hand-held MF?

[Struan Gray]

Struan, I love that image of the beautiful baby. That was a tricky shot to get with a waist level finder.

Thanks Janet. I had the advantage of using my own daughter as model, so I could pick and choose my timing to suit her mood and the light. I take quite a few outdoor shots with the camera pointing straight down, so I have got used to the view. I had one elbow perched on a nearby playpen rail for stability.

Getting a similar result on a commercial basis would of course be harder. Even for me in my own home, the hit rate dropped dramatically once she started walking

That shot was taken with a Kowa 66, but I now use a V-series Hasselblad. With both cameras when I am taking 'normal' orientation photos I trip the shuttter with my right thumb: this lets me have the camera body nestling in the palm of my right hand, and I can use my left hand to focus and pull in and down on the camera when I actually shoot. It's a little more awkward when time comes to wind on, but I have a winder for the very rare times I need to burn film. I *hate* the method recommended by VH himself.

 

[mikebarger]

Those 66's are underrated outfits and where else are you going to find a 19mm lens for this format? I've never seen one in person, but have a couple photos of one a fellow has/had in Europe.

Mike

 

[Struan Gray]

I agree. I was very happy with my Kowa 66, right up to the point where I accidentally dropped it on a rock. Then I found the proverbial Dentist's Hasselblad outfit for about the price of a good condition serviced Kowa body plus the value of my lenses. Of course, I haven't actually sold my Kowa lenses yet, but the theory is sound

The Hasselblad is a little more compact and slightly lighter (although the F 50 f2.8 is a beast compared to the Kowa 55). The Kowa has better bokeh stopped down and for my sorts of use doesn't give anything significant away in image quality. Both are handholdable enough that I used them a lot that way, even in dim Swedish light. My favourite combination for hunting kids is Portra 400 NC and a 150 mm lens.

 

[Russ Young]

I used a 'Blad back in the seventies and never was able to hand hold for slow exposures; it replaced a Bronica S2a with a stovepipe which I could hand hold to 1/15 every time and 1/8 usually.

The 'Blad was replaced with a Pentax 6x7 which I could hold well with some lenses and not others. It has been 'supplemented' in recent years with a Mamiya 7 which, even though I'm getting old & shaky, can be held consistently at 1/15 using the normal lens. using both hands AND placing against the face gives three points of solid contact.

With any camera, practice your breathing when making long exposures. If a TLR, you must shoot between heartbeats like a shooter.

More than you wanted to know,
Russ

 

[ZachInIsrael]

Another satisfied customer!

Rolleiflex TLRs really are divine works of industrial design, once you figure them out.

RXFB

I love my Rollei TLR. It was given to me as a gift by a neighbor. It had been sitting in her closet for 25+ years when she gave it to me. I had never used used a medium format camera before I got it (and not much of any other kind really). The Rollei TLR is what got me interested in photography. I also have a Sinar F 4x5 and a pentax K-1000 but I really love the rollei. I need to bring it in for a CLA but otherwise its an amazing camera to learn on.