Looking for 6x6 SLR

[etn]

Thank you Sirius for completing my post! This all makes a lot of sense.
My recommendation also goes toward CF lenses, as they represent the best compromise in price, repairability, performance, etc. (even looks!)
The 120 macro is also a very versatile lens. It can be a good choice for a 1-lens set.

Anyway, you will end up owning all those lenses eventually (even if it takes 15 years to get there)

 

[Sirius Glass]

Anyway, you will end up owning all those lenses eventually (even if it takes 15 years to get there)

I cannot buy any more lenses. My pack with all my lenses and the SWC is as heavy as I can carry.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Another push for Hasselblad (if you are in the USA market): there are some amazing lens bargains if you watch the big auction site. This 1967 250mm lens was only $80, with $20 shipping. The glass is pristine and the shutter speeds sound good, although 1 sec. may be a bit long. This is gorgeous West German craftsmanship of the highest order. Some test films are on their way back from the lab. The funny thing is the correct Bay 50 Hasselblad hood was $32, so about 1/3 the cost of the entire lens.

 

[etn]

I cannot buy any more lenses. My pack with all my lenses and the SWC is as heavy as I can carry.

My last comment was more for the OP, although I think it applies to all Hassy owners
I personally like to change lenses set depending on mood and destination, for no other reason than « because I can ». Sometimes 50+80, sometimes 60+100+180, sometimes 60+120,sometimes only SWC, often only 120, etc. I never carry more than 3 lenses unless the car carries them for me, which is rare. (i don’t own a car) But I use all my lenses regularly.
Why do I own all those lenses? some, like the 38, 120 or 180, were acquired out of deliberate choice or « need » (that’s probaly not the correct word for it). They are also my most used lenses. Others because I found a deal too good to pass on and decided to give them a try. I’m not losing any money and can always sell them at a profit. I just haven’t sold them yet

 

[etn]

I cannot buy any more lenses. My pack with all my lenses and the SWC is as heavy as I can carry.

My last comment was more for the OP, although I think it applies to all Hassy owners
I personally like to change lenses set depending on mood and destination, for no other reason than « because I can ». Sometimes 50+80, sometimes 60+100+180, sometimes 60+120,sometimes only SWC, often only 120, etc. I never carry more than 3 lenses unless the car carries them for me, which is rare. (i don’t own a car) But I use all my lenses regularly.
Why do I own all those lenses? some, like the 38, 120 or 180, were acquired out of deliberate choice or « need » (that’s probaly not the correct word for it). They are also my most used lenses. Others because I found a deal too good to pass on and decided to give them a try. I’m not losing any money and can always sell them at a profit. I just haven’t sold them yet

 

[Alan Gales]

I cannot buy any more lenses. My pack with all my lenses and the SWC is as heavy as I can carry.

Just because you own a bunch of lenses doesn't mean that you need to carry them all around with you. For my 35mm Contax, I owned Zeiss 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 100mm and 180mm. I never carried more than 3 lenses with me at a time. I just took what I felt that I needed for the shoot.

Feel better now, Sirius? Now you are free to buy more Zeiss lenses for your Hasselblad!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Just because you own a bunch of lenses doesn't mean that you need to carry them all around with you. For my 35mm Contax, I owned Zeiss 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 100mm and 180mm. I never carried more than 3 lenses with me at a time. I just took what I felt that I needed for the shoot.

Feel better now, Sirius? Now you are free to buy more Zeiss lenses for your Hasselblad!

Did you notice that one of your legs is longer than the other?
All Siriusness aside, usually I empty the pack of the lenses that I will not use. Rarely, I take the full pack, place it is the car and only take the lens that I need and mount it on the camera.

 

[Alan Gales]

Did you notice that one of your legs is longer than the other?
All Siriusness aside, usually I empty the pack of the lenses that I will not use. Rarely, I take the full pack, place it is the car and only take the lens that I need and mount it on the camera.

Yeah, the middle one!

Some people have huge lens collections. I try to have the few focal lengths that I feel that I need and then use my feet to get a little closer or farther back. Sometimes it can feel liberating to carry a camera with just one lens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

For me:

30mm not useful enough
60mm not wide enough and too close to the 80mm
120mm I do not do close up photography
135 mm I do not do close up photography
180mm I do not do portrait photography
350mm I have the 250mm and the 350mm and I do not need one in between​

 

[Alan Gales]

For me:

30mm not useful enough
60mm not wide enough and too close to the 80mm
120mm I do not do close up photography
135 mm I do not do close up photography
180mm I do not do portrait photography
350mm I have the 250mm and the 350mm and I do not need one in between​

Back when I sold camera gear I took in a Hasselblad 500/cm in on trade. I only had the 80mm lens. I probably would have bought the 40mm and 150mm lenses if I would have kept it. With shooting 8x10 it's hard to afford other gear but I like the 8x10.

I like shooting people, places and things. I used to shoot sports (mostly fast pitch softball) but my daughter has grown up so I don't do that anymore and sold my Nikon D gear. Except for a few flowers back when I shot 35mm, I've never been into macro either.

 

[wy2l]

What! No mention of Bronica GS-1?

 

[Cholentpot]

I drag around an old Bronica S2(Not a) and it works fine. It was stored in abysmal conditions in a basement. Needed new seals and most of the leatherette came off, shutter speeds seem fine so it's been pressed into business.

 

[voceumana]

What! No mention of Bronica GS-1?

The GS-1 doesn't qualify as a 6x6.

 

[ic-racer]

I started using Rolleiflex 6x6 SLRs in the 1980s and still use them today. I can't say that I recommend it on a budget. The true reason I went with Rolleiflex in the 1980s was to set myself apart from the "Photography and Cinema" majors in graduate school. I was somewhat of an oddball, my degree was through the "Art" department.

 

[itsdoable]

The GS-1 doesn't qualify as a 6x6.

There is 6x6 back for the GS1, but it is battery dependent.

The OP'a original request:
6x6
Interchangeable backs
Polaroid back
Mechanical
Not Hasselblad

 

[Alan Gales]

I started using Rolleiflex 6x6 SLRs in the 1980s and still use them today. I can't say that I recommend it on a budget. The true reason I went with Rolleiflex in the 1980s was to set myself apart from the "Photography and Cinema" majors in graduate school. I was somewhat of an oddball, my degree was through the "Art" department.

I used to be an art major but I decided commercial art was not for me. Believe me, if you were like me and my fellow art majors, you didn't need anything to set yourself apart. We were all oddballs but in a very good way. We always thought the people in our non art classes were the strange ones!

A very good friend of mine owns a Rollei SL66. Great camera. Great lenses. He's retired now but he taught music which of course is an art.

 

[Sirius Glass]

When I traded in the Mamiya C330 and lenses for the Hasselblad I was interested in the Rollei SL66, but the store did not have any available. They told me that I would be better off with the Hasselblad because 1) they had a Hasselblad repairman working for them and 2) more Hasselblad equipment was available.

 

[johnha]

I have a Bronica SQ-B bought new, it's an electronic shutter but I don't mind that - the battery lasts forever, the shutter stays accurate. I didn't buy a used 'bald due to the lens cost and because I'd read dozens of posts about them jamming (or how to un-jam them). As a newbie to 6x6 SLRs I didn't need the aggro of worrying about it. I had a brief look at he Rollei 6xxx series (they have a 6x4.5 back you can put in portrait or landscape) but they relied on bespoke NiCd batteries that most probably will all have expired now.

The coolest 6x6 SLR has got to be the Bronica S2/S2A (mechanical shutters) - they simply look gorgeous.

 

[TheTrailTog]

I'll throw in a vote for the Bronica S2a. I've been very happy with mine. Budget wise, I've been able to build a black outfit of 1 body, 3 backs, 3 finders, 2 helicoids, 5 lenses w/hoods, bellows attachment, and a handful of filters for under $1,000. In real world use (not comparing giant prints or super high res scans) I bet 99% couldn't tell the difference from a Hassy in the final print.

 

[Alan Gales]

When I traded in the Mamiya C330 and lenses for the Hasselblad I was interested in the Rollei SL66, but the store did not have any available. They told me that I would be better off with the Hasselblad because 1) they had a Hasselblad repairman working for them and 2) more Hasselblad equipment was available.

My friend, Harold, who owns an SL66 also owns a Hasselblad. He heard that it was getting harder to find parts for the SL66 so he bought a Hasselblad as a back-up camera. He also owns a Pentax 6x7. Harold has several lenses for all three cameras. He also owns several Rolleiflex TLR's. Harold loves his medium format cameras!

He also has a couple 4x5's, 35mm and Minox gear. His favorite camera? A Hasselblad X-Pan!

 

[etn]

For me:

180mm I do not do portrait photography​

Reducing the 180 to just portrait photography is probably over-simplifying a bit. It is a very versatile lens, excellent for nature and landscape. It works very well for macro too, although you do not do that. I personally prefer it to the 150: not for the quality (both are excellent), for some reason I just feel more comfortable with the slightly reduced field of view. But I agree with you that if you already own the 150, the 180 is certainly superfluous and vice-versa.

 

[Cholentpot]

I'll throw in a vote for the Bronica S2a. I've been very happy with mine. Budget wise, I've been able to build a black outfit of 1 body, 3 backs, 3 finders, 2 helicoids, 5 lenses w/hoods, bellows attachment, and a handful of filters for under $1,000. In real world use (not comparing giant prints or super high res scans) I bet 99% couldn't tell the difference from a Hassy in the final print.

I don't think there is a difference. They are both high quality well made cameras, top level lenses and they take the same kind of film. One has a mirror and the other doesn't. If you compensate for the mirror the results should not make a definable difference one camera to the next.

 

[Paul Howell]

I think in most cases with black and white it would be hard to tell the difference between Bronica, Mamyia, Fuji, Pentax or for that matter Kowa from a Hasselblad or Rolli, up to 11X14 or 16X20, all lens will out resolve Tmax 100. Some talk about mirco contrast, I have not seen a difference, not even sure if I know that micro contrast is. There will differences in color, not in terms of sharpness, but as each brand uses a different lens coating, older lens like first generation Kowa are single coated, color retention may be different. I have not shot color with my Kowa for over 20 years so in my case a moot point.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Reducing the 180 to just portrait photography is probably over-simplifying a bit. It is a very versatile lens, excellent for nature and landscape. It works very well for macro too, although you do not do that. I personally prefer it to the 150: not for the quality (both are excellent), for some reason I just feel more comfortable with the slightly reduced field of view. But I agree with you that if you already own the 150, the 180 is certainly superfluous and vice-versa.

Since I have the 80mm, 100mm and the 250mm, the 150mm is just not used very often.

 

[Alan Gales]

Since I have the 80mm, 100mm and the 250mm, the 150mm is just not used very often.

How much sharper is your 100mm than the 80mm?