DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Digital-Cameras-Newsletter-ZD.jsp?msclkid=f2c1dfeb864a1e986167ba22dfa05c77

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MJPerini

I'M a big fan of medium and larger format for B&W.
I started with a Yeshica 124 G, then the Interchangeable lens Mamiya series (great lenses)
Then Hasselblad Both 500C/M and 903 SWC ..Truly superb cameras. Still have them
Rollei's are great buy they are either beat, or priced for collectors.
The 903 SWC might have been my favorite camera ever, I had the optional Ground Glass back which takes all the focusing hoods. for landscape & architecture , or get a grip, & use the optical finder and shoot street like Lee Friedlander
Since you are well fixed for digital, have you considered something like a Crown Graphic ? because it frees you from Roll film processing And you can process sheet film in a tray and make contact prints with nothing but a sheet of glass and a light bulb (like Edward Weston)
Good luck

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

Back in the late 70's, when I was starting to dabble in larger format photography, I seriously considered buying a Mamiya 645. Being a 35mm photographer the idea of going to a square format camera seemed odd, so the 6 x 4.5 format of the Mamiya seemed like a natural move.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I agree with this historic film philosophy ......but this is now the digital age and if you are going to invest time and money in film today I suggest that it needs to be 6X7 or 6X9 in order to make it worth your while.

Peanut-the-cat Loc: Bradenton, Florida, USA

I envy you. I used a 501 Has for many years, taking it round the world with me several times. I spent 3 months in India mainly using a large format camera with the Hasselblad as my "point and shoot" backup (kidding). There were many times I could not use the large format for too muck/mud especially around the ghats in Calcutta. Some of my favorite pictures from that trip were shot on the Hasselblad using just 3 lenses 50mm, 80mm and 120 mm Macro. All film used in the Hasselblad was FP4 and in the Large format Kodak T-Max 400 ASA. But to have that body with a digital back - wow. I wish I was 40 years younger. I'd like to make the same mistakes again.

clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa

Stop, you’re killing me. 😎

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

Don't worry, I've totally give-up the idea of ever going back to film, if for no other reason than to never having to clean a negative/transparency again (I hate dust).

Below is the last frame of film that I ever shot. I've still got the camera and a couple of rolls of film in the freezer, so who knows...

Coit Tower in San Francisco, California, as seen from Pier 39 - August 2006 - Minolta X-700, 135mm

User ID

Those are a half solution. They cant "correct" parallax at all cuz thaz not possible. They do however correct the framing error fairly well.

While you cant correct parallax you can avod it. Mamiya made two "Paramenders". One of them has a crankable post, like the center collumn of tripod. Thaz the only one suitable for a Rollei cuz Rolleis lenses are a bit closer together than on a Mamiya.

A. T.

First, thanks for the response. I just like and want a TLR. I won't ever stop using my DSLRs; however, I think it will be a lot of fun to use a medium format TLR. I have been looking at videos on the Yashica Mat 124G. I am also looking at companies that convert film to digital format for lightroom if that's possible.

User ID

While shooping for a 124G, if you encounter a Minolta Autocord, buy it if at all possible. Its a beautiful reliable camera and makes perhaps the sharpest images from any TLR. The lens is acoarst as good as any, but its the film travel path that is superior, and is unique to Minolta. I dont pour high praise onto stuff that I never actually owned and or used, and likewise if I dump on something.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Hasselblad, the only worthwhile medium format camera ever produced.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I believe as a practical matter, only later Rolleiflex and Mamiyaflex are the only TLRs with a prism viewfinder option - this is a BIG deal ! You will see my point when you try to focus and compose on the reversed waistlevel finders of all other TLRs ! Is this "fun" ? - MAYBE to some but not me ......

Also, only Rolleiflex Xenotar/Planar and Mamiyaflex have 5 element lenses vs 4 element Tessar at best type lenses for all other TLRs. The 5 element lenses take the IQ to the next level. The Minoltaflex, Yashica Mat, and of course Rolleiflex 3.5 Tessar/Xenar have some of the better 4 element lenses. The Minoltaflex, Ricohflex and Mamiya can be focused with either hand making them more user friendly while Rollei and Yashica are left hand only focus.

Robin Dessureau

I have used formats from Speed Graphics 4x5 down to Medium Format down to 135 SLR all have pluses and minuses. But the question is on Medium format film cameras. In high School the Yashica Mat 124 G was a great twin lenses camera shooting 120/220 film with a built in light meter.

I later on purchased the Mamiya C330 with 80mm lenses which was a rugged well built but slight bigger camera with a leaf shutter.

Wanting to switch to an 135 SLR style but a medium format Mamiya 645 came out with a 120/220 frame format that was similar to a 135 but larger negative, I still have two bodies of this camera plus extra lenses, a light meter penta-house view finder that made the camera shoot like a SLR, instead of only 12 ex-posers on a 120 film you could now shot 15 photos per roll, the only setback was you could not change film between rolls until Mamiya came out with a attachable film back which came out on 645 later models versions, the balance between weight and size at a price a lot less than a Hasselblad medium format.

Any of these medium format cameras can be found on E-Bay at used prices will vary according to condition. All which make great all around and studio use that givea decent size negative in black & white and color.

Yashica Mat 124 G with lightmeter


Mamiya 645 w/ 80 mm lens 1st Generation


Hasselblad

rubble43 Loc: Oyster Bay, Long Island NY

I've never been happy with waist-level viewfinders as I have to wear my reading glasses to see the ground glass image. I'd check out the Bronica ETR or SQ cameras, which are real workhorses and have good quality lens systems.

photon-collector Loc: Tampa Bay Area, Florida

I agree. Bronica made a fantastic system. The ETR (645cm) and SQ (2.25" square) were famous. The GS-1 was the latest in the line and took a 6x7cm image. All wonderful options.

Problem is, the OP is looking for TLR and the Bronica is a SLR.