Model shoot with an RF?

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Kiloran
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Am I completely mad?

I'm going to a group model shoot in a couple of weeks (bunch of photographers, bunch of models, interesting venue). Part of me is screaming "buy a DSLR if you're going to do this stuff" but I've absolutely no interest in photography with one of those.

My technique I think is pretty good, can focus, meter and frame reasonably reliably but of course I'm not going to be firing off 3fps like some of these guys. The venue is going to be low-light. I have a bunch of f/1.2 & f/1.4 glass and am happy to use high ISOs (particularly in a film RF). Thinking I'll take my R-D1 plus two other bodies, just not sure which ones. Bessa T would be sensible but not sure I'll be able to work quick enough with the split focus/finder thing. Canon P would do the job but I can't use my fast M-mount stuff (so limited to a Jupiter 9 & Canon 50mm f/1.2).

Mamiya 7ii just won't be fast enough given that I don't like Delta 3200

Hmm, so Canon P plus J9 & Canon 50 plus R-D1 with 35mm Nokton (or maybe 40mm). This is all looking to me like I need to buy a fast 50 for that camera as well....

What about flash? No studio lighting available, never used PC sync flash before...

Or should I just give in and buy a Dsomething or other?
 
The Nokton and a Canon 1.2 aren't fast enough for you?!

What gear you are going to use all depends on what look you are going for, and what the venue is like. Is there much natural lighting?
 
Your RFs will work great. You'll have a big advantage over the other guys in that you'll be able to see through your viewfinder as the shutter fires, so you'll know whether or not you got the pose and expression you wanted -- everyone else will have to guess or chimp.

I wouldn't bother with a battery-powered flash unit, especially if you've never used one before. Instead, if the venue and situation permit, you might want to go out and get a small plug-in quartz light, such as a video light, and a compact lightstand to hold it. This shouldn't cost much or be too burdensome to carry, and will give you a lot of flexibility. The idea of using it is not to make it your principal light source, but to use it to reinforce or accent the ambient light. There are lots of ways to use it -- rimlight the subject with it, bounce it off a wall or ceiling, rake it across a textured surface, etc., etc. It's easy because you can see what the light is doing, whereas with a battery-powered flash you can't.
 
Unless you are planning rapid action shots of models in motion, there is no reason that you can't use any of the cameras and lenses you own right now, including the screw-mounts. While motor driven SLRs have dominated popular cultures' image of a 'shoot', there is much to be said for slowing down, setting up a solid shot and allowing yourself time to appreciate or consider what it is you are doing, what the model is presenting and how the light is moving.

A quality shot is always the goal and 5 frames per second of if'ee images vs. a well conceived and executed, slow, knob advance rangefinder shot is a no-brainer. Too often motor driven shoots will only deliver, at best, a few usable images per roll.

If the group is mob shooting one or two models at a time and the action is too fast for you to get what you need, take one of the models aside and work at your own pace. Chances are, all of the gang shots will look the same, with none standing out as superlative, while your work will be fresher and more memorable. Having time to work WITH the model pays dividends vs. shoving a camera in her direction and firing away at whatever comes up.

As you have no experience with studio flash lighting, you can either depend on someone else to set you up or do without. If you've got a connection for a flash on whatever camera, your good-to-go.

Good luck

Eli
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement. Venue has no power so no-one will be using lights, on camera flash reqd for everything. I'm thinking that my RF glass plus handholdability is more than going to compensate for all but the pro VR/IS f/2,8 SLR gear there. There will be ambient light and assuming the weather is reasonable some opportunities to shoot outside will be available. Will be working 1-on-1 some of the time so I will be able to control the pace. Given that we have controlled (absence of) light inside and I'll be shooting B&W neg I think I'll use the Canon P in preference to the T (the 100mm framelines will be a good approximation for the Jupiter).
Will let you know how things go 🙂
 
lack of power is no limitation on the use of strobes (batt packs, y'all). on-camera flash is flat and near nasty - unless it's bounced or diffused. don't know whether you can do it, but i know i'd take a little flash (like an sf-20 or equiv) and an off-camera cord and work it as fill and maybe even key lighting depending on what's available. i mean, if you've never been to the venue, come prepared to shoot with or without flash, no? what happens if the ambient light is really poor?

at least bring something to use as a reflector to give you some modeling options.
 
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memphis: a lit up concert stage is hardly a low-light shoot. Lack of flash works for concert photography, it might not for portraits, especially if it's a "true" low-light environment.

Tero: Depending on the setup they have there, I would use a few battery powered flashes, placed strategically around the subject and get some cheap Ebay radio triggers to fire them remotely from your RF..
Once the lights are setup, you can move around the subject and use the strobes' location creatively to achieve different styles of shots. Of course, this is much easier with digital so RD-1 is a must. You can then chimp your way to perfection and then replicate the camera settings to your film bodies.

In the end you're basically faced with two choices: high ISO film shots which are grainy.. or high ISO digital shots which are clean.
 
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