recommendations for a TLR under $250.00

spoolman · Dec 4, 2013

I'm considering upgrading from my Yashica 635, which is in the shop for a CLA. Once I get it back I'll probably run a few rolls through it then start looking for a replacement. I mostly use it for shooting streetscapes, buses and streetcars. So 1/500th of a second is plenty and I know it is the fastest speed possible without going to a Medium format SLR. The high end Rolleis' are out of my price range but maybe a Yashica 124G or something similar. I'mnot interested in any of the Eastern European cameras. So I guess that restricts me to the Yashicas and maybe the Rolleicords. I don't need to stop action so again the 1/500th shutter speed is plenty. I am hoping that whatever I get will have better than average sharp lens.

Any and all recommendations and advice is greatly appreciated.

Doug

MattKing · Dec 5, 2013

A Mamiya C220 with an 80mm f/2.8 lens and waistlevel finder - KEH has that combination in bargain condition for less than your target price.

Tom1956 · Dec 5, 2013

A 124G is a great camera. A Rolleicord is pretty OK too, so long as it's not an older one. The Va is pretty nice, if you can put up with that damnable EV locked settings lever. The Vb is REALLY nice, but pricey.That's one thing that annoys me to no end on my Hasselblad, the locked together shutter and f/stop. I hate that. I'm afraid to tell you any of these choices would be much better off if you had the shutters serviced. They tend to be inaccurate to a disappointing degree. And that includes Hasselblads ( and just about any other kind of shutter).

StoneNYC · Dec 5, 2013

I'm confused, what is the 635 lacking that any other TLR will have?

PS if you do sell it, I would be interested...

Tom1956 · Dec 5, 2013

Mamiyas are terrific cameras. You'll never go wrong with one. Thanks Matt--I had forgotten them entirely. A little on the big heavy side, but a great pick anyway.

spoolman · Dec 5, 2013

Thanks all for your input. I would be a little hesitant to go for the Mamiya models because of the bellows. Are they easy to replace and do they last a long time. What is the difference between the C220 and the C330?. Also what is the availability of the interchangeable lenses, what focal lengths are available, and how are they priced?.

Doug

ttssbbs · Dec 5, 2013

belows are high quality, lenses have many versions, price also varies , c220 c330 are more bulky than I thought before I got them

Tom1956 · Dec 5, 2013

A 330 would really be the better choice. I can't remember the distinctive feature, but I speculate it might have been double-exposure interlock or somesuch important feature. I wouldn't worry much about bellows. I suppose you can get a bad one, but I wouldn't let it deter me. It IS rather larger and more beefy than the 'cords, which are featherweights. But there's not a soul that can say something bad about any Mamiya/Sekor or Mamiya. If they do, they're just kooks.

spoolman · Dec 5, 2013

Hello ttssbbs: thanks for the info. Are they massively bulky or are they just over sized. I won't be doing any fancy on-the-run shooting and most likely be doing hand held in bright lighting conditions and tripod mounting in low light situations.

Doug

Claudia Moroni · Dec 5, 2013

I have two Mamiya C3 (the older model compared to C220 and C330) and neither of them has any problem with the bellows.
They're pretty sturdy and I've never heard anyone complaining about them before (and I've read many discussions regarding this kind of cameras).
There are plenty of lenses, the most common ones being the 65mm, the 80mm, the 135mm and the 180mm.
Prices are variable, maybe it's worth having a look on the bay and on KEH for reference

Tom1956 · Dec 5, 2013

They're a wee bit bulky. No too bad, considering you're tlaking about true professional-grade equipment.

Claudia Moroni · Dec 5, 2013

Oops, there have been a few replies while I was writing mine

They're a bit heavy, but from what I remember the C220 should be the lightest of all of them.

The additional features on the C330 should be a double exposure interlock, parallax indicator in the finder and the possibility to change the focusing screen

Roger Cole · Dec 5, 2013

Mamiyas are nice IF you don't mind the weight and bulk and if you can find one not already beat to hell by a wedding photographer(s) back in the day.

I love my Yashica 124. The G is virtually the same, more black and less chrome, gold plated (thus the G) flash contacts and reportedly different (and maybe not as good, not sure) internal film transport and 120/220 selection. Winding them does make a different sound. My 124 is more of a metallic "zing!" than the 124G. They do suffer from flare when shooting into backlighting, at least sometimes, though they can be flocked to greatly reduce it.*

All that said, mine seems to have stopped recognizing frame 12 as the end of a 120 roll leading me to lose shots I made on frames 13-16 or whatever until I noticed. It may need to go to Mark Hama for a CLA, which it could probably use anyway.

*The flare is occasionally not bad. I certainly didn't intend this to flare but I love the result, like the musician is blowing light out of the sousaphone, so I called it "the light of music." ;-) If you look at the highest res version of this on Flickr you'll see texture in the print surface. This is on the Freestyle Arista Silver Artist paper when they first came out with it and had it in white in 8x10 and 11x14. I thought it matched this shot. Too bad it died with Emaks. Film was Fomapan 400.

JazzMusician1 by Roger Cole, on Flickr

darkosaric · Dec 5, 2013

I got a nice Rolleiflex Automat (X sync.) for 150 euros on the big auction site. Ugly but with clean glass and all in nice working condition.

Ian Grant · Dec 5, 2013

There's a very recent post on alternatives the the Yashicamats, I like my 124 but there's no doubt a Rolleiflex is better built and will out last them.

I found a good Rolleiflex Automat with an Opton Tessar for £50/$80 6 months ago, I got a good deal as it was missing the WLF magnifying dioptre, a bit of patience and I won 2 on ebay for £1 each (same seller) the postage was more

If 120 was my main format I'd probably go back to using Mamiya's and had a C3 & a C33 for a few years (until they were stolen). Great cameras the C33 had better build quality than the C330 and later models had more plastic etc. The only thing you need to be careful with is there's a gear in the wind mechanism which wears out on the Mamiyas.

For $250 or less it's easy to find good Yashicamats and older Rolleiflex cameras like the Automat or T maybe even a C or D, and plenty of Rolleicords.

Ian

baachitraka · Dec 5, 2013

Yesterday, I saw one Rolleicord presumable Tessar went for Euro 64 with lens cap and lens hood. :-|

I may recommend Rolleiflex Automats.

trythis · Dec 5, 2013

I'm just confused as to why you need a different camera that will do what your 635 will do especially if you are having it CLA'd.
What do you expect to gain from a different camera?

nsurit · Dec 5, 2013

For way under $250, you might try a Super Richoflex and have a bunch of money left for film and chemistry. Bill Barber

Nick Merritt · Dec 5, 2013

Don't overlook a Minolta Autocord -- you should be able to find one for that price. I'd put the Rokkor lens above the Yashinon, and maybe even better than a Tessar or Xenar.

A couple of people have asked why the need to turn in the 635. Fair question, and never having used one of these I can't really answer. Does the 635 have a Yashinon lens or a 3-element Yashikor? It does have knob wind, which would be slower in use than a 124 or an Autocord, which permit quicker winding and cocking of the shutter.

removed account4 · Dec 5, 2013

hi doug

i might be selling my rollei Ia type 3
its a 1930s ( not deco'd out ) rolliecord ...
its been overhauled &c and works like a charm.

i used to use a yashicamat back in the day, sold it and got this a few years ago
after having fallen in love with square format again ( mamiya 6 iv post war folders )
but just can't get used to it ...

i tried

john

MattKing · Dec 5, 2013

The main feature of the C330 vs. the C220 is that winding the C330 also cocks the shutter.

The C series Mamiyas are very rugged.

My C330 with 65mm and 135mm lenses kit is very light and small compared with most 2 lens medium format kits.

A single lens kit is larger and heavier than other fixed lens TLRs.

Too old to care · Dec 5, 2013

I am also recommending a Mamiya, I have had and used one for over 40 years (C3, C220, and now C330). They were the camera of choice for many wedding photographers for many years, including me. I would get a C330 it possible because of the extra features. I never had any problems with the bellows, but the lenses need servicing once in awhile, especially if they are not used much.

Wayne

fotch · Dec 5, 2013

The Mamiya is a HD professional camera and has more features available than any other. However, a bit on the bulky, heavy side, not enough to eliminate it, just maybe be prepared when you first handle one. Otherwise, update with a Yashica 124. My experience with the Autocord, having purchase one new, was, well, I would avoid it unless given one free.

Rollie's are nice but perhaps either expensive or well used. If the Harry Fleenorthe repairman had one for sale, I would buy it however, probably more than your budget will permit.

Good luck.

spoolman · Dec 5, 2013

I have had the 635 since 1980 and while it has performed above and beyond it is starting to show its age, hence the trip to the shop. But I'm just looking for something a little better and a little different to use. The knob wind is awkward to use when you want to shoot frames quickly. A crank film advance would be better and a double exposure prevent would be great.

So I'll just have to keep a lookout for probably a Yashica 124 or 124G. They seem to have all the features that I'm looking for.

Thanks all for your info, experiences, and advice.

Doug

ttssbbs · Dec 5, 2013

for dual lenses, I will think about rollei and similar, mamiya is much heavier, but much in teh same time more powerful.

Not sure if a good example, think about hassy 6x6 and mamiya 6x7, that's my personal feeling,

spoolman said:
Hello ttssbbs: thanks for the info. Are they massively bulky or are they just over sized. I won't be doing any fancy on-the-run shooting and most likely be doing hand held in bright lighting conditions and tripod mounting in low light situations.

Doug

recommendations for a TLR under $250.00

spoolman

MattKing

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Tom1956

StoneNYC

Tom1956

spoolman

ttssbbs

Tom1956

spoolman

Claudia Moroni

Tom1956

Claudia Moroni

Roger Cole

darkosaric

Ian Grant

baachitraka

trythis

nsurit

Nick Merritt

removed account4

MattKing

Moderator

Too old to care

fotch

spoolman

ttssbbs

recommendations for a TLR under $250.00

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