Medium format quistion

kardo

kardo

Messages
441
Name
Kardo Ayoub
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi every one I would like to buy a vintage medium format camera, on a very low budget around £300, my questions are;

1. is it possilbe to something for that money,
2. what make and model do you recommend, I like manual and metal camras,
3. what lens(es) do I need to consider for street and poeple photography.
4. are films for them still available? and is it easy to find a place to process them? this is untill i sort out my own dark room.

this is going to be my first so please forgive me if i have a stupidly low budget as i do not have any clue.

Many thanks
 
This thread should be helpful, me thinks :thinking:
 
answer a few simple questions then

1. What format would you prefer 645 6x6 6x7 6x8 6x9
2. What would you mostly be shooting
3. Do you need metering
 
Film is still very much available. Many places will process them but may send them away to do so. You can develop film without having to use a darkroom but you need a darkroom or scanner to print them.
 
joxby said:
answer a few simple questions then

1. What format would you prefer 645 6x6 6x7 6x8 6x9
2. What would you mostly be shooting
3. Do you need metering
Click to expand...
I am new to this format with no knowledge at all. The answers to your questions;
1. I dont really know the differences.
2. I mainly shoot street and candit portraits.
3. preferably.

Thanks for your help
 
Are you looking for a street specific camera, one that is made for street but you can use it for other things, or the other way round.


bh0jkw.jpg



top is 6x9, middle is 6x6, bottom is 35mm, 645 is an oblong crop of 6x6
 
If it's for street and candids have a look at Bronica SQA and Mamiya 645.

The 645 can be fitted with a metered prism. (guess the bronny can too)

I have to say though that MF is not the most discrete way to shoot any kind of street photography and you'd have a hard job to shoot candids on most MF gear (certainly fitted with a metered prism) and if you saw the size of a Mamiya RB or RZ you'd know what I mean! HUGE!

Have you considered 35mm film for this? or have you got your heart set on MF and a gym membership. :)
 
XxY is the rough dimensions of the frame in cm
6x6 means the frame is (about) 6cm square (you'll get 12 shots on a roll of film)
6x7 is a wider format
6x9 is a wide format
6x17 is a veeeery wide format (think panoramic)
645 is 6x4.5, a rectangular format that is smaller than the 6x6 square frame
 
I like to shoot candids using an old TLR, a Seagull in fact. It works well because it is small (for a MF camera) and discrete - many people don't realise it is a camera or you are taking a picture.
 
joxby said:
Rangefinders are available in M/F flavour you know...;)
Click to expand...

Yeah sorry Joxby, was thinking of the ones already mentioned.

How about a lubitel and a lifetime supply of film :)
 
mustanir said:
I like to shoot candids using an old TLR, a Seagull in fact. It works well because it is small (for a MF camera) and discrete - many people don't realise it is a camera or you are taking a picture.
Click to expand...

y'know what, there's something to be said for street and waist level finders.
peeps just don't notice nut jobs looking down into a box like they do nut jobs holding boxes up to their faces...:LOL:


Wanna watch those Lubitels, they squat and you can't get rid of them without a court order..:)
 
There's a lot to be said for a TLR. Smallish and lightish, quiet in operation and if you/it do attract attention it's likely to be good-humoured interest.
 
joxby said:
Are you looking for a street specific camera, one that is made for street but you can use it for other things, or the other way round.


bh0jkw.jpg



top is 6x9, middle is 6x6, bottom is 35mm, 645 is an oblong crop of 6x6
Click to expand...

I like the 6x6 bsquare format, do they come in TLR?
I think a cameras for the street will be good, I am guessing this has something to do with weight, that I can then use for other things.

Thanks for the samples
 
AliB said:
If it's for street and candids have a look at Bronica SQA and Mamiya 645.

The 645 can be fitted with a metered prism. (guess the bronny can too)

I have to say though that MF is not the most discrete way to shoot any kind of street photography and you'd have a hard job to shoot candids on most MF gear (certainly fitted with a metered prism) and if you saw the size of a Mamiya RB or RZ you'd know what I mean! HUGE!

Have you considered 35mm film for this? or have you got your heart set on MF and a gym membership. :)
Click to expand...

I already have 2 35mm bodies. how much do i need to spend to get a AF midium format?
 
joxby said:
y'know what, there's something to be said for street and waist level finders.
peeps just don't notice nut jobs looking down into a box like they do nut jobs holding boxes up to their faces...:LOL:


Wanna watch those Lubitels, they squat and you can't get rid of them without a court order..:)
Click to expand...

I like the waist level way of shooting I think you can be very discreet when shooting.
 
kardo said:
I already have 2 35mm bodies. how much do i need to spend to get a AF midium format?
Click to expand...

You can get a Lubitel for under £50!

Mamiya TRL's are lovely old beasties and can be found quite reasonably, then there are rangefinders and then the 6x6 and 645's and above.

It all depends on your budget and what you want from it really. Have a look at the Mamiya TRL's on the likes of ebay.
 
Ok let me be more specific:
Now I know tht I like a waist level TLR camera, preferably 6x6 or 645 for street and the occasional portraits. if you guys recommend any body and lens options please, that would sort out my problem.
There are so many of them I just don't want to buy the rubbish one.

Thank you ever so much for all your help.
 
Don't think there is a 645 tlr, they are mostly 6x6
Only the Mamiya 220 330 type series offer interchangeable lenses.
Dunno about metering, there might be a metered head that replaces the WLF, but you'll have it up to your eye.
This mamiya is not a light camera though.
If you don't need a lens range there are a few other options ?
 
I'm reluctant to tell you to "buy this" or "buy that" because these kind of cameras are all very individual and what suits one person may be the entirely wrong solution for another.

For waist level TLR's have a look at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mamiya-C330-medium-format-TLR-camera-with-80mm-lens_W0QQitemZ270411775195QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Photography_Film_Cameras_ET?hash=item3ef5cc3cdb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1690%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A3%7C294%3A50

But please do your own research. Go out to some second hand shops and get to handle the cameras. Work out what you would like to work with.
 
AliB said:
I'm reluctant to tell you to "buy this" or "buy that" because these kind of cameras are all very individual and what suits one person may be the entirely wrong solution for another.

For waist level TLR's have a look at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mamiya-C330-medium-format-TLR-camera-with-80mm-lens_W0QQitemZ270411775195QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Photography_Film_Cameras_ET?hash=item3ef5cc3cdb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1690%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A3%7C294%3A50

But please do your own research. Go out to some second hand shops and get to handle the cameras. Work out what you would like to work with.
Click to expand...

Thats very weired because as you post it this I was looking at the same one on ebay.
I will go and see if I can find some shops in london to have a go.
I dont want to be a pain but where in London is a good place to find these bad boys?
 
Mamiya is a good choice, but there's likely to be greater bidding interest.

Koni-Omegaflex have interchangeable lenses, but are hard to find and heavy.

I would look for a Flexaret. There are ebay sellers in Slovakia or the Czech Republic, who service them and sell them quite cheaply. There are 645 and 35mm adapters available.

Yashica is similar, but more likely to be from someone's Grandad's attic.

If you get hooked, Rolleiflex have fast glass and high prices.
 
If you want to handle cameras in London, there are a number of camera shops near the British Museum (on and around Museum Street) that stock plenty of old cameras, including TLRs.
 
mustanir said:
If you want to handle cameras in London, there are a number of camera shops near the British Museum (on and around Museum Street) that stock plenty of old cameras, including TLRs.
Click to expand...

Specifically, camera city and aperture uk sometimes have a TLR in stock.

Alternatively, come and find me in Leicester Square or Willesden Green and I'll give you a play on a Yashica-mat 124G.
 
You are an angel Blapto.

Are you back south again or still in Edi?
 
Strangely, I know exactly where that is!
Safe trip. :)
 
Blapto said:
Specifically, camera city and aperture uk sometimes have a TLR in stock.

Alternatively, come and find me in Leicester Square or Willesden Green and I'll give you a play on a Yashica-mat 124G.
Click to expand...

Great thanks, I will have a look in aperture if they don't have it I'll ive you a shout.
Thanks mate
 
I'll go and get it out of it's box and tell you. :)

showphoto.php
[/url][/IMG]

I bought one last year and had it fully serviced this spring. I really should use it more often though.
 
AliB said:
I'll go and get it out of it's box and tell you. :)

I bought one last year and had it fully serviced this spring. I really should use it more often though.
Click to expand...

lol. Well that's in mint condition eh? What did that cost you?
 
As much as I love my Bronica there's no denying the style of those Hasselblads. I was even eyeing up Bronica S2s the other day as a poor mans alternative to a Hassy.
 
I'd advise against a TLR quite honestly. A medium format TLR will be excellent for posed portraits, but for street work I think the reversed image and difficulty framing your image will make it slow to use in any sort of opportune/ candid situation. You can get prism finders for some of these old TLRs but they tend to be heavy cast jobs and would make the camera difficult to hold up to your eye without adding a pistol grip and you end up with a heavy set up which isn't exactly low profile.

There's nothing wrong with a TLR and it depends how important the street work is to you, but I think you'd be disappointed if you tried to encompass portrait and street work with one.

A rangefinder MF SLR is a better proposition but, you'd have trouble getting a decent one within your budget I think

To my mind a 35mm rangefinder is the ideal street tool, and you should be able to get something decent for 300 quid - or even a nice 35mm SLR . You'd certainly have less trouble getting 35mm developed.
 
CT said:
I'd advise against a TLR quite honestly. A medium format TLR will be excellent for posed portraits, but for street work I think the reversed image and difficulty framing your image will make it slow to use in any sort of opportune/ candid situation. You can get prism finders for some of these old TLRs but they tend to be heavy cast jobs and would make the camera difficult to hold up to your eye without adding a pistol grip and you end up with a heavy set up which isn't exactly low profile.

There's nothing wrong with a TLR and it depends how important the street work is to you, but I think you'd be disappointed if you tried to encompass portrait and street work with one.

A rangefinder MF SLR is a better proposition but, you'd have trouble getting a decent one within your budget I think

To my mind a 35mm rangefinder is the ideal street tool, and you should be able to get something decent for 300 quid - or even a nice 35mm SLR . You'd certainly have less trouble getting 35mm developed.
Click to expand...

Thank very much for your thoughts. I already have 2 35mm bodies and a few lenses to go on them but I just like to try an older format and something different. the reason i have put such a low budget is because this is going to be my first one and want to see if I like it first.
 
Kev M said:
As much as I love my Bronica there's no denying the style of those Hasselblads. I was even eyeing up Bronica S2s the other day as a poor mans alternative to a Hassy.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with S2's besides age, Zeiss spilts Blads from Bronica, but you'll struggle to tell without particle physics bench testing....well, that and flash sync on zeiss leaf shutters.
For close focussing though, the Bronica murders the Blad.

CT said:
There's nothing wrong with a TLR and it depends how important the street work is to you,
Click to expand...


head meets nail (y)

Although, for an M/F rangefinder, £300 isn't miles off an old Fuji 645, or maybe even a battered GW670.
But neither are metered or 6x6, and both are fixed lens.
There's certainly much more choice for rangefinders in 35mm.
Which brings up the question, why M/F ? *edit*...forget that..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top