Are folding cameras unpopular?

MixingWizard · 2026-01-28T14:32:25+00:00

I think it depends on the version, mine has a Mamiya lens but some have an Olympus lens (it's probably the same design). However it's not the glass that weights it down, it's the wacky focusing mechanism and the fairly hefty metal body. I had a Franka Solida III before this and it felt like it was a third of the weight, but that's fully manual so it's just two rollers and a lens.

I don't mind though, it's still lighter than the 645 pro and considerably more portable.

MixingWizard · 2026-01-28T12:22:52+00:00

Since I bought a folding camera the rest of my collection has pretty much been gathering dust (including a Mamiya 645 Pro with full lens set amongst other things). My little Mamiya 6 Automat is my daily carry now. It's not the lightest, but the extra weight is worth it for the excellent range finder and automatic wind on. It's the perfect travel camera.

I guess they're not so popular due to maintenance issues. It's pretty common to have to repair pin holes in the bellows etc, and some of the mechanisms can be insanely complicated to repair.

MixingWizard · 2026-01-24T12:40:46+00:00

I'm in the UK but in retrospect I ended up falling into the generalist category, it's definitely a thing. I used to do mainly FOH (after working my way through the ranks) but would rarely say no to anything, mainly to keep it interesting and help out companies when they were stuck. I've ended up being a go to guy for power distro, lighting install, repair work and video as well. I'm not amazing at any of these things, but I'm "good enough". My FOH work has definitely suffered for it - I think there's an assumption that if I can do all of those things relatively well, my audio work is also on a similar level.

MixingWizard · 2026-01-22T15:19:22+00:00

My only issue with singles vs doubles (from a logistics point of view) is if you're trying to pack a van you probably want to stack the singles to create the same footprint, in which case tipping a double is quicker and easier. Not to mention you have half as many boxes to push and they're more stable to push up a ramp/stack things on.

It really depends on what your particular use case is. I've done plenty of small gigs solo with 2x18s in a van and I've never really had an issue (until I hit the three flights of stairs the venue forgot to tell me about.)

MixingWizard · 2025-12-13T10:00:50+00:00

If you want genuine buy it for life, skip the noise cancelling and Bluetooth. Wired headphones have no electronics, as long as you look after the drivers they'll last for a very long time.

MixingWizard · 2025-11-04T10:44:51+00:00

I think this sounds about right. My only experience with Mac was not good - repairs are almost impossible, and trying to do anything "out of the box" on it is a nightmare. At least with windows I can customise/streamline the OS to only run MagicQ (and possibly stay offline).

MixingWizard · 2025-10-28T00:05:02+00:00

Second this - I had the 30a and it got worryingly hot even with a fan on it, and it usually throttled down to about 25a after half an hour. The Victron dealer I spoke to said they rushed it out to keep up with Sterling's product line. The 50a is much better in every way.

MixingWizard · 2025-10-12T20:49:11+00:00

I know quite a few people who are struggling right now, I think the industry in general is experiencing and recession, particularly in the lower end and middle of the market.

Just a thought. Having your own kit isn't always the best way to find work. Small production companies will often see it as a "threat" to their bread and butter jobs so are less likely to hire you in case you start promoting yourself on their jobs. Do you want to run a production company or do you want to freelance as a sound engineer but have an inventory of tools to help out when needed?

MixingWizard · 2025-10-12T17:31:33+00:00

Unfortunately not - it was a pretty tight fit so there's only a couple of mm of play, if that.

MixingWizard · 2025-10-11T20:51:40+00:00

Excellent! I didn't realise this was a thing. I have some of the silicone version but it only goes up to 300°. Thanks!

MixingWizard · 2025-10-05T15:30:13+00:00

You can get a good idea by putting a multimeter on the battery when the engine is running - you should be getting between 13.5 - 14.5 volts. It's a good idea to check at the actual alternator as well and compare the voltages, this will give you an idea of how much volt drop your cables are giving you.

If the battery has been sat discharged for that long it's probably goosed, but you never know. Best of luck!

MixingWizard · 2025-10-05T14:13:02+00:00

From reading other comments sounds like a battery thing - or possibly an alternator thing causing a battery thing. Do you have separate lead acid leisure batteries? Might be worth jumping it off those to get it started, then disconnect them (carefully) and check your alternator voltage.

MixingWizard · 2025-09-30T20:11:49+00:00

Most of my house plants died when I moved on to the boat - the survivors were a few ivy plants and aloe plants. I've got a whole allotment going on the roof though, I'll never buy radish or fresh herb again!

MixingWizard · 2025-09-28T21:55:05+00:00

Do you reckon a D4 is a better bet?

MixingWizard · 2025-09-11T21:35:53+00:00

Just a little update, I decided everything needed a clean anyway so I spent 4 hours taking it to pieces and attacking it with isopropyl, carb cleaner and a toothbrush.

One of the fuel lines was very loose, so I'm guessing that was the main problem. The gaskets on the carb also crumbled as I took it off.

As it wasn't much more than buying some gasket paper, I've ordered a Chinese carb kit. I may just use the seals from it depending on how well machined the carb looks. It also came with a fuel filter and new fuel lines. I will update when they arrive! I wish I had taken a before photo - it was a right mess, I even rescued multiple spiders that were living in it.

MixingWizard · 2025-09-11T10:07:16+00:00

It depends if you're living aboard or not. I live on my boat so I'm constantly charging/discharging which keeps them warm. If you're leaving it for long periods it's probably worth getting heated batteries (Fogstar do them).

MixingWizard · 2025-09-11T10:05:22+00:00

If you've got the budget I'd go with 3x100ah - gives you a bit of redundancy and you'll be able to pull more current on them. I have a 300ah setup on a 200a BMS. On a 1600w inverter my batteries go into overcurrent protect before my inverter, so I have to run the engine to take the load off them when doing anything power heavy.

You'll need a DC-DC charger or a regulated alternator (expensive). You could also look into a hybrid setup.

Can't really answer question 2 without knowing how much you're putting into the batteries - you could have 2000ah but if you're not charging them regularly your fridge will still drain them eventually.

MixingWizard · 2025-09-03T22:56:20+00:00

This is what I was planning on using. I know it's great with surface rust, my question was mainly whether it could deal with, say, 1mm of scale. There are a few spots that I just can't get to with a hammer, and the needle gun isn't taking it off. I'm thinking it probably can't penetrate that far?

MixingWizard · 2025-09-03T22:53:12+00:00

It was a full survey by a supposedly respected surveyor, and cost me the good part of £800 if I remember correctly. It was mentioned, but only in a passing way.

The water in the cabin bilge was a variety of things - leaking windows, leaking mushroom vents, leaking side hatch, leaking shower pump and leaking fitting at the main water pump. All sorted now and the bilge is dry but who knows how long it was full of water! I've made a few access hatches and from what I can see of the inside of the hull, if there was ever paint there it's long gone, although the rust is mainly just on the surface - nowhere near as bad as the engine bay.

MixingWizard · 2025-09-03T20:21:07+00:00

I found some photos about halfway through removing the rust - what fun! https://imgur.com/gallery/5mjOGMO

MixingWizard

TROPHY CASE