Night time: Medium Format Help Me Find the Right Camera

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abruzzi

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Also, given that your profile says you already shoot large format and weight is not an issue, you could consider a roll film back with auto-stop for a 4x5 view camera or press camera.

I would also suggest a mini view camera--a "baby" Technika, or a Horseman HV-R. The VH-R is nice. If you buy your lenses with the focusing cam, you can shoot it like a bulky rangefinder. Horseman roll film backs sell for about $100-$120 for a 6x9 back.

The drawback of the VH-R is that it has most of the flexibility of a view cameras, which can make it more complicated than a non-view camera. If you're coming from LF, then you have a background in pieceing together a system like this, but someone without that experience might have a harder time figuring on what pieces are needed to build a working system..
 

Sirius Glass

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Any MF camera with a tripod mount, shutter speeds as slow as B, 1, 2 and 5 seconds and preferably a cable release attachment.
 

Arthurwg

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I get great night photography results with my Mamiya RB67 on a heavy tripod. I have the oldest model (Professional, not Professional-S or Professional-SD). I find the ability to fire the camera mirror and leaf shutters independently to be quite useful.

Yes, but you can so the same with a Hasselblad with much less weight. 80mm F2.8 lens would be fast enough.
 

Rick A

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Nitroplait

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A Fujica GL690 or the model prior to that would be a competent option at a reasonable price. It has interchangeable lenses but the standard Fujinon lens is excellent.
 

dalahorse

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Yes, but you can so the same with a Hasselblad with much less weight. 80mm F2.8 lens would be fast enough.

If your final result is intended to be square, the Hassy wins, hands down! But for non-square results, the 6x7 format has much more film surface area to offer than a cropped 6x6 for less than one stop of lens speed (80/2.8 vs 90/3.8).
 

markbau

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I used to do a ton of night photography with a Pentax 67. Loved it!
 

RezaLoghme

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Greetings photogs,

Below are the requirements I'm looking for in a medium format camera to shoot at night:
  • No red filter counter.
  • Depth of field scale on the lens, or lenses if it's interchangeable.
  • I can handle the weight, it'll be on a tripod.
  • 6 x anything but 6 or 7, i.e. 6 x 4.5 or 6 x 9.
  • Not rare
  • Cheapest you know.

Thank you in advance.

  • No red filter counter - Hasselblad A16 magazine are fully automatic, and unlike cameras with a fixed back, the modular architecture saves you from fiddling with film in the middle of the night, you can just pre-load them
  • Depth of field scale on the lens, or lenses if it's interchangeable - all Hasselblad V-series lenses
  • I can handle the weight, it'll be on a tripod - Amongst 6xX systems, Hasselblad is amongst the lighter ones
  • 6 x anything but 6 or 7, i.e. 6 x 4.5 or 6 x 9 - A16 magazine is 6x4.5 but you are flexible and can also use 6x6, 35mm, Polaroid etc
  • Not rare - Hasselblad was/is much loved, plenty of components on Ebay, easy to sell in case you dont like it.
  • Cheapest you know - Hasselblads start cheap if you go for a 500C body. Resale value is excellent, you will not make a loss when selling. Also much cheaper than Mamiya rangefinders, or Pentax. Also cheap because of its modular flexibility, it can replace 2-3 cameras at once.
Of course, many yes-but replies are to be expected, there are some cameras that are better in this or that individual parameter, but as a whole, my suggestion will be instantly available, cost-effective and bring you peace of mind.

Yes, the texas leica fuji gw690 will probably the other most obvious option. from what I could find, they are a bit cheaper than a comparable hasselblad kit, but you cannot change the lens and they have a fixed back and they are RFs.

These two options are the cheapest of all non-rare cameras.
 
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eli griggs

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Have you considered a Hasselblad "V" body type with a Speed Graphic type press camera lens, like a Jena 135mm shutter/lens, mounted in a body cap?

A working Soviet copy might be a cheap solution, or not.

To me, it looks like a 500 El Hasselblad is the cheapest body of the series that will fit mags, SLR and LF press lenses, and be able to give you a quality camera, and has a built in depth of field and zone focusing lens set.
 
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Dustin McAmera

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Bronica ETR

+1, or an M645.


✅No red filter counter.
✅Depth of field scale on the lens, or lenses if it's interchangeable.
I can handle the weight, it'll be on a tripod.
✅6 x anything but 6 or 7, i.e. 6 x 4.5 or 6 x 9.
✅Not rare
Cheapest you know.


For the tripod, my 645 Pro has a socket for an electric cable release; you can get an adaptor to take a mechanical cable. The original M645 and the 1000s take a mechanical cable.
I'd get the camera with both a prism and a WLF. The WLF includes a folding wire-frame finder, which may be your best finder in very low light.
And for low light, you may want the f/1.9 standard lens, and that might cost you more than the camera.
 

RezaLoghme

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Have you considered a Hasselblad "V" body type with a Speed Graphic type press camera lens, like a Jena 135mm shutter/lens, mounted in a body cap?
I dont get the "Speed Graphic type press camera lens" suggestion?!
 

eli griggs

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Just Google, Speed Graphic Anniversary 4" x 5" press camera and see, read about the small LF lenses used, so you can catch up

Godspeed, good luck.
 

TheFlyingCamera

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I think the Fuji 6x9 (and they even made a 6x8 version too) are the ones most likely to meet your criteria. I shot with one once; it wasn't my cup of tea because of the way it handles long time exposures (you set the shutter to B, trigger it, then you have to change the shutter speed off of B to close the lens). I also found the lens to be a little TOO contrasty for my taste especially for night shots.
 

Arthurwg

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If your final result is intended to be square, the Hassy wins, hands down! But for non-square results, the 6x7 format has much more film surface area to offer than a cropped 6x6 for less than one stop of lens speed (80/2.8 vs 90/3.8).


645 just as good.
 

Sirius Glass

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A useful device since 1964.

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Craig

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I think about one of the only things that qualifies is Fuji 6x9 or a Pentax/ Mamiya 645.
 
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