Which MF camera? SLR or TLR

[Coldow91]

Ok so I now got some money to spend and want to buy a MF camera. I was wondering what the major differences between SLR and TLR's are besides the number of lenses.
it seems to me that TLR's are cheaper but don't have interchangeable lenses. which way would you recommend to go and why?

as for TLR's I have been looking at Mamiya and yashica's
is this the right direction

SLR's I have looked at Bronica's and really like the SQ-Ai.

and I like having the options of switching backs and shooting 6x6 or 6x4.5....


thanks for any help

 

[Mitica100]

The only TLR with intechangeable lenses is the Mamiya system. A C3 is a fine camera and you have a few options when it comes to lenses. Yashicas are also good. A better TLR would be a Rolleiflex with a Xenotar but that means more $$$.

However, the Bronica seems to be a long time favorite of MF shooters. Not very expensive and with many available extras out there, might just be what the doctor ordered. The flexibility of switching backs is a plus.

Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[Alpha]

The Bronica is a good system if you don't mind the bulk, heavy metering prism, and lack of motorized advance.

The problem with square, as I see it, is that unless you're printing square, you're often going to be cropping down to 645 size, so you may have added a lot of bulk to your system for nothing. So if it's 645 you're really after I'd consider a used Mamiya 645 Super or Pro system.

 

[Coldow91]

ok thanks. I think i want some thing with interchangeable backs so I can shoot 6x6 or645.

but I don't often find myself cropping into squares so maybe 645 would be the way to go...or atleast to start


edit: I looked at the Mamiya 645 Super and it looks like it might be right for me. the only thing I don't like about it is the lack of backs which is where the bronica wins

 

[Alpha]

No, you must be looking at the wrong model. The Mamiya 645E and 645J, along with the Pentax 645, have inserts instead of backs. But the Mamiya 645 Super, Pro, and Pro TL all have interchangeable backs.

 

[Coldow91]

thanks for clearing that up. I was looking it at the 645E.

also I have read that the mamiya's are plasticky while the bronica's are really well built

 

[Alpha]

Well, they're plasticky because they're mostly made of plastic. The Bronica backs, as you might guess, are significantly heavier. Any piece of equipment you own can fail. That said, both systems have been used professionally by countless photographers. The backs for the Mamiya are of the same construction as the ones in the 645 AF, AFD, and AFDII. That is, it's good equipment. And if anything should go wrong replacement parts are easier to find. Bronica was a favorite of wedding shooters. Mamiya was generally favored by the studio, commercial, and editorial crowd. I don't know about the Bronica line but one benefit of the newer Mamiya 645's is that you set the ISO on the back instead of the camera. So you can have a back pre-loaded, ISO set, ready to go for when you need to swap without worrying about whether the ISO is correct or taking the time to set it on-camera.

 

[Coldow91]

wow thanks for all the help.

I think that either camera will work for me. ( 645 super or Bronica ETR_) so now it is just up to finding one from a reputable source and forking over the dough



I really appreciate all your help alpha


and one more question that will be easy for you to answer is
a body
viewfinder
lens
and film back all that I need?
(what about a focusing screen?)

since I have only ever seen one of the cams in person once I am not sure of all the parts

 

[Alpha]

For 6x6 and up, the bare-bones body is simply a box (contains focusing screen and the usual suspects). Separate from that is the prism (either a plain prism or a metering prism in most cases), the lens, and the back.

Modular 645 systems are the same except for one added component, the grip. They're operable without it but having a grip makes holding the camera easier, film advance automatic, and in the case of the Mamiya 645 Super, one or two of the grips can auto-cock the leaf shutter lenses.

About shutters and lenses. The 645's have focal plane shutters and generally will flash-sync up to 1/60 or 1/125. Sometimes slower but never faster. If you want to sync faster, you need a separate lens with it's own leaf shutter, which can sync at any speed. They have a ring on the lens itself that cocks the leaf shutter. Pardon the obscenity, I like to refer to is as the cock ring. With the Pentax 645, for example, this has to be done manually after each shot. With the Mamiya, and the right grip, as I mentioned, the shutter will automatically cock after each shot. With the larger camera (6x6 and up), all lenses are leaf shutter, which means they can flash sync at any speed.

 

[Coldow91]

thanks for the information again.


it seems that there are quite a few mamiya 645's for sale in my area on craiglist and I will keep my eye out for a super or pro

 

[Mike_E]

If an f/2.8 Zeiss lens holds any interest for you and you like rangefinders, try here..
http://www.certo6.com/cam/ikonta.html

 

[Coldow91]

I might try a rangefinder and the folding part is cool.
How hard is it to focus. and I know that Zeiss is a big name so the lenses are top quality?

which one would you recommend and is it difficult to buy from that site?

 

[Helen B]

Could you tell us some more about what you want a medium format camera for? How important is fast, easy wind on? (Would looking through a little red window at dim numbers be OK?) Do you need speedy operation? Would you like swings and tilts? Would you like a panoramic option? How important is weight and portability? How important is noise? What range of lenses would you prefer - do you really need interchangeable lenses - if so, how great a range?

There are interchangeable-lens rangefinder cameras, and though they are not good for the longer lenses, they are great for wide angle. The Mamiya Universal or Super 23 for 6x9 and the Mamiya 7 for 6x7 stand out.

Best,
Helen

 

[Coldow91]

I mostly want to take landscapes with it so I would want something with a wide angle...I also plan on making some large prints.
I plan on taking time to set up these shots and in no rush so "looking through a little red window at dim numbers" would be perfectly fine. As for weight and portability as long as I can carry it or hang it around my neck or put it in a backpack then that is fine. I would be fine with non interchange able lenses aslong as it was wide (like 28mm in 135 equiv.)

hopefully that info helped you, and I will look at the ones you suggested

 

[Helen B]

Some thoughts.

The Mamiya Universal or Super 23 is a little on the large and heavy side but they are relatively cheap for the image quality. You can get 6x7 and 6x9 backs with lever advance - the Mamiya Press backs are some of the best MF backs for film flatness. There are two excellent wide lenses: the 50 mm and the 75 mm. The 50 mm on 6x7 would be similar to 28 mm on 24x36, depending on how you make the comparison. The usual equivalent on 6x9 would be a 65 mm. I sold my kit last year, having had it since the late 70's. A meterless rangefinder camera.

There's the Plaubel Makina W67. That is a 6x7 folding rangefinder with a superb 55 mm Nikkor and a built-in meter. Unfortunately they are still expensive, and the availability of critical parts is very poor nowadays. A very risky purchase, but a lovely camera.

The Fuji GSW690 III might be an option. That is a non-folding rangefinder that has a fixed 65 mm lens. They sell for less than the Makina W67. I've never used a GSW690, but a few of my friends have had them and liked them.

I always fancied a Bronica RF645 for traveling, but could never really justify the purchase of yet another MF camera. The standard lens is a 60 mm, which is a little longer than you want but there is a 40 mm. The 40 mm needs a separate viewfinder, and it is fairly pricey.

The Mamiya 7 has some excellent wide lenses, but they are not cheap. I have the 65 mm and 43 mm, but there is also a 50 mm. The 43 mm and 50 mm need separate viewfinders.

There's the forthcoming Fotoman 69, though that would be quite expensive once all the bits are put together, albeit cheaper than an Alpa.

Most of the older folders have longer lenses than you want - around the 'normal' focal length for the format.

On format choice: if you are scanning with a consumer scanner then it's going to be the scanner resolution that limits the degree of enlargement, so a print size that 645 would work for if the film was the limit might not work when the scanner is the limit.

Best,
Helen