I just got my first roll of 120 Fuji Reala @100 iso back from the shop. Jumping Jehosaphat, they're gorgeous.
Right away I can see exactly what The Brotherhood are on about. The larger image size is simply no comparison to 35mm, and mine are only a puny 6X4.5 <g> although it would be nice if they were shot with a Pentax, I confess they weren't, and so I won't mention the equipment that was used. However, I would imagine that I won't upset anyone much if I collect my thoughts on the use of medium format - or should that be Medium Format? The first thing that struck me was that every one of the 15 images I shot was completely usable. My own composition notwithstanding, each exposure had been carefully set up on the tripod (they are all landscapes made at a lake a few minute's walk from where I live) and maximum aperture selected (f/22 in this case), using auto exposure (to make sure it all works properly: first roll through the camera), and firing the shutter with a cable release. Because I only took the one roll, and so only had 15 exposures to make, it channelled my mind into a considered approach. Each frame was assessed by basically wandering about, seeing a scene, holding the camera/tripod assembly up to my eye to look at it through the viewfinder, getting a visual confirmation through the viewfinder that yes, this was indeed a very nice image (bulrushes backlit with bright sun for instance), setting up the sticks and getting the framing right, exposing the film. Using the LX would have instead gone something like this: loading a roll, instantly wasting 3 or 4 frames as my finger accidentally hits the shutter (the drive is set to continuous instead of single), maybe take a couple of frames of a nice scene, then some bird (the feathered variety ;-) catches my eye, and I scramble about swapping lenses, trying to jam on the 300mil, all the while checking the bird's progress across the lake, rattling off half a dozen frames of my face and the mating lens because I didn't set the shutter lock, finally getting the lens on, and just as I am bringing it up and scrabble into focus....the bird has disappeared behind the reeds. I shoot a couple of frames anyway because it feels good. I curse and go back to the wide and the landscapes, this time turning the shutter lock collar, but missing on the first attempt and firing off 5 frames again for good measure. You should see my 35 mil rolls, looks like some sort of demented peep show. Seriously, my point is that when I went out with the MF camera (incidentally with only one 75mm lens, a 50mm due shortly), although I saw one or two pretty birds on the water, I wasn't the least bit interested in them. Knowing that I couldn't shoot them even if I'd wanted to meant that I concentrated on what I was doing, and ignored all else. This is the channelling of energies I mentioned earlier. I haven't enjoyed a local walk with a camera so much for ages. On the other hand, I can't see myself using the MF for portraits, unless they are very formal. The ability of 35mm to capture the young child's face staring into a shop window (35mm rangefinder, 40mm, focus guessed, shooting from the hip) or a fast moving sports activity (local tennis club, LX+drive+70-200) or an available light portrait session (fast portrait lens, grainy B+W, Arnold Newman eatyerheartout ;-) still means that 35mm will keep a place in my bag for a while yet. In fact, the more I think about it, I can eventually see my kit bag going this way: *35mm rangefinder for street B+W film as homage to my 19th Century photo-heroes, *DSLR and range of lenses for portraiture/family/everything, *MF with standard and wide for considered landscapes. If I want good quality, which I would like for the landscapes, the MF wins. If I want spontaneity and speed in portraiture, instant access for the family/everything else, digital will win over 35mm (for me). And if I want to go and be Jeanloup Sieff and capture a bum in the sun (and I don't mean a hobo ;-) and then feel the nostalgia of putting some mono through the soup, there's nothing like 35mm. Shooting the MF has had quite an interesting effect on me... Cheers, Cotty PS - see, I *can* be serious :-) _______________________________________________________ Personal email traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MacAds traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Check out the UK Macintosh ads http://www.macads.co.uk - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
