MF for hiking trip

[darinwc]

If your style is wide, i would suggest a Fuji GSW690iii The iii version has a plastic body and is relatively light. Though they are much larger than they look in the pictures. The 65mm f5.6 lens is top-notch and focussing is a breeze with its large rangefinder. It can be shot hand-held in daylight but it is best on a tripod.

If you like square, then get a rollei. I wouldnt mess around with a yashica or any others. The Mamiya C's are large and heavy, might as well take your RB67.

If you want more versitility, the Fuji ZI645 or the Mamiya 6 (the interchangeable lens rangefinder) are great.

 

[Dr. no]

As stated, there are lots of factors to consider. Hiking by myself, without as strict deadlines and turn-around times, I'll often carry a Kiev-88 body, 2-3 lenses, 2-3 backs, Technika 4x5 with 10-15 film holders, water and other essentials. In a group, maybe the body and one lens and 2 backs, OR my Moscow 6x9 folder (Zeiss clone). Protracted travel en famille, without our own vehicle, the 6x9 folder wins. Light, fits in a pocket or bag, quiet, almost large format. And the "finickiness" lets me still feel like I'm working a camera, not taking snapshots. I have some excellent shots of the moon over Paris, just with it sitting on the parapet of Pont Neuf. I also carry a little rangefinder (Kiev 4) pretty often for casual shooting.
To go in a different direction, I have also hiked, kayaked, dived with a Nikonos--depends on the activity. What I want: folding, lightweight, rangefinder 6x9 with coupled meter that is waterproof to 100m.

 

[macrorie]

I agree with most of these suggestions, but if you reconsider the folder option, make sure that the lens has been collimated and is truly in focus before the trip. Also, an advantage of a Rollei TLR over the rangefinders is that if you acquire Rolleinar close-up lens sets they will enable you to do macro work, and the lensets for f3.5 Rolleis in particular are really small, light, and they produce sharp results. Also, another TLR consideration is that some people find the screens on some Rollei models to be very dark and hard to focus, and a new modern screen can make a huge difference in usability. Other people love the old screens. I'm in the former camp.

 

[scapevision]

Being a hiker myself, I'll say any TLR is going to be quite finicky, I own a Mamiya C220 and there are a lot of things sticking out of it or might get bumped etc. I also own a Fuji GW690II and this is perfect in any way, other than having to carry a shootload of film... it is compact and feels like a carbon fibre tank, alas no weight of a tank. I can bump it around and not worry about it. I have also used it with a polariser and other filters and it's really easy. Those 6x9 negs leave nothing for 6x6 to write home about

 

[Urmonas]

I own a Mamiya C220 and there are a lot of things sticking out of it or might get bumped etc.

The Mamiya C series do have a lot of things sticking out and a lot of the mechanism exposed. Other TLRs are much better in this respect.