Tutorials for Mamiya 7ii with 50mm?

[sssluke]

Hi guys
I am now the excited owner of a mamiya 7ii and 50mm lens. It has taken me a while to sniff out a deal and Now it is in my hand i feel a little nervous as it feels so different from what i am used to. I have mainly shot digital for the last 10 years. Does anyone have a words of advice or could direct me to some good online tutorials to mastering the ways of the mamiya? Tips on ways to use the spot meter or aperture behaviour would be great. I know the best way to learn is to just go out there and shoot but want to be able to research in the meantime.

Thanks

 

[kram]

Just use the camera as normal, and see how you get on. If lighting is odd, I just take a reading off tarmac, or grass.. The tolerance of colour film should cover any slight error. I have had no real problems with the metering. The 50mm is a fantastic lens.

 

[hatidua]

About the only suggestion I have is to remove the lens cap before commencing your artistry. No, it's not meant as a joke....but you'll realize that soon enough 😛

 

[jsrockit]

Have you read the manual?

 

[rphenning]

use the lens hood and a UV filter and just ditch the caps, meter off of the street if you don't trust what your meter is telling you. Other than that it is probably just going to eat into your time that you spend with your digital.

 

[Jim Brown]

About the only suggestion I have is to remove the lens cap before commencing your artistry. No, it's not meant as a joke....but you'll realize that soon enough 😛

No joke, just good advice.:bang: I've quite a few good pictures taken through a lens cap only I can't show them here as they don't print too well. 😉

 

[brian steinberger]

Use the scales on the lens. There is so much depth of field available from that lens when used correctly. Give yourself atleast a stop extra if possible. For example set infinity at f/11 mark, but stop the lens down to f/16.

 

[DrTebi]

The beauty about film cameras like the Mamiya 7II is, that you really don't need to master the camera itself. It's all about photography now, not about technical gimmick. Take your time to compose, like trying out different angles, framing etc. A great book to learn about photography is "The Photographic Eye" (ISBN 0871922843).

As opposed to a digital camera, there are only very few things to set, if you use aperture priority than it's really only about choosing an aperture and focusing. The metering with the 50mm lens is almost like a spot meter, so you may want to use "AEL" instead of "A" and point the camera at a spot that's about in the middle of what you want from dark to bright in your image, press the shutter half-way, compose, and then fire.

Experiment with different films. Everyone has their own preferences, my personal favorites are Fujichrome Provia 100F and Fujifilm NPH 400. As mentioned, negative film as opposed to slides will have a greater tolerance, and help compensate for any exposure errors.

Other than that, read the manual (it's short); if you don't have it, find it here:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/mamiya/mamiya_7ii/mamiya_7ii.htm

And--like a few others said--remember to take the lens cap off, it happens too easily that one forgets, and ends up with a "dead" image on film.

 

[PMCC]

The beauty about film cameras like the Mamiya 7II is, that you really don't need to master the camera itself. It's all about photography now, not about technical gimmick.

Good point. This is the real digital divide.

And--like a few others said--remember to take the lens cap off, it happens too easily that one forgets, and ends up with a "dead" image on film.

Hehe, so true. Hardly a mere technical gimmick. 😉

 

[trevor13]

They are not kidding, take the lens cap off

They are not kidding, take the lens cap off

Just as the OP, I finally got my Mamiya 7 ii with 80mm today and went out to take my first shots this afternoon. Not great light but just wanted to play. Had taken half a roll of Velvia 100 before I realized the cap was still on. :bang:
This is going to take some getting used to.

 

[redisburning]

how light is your skin?

I use my forearm if I am using a spot meter, in the same light as what I want to be exposed normally, then comp the exposure -1 stop (i.e. increase shutter speed or close down the aperture).

that being said, I do own a graycard which I would use if I HAD to have it just right.

 

[KenR]

I have the Mamiya 6 which may not have the same metering system, but mine seems very sensitive to back light. The slightest amount seems to throw things off by 2-4 stops. So metering off center, locking the exposure and then taking the picture is almost routine for me with both the 50 and the 75.