For an inexpensive Change From 35mm
-
A
- Thread starter 3 Olives
- Start date
Recent Classifieds
-
For Sale FS: Toyo Viewing Accessories
- Started by B.S.Kumar
-
For Sale FS: Gitzo GH2780QR ball head
- Started by darinwc
-
For Sale Cine Nikkor 38mm f1.8 in D Mount
- Started by darinwc
-
For Sale FS: Early Auto Takumar 55mm f1.8
- Started by darinwc
-
For Sale FS: Pentax-A 50mm f1.4
- Started by darinwc
Forum statistics
How about a medium format folder.
In a TLR I've used and like the Mamiya 330. A folder is also a good choice. For B & W they might enjoy a Voigtlander RF. My most used medium format currently is either a Diana + or a Brownie Hawkeye. Check out the Diana at http://www.lomography.com/diana/. BIll Barber
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2006
- Messages
- 2,704
- Format
- Medium Format
Either a TLR or a pinhole. The pinhole Holgas are not a bad way to go. My new favorite camera is a pinhole I made from a Ricoh TLR with a frozen focus helicoid. I removed the glass lenses and made the pinhole using a pop can and a needle. I also do like the Holga, but I think you need to first become pretty comfortable in the darkroom to get consistently good prints.
Yashica TLR.
A C220 as a good second choice. I would suggest a folder but with only guesstimate focusing for most of them, this might not hold the kid's interest. A C220 with a 65 mm lens will kick butt whether they are into street shooting or landscapes. if they are into portrait type stuff, a 105 or 180 mm lens are pretty reasonable these days. heck, it's all reasonable. The Yashica is very light and small.
If you want to spring for a bit more, M645 equipment is dirt cheap too and usually comes with a metered prism.
tim in san jose
A C220 as a good second choice. I would suggest a folder but with only guesstimate focusing for most of them, this might not hold the kid's interest. A C220 with a 65 mm lens will kick butt whether they are into street shooting or landscapes. if they are into portrait type stuff, a 105 or 180 mm lens are pretty reasonable these days. heck, it's all reasonable. The Yashica is very light and small.
If you want to spring for a bit more, M645 equipment is dirt cheap too and usually comes with a metered prism.
tim in san jose
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
Another vote for a TLR. Its very different operating feel made me rethink my views on cameras when I first picked one up. Lots of fun and unique in our SLR dominated world.
Another vote for a TLR. Its very different operating feel made me rethink my views on cameras when I first picked one up. Lots of fun and unique in our SLR dominated world.
Teenager? Get them something simple and something that won't make you cry when they drop it.
I guess it depends on the kid. Some are very careless with their belongings, while some aren't.
If we're talking about a careful kid, then I probably would look at a TLR -- Yashica or maybe a Rolleicord or even a medium-range folding camera.
If we're talking about a rough and tumble kid, then possibly a Holga (which could also be a good choice for the careful kid).
In either case, I would opt for something as simple as possible.
I guess it depends on the kid. Some are very careless with their belongings, while some aren't.
If we're talking about a careful kid, then I probably would look at a TLR -- Yashica or maybe a Rolleicord or even a medium-range folding camera.
If we're talking about a rough and tumble kid, then possibly a Holga (which could also be a good choice for the careful kid).
In either case, I would opt for something as simple as possible.
My reason for suggesting a folder is that (a) they are very cool, even today and (b) they are very compact. Teenagers these days are so used to pocket gizmos, they probably don't want to schlep anything large. On the other hand, with some old cameras there may be that puppydog effect:
Aww, that's cool, can I have a look?
It's my 100 year old film camera.
Wow, you know how to shoot film?
Sure. Say, are you doing anything tonight?
And so forth.
Aww, that's cool, can I have a look?
It's my 100 year old film camera.
Wow, you know how to shoot film?
Sure. Say, are you doing anything tonight?
And so forth.
TLR. Even thought they look different, they are surprisingly friendly to use. My Yashica 12 has amazingly accurate match-needle metering and focusing is a delight with the big top viewscreen.
Folders are only inexpensive if they come without a meter and a rangefinder. So that works only if you have a very experienced teenager, or one patient enough to carry and use an accessory light meter and rangefinder (or tape measure!)
Folders are only inexpensive if they come without a meter and a rangefinder. So that works only if you have a very experienced teenager, or one patient enough to carry and use an accessory light meter and rangefinder (or tape measure!)
3 Olives, I think you really need to quantify "inexpensive." Some people here see that word in reference to a camera and they think "less than $1." Others think "less than $100." A few think "less than $10,000." (OK, perhaps I exaggerate slightly on the range -- but not by much.) To give some examples in various ranges....
In the sub-$50 range, you'll find very little except for 35mm cameras. You might luck out with a low-end medium format TLR or folder, but most of these are a bit pricier than that. A few Holgas cost about $50; these are very low-end medium format cameras. (There are also 35mm Holgas, though, so be sure of what you're getting.) A used 110 or 126 camera could fit the description, but film will be hard to find -- 126 film was discontinued about a year ago, IIRC, although there may still be some in retail channels. I recently heard rumors that 110 film has ceased production, but I haven't seen that verified by reliable sources. Most 110 and 126 cameras are point-and-shoot models, so they won't produce great results, but they might be good if the teenager is interested in Lomography-style shooting, or if you happen to find one of the rarer "serious" models that used this format. In case you don't know, 110 film was a 16mm format that was popular in the 1970s for point-and-shoot cameras. The cameras and their negatives were tiny. 126 film was popular slightly earlier than 110 (in the late 1960s and early 1970s, roughly). It's the same size as 35mm film, but it's perforated and handled differently. 126 cameras produce square photos, which could be an interesting difference for a teenager who's experimenting with photography. (Many, but not all, medium format cameras also produce square photos.)
In the ~$100 range, various used MF TLRs and folders, as others have suggested, are options. Many of these lack built-in meters, so check for that, and factor in the cost of a meter if necessary. Another type of camera that might be of interest in this range is a 3D camera, such as a Stereo Realist. There are actually several types of these cameras. The one I'm most familiar with (the Realist; my father owned one) shoots 35mm slides, which are then viewed with a special viewer, which looks a bit like binoculars. These are mostly 35mm, but the format is unique enough that I think it deserves mention.
Going significantly beyond $100 (to $200-$1,000), options broaden considerably into high-end MF TLRs (the Mamiya C-series, for instance, although you might luck out and get a basic one for $100), MF SLRs, and so on. These are used prices, for the most part; few MF cameras sell for under $1,000 new, although a few do (Holgas, Kievs, maybe one or two others). You can get a pretty good camera in this range, although I suspect it's not what you mean by "inexpensive."
In the sub-$50 range, you'll find very little except for 35mm cameras. You might luck out with a low-end medium format TLR or folder, but most of these are a bit pricier than that. A few Holgas cost about $50; these are very low-end medium format cameras. (There are also 35mm Holgas, though, so be sure of what you're getting.) A used 110 or 126 camera could fit the description, but film will be hard to find -- 126 film was discontinued about a year ago, IIRC, although there may still be some in retail channels. I recently heard rumors that 110 film has ceased production, but I haven't seen that verified by reliable sources. Most 110 and 126 cameras are point-and-shoot models, so they won't produce great results, but they might be good if the teenager is interested in Lomography-style shooting, or if you happen to find one of the rarer "serious" models that used this format. In case you don't know, 110 film was a 16mm format that was popular in the 1970s for point-and-shoot cameras. The cameras and their negatives were tiny. 126 film was popular slightly earlier than 110 (in the late 1960s and early 1970s, roughly). It's the same size as 35mm film, but it's perforated and handled differently. 126 cameras produce square photos, which could be an interesting difference for a teenager who's experimenting with photography. (Many, but not all, medium format cameras also produce square photos.)
In the ~$100 range, various used MF TLRs and folders, as others have suggested, are options. Many of these lack built-in meters, so check for that, and factor in the cost of a meter if necessary. Another type of camera that might be of interest in this range is a 3D camera, such as a Stereo Realist. There are actually several types of these cameras. The one I'm most familiar with (the Realist; my father owned one) shoots 35mm slides, which are then viewed with a special viewer, which looks a bit like binoculars. These are mostly 35mm, but the format is unique enough that I think it deserves mention.
Going significantly beyond $100 (to $200-$1,000), options broaden considerably into high-end MF TLRs (the Mamiya C-series, for instance, although you might luck out and get a basic one for $100), MF SLRs, and so on. These are used prices, for the most part; few MF cameras sell for under $1,000 new, although a few do (Holgas, Kievs, maybe one or two others). You can get a pretty good camera in this range, although I suspect it's not what you mean by "inexpensive."
I would recomend a TLR . A Yashica or even any other that can be purchased for $100 or less(shipping included) But stay away from the highly overpriced Seagulls, and the Russian Lomo's. Holgas and Dianas might be fun, although could prove frustrating for a neophyte. I like folders as well, and a handheld incident meter is a wonderful way to learn light values.
How about a Yashica 124 Mat G? It was my first experience with medium format and a good little camera. I paid $50 for mine in perfect working condition.
Bought mine from the local photo studio when the founder sold his business. The new guy was shooting Bronica MF and using a Nikon FA for weddings (yeah, this was a LONG time ago) so he didn't need it.
He probably gave me a deal. The week of the sale - or at least the first week the new guy was in the shop, I was in 8th grade and walked in the door and asked for a job. Jack gave me the job - sweeping floors, cleaning out 40 years of photographic clutter, and developing film and enlarging prints. My payment was learning how to do it all. He never paid me a dime, but due to what Jack taught me, I paid my way through college and grad school & have a lifelong passion - not necessarily for cameras (I am NOT a collector), but for photography - shooting, developing, printing, framing, etc. - as an art.
Bought mine from the local photo studio when the founder sold his business. The new guy was shooting Bronica MF and using a Nikon FA for weddings (yeah, this was a LONG time ago) so he didn't need it.
He probably gave me a deal. The week of the sale - or at least the first week the new guy was in the shop, I was in 8th grade and walked in the door and asked for a job. Jack gave me the job - sweeping floors, cleaning out 40 years of photographic clutter, and developing film and enlarging prints. My payment was learning how to do it all. He never paid me a dime, but due to what Jack taught me, I paid my way through college and grad school & have a lifelong passion - not necessarily for cameras (I am NOT a collector), but for photography - shooting, developing, printing, framing, etc. - as an art.
I second the Yashica TLR or MF folder (e.g. Agfa Isolette) idea.
Yup, for a 120/220 film camera, without "breaking the bank", a Yashica 124 Mat G is the one to get.
Get them a Ciroflex and a copy of Don Normark's book, Chavez Ravine, a Los Angeles Story. He did those shots in 1949 with a TLR Ciroflex camera and they are remarkable. About $40 for the book and the camera on eek-bay.
I hate Holgas. Hate, hate, hate!
But for an inexpensive option for a teenager, I think it would work fine. I have several friends who are very good photographers and make some damn good photos with them.
I still hate them though.
But for an inexpensive option for a teenager, I think it would work fine. I have several friends who are very good photographers and make some damn good photos with them.
I still hate them though.
I think of a Holga as a cult camera (ducking now); OK if you like the look but not the best choice to expand your horizons. I also assume that the objective is not just a larger negative. So here's my 2 cents.
The first thing to get, if you don't have one already, is a tripod. I think a tripod (which forces you to be much more deliberate) will do more to provide a new perspective than another camera.
Then, in terms of the camera, I join the voting for a TLR with waist level finder. The waist level finder encourages you to see the image differently. It's a bit like previewing the print. The TLR also has no moving mirror, so in the case of portraits you see the expression at the exact point of exposure. You may or may not like a TLR, but you'll experience something different from your 35mm.
The first thing to get, if you don't have one already, is a tripod. I think a tripod (which forces you to be much more deliberate) will do more to provide a new perspective than another camera.
Then, in terms of the camera, I join the voting for a TLR with waist level finder. The waist level finder encourages you to see the image differently. It's a bit like previewing the print. The TLR also has no moving mirror, so in the case of portraits you see the expression at the exact point of exposure. You may or may not like a TLR, but you'll experience something different from your 35mm.
Oh, speaking of "horizons," there are panoramic cameras that might be of interest. The least expensive of these is the Russian Horizon (or Horizont) line, which goes for about $150-$400. The Horizons, and several others, are still 35mm cameras, but perhaps different enough to be of interest to the OP. There are MF panoramic cameras, but they're much more expensive.
Ole
Moderator
Second-hand Bronicas are going cheap now, as I found out - and immediately completed my lens collection. for "cheap", a ETRS with 75mm lens is about the best possible value for money.
Or there's always the dreaded Lubitel 166U. Horrible plasticky box, doubtful quality, more light leaks than a Holga, but surprisingly fun to use.
Or there's always the dreaded Lubitel 166U. Horrible plasticky box, doubtful quality, more light leaks than a Holga, but surprisingly fun to use.
Last edited by a moderator:
A Lubitel. It's about 2 notches higher on the quality scale than a Holga but costs less. Plus, there's always the possibility that he'll get a good one. Teach him sunny/16 and he wont need a meter.
| Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here. |
PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:  |