Medium Format Cameras?

Efergoh

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I'm taking an intermediate photography class this semster at school, and I learned this evening that I will need a medium format camera. I have a pretty decent 35mm SLR, but I am sans medium.

I'm not exactly rolling in money, but I do not want to have to drop this class because of a lack of proper equipment.

Holga is not an option. What kind of recomendations do you all have to offer for an inexpensive camera that has decent quality?
 
For inexpensive I would go with an early Mamiya... something like the original m645... you may be able to find one with the "kit lens" for around $300 or so...
 
I have an older Mamiya 645, and I loooove it, but if you're trying to do this inexpensively, you might want to stick with something like a Yashicamat TLR. I can't imagine you'll be forced to buy a system with interchangable lenses, you're probably just going to be taught how to load and use 120 film, so a fixed lens camera would do you nicely. They can usually be had for under $100.

There are also old folder cameras out there that take 120 film, but depending on make and model, they can get expensive as some have major collectable value.
 
For a really cheap but decent quality Medium format, you can't go far wrong with a second-hand Bronica ETRSi... quality leaf-shutter lenses mean you can use flash at any shutter speed, the build quality is good and solid and there's a wide selection of lenses available.

You should be able to pick up a mint or E++ camera body, 75mm f2.8 lens, 120 back and prism or waist-level finder for under £300
 
I bought a Yashica LM on eBay for $35. It works great, once you get used to needing a hand-held light meter.
 
I have a bid on a Kiev Model 6C

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Anyone know anything about this one? How high should I be willing to bid?
 
Efergoh said:
Anyone know anything about this one? How high should I be willing to bid?

Click on "completed auctions", and see what they've been going for.
 
I'll agree with the posts about TLRs. They make great cameras for the money. My personal favorite is my (Beloved) Argoflex E, built near as I can figure in 1942. I've also heard nothing but praise for the Mamiya TLRs, and the Yashica's, too. If you're looking for a new one, I've heard quite a few good things and not too many bad about the Seagull TLRs (B&H has them, I know). I've been intending to eventually get one of the Seagulls.

As far as the Kievs go, I've heard about 50/50 good and bad--mostly regarding the 'Blad copies, but also a few general comments. One is that the light seals in the back tend to be iffy; you might have to do a little work, but I understand it's neither expensive, nor is it difficult if you elect to do it yourself.

Good luck with the class, and I'm sure you'll love MF!

PS: I have the same Mamiya 645 as Terri, and she forgot to mention one thing: it's positively a brick! :p So a good, wide strap is required ;-)
 
santino said:
btw. I wouldn't pay more than a 100$ for that kiev.
Thanks. It is at $68 right now. Total is $80 with the shipping.

I wanted to get in pretty low with MF and play around with it before I spent a mint on a camera. The proff is also requiring us to get a Holga and play with that, too. He has us making pinhole cameras this weekend.

I'm trying to figure out why he has us doing these things (pinhole and Holga) in an intermediate class when we didn't do it in the intro class last semester.
 
the kiev I had one once. Never used it for a job but it is a huge camera. Very hard to use but hey it tested out just fine. I sold it on ebay for about a hundred bucks but i guarenteed that it worked when I sold it.

If you are going to have to lug it around any, go for the twin lens cameras.

I started professional photography a long long time ago with a rollie cord paid 75 bucks back then. Now it is worth about a 100 bucks go figure.
 
JamesD said:
I've also heard nothing but praise for the Mamiya TLRs, and the Yashica's, too. If you're looking for a new one, I've heard quite a few good things and not too many bad about the Seagull TLRs (B&H has them, I know). I've been intending to eventually get one of the Seagulls.

As I understand it, the Seagulls are made on the old Yashica TLR manufacturing machines. So other than the label they are about the same, except that you can find a used Yashica for a lot cheaper than a new Seagull, and the Seagulls I've handled obviously have quality control issues compared to the Yashicas I've used.
 
mysteryscribe said:
If you are going to have to lug it around any, go for the twin lens cameras.

I agree. If you are going to be hand holding, and toting a medium format camera around all over the place, I think it's hard to beat a TLR. My Rollieflex (that's it on the left), with accessories, flash, film, and hand held meter all fits in a smaller bag than my 35mm SLRs will. The only med format cameras that are smaller are the folders. A 6x6 folder is usually about like a fat wallet when folded; a 6x9 folder is like a fat trucker/biker wallet when folded. I like them too, but they are a little trickier to use than TLRs.
 
I have a pretty decent tripod. Lugging shouldn't be too much of an issue. I'll mostly use this for studio work and portraits.

I'll be using a Rolliflex knock off that a buddy is going to lend me so I'll have a little time on both by the end of the semester.

Frankly, I didn't expect to get into MF until next semester, but there is a new proff running the show.

--By the way, I got the Kiev from Ebay. Some schmuck tried to snipe it from me right at the end and it ended up getting bumped from the $68 I had bid earlier to $90 by the time it was all said and done.
 

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