Morro Bay with the Mamiya RB67

In this video, on a whim, I head to Morro Bay for some photography with my Mamiya RB67. Years ago I visited this place with a digital camera and loved an image I shot there. However, I shot it in low-resolution, not paying attention to the differences between shooting in jpg or RAW, making the image somewhat unsuitable for printing. Now, with a medium format camera shooting 6x7, I am not going to miss out on resolution.
Towards the end I also share why I would shoot with a film camera in this age of digital technology.
The films being used is Kodak TMX 100.
| 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 |
• 𝗠𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗯 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 johndoukasphot...
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Gear Used:
Mamiya RB67 with 127mm lens
Pro SD 6x7 film back
Zoom H1
Canon 6D Mark II
Rode VidMicro
Shure MVL lav mic
Music:
Piano Flurry - Purple Planet Music
Glimpse of Eternity - Meydn
Monsplaisir - I Am the Coyote
A Beautiful Morning - Purple Planet Music
Follow also on Instagram
/ johndoukas
johndoukasphoto...

[@soulfulstrum131]

I relate 100% to being bored with photography and then switching to film

[@herbertandrewdutton]

Great images, really enjoyed your video! I shot some images in the little town of Morro Bay last year, one of my video slide shows has the Morro Bay photos, think I titled it Highway 1 Road Trip?

[@mikejankowski6321]

Nice photos! That TMAX is good stuff. Your low-res JPEG story gave me a big LOL.

[@KombatFlix]

Great shots. I've never shot anything b&w outside of Illford. I will try TMAX next bruh.

[@ram07ish]

Great video! Nice to see people take the RB67 outside the studio for landscape shoots.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Funny enough, I tried it in the studio for some portraits. Worked great.

[@joseluisbadia8331]

Nice video!! Thanks🎄😜

[@eliedelorme9945]

Thank you for travelling 4h to take these beautiful photos with the best MF camera ever built. I ma using it hand held with a heavy duty ergonomic left hand grip and it lets you forget the weight. I really like the ability of instant macro photo with any lens of the lineup without any extra accessories just by extending the bellow with the focusing knob...great video. I hope you had a nice trip back home...all my best from Paris

[@ivanradoslovic8229]

Hey. Can i have your facebook, i wanna ask u few thing about handheld this camera

[@spickett10]

Nice video! Love seeing the rb67 used out in the wild and looked like that ND filter helped a lot with that shot.

[@softdorothy]

Maybe you're developing your own negatives now. Saves you that week (and means you did everything from beginning to end). Got an RB67 as well - my first medium format (because they are/were affordable). My college-age daughter grabbed it from me though and uses it. (I've had to get my own camera now.) Love medium format.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

I’d love to develop my own negatives, and have a dark room. I currently don’t have the space to do it properly.

[@softdorothy]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography Understand. I never did the darkroom bit - no enlarger, no prints. But I am developing the film in a tank in my kitchen. Space is not an issue for that.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

@@softdorothy do you have to maintain a room temperature?

[@softdorothy]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography For B&W it's pretty easy because the temperature of the chemicals is basically room temperature. I think they're forgiving as well if you are a few degrees off or whatever. I just tried color negatives for the first time and was successful. Those chemicals have to be kept at 102 degrees or so. The room temperature is not critical but I had to run hot water in my sink and set the chemical bottles in the sink until the temperature came up to 102. I have only now done the one roll of color but it came out great.

[@tomallen6073]

I have a mamiya 645 and a rb67. I was reading an old book on Leica cameras the other day, Leica were the ones behind 35mm photography, they were looking for “the smallest film size that would give good results”. So 35mm was a compromise between image quality and portability. I’d like to own a Hasselblad or Leica but they are a bit out of my reach. Interesting perspective, learn on digital because it lots of shots for cheap, then move to film once you understand exposure and know how to make each shot count. Just my thoughts. The 15th edition of the Leica manual is a great book and can be had cheap on Amazon.

[@westonthrockmorton936]

Really great video, also awesome images. I just got my RB67SD, super excited to put work into it.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Weston Throckmorton I hope you get to use sometime soon

[@transpermeance1535]

An experience beautifully shared ; I was moved and inspired by your genuine expression ; thanks , I thinks I will take out my RB67 and go shoot some B&W .

[@erichstocker4173]

You can use two cable releases. One on the camera and one on the lens. Set the lens to mirror lockup. Trip the shutter one that will flip up the mirror. Then use the cable release on the lens to actual hold open the shutter and hold as long as you need before you release.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Thanks. Good to know!

[@GK-vj9dz]

Or, just put the one CR on the mirror lockup input, fire the lower shutter button by hand, to lock the mirror up, then press the cable release to fire the shot. either way works. just one less cable. :)

[@aristoioannidis7490]

Hey John. Awesome images. Experimenting is half the fun. Love your work.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Thanks, from a fellow Greek(?)

[@aristoioannidis7490]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography Indeed, from Sydney Australia. Thanks for reaching out.

[@tiagomatos4531]

You can also close the shutter by rotating the shutter speed ring. I find that i has less chance of creating shake

[@robertskates4356]

John, thanks for taking a few seconds and showing how the meter works with the prism finder. I've been trying to decide on one for a few weeks. The moment I saw the shot you included with the green light inside, I paused the video went to eBay and bought one like yours.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Awesome. Glad I could help. When I ordered my camera on eBay, it didn't mention the prism finder. It advertised the waist-level finder. Turns out I much prefer the prism-finder with the spotmeter built in.

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

Awesome video John lovely set of images. Agree totally I started on film moved to digi always shoot digitally for work (newspapers) now shooting more and more film just for pure enjoyment. I've been putting my old wedding work horse the Bronica ETRSi through its paces of late I love that camera (plenty of sample shoots on my channel...blatant shameless non too subtle bit of self promo there). This week a work mate handed me her old RB67 Pro S kit which she was gonna dump, so asked if I fancied it......er go on then why not.....then I told her the price these things are going for online......not sure she's too keen on dumping it now.....at least she's happy for me to try it out make sure it's all it working order. Cannot wait to crack on with it. Loved your video mate liked and subbed for more. Regards Paul

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Hi. How are you liking the RB67 compared to the Bronica?

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography hey mate love n not so much love at the mo I’ve had to redo the light seals then took it out for a shoot just got the files back they’re light tight I’m happy as larry but the overall shooting experience I have to say so far the Bron wins hands down. I know the RB is intended for studio work so dragging it up and down hills is a killer whereas the Bron is tiny and light in comparison.

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

@@paultaylorphotography9499 yep. The RB67 is definitely a boat anchor.

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography I was 6’4” before I started lugging the bugger around mate 😔

[@galaxya716]

Здравствуйте,Джон! Спасибо за прекрасное видео и рассказ. У меня тоже Mamiya RB67 и я очень рад с ней работать. Я купил призму как у Вас,но в ней нет элемента питания. Подскажите пожалуйста какой у Вас в призме,что-бы я тоже мог купить и замерять. Спасибо и хороших снимков!!!

[@robertbartelmes7623]

John ... your video reminds me of the fundamental simplicity of using film with the RB67 ... great photos, great video ... Bart

[@extremelydave]

Slowing down, paying more attention to detail, more satisfaction. Yup, with you on all points John. Film makes you look at the whole process instead of going out with a digital camera and blasting off 250 pictures in the hope that 1 or 2 will be just what you want. I started out with film, went to digital and am now going back to film for that feeling of YEAH! I got that picture just as I saw it in my head. Thanks for sharing this!

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Film photography definitely keeps you thinking.

[@Matt-im9rg]

Nice photos

[@GeirBakkenVestfold]

Beautiful black and white pictures.

[@АнтонЮсов-и1з]

hi cool video, what kind of tripod do you use?

[@jessejack7829]

I enjoy your videos. Keep them coming!

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Thank you

[@Brenby]

Hi John, why didn't you use mirror up mode?

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

It didn't occur to me. Old habits with digital (I rarely used mirror up) transported to film photography.

[@SteveKleinheider]

Enjoyed the video...good work!

[@ronbianca1975]

Hi John. I earned a good living with my RB 67 doing studio and on location photography with it. I believe the name Morro was derived from the early explorer's who associated the rock with the Moor's hats. Have a good day! Where are you from? Ron

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Ron Bianca interesting. I've been wanting to learn more early California history.

[@janwalker2662]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography A good place to visit is the mission in Lompoc Ca. They say it is haunted and I believe it"

[@ericdowd5762]

Where do you get your Manila repaired?

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Thankfully there's a place local to me, in Anaheim. CAMERA TECH OF ANAHEIM

[@ericdowd5762]

John Doukas Photography Cool. Been there. Love that place!!! And he’s a relic. Thanks. I’ve got a 50mm that needs to be cleaned up.

[@mikejankowski6321]

@@JohnDoukasPhotography Thanks, I saved this info for possible future use.

[@darcy7236]

Awesome great work appreciate your video/pics keep it up 🤘😎

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

Darcy 72 thanks for the encouragement

[@marcelocampoamor4761]

Good work! thank you

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

marcelo campoamor Thanks for watching

[@kylestey]

Do you know if the metered prisms for the Pro SD and the other one are compatible with the original?

[@JohnDoukasPhotography]

I'm not sure. When I bought this on eBay, it advertised a waist-level finder. When it arrived, the metered-prism was installed...with no waist-level finder included.