Downsizing from Large Format to 35mm/What Camera

Merg Ross · Jun 30, 2016

Long time (60 years) with large format. Making short trip to Europe, want to shoot film. Last trip used Fuji 6x7, excellent results. However, looking for something less bulky, thinking 35mm. Small enlargements, no landscapes, black and white. Camera, suggestions? Thanks.

www.mergross.com

BrianShaw · Jun 30, 2016

It really doesn't matter much. Any one in good condition with good glass will do the job for you. I use a 1982-era Nikon F3 for that purpose but mostly because that's what I have and know I can do good work with it.

BrianShaw · Jun 30, 2016

But my favorite travel camera is a Kodak Retina III. Small, lightweight folder with great glass and an accurate rangefinder.

jimjm · Jun 30, 2016

Merg -
Any preference regarding SLR vs rangefinder? Want the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, or the simplicity of a fixed-lens camera? Need autofocus?
For a solid, capable SLR system, I'd look at something from Nikon, which offers probably the largest selection of bodies and lenses available on the used market today. If I was traveling with one body and a few lenses, I'd take an FM2 body with the 28/2.8 AIS, 50/1.4 and 105/2.5 lenses. I also like the Nikon F3 - a bit heavier than the FM2, but built to take a beating. Olympus OM, Minolta MC/MD and Pentax K mount bodies and lenses can also be very good, but Nikon alone can accommodate it's F-mount lenses with newer AF film and digital bodies (with some exceptions), if you ever need to do so.
For rangefinders, I'm partial to Leica bodies, but the cost factor goes up a bit. Not as convenient to use as an SLR if you like lenses longer than 90mm, and Leitz wide-angle lenses can be pricey, although Voigtlander makes some very nice wide lenses at reasonable prices. I use an older M2 with hand-held or shoe-mount meter and it's very quiet and nice to shoot with.

BTW - Wonderful portfolio on your web site! I'm guessing you do your own printing, and am very impressed by your work. I'm striving to reach that level of skill myself someday....

MattKing · Jun 30, 2016

Did you shoot "miniature" cameras in your armed forces stint? If so, what appealed to you then?

Poisson Du Jour · Jun 30, 2016

"Small enlargements, no landscapes, black and white."
And a camera for that? How long is a piece of string??
I could suggest an Olympus XA. Pocketable, ever-ready and well up to the task of exposing B&W.
Only caveat is to hunt one down in close to mint/well looked after condition, not the trashbag examples that so often peacock about as "very good condition" yet are at the end of their life.

LJH · Jun 30, 2016

What about a 120 folder? Something like a Voigtlander Bessa? Pretty small with a larger neg.

Fixcinater · Jun 30, 2016

I'd start by figuring out what era lenses produce the look you are going for.

Most folks are going to suggest what works well for them, so I'll follow suit:

Kodak Retina II (squinty viewfinder but nice lens, mine has the 47mm f/2.0 Ektar)
Leica M3 + 35mm and 90 or 100mm as below, M-mount if you have cash and want modern rendering glass
Canon 7 Rangefinder body + LTM lenses, I brought my 7 + 35/1.8 + 50/1.4 + 100/3.5 to Spain. Worked great and the tiny, lightweight lenses are superb for all day carry
Fixed lens RF like a Canonet QL17
Small Pentax SLR like the Spotmatic or later and smaller M series. Not as quiet as the RFs (generally), but less precious. Lenses can be much larger as you get away from 35/50 and short slow telephotos though.

Merg Ross · Jun 30, 2016

BrianShaw said:
But my favorite travel camera is a Kodak Retina III. Small, lightweight folder with great glass and an accurate rangefinder.

Brian, thank you. I have a lot to learn in this "new" to me format. I have used 120 (Rollei66) for many years, and in the 70's used 35mm for slides in my commercial work. But the bulk has been 8x10 and 4x5, so this will be a new experience.

Merg Ross · Jun 30, 2016

jimjm said:
Merg -
Any preference regarding SLR vs rangefinder? Want the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, or the simplicity of a fixed-lens camera? Need autofocus?
For a solid, capable SLR system, I'd look at something from Nikon, which offers probably the largest selection of bodies and lenses available on the used market today. If I was traveling with one body and a few lenses, I'd take an FM2 body with the 28/2.8 AIS, 50/1.4 and 105/2.5 lenses. I also like the Nikon F3 - a bit heavier than the FM2, but built to take a beating. Olympus OM, Minolta MC/MD and Pentax K mount bodies and lenses can also be very good, but Nikon alone can accommodate it's F-mount lenses with newer AF film and digital bodies (with some exceptions), if you ever need to do so.
For rangefinders, I'm partial to Leica bodies, but the cost factor goes up a bit. Not as convenient to use as an SLR if you like lenses longer than 90mm, and Leitz wide-angle lenses can be pricey, although Voigtlander makes some very nice wide lenses at reasonable prices. I use an older M2 with hand-held or shoe-mount meter and it's very quiet and nice to shoot with.

BTW - Wonderful portfolio on your web site! I'm guessing you do your own printing, and am very impressed by your work. I'm striving to reach that level of skill myself someday....

Thanks for taking the time to respond. No real preference to SLR vs rangefinder. Would prefer a single lens, do not need autofocus. Nikon seems highly thought of and on my list. A "normal" lens has more appeal for my work than wide angle.
Thanks for the kind comment, yes I have always done my own printing, gelatin silver....a process I have no plans to abandon!

Merg Ross · Jun 30, 2016

MattKing said:
Did you shoot "miniature" cameras in your armed forces stint? If so, what appealed to you then?

Hi Matt, for cameras in the Army I used the issued 4x5 Speed Graphic, 70mm Combat camera, and also a Mamiyaflex that I had brought from home. The Speed got a lot of use as did the Mamiya when I was in the air. Oh, when stationed in New York I brought along my Minolta Autocord; sometimes wish I still had it! Very sharp lens.

bdial · Jun 30, 2016

I would suggest a Nikon FM or one of it's variants. Simple, traditional controls not a ton of metering modes. I have an F3, which is also a good choice, but a little heavier.
I find the newer bodies, for example the 8008 a little frustrating to use because you get an LCD display instead of a direct control and it's hard to remember how to set all the different metering options. It would be easy enough to remember all that stuff if I used it a lot, but I don't, so I must re-learn every time I pick it up.
The cameras from the pre-autoindex era (Nikkormat, F, F2) are fine too, but are built to use mercury batteries and need some sort of adaptation to take current batteries for the meters.

Ian Grant · Jun 30, 2016

If I was only shooting 35mm I guess my first choice would be a Leica M3 and 50mm Summicron. However on a trip to Spain I took a TLR, my Yashicamat 124, reasonable weight and size and that bit better quality than 35mm.

Ian

Karl K · Jun 30, 2016

A 35mm SLR, rather than a rangefinder camera, would be much more to your liking because of the similarity to the large format focusing method, i.e.: ground glass. That said, almost any reliable 35mm SLR would fit the bill. For light weight and small size I'd suggest the Pentax MX or ME Super or the Olympus OM-1 or OM-2. The Canon AE-1, Minolta XD and Nikon FM or FE series are slightly larger and heavier, but not by much.
As was mentioned before, stay away from cameras that require mercury batteries.
My personal favorite is the Minolta XD-11, which Leica modified and introduced as the larger, heavier and more expensive Leica R4.
Whichever camera you choose, do extensive testing before you leave and carry extra batteries with you.
Have a safe trip.

narsuitus · Jun 30, 2016

I shoot small, medium, and large format. My main medium format camera is the Fuji 6x7. I like the 4x5, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x8 aspect ratios. Unless I am shooting landscapes, I have never been a big fan of the 6x9 aspect ratio used by 35mm cameras.

All my medium and large format cameras are manual/mechanical cameras as opposed to automatic/electronic cameras. Most of the 35mm cameras I have used and liked were also manual/mechanical cameras that may or may not have had a built-in light meter but definitely did not require batteries to capture images. They include:

Nikon F 35mm SLR with a standard meterless prism

Nikon F2 35mm SLR with a standard meterless prism or meterless action finder

Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR (has a built-in light meter)

Fujica ST705 35mm SLR (has a built-in light meter)

Minolta Hi-Matic 9 35mm rangefinder (has a built-in light meter)

Canon QL17 GIII 35mm rangefinder (has a built-in light meter)

Leica M1 35mm (no rangefinder and no built-in light meter)

Argus C3 35mm rangefinder

If I were looking for a 35mm today, in addition to the ones I listed, I would also consider the following:

Nikon FM3a

Leica MP

Leica M6

However, since I do not like the 35mm aspect ratio and have never been satisfied with 35mm black & white images, I would get a 645 to satisfy my need for a less bulky camera that was capable of delivering the image quality I needed.

removed-user-1 · Jun 30, 2016

I know you asked about 35mm, but if you are already comfortable with 120 and Fuji 6x7, you might want to look at one of the Fuji 645 rangefinders. For years my one-and-only travel camera was the manual focus GS645s, which has a fixed 60mm f/4. Very nice travel camera, I used it as my personal camera when I was a photographer's assistant and was already traveling with a ton of gear that wasn't mine.

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 30, 2016

If you're open to the idea of medium format, I'd suggest a Rollei TLR as an option. If you're sticking to 35mm, I'd look at the Contax G series, specifically the G2. A small series of lenses, but they cover everything you'd want to do when traveling, from very wide (21mm) to mild tele (90mm) and they're some of the very best glass ever made for 35mm. Plus you get autofocus and auto exposure (aperture preferred).

Ko.Fe. · Jun 30, 2016

My respect to OP!

I prefer Leica M film with 35mm lens for travel. Because everything is in focus at any time in viewfinder, even if lens is not in focus. I'm framing it first, focusing after and it is very easy with lens which has focus tab. But it is expensive kit just for one short trip.
For less expensive kit, Nikon SLR will do and zoom lens isn't bad for small enlargements. But it requires focusing first and I'm finding it annoying on travel.

TheRook · Jun 30, 2016

There are countless different 35mm cameras that qualify as excellent travel companions. The important thing is to practice on whichever camera you choose well before the trip, to the point where you feel completely comfortable using it when the time comes. If you plan to use filters (especially for black and white photography) or a lens hood, make sure you can easily obtain these (or adapters for them) in the proper size.

Paul Howell · Jun 30, 2016

A couple of questions:

What is your price range?
Auto focus or manual focus?
Straight manual or the option for aperture or shutter speed preferred or program mode exposure?
Color, Black and White, if color negatives or slide film?
How heavy, body with lens or just a point and shoot?
Do you think you will be using a flash?
Do you think want a motor drive or winder?
Are taking a tripod or buying a tripod or do you fast lens like a 50mm 1.2 or 1.4 or 85 1.8 there are lots of fast lens, a modern fast zoom like a 24 to 70 2.8?
How reliable? Lots of good cameras that are just long in the tooth.

MattKing · Jun 30, 2016

If I was making this choice right now, I'd choose between the cameras I already own.

In order of preference:

1) Olympus OM-4T with 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.0 and 85mm f/2.0 Zuiko lenses (backed up with an additional OM body).
2) Retina IIIc + Olympus XA.
3) Canon EOS Elan 7ne with 40mm f/2.8 lens and kit 28mm-90mm lens + AA battery holder.

nsurit · Jun 30, 2016

Depending on what kind of kit you want, you might PM me about borrowing an Olympus OM kit for your journey. I small 35mm kit can become rather large in little time. You only have three years on me in age and I know how a too big kit can become a problem. Bill Barber

k.hendrik · Jun 30, 2016

G2 with 28mm.

tedr1 · Jun 30, 2016

Another vote for the Olympus XA, superb quality images, slips in a small pocket, unobtrusive, easy to use, inexpensive. If I was considering SLR I would go with a Nikon FE, but now you also have to carry a bag of lenses :-(

Merg Ross · Jun 30, 2016

Thank you very much to all of you for the informative replies. I have noted the suggestions if I decide to go with 35mm. I say "if" because of concerns about print quality from downsizing. Coming from a lifetime of large and medium format films, it may be best for me to stay with the bulkier Fuji 6x7. I need to give more thought to the concept of downsizing.

Bill Barber, I am most appreciative of your kind offer. Thank you.

Best regards,
Merg

Downsizing from Large Format to 35mm/What Camera

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