I took to photography at a pretty young age, toying around with my dad’s Canon AL-1, the little brother to the famous AE-1. The Canon became my platform as I moved into high school and became a photography lab assistant, learning film techniques including standard development processes, pushing and pulling, dark room printing, and studio lighting tactics. However, there was a big gap in my photography growth after high school, as I no longer had access to a studio. As digital started to become ubiquitous in early 2000s, I eventually bought my first digital camera, a tiny canon point-and-shoot.

Years later, I bought a digital SLR, the Canon 300D, the first prosumer targeted platform at sub-$1k pricing. Eventually I moved up to the 30D, another fantastic model. But while digital certainly made it easy for me to simply point and shoot the camera, I never really got hooked on it. It was a very different experience and workflow from film.

It wasn’t until late-2014 that I got back into film photography. I was returning to San Francisco from a business trip and had the pleasure of sitting next to Ian Allen, a professional photographer. I’ve always been interested in medium and large format photography, but didn’t really know much about it. The 35mm is so heavily marketed and accessible, that MF and LF seemed distant and out of reach to me. After speaking to Ian about his methods, tools, and love for medium format, I was intrigued. He introduced me to fact that you could buy modular MF systems that could be adapted with digital backs instead of film back holders. While Ian uses digital, I opted for the film route as I certainly could not justify spending the amount of money required to enter digital medium format.

I hit up my good buddy Pali for advice and started researching the various options on the market, eventually finding an amazing deal for a Mamiya RZ67 PRO-II. I was hooked, which is both great and terrible. Great to be reinvigorated by the art. Terrible for my wallet. Let’s put it this way, I have more film than food in my fridge.

I typically shoot landscape, as I can take my time and think through angles, lighting, and exposures. As I continue to learn, I’d like to get more into portraits as well – I find portraits to be very challenging.

What’s In My Bag?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Cameras

• Canon 30D
• Sony NEX 5R
• Canon 5D MKII
• iPhone 8+

Film Cameras

• Canon AL-1
• Mamiya RZ67 PRO-II
• Sinar Norma 4×5
• Plaubel Makina 67 (Nikkor 80mm F2.8)
• Wanderlust Travelwide 4×5
• Fuji GA645W (Super EBC 45mm F5.6)
• Mercury Works 4×5 System
• Leica M3
• Fujica G690 BLP
• Nikonos V

Lenses

• Sony E-Mount 16mm + FishEye Adapter
• Sony E-Mount 28mm F2
• Sony E-Mount 55-210mm F4.3-6
• Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm F1.4
• Canon 35mm F1.4L
• Canon 85mm F1.8 USM
• Canon 24-105mm F4L
• Canon 70-200mm F4L
• Mamiya Sekor RZ67 65mm F4 L-A
• Mamiya Sekor RZ67 110mm F2.8
• Mamiya Sekor RZ67 140mm F4.5 Macro
• Mamiya Sekor RZ67 180mm F4.5
• Mamiya Sekor RZ67 300mm
• Rodenstock Grandagon 75mm F6.8
• Fujinon W 90mm F8
• Schnieder Angulon 90mm F6.8
• Schneider Symmar-S 135mm F5.6
• Calumet Caltar II-N 210mm F5.6
• Nikkor W 300M F5.6
• Fujinon 100mm F3.5
• Fujinon 65mm F5.6
• Zeiss Planar 50mm F2
• Nikonos 35mm F2.5
• Nikonos 15mm F2.8

Accessories

• Sekonic 558
• Sekonic 758
• Mamiya Sekor Macro Extension Tubes
• Voigtlander VC-II
• Voigtlander Viewfinder 25mm
• Blik Rangefinder
• Manfrotto Tripod
• Mefoto Backpacker
• Vanguard TBH-300 Tripod head
• Graflok 4×5 Back (6 Sheets)
• Horseman 6×12 Back
• Filters (Hoya, Haida, Cokin, Hi-Tech)

Strobist

• Godox AD600BM
• Yongnuo 560
• Yongnuo Trigger
• Paul C. Buff Umbrellas

Scanners

• Epson V800 with BetterScanning 120 and Wet mount holders
• Scanmate Scanview 5000