Compact, reliable MF camera recommendation

cooltouch

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
1,677
Location
Houston, Tex
Format
Multi Format
Not at all compact, but it takes interchangeable lenses and will do things most other roll-film cameras can't: A Graflex Crown Graphic with a 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 roll-film back. The late model with the top-mounted rangefinder is best. A big bonus is you have most of the movements of a full-blown view camera, plus, if you feel the urge, you can shoot 4x5's if you want.

If the full-size Crown Graphic is just too big, there's also the Graflex Century Graphic, basically a Crown Graphic that's been reduced in size. It will still take the 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 film holder's though. And it still has the view camera movements and interchangeable lenses.

When it comes to folders, there are lots of good ones out there. In 35mm, my favorites are the Kodak IIc and IIIc -- which have interchangeable lenses. In medium format -- in the 645 size, my favorites are the Zeiss Super Ikonta A and Konica Pearl (II or later), in 6x6 I like the Zeiss Super Ikonta B and the Agfa Isolette III with the Solinar lens, in 6x9 I like the Super Ikonta C and the Russian knock-offs of the "C," such as the Moskva 2, 4, and 5. The Moskvas are of varied quality -- often more crude in construction, but they're good picture takers.
 
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