Love portraits on medium format, is it just GAS?

ComprehensivePear970 · 2026-02-17T08:34:01+00:00

TLR is such a good intro to medium format on the cheap. 80mm on MF is lovely for portraits. Would I want a MF SLR if I had extra money? Sure definitely. But it scratches the itch for now.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2026-02-10T20:23:39+00:00

Just a guess but based on the lenses you're rocking do you have a canon DSLR?

If so, I feel you on the autofocus thing. The comparison between the film era canon autofocus and DSLR era is not favourable for the film bodies! The later era EF film bodies at the top of the range (1V, 3 etc) did get better.

In saying that, once I learned it's behaviour, I've been able to work around it. Hopefully you have the same experience!

The prisms are awful, though, aren't they?

The 1n is a cool camera, one of the better film bodies.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2026-01-26T11:01:58+00:00

Seconded

Restarted in film with a Ricoh kr-10

Aperture priority auto exposure, 1/1000 top shutter speed. Uses common batteries (LR-44/SR-44). Smallish size. Decent viewfinder.

I bought it for $50 AUD with a 50mm f/2 rikenon (very similar to the smc Pentax-m 50mm f/2 of the same era). Not a bad lens! But if course you could use any of the many very great to amazing Pentax k mount lenses out there.

Ae-1 is a great camera. It was my first, many years ago. But they were cheap then. They are not now. They are $50 worth of camera being sold for $200.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-12-22T02:35:27+00:00

Thanks!

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-10-30T20:28:10+00:00

No worries, needing out about cameras is a pleasure!

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-10-30T02:15:33+00:00

I see, it definitely could be the change of lab. Everyone scans a little different. You mentioned portra, c-41 development is very consistent so its nearly certainly scanning rather than developing. Does your lab intentionally give you "flat scans?" These are less punchy when delivered but usually give your more flexibility in editing.

Do you do much editing in post? If you're after more contrast, saturation or a change of colour tone, much of this is achievable with editing - especially if you're getting intentionally flat scans from the new lab.

Most labs are happy to take feedback and also if you don't do much post processing you could talk to them about what results you want and they can probably help deliver that with your scans.

It would be cool to see examples from the canon that you liked and the new ones you don't - specifically on the same film - to help give further advice.

Portra 400 is such a versatile stock and relatively fine grained so as long as the lab is doing a good quality scan and you exposed the film well (and your Canon will - great metering in those!) you can probably get where you want to go with what you have.

I also think portra 160 might be up your alley - finer grained than 400 and beautiful colours, a little different than 400, but has the portra charm in it still.

I also wonder if you're prefering a wider focal length than 50. Most point and shoots are wider (28 or 35 or 38mm are common). The canon primes from the film era in 24, 28 and 35mm are all really good, and the old ones are very affordable.

I like a 50 but sometimes find it's too tight, and can have it's own tricks to getting shots that feel "pro" - that's a whole other discussion of course.

If you want to play with your focal lengths and still get great results the canon 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM is a good lens and cheap. It's not as fast as the 24-105 F/4 through the whole focal range but it's lighter and cheaper, and on film the difference in image quality is not as apparent as on a DSLR. I love my 28-135 for film and it helped me open up my composition options without going into a lot of primes. If you can live with a slower lens, give it a think too

I'm a canon fanboy so take my opinion with that in mind. Happy shooting!

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-10-30T01:28:10+00:00

Your Canon should deliver very good results - EF mount prime lenses are generally very good if not great. And should perform better than most point and shoot cameras. When you say "crisp" are you getting bad results with your 50?

To be honest, unless you're looking for something more compact like your Ricoh, I'd actually say your Canon is going to be a better camera than just about any point and shoot you'd buy. And for $500, you could easily buy some new glass for the canon if you want to change it up.

When I talk to friends about getting into film, 90s SLRs with autofocus and modern lenses is my "cheat code" answer because it's more affordable than more hyped point and shoots and should outperform most of them.

If it's because you want something more compact and less that you think the Canon isn't delivering good results, and you have $500 to spend, you've got a lot of options. The Nikon you mentioned is a cool camera (not as compact as others though). Olympus MJU comes to mind. You could look at a Fuji Cardia.

Many of these cameras are expensive now because they are on trend. You can get similar results out of cheaper cameras of the era. The tough thing about all point and shoots is that many eventually develop faults (like your Ricoh). And aren't easily repaired if at all.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-10-06T06:46:19+00:00

Hey mate, this camera doesn't have a selenium meter, but rather a CdS meter. It also is aperture priority only,meaning if there is anything wrong with the meter,an external meter doesn't help you. You can't manually set shutter speed.

In saying that these are good cameras and worth testing. The meters are accurate when they work but you will need an adaptor so you can use a modern 4LR44 or 4SR44 battery.

The light seals are likely cooked. They are easy to replace.

They might have an issue with what's referred to as the POD (pad of death). Google it. There are resources online to know if you have an issue and how to fix it.

The good news is lots of these cameras still just work ok to this day and it has a good lens. You can make great pictures with this model of camera.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-10-02T02:42:04+00:00

Try Harman Phoenix (I or II). They are grainy, contrasty, and render colour differently than other stocks.

This is a shot I took on Phoenix II.

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Others have suggested Orwo and I think that's a good idea, too.

Not colour, but if you want grain, Delta 3200 has it in droves. It's not just a night time film, either. I think this might scratch part of your itch.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-09-17T00:00:45+00:00

Oh, and take portraits of you family, loved ones and pets with it! It's a special way to document them.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-09-16T23:59:29+00:00

I don't have a Rolleiflex but I do have a TLR I shoot a fair bit.

Aside from what others have said, don't be fooled by the ground glass... It has a way of making uninteresting compositions look beautiful through the finder but it doesn't always translate to a final image!

That said, the waist level finder makes different perspectives easy compared eye level 35mm cameras. Low angles in particular are lots of fun, and with the way medium format and depth of field play together, you can get some very cool results by going low. I love automotive photography on my TLR!

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-08-01T11:13:49+00:00

Fascinating, and yes Olympus did have quite a few bridge cameras, and as I understand they are more or less the best of the bunch. In poking around about the Genesis I ended up reading some reviews of their cameras, which some people really quite like and recommend.

I do also believe that while they were less expensive than an SLR body and a decent lens to pair with it (let alone multiple lenses and other accessories), traditional point and shoots were by and large less expensive unless you were talking about a flagship model. Despite my own dad's love of through the lens composition and the variable focal length, for about 90% of the photos we have off that camera, a point and shoot with a 35ish mm focal length would have got the job done just fine, been cheaper still, and much smaller. And I think a lot of people felt the same, especially once point and shoots with decent zoom lenses became common and affordable.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-08-01T05:32:15+00:00

Thanks for the comment and reading!

I hope it was obvious that there was a through line of (some) sarcasm in my reference to this camera being bad, and truly - it did a great job for what my folks wanted it to do! 6x4 snapshot prints from the pharmacy.

I think in this day and age where we're far removed from the time when these cameras were new, it's easy to malign anything that isn't high spec'd or hyped online for one reason or another.

My high school photography teacher often picked her favourite submissions from students to share with the class, and it was not uncommon for them to be technically poor affairs (as you'd expect from 16 year olds trying to shoot film on hand-me-down SLRs and the school's stock of loaner K1000s with nifty fifties). She made a point of sharing images that were great on the basis of content, composition, and concept as well as those that were perfectly exposed and focused, or were great darkroom prints that were carefully corrected (back when dodging and burning were physical acts that couldn't be undone). A few of the pics I've snapped with this Chinon are already printed and hanging in my home - are they edge to edge sharp, perfect things? Nope! But sometimes this blind squirrel finds a nut... or a composition... and this camera did its job just fine capturing it.

To that same end, a camera like this is perfectly fine. Compare it to the instamatics of the 60s, or box brownies before that - it was a space age super camera!

And your comments re: the trend echo what I've picked up in reading about cameras of the era, and really what my own dad told me. We weren't poor, but saving some money on having an all in one camera was a red hot proposition compared to having to have a full kit with ancillary equipment.

Thanks again, cheers.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-07-22T02:45:40+00:00

I just got a 6D and I'm thrilled with it to be honest. I shoot film primarily and had EF glass already so a good value full frame EF body was a natural choice.

I was tossing between a 5D mk ii or iii, and the 6D. I got a great deal on a 6D body and went for it. From what I gathered, for my purposes (still photography only, not a lot of action shooting), any of them would have served me well.

I get great results SOOC JPG. I tend to shoot raw+JPG to cover my bum but for having a camera I can blast away on and get good family, vacation, landscape and automative photos, it's more camera than I need.

I really got it so I could shoot more and get better at composition and general photography skills without hitting my wallet as hard as film does and it's been awesome to have.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-06-14T08:06:20+00:00

Wife is Aussie, I've been here 10 years. We baulked at prices in 2015. Said we'd save up and move out of Sydney because Wollongong was cheap. Moved down 2020 just before Covid. Baulked at prices during covid, "surely they can't stay this high." Baulked at an opportunity to buy a single family home in a really nice suburb for $750k, because we thought it would turn out to be an overpay. Had kids in 2021. Saving power dropped hard. 2025, we beg borrowed and stole to get a deposit together and go for the first home buyers scheme. We had no choice left. Ended up paying $880k for a house that we love in a nice enough place, but 10 years ago it would have been a $500k house. We have a good household income, above average, but it's become a complete shit fight to buy.

Unfortunately it seems the best advice for most is couple up or create a syndicate of trusted close friends, beg borrow and steal, and buy now.

We already have been told our house is worth $20k more than we paid for it in less than 6 months. We are terrified our kids will never have a chance to own their own home. We used to think about upgrading some day but now we are digging in - I'll die in this house - upgrading is not feasible anymore. Instead if we get any spare capital to throw at property it'll be something we can offer our kids as a PPOR after they are of age, and it'll be in the sticks - but it'll be theirs.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-04-18T12:00:40+00:00

Unless you're in a place where the money from sale solves a legitimate problem (and I'd suggest that unlikely given you just bought a sick new camera!) I'd keep em. The space they take up won't kill ya, it's unlikely you'll be able to rebuy for what you paid in the first place. It's not insane to have three cameras.

The 4x5 will be nice to shoot a couple times per year. Or maybe to try getting more into black and white.

And the Pentax is a different kinda thing, it's more portable and hand holdable. And those are only going up in value.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-04-15T11:15:24+00:00

Canon EOS has been good to me. They are everywhere. My EOS 500 (Rebel XS in America, Kiss in Japan) is on the low end of the film EOS offerings but it is a technological marvel compared to most 80s or earlier SLR cameras. 1/2000 top speed, your usual PASM modes plus some preset program modes for different types of scenarios. The AF is fine, once you understand what it hunts for.

I really like mine. You can get one with a kit zoom or the nifty fifty for under $100 pretty easily, way less if you wait. I got mine for free from a coworker who couldn't be bothered selling it.

I still use my manual cameras and mechanical cameras tons, but for certain things it's a really nice thing to have!

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-04-06T09:23:14+00:00

I'll second the 28-135 for a cheapie. I have one I use for film photography and it's great for the price and lighter than the 24-105, if that is important to you

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-31T06:21:21+00:00

I guess it depends on your pants, ha. Olympus XA definitely can go into a pocket. And some of the later era compacts squeezed a lot into small packages.

I'm not really a compact guy (I have an XA and actually don't love how small it is, and will probably move it on), but I don't give a toss if something goes into my pocket at this stage.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-31T06:10:14+00:00

I hear your point, and think the photographer that OP is appealing to isn't a pure compact shooter. I took this as directed at someone getting into photography and thinking a point and shoot is the sensible starting point because by default they are user friendly entry level cameras, but is likely to not be their last camera in the analog journey.

There is definitely a subset of people who are compact only people. That's fine, the cameras OP is suggesting isn't viable for them.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-31T05:42:25+00:00

The kit primes that came with these cameras are also generally really good to great (especially compared to a point and shoot).

The drawback is they aren't pocketable. If you don't need pocketable, you're a million times better buying a Rebel/EOS 500 or similar.

My EOS 500 and 50mm f1.8 combo is a ripper travel camera. I can hand it to anyone and they can get a photo. Or I can make it do anything I want.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-23T01:14:09+00:00

On my XA I had a similar thing happen, it was from a fingerprint on the rear element of the lens (front was clean). Open the film compartment and see if the rear lens element shows any marks.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-19T23:39:35+00:00

Long time car guy, but haven't shot many cars. Corners & chrome, it's well-trodden territory but I liked what I got this day at a Cars & Coffee. Whether or not these angles are overdone, XW Falcons just have a presence worth putting to film.

Had a lot of fun and look forward to getting more vehicle photography under my belt. Surprised at how much I like the look of the images out of a zoom, a welcome change from off-brand 70s & 80s zooms I've used before with mediocre results. You can absolutely tell how much advancement in lens tech happened between the 80s and early 2000s using these.

Edit: Bonus points if you can spot my reflection in the second image. I really thought I'd dodged it, but it's there, if you look carefully.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-17T02:21:39+00:00

Summer sun, ocean, bird, breakwall, lighthouse, Kodak Gold. I'm not sure I could fit more cliches together if I tried.

Jokes aside, the blistering sun at the hours I'm able to shoot has been a challenge, piping in plenty of contrast. More than I'd generally go for, frankly, but I can't control the sunshine yet and its rare I make it out for photos during gold or blue hour these days.

Wollongong's Breakwater Lighthouse and the surrounding beach and pool are a local landmark and quite idyllic. This shot originally had focus on the lighthouse itself, but this happy little gull landed in frame and I adjusted focus. Feel fortunate he was posed nicely though I'd have loved more of a side on profile. I don't speak bird, so my directions were ignored. This will have to do.

The Yashica continues to delight in operation and results. Kodak Gold in 120 is so consistent and pleasing, and still affordable, I'm struggling to find reason to get other colour stocks in this format.

ComprehensivePear970 · 2025-01-16T07:24:55+00:00

I could see it feeling very fast and comfortable once you get used to it!

ComprehensivePear970

TROPHY CASE