So I decided to finally make the big jump from digital to film…
That’s right, I’m going old school.
I have been using a Canon 40D for the most part (had a Rebel XTI and a backup) but I wanted to switch to medium format so I could make larger prints. I also wanted to give film a try because I want to slow down my photography and not just shoot a lot of photos at different exposures and different compositions.
A friend sold me his Mamiya RB67 Pro S with a 6x7 120 film back and waist level viewfinder. He also included 5 Mamiya Sekor C lenses (50mm f/4.5, 65mm f/4.5, 90mm f/3.8, 127mm f/3.8 and 180mm f/4.5) and a cable release. I also recently bought a Polaris SPD500 Dual 5 Flash Meter – so I think I am good there.
I am totally new to film and I need some advice – the last film camera I had was a 35mm point and shoot.
What type of film would you recommend? I will mainly be using this for landscapes, cityscapes and outdoor portraits – some might be nighttime, but they would be long exposures.
I saw that there focusing screens are among the accessories? What are they? Should I get one? Which one(s)?
Would you suggest a prism viewfinder? Or will the waist level viewfinder suffice?
Would I want a Polaroid back as well? What would be its use?
Can anyone recommend a good backpack that would fit all of that?
Is there anything else you would recommend for my medium format kit?
I’m sure I will have more questions as I work with this camera (like where is a good gym because this thing is a beast!) but I think that is all for now.
Of course any other advice would be great.
Thanks in advance!