In reply to 93EXCivic :
Yeah, I once shot a wedding for a friend with a Hasselblad that I borrowed from my photography teacher. It was a handful. And I'm sure the Hassy is probably pretty svelte next to it's lower-priced competitors.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Yeah, I once shot a wedding for a friend with a Hasselblad that I borrowed from my photography teacher. It was a handful. And I'm sure the Hassy is probably pretty svelte next to it's lower-priced competitors.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
Do you want interchangeable lens? If not maybe take a look at the Fuji GS645 or GS645W. Light 6x4.5 format. Rangefinder. I think usually in the $500-$700 range.
I have heard good things about the Minolta Autocord. Also there is the Mamiya C series (C22, C33, C220, C330) which are interchangeable lens TLRs.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
The Rolleicord is a simpler Rolleiflex; things like manual vs. automatic frame spacing. Either one is going to be well-built; my 1933 model looks like it went through the war on the front lines (and might have, given that everything's printed in German) and is still going strong. The later Mamiya stuff is beefy. I've got one of their very early TLRs (late 40s) and it's reasonable if dense, but my GF has a C330, which is seriously bulky (but very capable). I've never had an Autocord, but they are well-regarded. As far as age, well, the last TLRs were made in the 1950s AFAIK, so they're all going to be past 50 at this point, but I wouldn't worry about it.
FWIW, my MF cameras at the moment are: 3 TLRs, 2 6x9 folders, a 6x4.5 folder, a box camera, a Holga, a couple of Brownie Hawkeyes, and two pinholes. If I had to pick one, it would be either my 1950s Zeiss Ikoflex TLR or the 1930s Zeiss Ikonta 6x9 folder. What you choose is really very much down to how you like to work and where you plan to carry it.
In reply to 02Pilot :
What's your assessment of this particular Rollei? To me, the lens looks a bit ... dirty? Lack of a meter doesn't bother me. I have a good Sekonic light meter.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
It's a little scruffy, but (ironically) it's always hard to get good photos of lenses. Ideally, I'd like a shot of the lens with the shutter open and a flashlight shining through, but that's probably too much to ask from a random Ebay posting. I'd also ask about the advance and frame spacing; if he hasn't used it - and I doubt he has, judging by the condition - he won't know, but it can't hurt to ask. I'm not sure where the market is on these right now, but it's not hideously expensive right now. It may jump toward the end of the auction, but personally I wouldn't go more than maybe $350 or so - if it needs work, it gets expensive quick.
Oops. I appear to have partaken in some semi-sober eBaying because the last thing I needed was yet another film camera.
Guess I better check if my B&W film that I parked in the fridge is still any good, the Rodinal very much should be as that stuff lives forever.
And to expand a little on the obscure post above - I own several Contax Yashica bodies and lenses, and really like the quality. Their Zeiss/Contax lenses were amongst the best available in the 80s and still sought after and expensive in the early 2000s. However, I generally prefer rangefinders over SLRs, and the old German-made Contax rangefinders from the 50s and 60s have been out of reach every time I looked.
Turns out that Contax IIs and IIIs have come down noticeably in price, which I'm sure has nothing to do with spares availability and availability of people who are able to service and fix them. So this may turn out to be an expensive gamble.
Nevertheless, apparently the previous owner of this camera and the lenses was a military photographer stationed in DC in the early 60s and documented the funerals of JFK and general MacArthur amongst other events.
Let's see how my latest "take the condition description on faith" purchase is going to turn out.
Boxhead: Not to be ironical but is there supposed to be an image of a camera in your most recent posts? What did you end up buying exactly?
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
Photos of the camera to follow when it and its lenses show up.
In reply to BoxheadTim :
Gotcha.
I was about to overreact, adopt an air of utter offendedness, and scream for moderator assistance. Clearly, it is a violation of the forum rules to post about a purchase and then leave readers puzzling as to the exact nature of the purchase. At the very least, it is required that the purchaser drop a hint as to the identity of the purchase. 
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
The second post has hints 
.
It's a Contax III with 50mm and 135mm lenses and some accessories. Supposedly in good working order.
BoxheadTim said:In reply to 1988RedT2 :
The second post has hints
It's a Contax III with 50mm and 135mm lenses and some accessories. Supposedly in good working order.
Ah, I somehow missed that in my headlong rush to judgment!
Thank you and congratulations on your purchase.
Well, Contax IIIa actually, with an 135 mm lens as well.
It's very clean, especially as it's clearly been used. You can see where the photographer's finger kinda wore through the leather on the front of the camera. No idea if the light meter works - not a big deal anyway as I have a nice hand held one. The light meters don't seem to be repairable as you can't get the selenium cells for them anymore. The joys of old cameras.
Based on the serial number, it's from the last year of production (late 61/early 62 IIRC). Now I need to study the scan of the original manual that I found online just to figure out how to use it as the controls are a little bit unusual.
And with one of my other range finder cameras for scale. The Contax is and feels surprisingly big in comparison.
I think I'm moving closer to pulling the trigger on a medium format SLR. I think I have it narrowed down to the Mamiya 645 1000s or the Bronica ETRS. One thing that has positively shocked me is the insane numbers of these things available. I must have scrolled through 100 listings on ebay last night, most located in Japan. Looks like I'll be spending around $700 for a kit with a finder and a standard lens. Hoping I can get near mint at that price. Not sure if I should go to Japan (many, many more cameras available) or stay here in the states.
Anybody got any first hand knowledge of these particular cameras? Any sub-models to look for (or avoid) in particular?
I've owned an older Bronica before (pre-ETRS) and that thing was built like a tank. Not sure how the newer ones compare, although the ETRS is supposed to be a good camera system. No experience with the Mamiya 645s as I prefer to have a 6x6 medium format camera with a 6x4.5 back if want to shoot 6x4.5.
I've heard very mixed things about cameras from Japan via eBay etc. It's a topic of interest to me due to the large amount of Yashica/Contax gear available there and pretty much the only sellers I've found recently to sell an RTS III body are all in Japan. However there I've read a fair amount of grumbling that the condition of the items isn't as great as the seller states.
Side note: I see that 20 bucks will buy 8 exposures of something like Polaroid 600 instant film. I have one of the old cheapo Polaroid cameras that takes this stuff. Anybody tried it? Is it as good as the old stuff? Better?
BoxheadTim said:However there I've read a fair amount of grumbling that the condition of the items isn't as great as the seller states.
Yup this. Read the description carefully in the ebay listing. But ebay's protection is so strong for the buyer if it isn't matching the description you will get your money back.
1988RedT2 said:Side note: I see that 20 bucks will buy 8 exposures of something like Polaroid 600 instant film. I have one of the old cheapo Polaroid cameras that takes this stuff. Anybody tried it? Is it as good as the old stuff? Better?
Everyone I have talked to says it is worse then the old stuff. That being said I still really want a Retrospekt rebuilt SX70.
Two announcements in the film world yesterday. One Kodak is increasing prices by around 17% again...
Other is Pentax is working on new film cameras with the plan to bring out a compact, a premium compact, a SLR and an mechanical SLR.
There's what amounts to a raging debate on what the Pentax announcement will result in over on the PentaxForums.
I kind of want to sell off some gear and then perhaps use the proceeds to get into a rangefinder like a Bessa R3A and a good 28mm or 40mm lens to start with. Shouldn't loose any value if I take care of both and buy smart. I doubt the Pentax project amounts to anything I could actually purchase for at least a year.
Kodak raising prices well beyond the rate of inflation seems like a regular event at this point... And with Fujifilm's slow reduction in available products, I don't see how this can't work in Kodak's favor, at least in color film. Maybe we could convince Ricoh to produce color film like Konica used to?
Well, I am now the proud owner of a Bronica ETRS. Came with the 75 2.8 and the 150 3.5, a plain prism finder, and a 120 and a 220 back. I was happy with the price, and the quality seems fine. I need to finish this roll and process it, but you know, Christmas. Might slow me down a bit. LOL.
Now I need to finish installing this new Bosch dishwasher.
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
I am glad I prefer black and white film anyway. But unfortunately TMax400 has been my favorite 400 speed film I have tried so I am guessing that will go up in price. I think Fuji is slowly giving up on film which has Kodak pretty much cornering the market. There was a small company in Russian that had started to release color but well you know. Also Adox is supposedly working on color film.
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