Monday, September 8, 2008

Equipment!


Unfortunately, they don't shell out all of the equipment at the same time. They make us really want it for a couple weeks. We are only using 4 rolls of film in this camera this year, or at least in this 'phase,' but they want us to get onto digital fairly quickly so it might be for the year. However there are still bigger cameras we get to use. This is a Medium format camera. It is the Mamiya 645AFD. It comes with two lenses. 80mm (which is an incredibly wide angle on this camera) and a 150mm (which is a medium distance lens). We only received the film backing. It is interchangeable with a digital backing. So, in essence we can use the same camera for both film and digital, which is really neat. We also got a Light meter and a tripod. The tripod weights 6.5lbs. Which I'm guessing that the camera weighs about 4lbs with batteries. Its certainly not a camera for leisure hiking. If its to be taken outdoors its more for fine art landscape than anything else. Its a portrait camera. Later we get the Canon 5D, which is one of my favorite cameras. Its light, (not as light as my rebel xti) and it has a full frame 35mm digital sensor (my rebel xti has a 1.6 times smaller sensor - meaning it gives you more zoomed-in or cropped view with all the lenses used on it). Having a full frame 35mm digital sensor means its like taking pictures on a real 35mm camera.

So we've got a medium format camera, we're getting a full-frame 35mm camera, and we get to play with the large format 4x6 cameras that don't really have a reason to leave school. First assignment is kind of chinsy and mainly to get everyone on the same page. We're taking a group fieldtrip to "historic deerfield" to take specific pictures. The pictures are meant to be exposed both correctly and intentionally incorrectly (2 stops over and under exposed) to show we have control over our exposure. Our other assignment is on the same trip, and its to talk about directional lighting. We have to have some specific subjects which are front lit, back lit, and side lit. Film is due to be turned in by 7:45 thursday, trip is on wednesday.

Other than that.. most of my first day was a bit boring. Getting everyone on the same page, because not everyone has used an SLR or a dSLR camera. No one has used a Medium format camera that I have met.

P.S. This is on my wish-list.
http://www.adorama.com/SLSH705E.html
The tripod they gave has a head like that, but mine doesn't really have a head yet, and mine weighs a lot less. I love my tripod. Its something I planned on getting before I came out but didn't.

1 comment:

Anne Marie said...

hey jason! this is really cool and im glad your doin good so far =D call me up sometime and let me know how your doin. have fun with college!