'Coolest' Medium Format Camera?

Existing Light · May 22, 2012

Holga

snallan · May 22, 2012

Linhof M679cs - medium format on steroids

labcoat · May 22, 2012

Linhof 220.
It's a very unconventional camera. I found out about it reading a book on Linhof equipment and I thought it was extremely cool. I have never seen one in person and it is my understanding that they're quite rare.

thegman · May 22, 2012

Alpa 12TC is beautiful, I can't afford it, so I have the Fotoman 69, which is almost as cool.

The Fujifilm GF670 I think is a modern masterpiece, to be in 2012 and a company is still making a folder medium format camera is amazing. And at $1600 new, it's fraction of the price of a new Leica film camera.

I've never used one, but I think the Walker large format cameras look great, a traditional camera made from modern materials is very interesting.They're not stupid expensive either.

Allen Friday · May 22, 2012

The Hipster vote goes to the Diana, one step cooler than the Holga.

Moopheus · May 22, 2012

Allen Friday said:
The Hipster vote goes to the Diana, one step cooler than the Holga.

Vintage Diana, not the new ones.

But I guess it does kinda come down to who you are trying to impress. Hasselblad probably has the greatest name recognition, if not necessarily visual recognition (See: is that a Hassie thread). Rollei is probably #2 there. Carrying other high-end, pro-grade gear may impress people who know what they are, but most people won't. Some cameras do make a visual impression, though not always in a good way, like a Koni-Omega. Some people just seem to react to the fact that you are carrying something unusual and large.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · May 22, 2012

If you want to impress the people with glass , try to find LOMO Square Front Anamorphic Lens to Kiev 60 and you have a Russian Tank. I read somewhere Stalin ordered the architecture of new Soviet Skyscrapers and there are many same towers spreaded in Moscow including Foreign Affairs Ministery and schools and otels. I watched at Russian Travel Guide , they offer whatever you want to the customers of King Suits. One customer wanted an Ukrainian cake and they ordered it from Ukraine and carried to the Moscow with special lear jet hot.
One other American yob had had been ordered to travel in a tank in Moscow Streets. This one they could not accomplished. But with 5 kilogram lens and 3 kilogram camera you could experience the mob wants.

jhw · May 22, 2012

Cool factor: original Diana
People flock to you when shooting factor: any TLR
Ward off mugger factor: Kodak Medalist
"Oh, I used to have one of those" factor: any folding 6x9
...but, it's up to each definition of 'cool'. There's "I have lots of money" cool (Rollei GX); I'm a retro student cool (Diana/Holga); "I want to make sure *everyone* knows I don't shoot digital" cool (Hassy & TLR); "I do something different" cool (6x9 pinhole...preferably homemade out of a beer can or something...), etc.

Jeff Kubach · May 22, 2012

Rolleiflex 2.8 and Maimya RB67.

Jeff

lxdude · May 22, 2012

Jeff Kubach said:
Maimya RB67.

It will only maim ya if ya drop it on yer foot.

paul ron · May 22, 2012

The folders are the coolest of em all. They are so well made, have beautiful chrome hardware n pack into a small package that can fit in your shirt pocket.. how cool is that?

pbromaghin · May 22, 2012

Just what could be cooler than this?

Except maybe this?

Diapositivo · May 22, 2012

Any Silvestri would certainly raise interest, for instance a Flexicam:

http://www.silvestricamera.it/eng/prodotti_eng/Flexicam/Flexicam_eng.htm

Fabrizio

demonboy · May 22, 2012

Hi ppl. Just wanted to thank you all for your replies, I really appreciate your time.

Also I'm encouraged by the level of enthusiasm in this forum. I've asked this question on other forums today and generally the question has gone down well. However a few have refused to play the game, instead replying 'why should it matter whether it's cool or not', or 'what a shallow question to ask'. I was even accused of behaving like a 12 year old girl for asking the question on one flickr forum. Some photographers take themselves too seriously IMHO, but that doesn't come across at all on APUG. This is my new favourite photography forum.

Once again, thank you for the replies. I've learnt a lot today just by researching your recommendations. Cheers.

gandolfi · May 22, 2012

so many good choises here.

I have the experience that you'll get much more attention with a Rolleiflex than with a Hasselblad... Maybe because it is such an icon?

I think the Rolleiflex SL66 is much cooler than a 'blad...

And I also think my Voigtlander SUPERB is SO cool!!

An ex-girlfriend said when she saw the grey Rolleiflex T, that it was the most sexy camera she's ever seen...
My girlfriend now thinks the Hasselblad makes her look good, but swears to Rollei...

My favourite (currently) TLR camera is the Super Ricohflex (as it beat ALL the rest in nature photography!), but one can harldy call it cool....

The original Diana is also cool - just go use it for wedding photography, and you're in for a treat!!

I also LOVE my 6x9 RITTRECK and not to forget, the awesome Plaubel MAKINA (where you can get 9x9cm square negs...)--

My TV has ornaments... see attch.

rjbuzzclick · May 22, 2012

Koni-Omega with the 180mm lens.

Maris · May 22, 2012

My Mamiya RB67 with the 37mm fisheye lens on it. The front element is so vast and hungry that there is a danger of being sucked in by it if you stand too close.

Sirius Glass · May 22, 2012

Hasselblad V Series, the rest are a let down after using a Hasselblad.

mwdake · May 22, 2012

I get comments most often when I have my Koni 100 or Yashica 124 with me.

In fact I was out with my Yashica 124 on Sunday and I am always amazed how kids passing by think it is cool. A couple of kids stared at it as they walked by, a few kids asked about it and said it was cool and one kid even shouted 'cool camera' from a car as he went by.

Of course they probably tell their parents that they saw an old fart with some cool camera.

Moopheus · May 22, 2012

rjbuzzclick said:
Koni-Omega with the 180mm lens.

No way, man, the 180 is the least-cool K-O lens. The 58/60 and the 135 are way cooler.

My now-departed K-O got one of the best street comments: "What the hell is that! That's crazy!"

Eric Rose · May 22, 2012

Anything made by Rollei.

Roger Cole · May 22, 2012

toolbox said:
X2. I love mine...

Funny story--I took this thing to a local historical event to shoot a few snaps...everyone was looking at me like I had three heads. Even the people dressed up like it was 1890 were looking at me like I was crazy LOL. Weirdest thing. Wonderful camera though, and the IQ is outstanding.

That's odd. I took my Yashicamat 124 to a steampunk convention and got oodles of nothing but compliments. Shot some Delta 3200 indoors with it too, which I still need to develop.

For coolest this:

Astrophotography Cold Cameras

Out of smarass made, pretty much any TLR, judging from the comments I get on the Yashica. People are interested in the Mamiya 645, just think I'm an old film fart with my 35mm gear, and are really puzzled by the Linhof 4x5, but they all seem to instantly love the TLR.

mwdake · May 22, 2012

No way, man, the 180 is the least-cool K-O lens. The 58/60 and the 135 are way cooler.

Especially if you have the finder for the 58/60 attached.

Moopheus · May 22, 2012

mwdake said:
Especially if you have the finder for the 58/60 attached.

Yeah, nothing says "cool" like an auxiliary viewfinder.

brucemuir · May 22, 2012

rjbuzzclick said:
Koni-Omega with the 180mm lens.

For oddball cooll!!!

'Coolest' Medium Format Camera?

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