Best MF camera for a $1000?

[EdSawyer]

$1k would get an RZ, 110, and 180 lenses, a great package for portraits, esp if you add the prism. I love Rolleis too, but if I was just doing portraits, I'd use the RZ.

 

[ozphoto]

Bronica GS-1 - nice 6x7 that surprisingly is rather easy to handhold as well.

 

[campy51]

Bronica SQ-A with speed grip, prism, 80mm and 150mm for around $500.

 

[AgX]

Pentaprism is much better than the porroprism (porroprism is inexpensive and lighter, plus you could get one with a CdS meter),

The Mamiya Porroflex finder does not use a prism, but instead mirrors in the Porro set-up. This makes it lighter than a (Penta-/Porro-) prism, but induces the issues related to multi-mirror reflections.

 

[guangong]

While I have had Hasselblad cameras for a very long time, I have also used Rolleiflex TLR for about same time. The Rollei was made for just the kind of photography the OP has in mind. Compact, fast and convenient.
As for camera looking up...maybe if the photographer is really short. Rarely does anyone use a waist level finder at waist level. The camera is usually brought up to the eye. However, if using eye level prism finder, the pistol grip is a handy accessory.
Hasselblads are rugged, Rolleis even more so.

 

[bdial]

There are trade-offs to be made with every choice, and workarounds for each of those trade-offs as well. Some of those workarounds involve adding accessories, some are just in how you work with the camera. The internet has a way of amplifying shortcomings and ignoring positives, but it all comes down to how the tool fit's the operator's psyche.
Any of the cameras mentioned will do the task, but which one is "best" is fodder for endless debate.
I have a fair bit of time working with every type mentioned here, and a few of the specific makes/models. For me, "best" is Hasselblad, but there are attributes of the others that I miss.

 

[Alan Gales]

My favorite portrait camera is the RZ67 but I mostly used it on a studio tripod with studio lights. I've got a Mamiya C220f now and it is a lot easier to hand hold. It also has leaf shutter lenses like the RZ and RB but is square format.

Hasselblads are great cameras. I used to own a 500cm.

One nice thing about the Rollei SL66 is that with it's focal plane shutter you can cobble old brass lenses to it. Emil Schildt told be that he does this for some of his images.

Warning: contains some nudity
https://www.pinterest.com/sorn_genesis/emil-schildt/

 

[DREW WILEY]

My brother sold Rollei and Linhof, and had a couple of SL66's for personal use. Remarkable camera. But he preferred the ergonomics of my Pentax 6x7, and once borrowed it for a ten-year stretch.

 

[k.hendrik]

View attachment 225675 View attachment 225675 sl66se and an one dime lens

 

[Ste_S]

Rolleiflex is good investment, but Jane Bown ditched it for Oly OM. And she is one of the best portraitists...

I never get used to TLR upside down and Mamya TLR with close up thing and porroprism was driving me nuts with parallax on portraits. It is awful for framing on close-up portraits. IMO.

I would try to get working Hasselblad. To me WYSIWYG is important for portraits.
I mean, all MF is more less good for getting MF quality. Even folders works for it. But parallax, it sucks with TLRs, folders and rangefinders.
Again it depends what kind of portraits. To have everything aligned as I see on focus screen, it is SLR only. IMO.

I kind of agree, depends what you're after. I own a Mamiya C330 and 645 and would only use them for formal, posed portraits which I rarely do.
Most of the time I'll use a 35mm SLR for taking informal candid portraits, which I prefer to do.

 

[Alan Gales]

I kind of agree, depends what you're after. I own a Mamiya C330 and 645 and would only use them for formal, posed portraits which I rarely do.
Most of the time I'll use a 35mm SLR for taking informal candid portraits, which I prefer to do.

Your fellow Brit, David Bailey, made a fortune doing that.

 

[Sirius Glass]

...
Best system you can get under $1000 - Hasselblad 500CM with 80 & 150. Probably $900 for a nominally working camera and those two lenses. Lots of room for growing the system with excellent lenses.

...

If one is not going to do portraits I would recommend the 80mm and 250mm lenses for the Hasselblad.

 

[guangong]

Upside down? With a TLR Rolleiflex? It’s not a view camera. Left right are reversed, but that’s easy to get used to. In fact, reversed image can help in composition, just as upside down with view camera can better reveal strengths and weaknesses. Painters often rotate canvas in order to analyze composition.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

....

If I had $1000 burning a hole in my pocket and was shopping for a medium format system, I'd probably go with the Mamiya TLR option and get a full set of lenses, a WLF and a prism. And then spend the other $500 on as many rolls of film as my freezer could hold.

Let me know where you can get that and I'll buy another one (have C2, C220, C330 so far with 3 lenses) For $500 you get a basic Mamiya TLR kit with one lens, possibly 2 depending which body you get, assuming we're not discussing "for parts only" deals. We're past 2010 by like 9 years.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I agree with Dan. And, the shutter release sound on a Rolleiflex won't scare the crap out of your subject!

the shutter-release sound on the Hassy has the quality sound of a Mercedes door closing! doesn't scare anybody but the competition.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

RB and RZ are the best tripod mounted portrait system. Rotating back, no cropping to 4x5, 8x10, 16x20. No extension tubes required. I have two RZ67 II bodies. This stuff is very inexpensive if you are patient. Soft focus/razor sharp 180mm portrait lens. I still walk around with the excellent left hand grip, shoot hand held with the 110 f2.8. It's twice the size of a Hassleblad, about the size of a rural mailbox.

Another vote for the RZ. I have an RZ with the 110 and 180 that I paid about $800 for. I've since added a 50, 65 and the fisheye (not needed for 99.99% of portraits, but hey, you never know...). Despite all the squawking folks make about the size and weight, I've taken mine out street shooting on travel - I used it in Mexico City and London. If you're doing portraits out of the studio, then hauling around some extra weight isn't a big deal - you're not running all over town or climbing mountains with it.

 

[Toasty]

If you're doing portraits mainly, I'd say get an RB67/RZ67, Hasselblad, Bronica etc. I personally really dislike TLR's, they suffer from the worst aspects of rangefinders and SLR's with none of the benefits.

I just bought a clean Hasselblad 501C for way less than $1000, so there are still good prices out there. I mainly use a Mamiya 6 but portraits aren't it's strong suit.

 

[macfred]

I personally really dislike TLR's, they suffer from the worst aspects of rangefinders and SLR's with none of the benefits....

That's why
- Richard Avedon
- Vivian Maier
- Robert Doisneau
- Helmut Newton
- Fan Ho
- Willy Ronis
- Lee Miller
- Diane Arbus
- Bill Brandt
- Lisette Model
- John Deakin
- Irving Penn
- Fritz Henle
- Imogen Cunningham
- Pierre Verger
- Cecil Beaton
- Walker Evans
- Phillipe Halsman
- Raymond Depardon
and many other photographers used -mainly- Rolleiflexes ...

 

[Toasty]

So? Im a rangefinder guy but I am well aware of their limitations.

A Rolleiflex has the long minimum focus distance and parallax of a rangefinder. Using filters is guesswork like with an RF. It has a non intuitive reversed WLF like most SLRs, or you can add a heavy prism. No interchangeable film backs or lenses (Mamiya aside).

I know people like them but they have little upside in use (to me) over an SLR or RF.

 

[c41]

I like TLRs for this purpose, they’re quiet, flexible and portable. For ‘outside, not studio work’, i think they have great merit.

I love a Tele-Rolleiflex with Rolleinar most of all, not dissimilar from the C330 suggestion, just a little more portable and Zeiss Sonnar lens. Maybe pushing the $1000 limit a bit though.

Is this one of those pick any 2 from 3 options sort of challenges?!

 

[narsuitus]

"Best MF camera for a $1000?"

For me, the best medium format outdoor portrait cameras for $1000 or less would be a used:

1. Mamiya TLR with 180mm f/4.5 lens

2. Tele Rollei TLR with 135mm f/4 lens

 

[removedacct1]

A Rolleiflex is a fine camera, but if portraiture is your goal, a standard 80mm lens is going to limit you, since you can’t get a tight head-and-shoulders shot without introducing unflattering perspective distortion.
A modular system (everyone has their favorite, as you’ve noticed) is going to offer more flexibility: a 150mm lens (or longer) is going to be a huge asset for making flattering portraits.
However, if you want to make portraits in the style of Vivian Maier and Diane Arbus, then there’s no reason not to go with a TLR, since flattery was not something either of those photographers was interested in.

There is no “best” camera, there is only “best for what I want to accomplish “.

 

[removedacct1]

"Best MF camera for a $1000?"

For me, the best medium format outdoor portrait cameras for $1000 or less would be a used:

1. Mamiya TLR with 180mm f/4.5 lens

2. Tele Rollei TLR with 135mm f/4 lens

The odds of finding a Tele Rollei in good shape for under $2000 is very slim. The two I see listed on auction for $1100 (the lowest prices) have serious problems: one needs a full CLA to be useable and the other has a severely compromised taking lens. The better examples are all $1500 and up.

 

[narsuitus]

The odds of finding a Tele Rollei in good shape for under $2000 is very slim. The two I see listed on auction for $1100 (the lowest prices) have serious problems: one needs a full CLA to be useable and the other has a severely compromised taking lens. The better examples are all $1500 and up.

In April, there were two that sold on eBay for less than $800.

 

[removedacct1]

In April, there were two that sold on eBay for less than $800.

But TODAY, as I said, the two cheapest ones are almost $1100 and both have serious problems.