Handheld MF?

[giganova]

For 135m film, the rule of thumb for hand held shots is "longest exposure time = reciprocal focal length", i.e, 50mm = 1/50 sec. Does the same rule apply for MF or should it be adjusted to shorter exposures because of mirror slab, etc?

Clearly, I can't always carry a tripod around when I take photos with my Mamiya RZ67. Much of my work are portraits of interesting people I find in the street. What would be a good solution? Grip? Grip with electronic shutter? Monopod?

Thanks!
Stefan

 

[ka7197]

What would be a good solution? Grip? Grip with electronic shutter? Monopod?

Mamiya 7II.

 

[Beemermark]

The sunny 16 rule is SS = 1/focal length



Monopod. Though that camera wasn't really designed to be handheld.

 

[krötenblender]

It depends, if you want to stick to that camera. A Monopod is pretty good and there are very light ones. But for snappy street shots, even a monopod is too slow, I think. There are good MF cameras, that can easily used without any tri/monopod. I had a Fujifilm GF670
(exceptional 80mm lens, leaf-shutter), which I used for that. Never needed a tripod for that one.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Why don't you try hand-holding the camera at different shutter speeds and find out what works for you. This is an area where your own personal experience matters more than the experience of others.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

You must be slrish. With RF 1/25 and 50mm is nothing special.

I went through many MF cameras. Folders, SLRs, TLRs. No tripods. I have no idea where this "handheld MF" fear comes from.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Also experiment with using a strap as another stabilizing piece. Even do a quick wrap of a wrist around a section to shorten it. Then pull taut.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Get the L-grip. Makes it much easier to hold the camera steady, and the shutter release is much more user-friendly.

 

[Swift1]

I used to shoot my Rolleiflex at 1/30 all the time. Considering that I barely had enough strength to hold the camera, it shows that TLRs are great for handheld slower shutter speed shots.

 

[ckuwajima]

For 135m film, the rule of thumb for hand held shots is "longest exposure time = reciprocal focal length", i.e, 50mm = 1/50 sec. Does the same rule apply for MF or should it be adjusted to shorter exposures because of mirror slab, etc?

Clearly, I can't always carry a tripod around when I take photos with my Mamiya RZ67. Much of my work are portraits of interesting people I find in the street. What would be a good solution? Grip? Grip with electronic shutter? Monopod?

Thanks!
Stefan

The same rules applies to 135 film equivalent focal lengths. For example, the RZ 110mm lens is roughly equivalent to a full frame 135 film 50mm lens, therefore one shall use shutter speeds higher than 1/50.

 

[Prest_400]

I got perfectly good results with a GW690 at 1/125. Out of habit and confidence I tend to not go below 1/60. I had good frames at 1/15 but I'm not that confident.


Yesterday I went canoeing (for a first time ever) and took the Texas Leica onboard. A couple of frames shot in the rocking canoe... Your post just made me aware that 1/125 might have been too slow for those. Will develop next week.

 

[tunalegs]

This "rule" won't apply to MF. The larger negative means motion blur is less detectable for a given print size than it is with 135, additionally the angle of view of the lens means a lens that is "normal" for 6x7 is going to be a lot longer than one that is normal for 135. This of course is discounting that the safest lowest shutter speed is equal to len's focal length for 135, which is an entirely arbitrary rule with only a rough practical connection to reality.



Lots of people shot 6x9 negs at 1/25th of a second with box cameras for more than half a century, and a lot of those turned out fine.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Lots of people shot 6x9 negs at 1/25th of a second with box cameras for more than half a century, and a lot of those turned out fine.

Yes, but there is a difference between hand-holding a TLR and a MF SLR like the OP's RB67.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

When I shot medium format unsharp results were far more often attributable to missed focus (due to shallower DOF)
than due to motion blur.

Chris

 

[PhotoGog]

Handheld MF?

Anton Corbijn regularly shot the majority of his famous portraits with a handheld Hasselblad and speeds below 1/15. In an interview he said he did this precisely to give the subject a little buzz; so there would be an ever so slightly perceptible fuzziness to the lines and edges of the face and body that heightened our awareness of a living breathing human being. Energy. Chakras. And all that. Look at his work and see what I mean. Of course, another photographer suggested that sharpness is a bourgeois concept. Your goal should accept these propositions. Shoot. Relax.

 

[mike rosenlof]

I like the L-grip and a 45 degree prism with my Hasselblad. This one was with the 50. An old Pre-T version. The photo was intended to be a crowd shot, but turned into a street portrait which I like. Her dog's name is Leica. Obviously this combo is not quite the size of a Mamiya RB, but it's the closest I have. 🙂

 

[Ste_S]

I can shoot my Mamiya 645 hand held ok mostly sticking to the focal length/shutter speed rule.
The 70mm at 1/125s or faster is fine. The 210mm I'll probably aim for 1/500 if possible as I don't have the steadiest hands in the world...

Leaf shutters without a mirror are a breeze though - can happily shoot a 75mm on a folder or TLR at 1/50s handheld

 

[tunalegs]

Yes, but there is a difference between hand-holding a TLR and a MF SLR like the OP's RB67.

And so there is a difference between an RB67, and the Butchers Carbine Reflex 6x9 SLR I shot this photo with:


Untitled by Berang Berang, on Flickr


There is only one shutter speed on the Carbine Reflex, 1/25, and with a 6x9 mirror and the assorted spring-loaded machinery that goes into motion with it, it takes a firm grip - but it is possible to get sharp results.

 

[Steve M.]

A lot depends on what kind of camera a photographer is shooting. A Rollei TLR can be easily used at very slow shutter speeds, while a SLR MF camera will have a lot of vibration issues due to mirror clap when the shutter fires. If you bring a tripod or monopod you can forget about taking any spontaneous people shots.

The "rule" about focal length lenses and shutter speeds is simply a suggestion. Some people can hold a camera much better at slow shutter speeds than others, so technique is important. I found shooting a camera like yours to be counter intuitive for street shooting. A TLR will serve you better IMO, and you can easily take second or third candids. With the Mamiya, like my Hasselblad, you'll only be scaring people off w/ the camera's size and loud shutter.

 

[gavinlg]

The MF slow shutter speed thing is way overblown. I can get acceptably sharp results on my Pentax 67 at 1/60th with the 105mm and I’m happy to drop down to 1/30th if I’m in a pinch.