Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

By Art Meripol

22 August, 2026

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Kodak Film Kodak Plus X Mamiya 7
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A post today from Edmakesfilms inspired me to dig into my old files. These shots from a hurried trip in the early 2000’s were shot on Kodak Plus X and my long gone lamented Mamiya 7 II system.

I was shooting for my job at a large regional magazine based in the American South. We were doing a story on the Atlanta Ski Club, the country’s largest. The writer Mark and I flew with the club to Italy and on to Cortina d’Ampezzo . After a few very cold days photographing their activities we took a break and headed northeast to Trieste where Mark was born. Mark wanted to see the house his family lived in back then.  At that time Mark’s father was the commander at a UN military base. The post-war Treaty of Peace with Italy created the Free Territory of Trieste, a new independent and sovereign State under a provisional Government and under the direct responsibility of the United Nations Security Council. According to the protocol, when the Italian peace treaty came into force, the United Kingdom, the United States and Yugoslavia were each authorized to station 5,000 troops in the Free Territory of Trieste. All that kind of explains how Mark came to be born there. 

Entrance to the Jewish Ghetto in which Jews were forced to live by the government of the Venetian Republic. The English word ghetto is derived from the Jewish ghetto in Venice.
Venice’s Ubiquitous drying laundry

Our drive took us by Venice so we stopped overnight to see the city. But by the time we got there it was already late afternoon. Mark crashed in our hotel room but I was entirely too jazzed up to sit still. I grabbed the Mamiya and ran out of the hotel and into the cold hard light of a 30 degree day with some 3 hours of daylight left. I ran around the city with no plan, no idea, no clue where I was half the time. I shot till dusk. At that point, and without a tripod, it was just too dark with the Plus X I had in hand. 

I went back to the hotel room, waking Mark when I came in. He looked up at me with a odd expression and asked what happened to me. I probably looked like I was drunk. I’d just experienced a whirlwind of a visual fantasy. Mark said it looked like I had just had a ‘photogasm’. I believe he was right.

Fresh pasta in a fogged window
Fresh vegetables for sale on a cart.
fresh vegetables

We hit the road to Trieste early the next morning. We found our way to a local municipal office where an official volunteered to take us to the very house Mark’s family lived in. Unfortunately we didn’t speak the same language. I believe he spoke a Slovenian dialect. But we managed. He did find the house where an older Italian couple lived now. They didn’t speak Slovenian but Mark spoke a little Italian. The couple seemed thrilled when they realized why we were there. We were invited to sit at their kitchen table with the municipal official. The older mans wife shuffled out of the room only to return a little while later with a decorative tray. On the tray were small glasses and a dusty never-opened bottle of Johnny Walker Black. I imagine the bottle sitting in their cabinet for years and years waiting for a ‘special moment’. Apparently we were that moment. The wife set it before us and sat in a chair nearby but not at the table with us. We enjoyed the whisky and laughed, sharing stories in three languages.

Mark and the homeowner
Cemetery along the road of the former military base in Trieste
Mark with our new friends outside the home in Trieste where he was born.

What a wonderful trip and such great memories. I don’t know what to say about the Mamiya 7. Incredible camera for travel. Small but with beautiful 6X7 negatives. Tiny but brilliant lenses. When I shot slide film with it the results looked like stained glass windows.  The only sadness is that after moving to digital and leaving the magazine I wasn’t shooting the Mamiya any more. It sat in a case on a shelf for a few years before I sold off the two bodies and four lenses. Sold off for pennies. Now I couldn’t afford to buy it all back it’s become so expensive.

A long time friend and fellow photographer made beautiful darkroom prints from many of my negatives from the shoot. She’s a master printer and toned them beautifully. They are well framed and form a collection in the dining room of our home. I scanned the negatives for this with my Canon camera. I tried to tone them similar to what she did with chemicals. I did not achieve the rich today beauty and depth she did.

 

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About The Author

By Art Meripol
Journalism degree. 13 years as a news photographer with a sideline as a concert photographer before 24 years as a magazine travel photographer and the last 13 years freelance for editorial and corporate clients. Official photographer for the US Civil Rights Trail. Now moving away from client work and trying to figure out what's next by returning to film.
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Comments

Walter Reumkens on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

A really interesting, brilliantly written story – and, of course, accompanied by your brilliant photos, Art. I also think that black-and-white shots from the area are quite a rarity. What I particularly like is that this fantastic camera and its lenses aren’t the focus of the story. But then, I suppose that’s not what a seasoned professional photographer would do anyway… Thanks for sharing!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Thank you so much Walter. I really liked the idea of B&W in Venice, like a throwback to the 19th century Grand Tour of Europe imagery, something timeless. For me the camera has always been my ticket to experiences and I’m sure you and many others here would understand that.

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Peter Schu on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Excellent story and excellent photos. Maybe a smaller and less expensive rangefinder style camera and its even smaller lenses will deliver also excellent negatives and will be a pleasure to use. Thank you and I am looking forward to more stories.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Thank you Peter. I hope I can find something as small and easy to use but still a medium format and, as you said, less expensive. I just shot a few photos with a Voightlander Perkeo, a tiny 6X6 folding camera and hope that I hope will provide some great MF negatives.

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Ralph Turner on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

A wonderful written account of your trip, Art, accompanied by an excellent set of images. The love the bit about the Johnny Walker special occasion. Such stories warm the proverbial 'cockles' of one's heart. Thank you for sharing. Btw I feel for you regarding the Mamiya...
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Hi Ralph. I had just left the magazine after 24 years and was worried about money going freelance and sold of all my film gear, knowing I would be doing digital for clients. At the time film gear wasn’t didn’t have much demand and so the prices offered were sad and it’s even sadder I accepted them. I needn’t have worried about $ after all but I guess it’s just in my nature. I loved that camera system. And I think I’d appreciate its abilities even more now than I did then. This was the only B&W I ever shot with it and the negatives are so rich.

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David Pauley on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Superb piece, Art, and the photos are stunning. The monochrome palette sheds a whole new light (literally and emotionally) on familiar and endlesssly photographed city. My own frames of Venice starting from my first trip there in '86 have always been taken in color, and like some kind of sugar rush lose their power aesthetically after a few viewings. Your shots of the gondolas, the entrance to the ghetto, the dark doorway and the balcony/shrine corner, on the contrary, have an intense and enduring power. They feel like they belong in a museum. You've replicated / recreated the sense of masterful silver printing also with these digital files, a Unicorn I've been chasing, thus far without success. It's nice to know it's possible! And I agree with Walter that the emphasis on story and image as opposed to gear is welcome. I expect with your photographic "chops" you would've produced equally fine work with almost any quality camera one handed you. Really great.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Hi David. Thank you so much for your kind words. I mentioned above that those were the only B&W photos I shot with that camera. Everything else was Fujichrome. I wanted to evoke a feeling of the 19th Centure Grand Tours with the B&W, something timeless. I do have some nice color too from my Nikon but it’s these that I love. I did try to replicate, as you said, the feeling of the toned prints. I should have posted a photo of the wall with the beautiful originals. My friend really is a master printer and her toning has so much rich depth. They’re luscious! and of course, as I told Walter, for me the camera has always been my ticket to experiences. I know this site is mostly gear driven but I love the stories from the shoots. I met an old friend yesterday over coffee. We hadn’t talked in 40 years. He ended up a producer at NBC with the Today show, NBC news and did a lot of documentary work. The two of us swapping stories fast and laughing about the goofy things we got to do. We all have hard times and have to deal with heartache and loss but I can say . . . I’ve been incredibly blessed and lucky.

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Simon Foale on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Great story and terrific pics, Art. My faves are the first one with the long shadows and the one of the vegetable stall with the alley with the shallow depth of focus. I think the crazy market dynamics for certain cameras reflects something kind of sad about both photographers and capitalism. I acquired a Mamiya 6MF in 2002, fed a lot of film through it for the next 7 or 8 years and dusted it off again about 5 years ago. It's a great travel camera that is also now worth more than I originally paid for it. But honestly, the results I'm getting from recently acquired (and much more affordable) Fujica 6x9 cameras are just as good, with a bit more real estate to boot. I also love the results I'm getting from a 1950s Mamiya-six folder (also great value for money). I'm not denying the objectively superlative quality of the Mamiya 7 glass, I just think the price is way out of proportion to the actual optical superiority and you can get near-as-dammit the same results (that are also up to being printed large, if scanned well) from much cheaper cameras.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Thank you Simon. You’re so right about the ridiculous price now being asked for the Mamiya 7 gear. A complete working replacement of what I had would now run about $12000 US. I could buy a lot of other beautiful cameras and not spend half that. I think I will look at those Mamiya folders and Fujica’s. I love a 6X9 and all the MF cameras and the great results they provide without having to move up to large format.

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Bill Brown on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Art, A beautiful photo set and story. These kinds of experiences are special life memories. I remember in about 2007 seeing all the film gear being posted for sale. If I would have purchased those 503 C Hasselblad bodies for $60-70... Well, hindsight is 20/20 as the saying goes. I had a similar photowalk experience in Bogota, Colombia in February 1992. I had a window of 2-3 hours and a friend, who spoke spanish and looked Colombian, and he acted as my photo assistant as we did a walkabout. I have never had another experience like that. My keeper rate was insane! It's like I was in the "zone" . Maybe the "Twilight Zone" because it was unreal. I too had a darkroom specialist print several of those negs but I gave them away to a close friend. They've never been wet darkroom printed again. On the subject of digital tinting I will say it is complex due to the myriad of methods available. Luminosity masks can be a real help when trying to control the amount of tint from highlight to shadow. Because I am a restoration specialist I created a notebook with printed tint samples and the accompanying recipe. I can hold a photo next to my samples and determine which method gives the closest match. Then I do test prints on the desired paper and modify the recipe as needed. I need to get those negs out and scan a few...
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

I love hearing about the Colombian experience and being in the zone. It does dovetail with my Venice sojourn and makes a great memory. I’m far less technically adept as you are with your darkroom and restoration skills. But I love the idea of creating a tint/toning recipe. As I play more going forward with B&W film that might be well worth investigating. I’ve always wanted a Hassy but like the Mamiya, their prices have gone back up too. Thanks Bill.

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Bill Brown replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

I only recently found out that the man who acted as my photo assistant, Salvador, was following my father-in-laws instructions. He told Salvador to not let me out of his sight because he didn't want something to happen to me because he knew how I was with wanting to photograph places. I was kind of fearless (mindless?) when I had my camera in hand. Besides I had seen inspiring photographs shot by persons like yourself and that's what I wanted to do. If you ever want any specific directions on digital tinting or such things feel free to reach out to me. I enjoy passing my knowledge forward. I've done the heavy lifting with all my testing so maybe I can reduce any stress associated with digital darkroom techniques.

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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

More than a couple times while on assignments I forgot that I wasn’t invisible while looking through that tiny window. Too easy to forget and get caught up. But it just shows your physical focus. Thanks for your offer. Might just take you up on it.

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Gary Smith on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

How timely! I just started a novel set in Venice. My wife and I were there in 2006. I keep an eye out for new of the flooding that happens there. When we were there, I saw many tables set up and wondered what they were for. Turns out they weren't tables; they were walkways that get set up for people to walk above the flood waters. Your photos brought back memories Art, thank-you!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

A novel? Nice! A first or are you further down the road? I was glad not to have to deal with the Aqua Alta while there. Glad to bring back memories.

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Colin O'S on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Wonderful photos. Venice really is one of the most captivating and photogenic places I've ever been to. I was wondering about the tone in your photos, and see your explanation in the final paragraph. I sometimes like experimenting with Photoshop's Duotone mode, to give my B&W shots a richer tone.

I have a Mamiya 6MF - predecessor to the 7. I have a kind of love/hate relationship with it - it's a great camera for travel, sure - large negatives, and even more compact than the 7 - but I just don't love the rangefinder composition experience (as opposed to TTL composition). I've never tried reversal film in it - your mention of "stained glass windows" makes me want to give that a try.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Simon above mentioned that Mamiya 6MF too and I’m now thinking I should hide my wallet. Thanks Colin. I too thought Venice incredibly captivating. I think it was the worlds first tourist city.

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Bill Brown replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Colin, Thanks for mentioning the Duotone mode in PS. Somehow after 20 years in PS I have never tried that. Perfect example of all the side roads that exist in that program. Looks like a deep rabbit hole that requires meticulous record keeping. Right up my alley! Let's see. What image should I try first?

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David Hume on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

Lovely to see these Art, and I felt immediately nostalgic for a trip to Venice that I have shared here with shots taken in an RB67. And then I found recently while going through my files that I had also shot a roll of HP5. I know what you mean about Venice of course… I used to call it having "Holy F#ck!" moments while walking around and being unable to keep quiet about the utter beauty that presented itself. Anyway, here's has a link to my some of my Vevia shots https://www.35mmc.com/19/08/2025/fujifilm-velvia-50-and-an-aesthetic-of-necessity/ and I will now go and have another squiz at my 6x7 black-and-white. I hope that you get to return and walk the streets again. One thing I would say is that I suggest allowing no less than two weeks. Although I know that it's not always possible to be so indulgent, I do recall that I would visit the same place every day and after a few days start to see things that I had not noticed on first occasion. And I echo what others have said about taking a rollfilm folder as a good portable and affordable alternative. On my last trip, I took an Agfa Isolette III which has a lovely and fast lens, is smaller than a 35 mm SLR and cost less than 10 rolls of film.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 22/08/2026

You get it! So much a Holy ...er...Moly moment discovering Venice for the first time. Been hoping for a second time for years. I'm not sure two weeks there would even come close to what I'd want to do. My eyes dragged me from one thing to the next ... like "squirrel!. I'd like to slow down and see everything with a more local eye, shooting as the light changed hour to hour and season to season. Your Velvia shots really grasped the color palate of Venice. Looking over my old color Fuji chromes I see the same intensity. I'll check out that Agfa. Thanks David.

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Jeffery Luhn on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

Art,
Those are stunning images! Lovely compositions. They certainly have the Grand Tour vibe. I bet they are more captivating in person. If you like 6x9 format, the Zeiss Ikonta Super is a great performer and usually $300 on eBay. I have several Zeiss 120 folders and that 6x9 is the best. I also have a couple Mamiya Six folders. More modern and easier to focus. If you get a Mamiya Six, spend the extra bucks for a late model that has an auto counter reset. The frame spacing is accurate. Earlier models often have overlapping frames. You won't be disappointed with the lenses. Rollei quality.
Great shots!!!
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

Thanks for the excellent suggestions on folder. I am checking them out now, and my bank balance.

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Scott Ferguson on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

Hey Art,
Gorgeous photos! And the writing is terrific, I love the nostalgia for the trip that is echoed by the nostalgia for a beloved camera. I’m so sorry you no longer have that Mamiya, if only to see what you would be doing with it now. I understand the draw of Medium Format for ‘special’ one time only photography opportunities— we took a trip to Iceland in March, and I only brought the Hasselblad, didn’t bother with a 35mm. But then I love having a 35mm for the ‘every day’ kind of shooting when you stumble into something interesting and are happy to have a camera on hand and to move quickly and intuitively.
Those scans and the photos are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing

S
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

thanks Scott. Here it is some 13 + years later and I’m getting back into film again. So I’m sure that has a lot to do with my regrets over losing that great camera. I do love a big negative. My newspaper days were run-n-gun 35mm. After I moved to magazine work I ‘discovered’ the need for better technically and that meant larger format. 4X5 was obviously too slow for travel work but this camera was the sublime answer. The production folks appreciated it. No way would i ever get a cover on 35mm. My current MF gear is a mix of old cheap or old and heavy. What I’m shooting decides what gear to take. I can totally see the Hassy in Iceland. That for me would be the equivalent of the Venice trip.

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Omar Tibi on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

Stunning work and a memory tale to accompany it, Art! Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed going through all of your shots, they all have a strong sense of nostalgia and longing; I especially like how rich the water looks in your shots of Venice. It's a complete story without even knowing the context behind it. Hope you can dip your toes back into MF; I've been looking longingly at an Iskra for 6x6, but as my wife can attest to, I need to use what I already have more...hmm.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

Thank you Omar. I’m glad you saw how I felt about them and you expressed it perfectly. I’ll check out the Iskra but then my wife too…..

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brian moore on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

It is so refreshing to see Venice without the hordes of humanity. However, it is even more refreshing to see the city rendered so beautifully in black and white, medium-format photographs. Overall, it's a delightful reminiscence you've posted, Art.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 23/08/2026

thanks Brian. Going in January limited tourist. Most of the outdoor cafes were closed though.

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Geoff Chaplin on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 24/08/2026

I think it's all been said! But I'll repeat anyway: absolutely brilliant set of images, toned prints and story. The images strongly bring back memories of my many trips to Venice over the past 30 years - in fact I thought the opening shot was one of mine for a moment. I wonder how many versions of the gondolas exist from the tens of thousands of photographers who have been there. Venice is such a wonderfully photogenic place snd you seem to have captured everything in just the one trip! B&W suits Venice perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed your article, thanks.
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Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 24/08/2026

Thanks Geoff, I know there can't be any original photos left to shoot in Venice. But the cliché shots, the expected ones are always shot for a reason. I am jealous you've been able to visit more than my one-time trip. I really appreciate your comments. Glad you enjoyed the story.

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Paul Quellin on Plus X and a Mamiya 7II in Venice

Comment posted: 26/08/2026

Fabulous photos Art I really enjoyed looking at these. A rather different beastie, but I recently acquired an old folding Mamiya 6. The the glass has some light mottling on the coating, the results have still exceeded my expectations and it is a delight to use. The build quality and mechanical ingenuity are quite something. Maybe you'll get lucky and stumble across an affordable 7 somewhere.
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