels like it will fit real well with how I go about shooting.

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09-22-2013, 05:01 PM	#13
jva59 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,374	Originally posted by Colorado CJ Just got back from running two rolls of film through the RB67. I went hiking up into the Snowy's, roughly 11,500 ft. I hiked only 5 miles, but I brought my full digital photography bag (~35 lbs, I can never leave anything behind ) and the RB67 on a tripod. Since I hike with a lot of gear (a lot of weight) all the time, I really didn't feel the difference lugging the RB67 around. It balanced on my shoulder, mounted to the tripod, just fine, much like my D600 and a heavy lens. I should have all my chemicals tomorrow, so I'll get to develop the rolls. The only problem right now is, I don't have a negative scanner. I do have a flatbed scanner, but it isn't set up to scan negatives. I am planning on getting a V700 within a week or two. I am going to have to find some cheaper film, or sell some other gear though. I can tell already that I am going to LOVE shooting medium format, even before developing the first rolls. It is a very different form of photography and feels like it will fit real well with how I go about shooting. Keep us abreast developments, CJ. I've been following your work on the preset thread and expect great things!

09-24-2013, 08:26 PM	#14
Colorado CJ Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,421 Original Poster	Well I just finished developing my first roll of film ever! It is also the first roll of film out of the Mamiya RB67. The film is hanging up to dry right now. I am hoping to get an enlarger in a few days, so I can try my had at printing as well. This could become a serious addiction For those interested, the film is 120 roll film Delta 100. I developed it in Xtol 1:1 and fixed it using TF-4

09-25-2013, 04:33 AM	#15
Nuff Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sydney Posts: 671	Looks great, if you keep shooting only black and white you might want to invest in yellow and orange filters to darken the sky a bit.