# 6x6  goodness



## limr

The first roll I put through it as a test was totally cooked in a development error, so there are no images from it. Not a tragedy, though, as most of the shots were taken at my house and can easily be reproduced. I can even take another accidental picture of the ceiling if y'all want 

These are from the second or third rolls I shot at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park. Delta 400. The light was tricky and development needs to be tweaked a bit, but nonetheless, I'm in love with the Mamiya C330!


----------



## tirediron

Nice!!


----------



## MK3Brent

Moar!


----------



## Rick58

Nice, crisp contrast. :thumbup:


----------



## limr

Thank you, thank you 

Here's moar! 

Checking out how it does close-up:


----------



## mmaria

you two seem to be spending a lot of quality time together


----------



## dxqcanada

Ah, the Mamiya C330 is quite the beast eh ?


----------



## oldhippy

Great shots, glad you are enjoying the new toy.


----------



## terri

Great results!   No wonder you're stoked.


----------



## limr

Thanks, folks. The Mamiya is definitely a beast and I imagine we'll be spending lots of time together  The lens is fantastic and there's something about a TLR that I just really respond to. The test roll that I ruined had some really close up stuff that I am going to try again tomorrow to see what it can do in a range of situations. And I also plan on putting some color film through it too, to see how it renders colors. 

The C330 is new for me but it's an older camera than my Mamiya 645, which had previously been called "the Beast" so to distinguish them, the C330 is now the Elder Beast and the 645 is Beast Junior


----------



## minicoop1985

Great results! Your neck must be mighty sore... 

I'm also very glad I'm not the only person naming cameras.

I really like that first shot. Really, really like that first shot.


----------



## Josh66

Very nice!


----------



## Rick58

I had a 330 years ago along with the 220. Very nice cameras.


----------



## limr

minicoop1985 said:


> Great results! Your neck must be mighty sore...
> 
> I'm also very glad I'm not the only person naming cameras.
> 
> I really like that first shot. Really, really like that first shot.



It was definitely much heavier at the end of the day than it was at the start! I had a thick scarf on so the weight was cushioned a bit. But hey, maybe I'll burn some extra calories walking around with it 



Josh66 said:


> Very nice!



Thanks!



Rick58 said:


> I had a 330 years ago along with the 220. Very nice cameras.



I've been lusting after a 330 for a while now and it's even nicer in person!


----------



## Derrel

Inspired by this 6x6 craze...I dug the Bronicas out Friday night and fiddle-farted around with them for a couple hours..even managed to open a loaded back (I was sure it was empty...guess I should have looked at the stinking film counter first,mebbe...) and got the thrill of seeing the top and the bottom rolls with* yellow paper on them* before I could slam the back closed...oops...

I like the high-contrast look of your first few shots, which reminded me of Agfa TP6 photo paper (super high-contrast paper) that we used to use back in the early 1980's.


----------



## gsgary

Rick58 said:


> I had a 330 years ago along with the 220. Very nice cameras.



Ive got the 220 now and your 135mm lens  to go with my C330


----------



## limr

Oops! Will we get to see some 6x6's from the Bronny then? 



> I like the high-contrast look of your first few shots, which reminded me of Agfa TP6 photo paper (super high-contrast paper) that we used to use back in the early 1980's.



Thanks! I'd really like to see some of these printed.


----------



## Rick58

gsgary said:


> Rick58 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had a 330 years ago along with the 220. Very nice cameras.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ive got the 220 now and your 125mm lens  to go with my C330
Click to expand...


Yep, I have so much more MF stuff up there. I really need to go through it but can't bring myself to get rid of it. I got a complete RB outfit, I think 3 Bronica's, I have a 2x3 Baby Crown Graphic. That's after I sold both of my Mamiya's, Linhof 23, Kowa 66 and Yashica 124. That's not even thinking about my 35mm Nikon gear and two LF cameras So, so much money:meh:

ed: Sorry op, got off topic


----------



## limr

Rick58 said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rick58 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had a 330 years ago along with the 220. Very nice cameras.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ive got the 220 now and your 125mm lens  to go with my C330
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yep, I have so much more MF stuff up there. I really need to go through it but can't bring myself to get rid of it. I got a complete RB outfit, I think 3 Bronica's, I have a 2x3 Baby Crown Graphic. That's after I sold both of my Mamiya's, Linhof 23, Kowa 66 and Yashica 124. That's not even thinking about my 35mm Nikon gear and two LF cameras So, so much money:meh:
> 
> ed: *Sorry op, got off topic*
Click to expand...


Please, no worries!  You've got a serious collection there! I'd love to go LF one day.


----------



## Tiller

MF is fun fun fun 

I'll be shooting my Mamiya 645 tomorrow 

Great shots limr!


----------



## limr

Thanks Tyler! Have fun with the 645 tomorrow. My love for the C330 does not diminish my love for the 645 and its lenses. I have enough love to go around to many different cameras


----------



## terri

My Mamiya 1000S remains my all-time fave camera to date - can't even say why, really, other than we just fit together very well.      Everything about it was foreign to me when I was first given one to inspect before purchasing, from the body to loading the film, but I connected with it immediately.   :heart:    

My hubby's Rollei SL66 is probably THE prettiest camera we own, but I'm afraid of it.


----------



## limr

Those are both serious cameras! I really want to get a waist-level finder for the 645. I don't know why but it just feels better for that camera and for medium-format in general.


----------



## Rick58

It's funny, if you look at my list, everything I've ever owned was strictly mechanical, barring the F2a's onboard light meters. I never wanted to rely on a battery and electronics until I decided one day to wonder off into the world of electronics' with the Bronica's. Just as funny is the Bronica's have always been my least favorite cameras. Now it's the digital age. It doesn't get much more electronic then a digital camera. 
I just got a $3,000 Nikon Df for Christmas, but, as I'm write this, I still miss the ground glass, dark cloth, tripod and my trusty Gossen Luna Pro SBC and the smells of the darkroom.


----------



## limr

Rick58 said:


> It's funny, if you look at my list, everything I've ever owned was strictly mechanical, barring the F2a's onboard light meters. I never wanted to rely on a battery and electronics until I decided one day to wonder off into the world of electronics' with the Bronica's. Just as funny is the Bronica's have always been my least favorite cameras. Now it's the digital age. It doesn't get much more electronic then a digital camera.
> I just got a $3,000 Nikon Df for Christmas, but, as I'm write this, I still miss the ground glass, dark cloth, tripod and my trusty Gossen Luna Pro SBC and the smells of the darkroom.



Mechanical things have always been more satisfying and understandable to me than electronics. My K1000 has a light meter that runs on a battery, and while it's nice to have it, when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16. I've eventually gotten a few cameras that can be in semi-auto mode and that's nice and useful, but it's also nice that I can switch it back into manual mode.

Film isn't as dead as they say, and there's no reason owning your Nikon digital means you can't break out some 4x5


----------



## Rick58

The K1000 is a great work horse and built like a tank. I had the K and the earlier SP. Both got the job done nicely


----------



## timor

limr said:


> when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16.


Time for this:
Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.


----------



## MK3Brent

timor said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> 
> when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16.
> 
> 
> 
> Time for this:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
> With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.
Click to expand...

 Lenny,
You can get a 558 light meter for a few hundred bucks and do spot metering with averages. This is very good for getting a proper exposure based on the tonality of the scene. For example, if you know the limit of your film is +2 -2 EV you can use the built in calculator to measure the highlights and darks in your scene and the meter will automatically calculate the range. Very useful. 

Maybe I make a video of my 558, but there are already some on the web. Check it out.


----------



## gsgary

timor said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> 
> when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16.
> 
> 
> 
> Time for this:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
> With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.
Click to expand...


Or you could still be battery free with one of these  westonone mine is spot on


----------



## timor

gsgary said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> limr said:
> 
> 
> 
> when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16.
> 
> 
> 
> Time for this:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
> With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Or you could still be battery free with one of these  westonone mine is spot on
Click to expand...

Gary, pleaseeee, you just think it is spot on, but in reality you don't  know, what you are metering. It is better to use incident, than  averaging reflected. With yours 300 days a year of full overcast D) it might be fine, but in full sun and great contrast story could be different. OK, if you prefer something without batteries, this will be the thing:
Sekonic Light Meter: L-398A Studio Deluxe III Exposure Meter - Overview
I hope you will not get mad at me :bounce: Please.


----------



## terri

Gary's not going to get mad.   We all have various tools in our toolboxes and we like to suggest what works well for us.    

For example, I personally have a gorgeous Gossen Luna Pro that I rarely use.   While Lenny posts up there that she wants to get a waist-level finder for her 645, I was happy to remove mine and pop on a prism finder, whose meter I have learned to trust.   It adds weight to the camera, and I'm a wuss about weight but it's worth it to me to not have to carry the Luna.   

If we all shot the same way it'd be boring!


----------



## Rick58

gsgary said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> limr said:
> 
> 
> 
> when the battery runs out, I can still use the camera and Sunny 16.
> 
> 
> 
> Time for this:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
> With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Or you could still be battery free with one of these  westonone mine is spot on
Click to expand...


There's a blast from my past. My very first was the Weston II my dad gave me along with my Ansco Viking 120 folder. Man... it sucks getting old.


----------



## gsgary

timor said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> timor said:
> 
> 
> 
> Time for this:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-758DR DigitalMaster Exposure Meter - Overview
> With this you will become master of own exposure, no more "over", "under" and "guessomatics". You can even calibrate the light metering in your newest digital Nikon, or bypass it in whole.  It is made for it.
> 
> 
> 
> Or you could still be battery free with one of these  westonone mine is spot on
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Gary, pleaseeee, you just think it is spot on, but in reality you don't  know, what you are metering. It is better to use incident, than  averaging reflected. With yours 300 days a year of full overcast D) it might be fine, but in full sun and great contrast story could be different. OK, if you prefer something without batteries, this will be the thing:
> Sekonic Light Meter: L-398A Studio Deluxe III Exposure Meter - Overview
> I hope you will not get mad at me :bounce: Please.
Click to expand...


Im using incident i have an invercone for it the readings are identical to my digisix and minolta 4 and Leningrad 4 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2


----------



## gsgary

This is the very first shot meterd with the Weston meter using reflective, Orwo UN54 film


----------



## limr

I actually have a light meter but it hasn't worked for years and I haven't even thought about trying to get it fixed or get another one. It is a Sekonic Digi Lite F. It was given to me by the same folks who gave me the 645, so I didn't pick it out and honestly, I never really knew how to work it even when it did work! I have no idea if it's even worth it for me to fix because I don't know how it will suit my shooting style. It's supposedly a flash meter? I don't ever really use flash. I'm sure you don't _have_ to use it with flash, but it just adds an extra element that is not really useful for me. I like to reduce complications, not introduce them unnecessarily.

And yes, the Mamiya 645 was given to me about 9 years ago. Don't hate me! :greenpbl: I was teaching an ESL class shortly after coming back from living abroad. I had two students from Taiwan who worked for Mamiya. Tony and Louie. I know, but the Taiwanese often give themselves Western names as soon as they start learning English, so that's how I got two Chinese students named Tony and Louie. One day I brought some pictures of mine to use in a writing activity and these two students were intrigued that I had shot the pictures myself. They asked me to bring in more, so I cobbled together a 'portfolio' and brought it in. They decided that I was good and needed a 'serious' camera, so they put together the 645 for me. Pro TL body with a prism finder, two lenses (80mm 2.8 and 120mm f4 macro) and the grip thingy that will automatically advance the film (I never really use it). Oh, and the Sekonic.

I was gobsmacked! I didn't even know what it was, but I could tell it was a serious camera. It's only been in the past few years that I really started to know what to do with it. The prism finder I have doesn't have a light meter. It seems the camera could potentially have one, but there's nothing on the current configuration that I have that seems to function as a light meter. I just find it easier to shoot it at waist level, but maybe if I used the power grip thingy, it would be easier to use with the prism.

Here's one of the latest shots I took with it back in September:



Thank you all very very much for the suggestions about light meters. I'd been thinking of getting a handheld meter for a while. I have gotten fairly skilled at Sunny 16 and I have an app on my phone that helps as well, but I'd really like a good tool that I can rely on to help me hit more exposures. I have learned a tremendous amount this past year using Sunny 16 and won't give up on it because of my stubborn insistence on wanting to wanting to depend on something that isn't my own brain, but of course, my brain ain't perfect and she wouldn't mind some help sometimes 

Now I need two more Taiwanese students who work for a camera company


----------



## BKSPicture

Nice set of shots!
The first one works best for me.

Have tested some Mamiya cameras and can't say that I have been disapointed so far but have not hade the privilege with the C330 so far.

Keep on snapping!


----------



## Tiller

Hey Leonore,

I think you can get the AE prism viewfinder that has a light meter in it. I have the regular prism finder like you, and instead of buying an AE prism I went ahead and bought a nice light meter in case I ever wanted to shoot large format.

I bought it used from a forum member on another forum, and he gave me a good price. It is a hassle sometimes, but I'm glad I have it.


----------



## timor

gsgary said:


> This is the very first shot meterd with the Weston meter using reflective, Orwo UN54 film


Nice scene. I am not saying this meters are useless, just not 100% reliable. They could be fooled quite easily. Incident and spot meters have of course own problems like the need to be in the right position or slow in use, but eventually they are 99.5% reliable with determining the light conditions.


----------



## The_Traveler

film porn

how many are you wearing raincoats with cut-off pants taped to your knees?


----------



## MK3Brent

The_Traveler said:


> film porn
> 
> how many are you wearing raincoats with cut-off pants taped to your knees?


Wat?


----------



## Rick58

MK3Brent said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> 
> film porn
> 
> how many are you wearing raincoats with cut-off pants taped to your knees?
> 
> 
> 
> Wat?
Click to expand...


It took me a second to...


----------



## terri

The_Traveler said:


> film porn
> 
> how many are you wearing raincoats with cut-off pants taped to your knees?




We don't have to answer that since you've failed to use the secret word.   :mrgreen:


----------



## limr

The_Traveler said:


> film porn
> 
> how many are you wearing raincoats with cut-off pants taped to your knees?



All I can think of is an old skit of Tim Conway as a flasher on the Carol Burnett show. Of course I can't find a video clip :x


----------



## dxqcanada

Sekonic Light Meter: L-398A Studio Deluxe III Exposure Meter - Overview

You can find older versions of this classic Sekonic for cheap.


----------



## limr

dxqcanada said:


> Sekonic Light Meter: L-398A Studio Deluxe III Exposure Meter - Overview
> 
> You can find older versions of this classic Sekonic for cheap.



That looks nice. I'll keep that on my watch list. The new ones are out of my price range, but I obviously don't mind older equipment


----------



## Derrel

I JUST went into the kitchen and tested my "Pocket Light Meter" application for iPhone against my Minolta AutoMeter IIIf. At ISO 400 and at 2 seconds, I used the Minolta to meter the front of the refrigerator in reflected light mode...Reading? f/22.2 at 2 seconds, ISO 400.

Then I used *Pocket Light Meter*,on my iPhone, from the same distance....Reading? f/22.0 at 2 seconds at ISO 400. Notice that the overhead flourescent fixture rendered a slightly greenish color? The built-in screen capture "HOLD" of Pocket Light Meter did not give a really great white balance. But what's cool is you can HOLD a picture of the screen, with the metering area bracket in red, and save that for reference by screen-capping with the Home button and the shutoff button on iPhone.




Here's the first comparison I did, and the screen capture showing the EXACT area I metered with Pocket Light Meter. I hung the Minolta upside down from the kitchen wall clock. As you can see, pretty close. Keep in min d, in this test, the Miolta is reading f/16 INCIDENT, and Pocket Light Meter is suggesting f/18 for an 18% gray rendering of a mostly black area. Look at the white dome. It's rendered nicely, and looks white. I would set the camera to f/18 MINUS 1.5 full f/stops to make the meter look black when shooting B&W negative material with normal development if I had spot-metered the black meter face.

Pocket Light Meter allows the user to compile a library of meter readouts AND  at the same time, the camera function allows the user to capture the scenes/locations/lighting that was there at the time of the metering, complete with the red metering area indicated right on each screen capture.


----------



## Rick58

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm impressed at the accuracy


----------



## limr

Is that an app that's available for Android phones? I don't - and won't - have an iPhone. I do use a different app that has served me well so far for the times I've wanted to meter, but it's good to have other options.

For now, I've got a 4th roll in the C330 that's itching to be exposed


----------



## gsgary

I tried some 6x6 goodness yesterday, Mamiya C330+80mm, FP4


----------



## limr

6x6 Rosie goodness!


----------



## Alexandra

I think the exposure is spot-on on the first one.
Nice compositions too.

I'm starting to think of getting into medium format myself, looking at all this... :O


----------



## limr

Thanks Alexandra!

Definitely go medium format. It's just a beautiful thing. It hasn't diminished my love of 35mm, but just satisfies a different photographic itch. And hopefully one day, I'll get to scratch the LF itch


----------



## Alexandra

You know, I wouldn't hesitate a second, and I wouldn't even care about how much it could cost or how difficult it would be to obtain materials...
But my 35mm camera is my one and only, and sort of a family heirloom piece ^_^

Maybe I could get a MF and only take it to planned shoots though... hmmm yes... yes...


----------



## limr

Alexandra said:


> You know, I wouldn't hesitate a second, and I wouldn't even care about how much it could cost or how difficult it would be to obtain materials...
> But my 35mm camera is my one and only, and sort of a family heirloom piece ^_^
> 
> Maybe I could get a MF and *only take it to planned shoots* though... hmmm yes... yes...



I'm not sure you'd even have a choice to do otherwise - most MF cameras are definitely not the 'throw into a bag and go' sorts of cameras  There are some MF folders that are much more portable, but TLRs and medium-format SLRs have some serious heft!


----------



## Alexandra

Yeah, you're right...
But as a matter of fact as long as my cameras aren't interchangeable, I'll be just fine. I hate choosing


----------



## limr

I know what you mean


----------



## gsgary

limr said:


> Thanks Alexandra!
> 
> Definitely go medium format. It's just a beautiful thing. It hasn't diminished my love of 35mm, but just satisfies a different photographic itch. And hopefully one day, I'll get to scratch the LF itch



I would never give up 35mm because it is such a pleasure with my Leicas


----------



## limr

gsgary said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Alexandra!
> 
> Definitely go medium format. It's just a beautiful thing. It hasn't diminished my love of 35mm, but just satisfies a different photographic itch. And hopefully one day, I'll get to scratch the LF itch
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would never give up 35mm because it is such a pleasure with my Leicas
Click to expand...


I wouldn't either. I still love 35mm. I wouldn't _replace _35mm, but just _add _to it


----------



## Rick58

For me, I seldom did B&W 35mm. Practically all my B&W was medium and large format while color was reserved for 35mm


----------



## Tiller

I just lost out on a LF auction on eBay. Probably for the best


----------



## Rick58

Tiller said:


> I just lost out on a LF auction on eBay. Probably for the best



I had a 4x5 Busch Pressman that I used a lot along with my 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Crown Graphic. I always wanted a proper view camera so I bought myself a Calumet 45 with big ideas of lugging that around for outdoor shots. This was about the time I was getting out of film. It's been sitting in my bedroom closet since and I never slid a loaded film holder into it. BTW, the Busch is/was a very nice camera, like everything German. They are much more refined then the Graphic's plus they have a revolving back which is very nicely made.


----------



## Tiller

Rick58 said:


> I had a 4x5 Busch Pressman that I used a lot along with my 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Crown Graphic. I always wanted a proper view camera so I bought myself a Calumet 45 with big ideas of lugging that around for outdoor shots. This was about the time I was getting out of film. It's been sitting in my bedroom closet since and I never slid a loaded film holder into it. BTW, the Busch is/was a very nice camera, like everything German. They are much more refined then the Graphic's plus they have a revolving back which is very nicely made.



  One mans trash is another mans treasure, eh?


----------

