Considering a TLR

[Gerald C Koch]

A porroprism uses mirrors instead of a true prism and so is quite light in comparison.

While some people like the square format most people crop it to something like the golden rectangle when printing.

 

[Roger Cole]

I wonder if "most" people actually do?

Informal poll for 6x6 shooters - do you print square or crop to rectangular? I do both at different times.

 

[baachitraka]

Square.

 

[Ian Grant]

Square.

Ian

 

[Dali]

Square.

 

[Laurent]

Square most of the time (read "unless I failed to compose properly/avoid some garbage").

I sometimes (very seldom) compose panoramic and have to crop, but I try to fill the square as much as I can.

 

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

Square with very few exceptions

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Square with very few exceptions

Me too.

 

[baachitraka]

I will be happy to see papers in square too, starting from 10 inches...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Square. Got started in square with a Seagull rangefinder, kept with it through my Hasselblad days, and now again with my Rolleiflex (flexes?flexii? I have two).

 

[Jim Jones]

Any Yashica TLR with the Yashinon lens and in good condition is capable of quality images. The later Yashicas seem to have some cult status and prices, A Rollie is more durable.

 

[Laurent]

I will be happy to see papers in square too, starting from 10 inches...

The "excess" paper makes for nice test strips.

On the "merry go-round" project, I started printing square with a very wide low margin, and this was very appreciated by the folks who received the images.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

My beginning intention is square. Might not always be able to finish that way. But I always start that way.

Ken

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Let me clarify, I have no problem cropping and that's inherent in the format and I believe has been used in marketing this square format at one time, but I love the square and think that way when composing, but will crop later if it improves the photo or presents another aspect I had not thought of but may now like. That said maybe 3% are cropped that way.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Interesting. When I have gone to shows I have seen few prints in square format. Gallery bias? When I first bought the C33 I made quite a few prints. Only one was in square format and that was becuase the subject itself was basically square and could not be cropped. I guess some of us just see the world as being rectangular.

 

[Ian Grant]

Fay Godwin the Britsh landscape photographer shot with a 6x6 slr and always printed square and I've been to many exhibitions where the photographers used square prints.

I like the square format but I work with 6x9, 5x4 (also 10x8) and 6x17 and always compose and print to the films format.

Ian

 

[MattKing]

I like square, but I print to whatever the subject requires.

 

[Alan Gales]

I always compose for square with my Hasselblad and rectangle for my 4x5 and 8x10 cameras. The only time I crop an image is with my digital camera like I used to with 35mm cameras. I have never cared much for the longer 35mm aspect. There is nothing wrong with it, I just don't "see" that way.

To me, composing square is a creative break from composing the standard rectangle which I also enjoy.

 

[BradleyK]

Wow! I had no idea when I started this thread that I would receive the amount of responses I have! A thank you to all who ventured their opinions. As a multi format user (35mm SLR and range-finder, 2 1/4 SLR and - and at one time 4x5 ), I am aware of the "limitations" of the TLR format. Insofar as my intentions go, I would be (most likely) looking to use the camera for landscape, fine art and portraiture work. Like my Hasselblads, the TLR would most likely find itself - for the most part - mounted atop a Tiltall; issues of weight would not really enter into it. The square format as a limitation?!?! One of the reasons I chose the Blads over other medium format systems was for that very reason: I love the challenge of shooting the square format (and I am a full-frame printer). And speed, when working in medium format, is not of the essence...

A thank you, Matt King, for your generous offer of the use of your TLR; Matt, I will pm you in a couple of weeks if the offer is still open. This weekend, I am over to Victoria to shoot the 150th Highland Games (giving a couple of the Nikon F2s a workout), and then spend the week following (first of six weeks' vacation time this year) shooting landscapes and nature work (E100G and FP4 with the Hasselblads) mid-Island (Cathedral Grove, Fanny Bay and possibly Tofino). Given that "some" hiking will be involved, I want to keep the old backpack as light as possible (several of the locations I will be checking out will be "look-see" ventures). When assessing the TLR, I would like to take my time, just carting the camera with an 80mm, a meter and the tripod. Again, a thanks to all who took the time to respond!

 

[ME Super]

Square. Got started in square with a Seagull rangefinder, kept with it through my Hasselblad days, and now again with my Rolleiflex (flexes?flexii? I have two).

Okay I can't resist. Rolleiflex is made by a German company. Therefore it's probably "Rolleiflexen." But I digress.

 

[baachitraka]

May be Rolleicordchen and Rolleiflexner...

 

[kchoquette]

I use a Yashica D to pretty good results, but I've noticed the edge definition on Rolleis to be much more contrasty. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my Yashica, but it's definitely time for me to upgrade. Wide open, the Yashica D can be very swirly and that's not a look I'm into.

TLRs have been my first foray into medium format cameras and I'm enjoying them a lot. I used a Lubitel for a little while, but kind of found it to be horrible. Thankfully, I didn't spend $300+ on a Lomography one. But the Yashica D is around the size of a Hasselblad, maybe smaller, and fits in my Think Tank Retrospective 5 perfectly.

Here's a quick photo from my test roll. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kchoquette/8751102862/

 

[Roger Cole]

For me, using a prism on a TLR is giving up one of the main benefits, the unique perspective and stability of handling - ok, two of the benefits - of the TLR design. YMMV of course.

 

[dpurdy]

I love using my Rollei but only with a Prism. Not only is the image the correct orientation and easy to focus, it is solid and balanced and great for hand holding slow speeds. I owned a Rollei for years but was never able to take it seriously till I got a prism.
Dennis

 

[BradleyK]

I wonder if "most" people actually do?

Informal poll for 6x6 shooters - do you print square or crop to rectangular? I do both at different times.

Square. Firstly, I like the challenge of "filling the frame." Secondly, I am something of a purist: I print full-frame irrespective of the format I happen to be shooting.