Anyone out there using medium-format RF for street-shooting

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eavis

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Hello,

I am finding it quite hard to find a medium-format camera that is truly suitable for consistent street-shooting. I am NOT expecting to find an MF camera with the same ease-of-use on the street as, say, an M6.

But after trying a Mamiya 6, a Fuji 690III and a Plaubel Makina 67, I haven't found a MF that allows for quick focusing and aperture/shutterspeed manipulation.

Any recommendations? Perhaps a smaller Fuji RF? Any tips on how to use MF beasts on the frenetic streets of NYC much appreciated.

A couple of shots where I've had some MF success, but they are few and far between

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eavis/3204290318/in/set-72157610679329463/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eavis/2995217750/



Cheers in advance.


Peter
 
I've used a Fuji GW670III & Plaubel Makina 67 (as well as assorted folders) on the street w/no problems, or @ least no more problems than w/other fully manual 35mm RFs.

As far as focusing, perhaps you're used to wider lenses when shooting 35mm? Because medium format gives you less DoF (for a given field of view & print size, etc.) than 35mm, focusing accuracy is more important so maybe you need to go 1 focal length wider than the 50mm equivalent (or whatever you've been using).

As far as being able to quickly manipulate aperture & shutter speed, I would agree that I'm not as quick w/the Fuji fixed-lens & Plaubel as I am w/a Leica M, but that's mostly because the ergonomics are different, not because they're inherently slower (the old folders are another story). I haven't used the Mamiya 6 or 7 series, only handled them, but they seemed pretty Leica-like to me (shutter speed on top of camera rather than on lens, etc.).

eavis said:
Hello,

I am finding it quite hard to find a medium-format camera that is truly suitable for consistent street-shooting. I am NOT expecting to find an MF camera with the same ease-of-use on the street as, say, an M6.

But after trying a Mamiya 6, a Fuji 690III and a Plaubel Makina 67, I haven't found a MF that allows for quick focusing and aperture/shutterspeed manipulation.

Any recommendations? Perhaps a smaller Fuji RF? Any tips on how to use MF beasts on the frenetic streets of NYC much appreciated.

A couple of shots where I've had some MF success, but they are few and far between

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eavis/3204290318/in/set-72157610679329463/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eavis/2995217750/



Cheers in advance.


Peter
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Fast and old? Fujica G690/GL690 with the Fujinon AE 100mm f3.5 set to automatic!

By the way, the Fujica lenses have EV coupling (time and aperture on adjacent rings running at even spacing in opposite direction) - on one hand, it is not altogether easy to alter time or aperture individually, but on the other, it is a breeze shifting both together while preserving proper exposure.
 
Peter, I used to shoot the Mamiya 6, and I think it's the best of the lot (I miss it sometimes, until I remember I don't have a scanner for those beautiful square negs).

If you find it too slow, you might want to take some time to get used to operating it. Unless you want autofocus, then you only have one choice: FUJIFILM GA645

For street shooting I usually do zone focusing. So all I have left to do is frame and shoot. Maybe that's your solution.
 
Bronica RF645 with 45mm lens (28mm eqivalent on 35mm). Hyperfocal or zone focus and great AE makes for a good street combo in decent light. Relatively small and light and as easy to use as an M. Oh and very, very quiet.
 
But the RF645 is portrait format, right? Not a huge deal, but can be disconcerting for someone used to landscape.

Gid said:
Bronica RF645 with 45mm lens (28mm eqivalent on 35mm). Hyperfocal or zone focus and great AE makes for a good street combo in decent light. Relatively small and light and as easy to use as an M. Oh and very, very quiet.
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furcafe said:
But the RF645 is portrait format, right? Not a huge deal, but can be disconcerting for someone used to landscape.
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Absolutely right, but it worked for me - I tend to prefer portrait. The other thing is that it can, of itself, force a new way of shooting on you. YMMV of course.
 
I actually use an old Super Ikonta A every now and then. It takes a little getting used to maybe, but it works well enough with practice.

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-Brian
 
I have a Mamiya 7 and have some difficulties to understand what could be better in it for street shooting? After all, it's got already aperture priority metering and faster focusing would just translate to worse focusing accuracy, which is something I certainly I would not like.

Maybe it could be a bit smaller but it still is a 6x7 with a coupled rangefinder and AE.
 
ZeissFan said:
What happened to your Bronicas?
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In my case it went when I got an M8:bang: as did my M6 and MP😱 I couldn't and still can't stand scanning, but I looked at some old slides the other day and I have to say they looked good. I have nearly re-bought one a couple of times in the last few months, but my work flow would have to change.🙁
 
thanks, everyone. valuable advice. i will go do some Googling on some of those models.

I think the shallow depth-of-field with MF is the problem, now that furcafe pointed that out.

of course, you mitigate that to a certain degree with a wider lens, but MF wides seem to have so much SPACE in them...

i'll be back with more questions....no doubt
 
I tried once, it's not the best thing to use if you want to be discrete
However, you get a lot of smiles of people being amused if they see you with an old style Medium format camera like the Rolleiflex
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The new Bessa folder comes to mind but the price is a deterent!

Hard to go past the RF645 Bronica IMO ... handles like a 35mm rangefinder and has very intuative controls. The default portrait orientation may not suit all but because of the camera's good ergonomics rotating quickly to landscape is not difficult at all!
 
lol, no he did not smile when i took the picture, however he noticed me taking the shot with the rolleiflex whereas his parents didn't. However, i did get a smile of his mother after i took the shot 😀
 
That's especially true w/6x6 & 6x7 because of the aspect ratios, i.e., the frame is so much taller (in landscape).

eavis said:
. . .

I think the shallow depth-of-field with MF is the problem, now that furcafe pointed that out.

of course, you mitigate that to a certain degree with a wider lens, but MF wides seem to have so much SPACE in them...
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