Anyone use a Canon A-1 or Mamiya RZ67? Need film camera recommendations...

[webestang64]

I bought this Mamiya with a 80mm lens, 2-120 backs, 1-220 back and both style prisms for $125. Works perfect, no light leaks.

 

[minicoop1985]

A Hasselblad could be had for less than $500. My favorite camera by far. Mine almost feels ergonomic for some reason. A 500C isn't worth much, and older C lenses aren't too expensive. They should be very reliable and provide years of taking abuse too.

 

[71M]

I am looking to recreate this film feel but have never used film before and don't know what I should know about it...I am assuming the way it works is I put in a roll (ASA400 for continuous lighting in studio?), expose and take my shots, then get it developed...and then scan the prints? I am not really sure how scanning negatives work. So I would like to know what I need to get with the A-1 for portrait work.

There's nothing wrong with the A1, but there's no special property that makes it an awesome portrait camera - it's just a 35mm SLR with a range of lenses to suit needs. For portrait, you'd benefit greatly from stepping up to medium format. Also - developing film (B&W or color) is really not difficult to do, with minimal equipment and some thought and preparation. Printing is more involved (and needs a darkroom); scanning negs is easy. You scan the negs, not the prints - e.g a basic flat bed with a backlit, secondary lamp in the scanner's top.

 

[dubiousone]

I don't have an RX67 but I do have a M645 1000s which I like very much. The A-1 was my second SLR which I still have and shoot so I'll start with that one. It can be as automatic as you want or almost as manual. Leave the lens on A (auto) and select aperture priority. The camera selects the shutter speed. Or, lens in same setting select shutter priority and the camera selects the aperture. OR...put the aperture ring to whatever aperture and the shutter to whatever. There will be a little M in the viewfinder indicating manual and the digital readouts, one for aperture and one for shutter, will tell you what the camera thinks they should be. When your settings match the readouts you have proper exposure. The AE-1 and AE-1 program work similarly but have a needle indicating the aperture (AE-1) or LED's for the AE-1P. In auto, either shutter or aperture or full manual where the camera does both it's a super way to shoot fast and you always know what the settings are at a glance but it is decidedly unhandy for manual. Once you get the hang of it its not too bad but for manual I much prefer my Pentax K1000 or Nikon FE...or even the F3 or FA. All are easier to use I think but I still love my Canons!

Lots of inexpensive lenses and they are very good. One thing with the A series cameras, when they get dry the shutter squeaks. It will squeak a long time before things stick and need a service so it's best to fix that BEFORE it seizes. There are several how-to's on the web, look for fixing canon shutter squeak. Or you could just send it off for a CLA which, like all mechanical devices (like cars) needs to be done now and then. I can recommend Joe Careta, he's in Florida and does top notch work. About $100 or so depending. Before you balk, think of this analogy; I had a 1985 Ford F150. Had it for 28 years, almost 150,000. In the time I drove it I probably put triple what I paid for it to keep it running. Cost of doing business.

The Mamiya is...big. I'm pretty sure my M645 weighs ten pounds or just felt like it after a morning of lugging it around, LOL. I would reccomend an eye level viewfinder, the waist level shows the scene in reverse and since all my other cameras don't that's...too weird. I imagine the RZ67 is pretty close. There ain't no auto on my M645, set the aperture then fiddle the shutter until the vertical LED is centered green THere's a set of bars above and below (red) that show how much under/over you are. It's almost like the match needle on my K1000, Put the needle a little high or low to shoot over/under. Same thing with the FE; it has a needle for shutter and one for aperture. ALign them, you're on. Put one over/under, that's how far your exposure is. The A-1 BTW has exposure compensation right on a top dial.

Developing. Make sure wherever you go gives you the negatives. I HAD a Walgreens that went to digital. You get prints and your negatives on CD. Not the film back. yeech. I just scan the prints but you can get a scanner for negatives. When the 'lab' does the prints you get whatever the tech 'thinks' is right. Scanning the negatives yourself you have more options.

I have a 5D Mark III dslr but am looking to supplement it with a film camera system under $500. I love the look of the portraits these cameras produce, check out this photographer who uses the A-1:

HOLLIE FERNANDO PHOTOGRAPHY - IN BLOOM

I am looking to recreate this film feel but have never used film before and don't know what I should know about it...I am assuming the way it works is I put in a roll (ASA400 for continuous lighting in studio?), expose and take my shots, then get it developed...and then scan the prints? I am not really sure how scanning negatives work. So I would like to know what I need to get with the A-1 for portrait work.

Also, if anyone knows what I need to use the RZ67 (as in backs, prisms, etc.) to shoot basic portraits that would be great too. Any recommendations, warnings, articles, etc. are really appreciated.

 

[Canoneer]

Got my A-1 used and it has always been a bit off, underexposing by 1-2 stops. Even when I use the exposure comp to fix that, the results have not been impressive. My AE-1 bought new in 1980 -- same series as the A-1 -- has superb exposure. Better than my T-70 that is a later generation Canon with supposedly all the capabilities of the A-1. (Well, don't remember how you do exposure compensation on the T-70, or if it does multiple exposures like the A-1.)

Don't use my Canons much. For film I like the N90s, FE and F3 better. The only ones I have film in now.

 

[tudor96stani]

I just borrowed a A1 from a friend of my dads. I love it. It has 35mm lenses, the focus method is great, it can set the aperture or shutter speed (or both) for you - or you can set them yourself. It can use a lot of lenses (I read somewhere that there're about 55 that are compatible - far more than, I presume, anyone would need). Nice, sturdy camera as well (heard it all or mostly made out of metal).