recommendations for a TLR under $250.00

[Roger Cole]

You won't get a usable Hassy system for the price point mentioned here. You might get a RB 67 (but not a 6x7 Mamiya RF) with lens and back in usable if not pretty shape for that price point if you are very lucky but they are such different cameras it's also not relevant to the question. TLRs, at least those other than the Mamiya and to some extent them as well, are small and compact for medium format cameras and very, very easy and natural to use handheld. A Mamiya 6x7 CAN be used handheld, but they are not small, compact, nor unobtrusive and if you use them handheld much you'll be getting a workout.

 

[Tom1956]

I think spoolman has his mind made up on a 124G, which is an excellent choice. Simple, self-contained (if the meter works correctly), light and unobtrusive, and does very respectable work. Some of these others, particularly Rolleis with no PC socket are no more than medium-grade collectors items. Fine for collecting, not much for modern snapshooting. I've studied Rolleis, and for some reason the company was very late in camera-making before bothering to put a flash socket on them. Disappointing. I wouldn't have one. Besides, by now, most of them out there have "cleaning marks" and therefore are ruined.

 

[Roger Cole]

"Cleaning marks" do NOT mean a lens is ruined. You'd be absolutely amazed how scratched, dirty and crummy a lens can be before you see any real change in results. And I've never used the flash synch on my 124. I don't even know if it works. I might some day though - I agree I'd like to have it.

 

[Tom1956]

"Cleaning marks" do NOT mean a lens is ruined. You'd be absolutely amazed how scratched, dirty and crummy a lens can be before you see any real change in results. And I've never used the flash synch on my 124. I don't even know if it works. I might some day though - I agree I'd like to have it.

Every time I see "cleaning marks" I wish I had a time machine to go back and choke the ninny who pulled out his crusty, nasty hav-a-hank and "cleaned" the lens. Dumb jerk just ruined the camera for everybody from then on.

 

[spoolman]

Tom1956: some of the info online suggest that the 124G has a flare problem when shooting backlit subjects. Is there enough of a difference between the 124 and the 124G to make choosing one over the other an easy or difficult decision. I know, reading all sorts of info online, that the G stands for gold plated flash contacts. Not that I'll be shooting any backlit subjects or scenes but I guess like any piece of photo equipment, cameras of all sorts have their little quirks.
I am leaning towards a 124 or 124 G but I'm reserving making a decision until after the new year.

Doug

 

[Tom1956]

I don't know about all that. And that bit about G is news to me. All I know is I had one in the mid 70's and am forever sorry I got rid of it. All cameras flare at backlit subjects. That means about as much to me as the price of tea in China. Use it in good health. You want your money's worth without going into the poorhouse, there you are. It's a fine camera. I haven't go a nickels worth of respect for their screw mount 35's or their Contax RTS collaboration, but the 124G was a fine effort. It's not like the world was chock full of TLR manufacturers outside of Rollei. Unless you want to go back to Ciroflexes and such

 

[Ed Bray]

The 124G is a very capable camera and the image quality vs price point is fantastic. I bought a 124G from a member on the LF forum for $50, it did have a little light fungus on the taking lens, I took the rear element off and cleaned it and it is now very clear (no visible after effects of the fungus remain.

This image was wet mounted and scanned on my Drum Scanner at 9000dpi, due to the extremely large file (2.5GB) the only PP was reducing the bit size from 16 to 8 and converting it to mono which reduced the size down to circa 480MB, no sharpening was done either during the scan or in PP.


LNER Thomson B1 61264 by Ed Bray, on Flickr

 

[Tom1956]

I don't see any picture and you blew out the page. Now people have to scroll from now on

 

[spoolman]

Thanks Ed. That image just sealed the deal along with what Tom1956 said about his experiences. I just came from evilbay looking at what they have and I'm now totally committed to buying this camera.

Thanks all for your advice, insights and experiences it just re-enforces how well a resource this group is.

Doug

 

[Ed Bray]

I don't see any picture and you blew out the page. Now people have to scroll from now on

Hopefully now sorted.

 

[Tom1956]

Hopefully now sorted.

ok

 

[Roger Cole]

While it might anger you that someone did it, the vast majority of "cleaning marks" will never, ever, be noticed on the final results. And the ones that are will start with a slight loss of contrast which won't matter a whit in black and white anyway.

The phrase "cleaning marks" is utterly meaningless. It says nothing about how bad they are. It is true that many tiny scratches are often a lot worse than one big uglier scratch. But if it really is a few small marks they really won't ever, EVER, be noticed in the results. They can get you a good deal on a fantastic lens, though.

 

[jerrybro]

For a low priced tlr bargain don't overlook the Rolleicord. I picked one up years ago as my first mf camera and I won't part with it.

 

[artobest]

From what I understand, the 124G handles flare better (or should) than the 124 due to improved internal flocking. FWIW, I own one and never had a flare problem - it's just a great little camera.

 

[darkosaric]

While it might anger you that someone did it, the vast majority of "cleaning marks" will never, ever, be noticed on the final results.

I have a nikkor S 50mm f1.4 that is full of cleaning marks from both sides, little cloudy when doing light test thru lens, has one black small dot on central element. And anyhow it gives superb results closed to f4-f8, equal to nikkor 50mm f1.8 AF that I bought new.

 

[Too old to care]

A bit on the Mat 124 and Mat 124G. My first MF was a M124, bought new in 1968 while stationed overseas. It worked fine for many years, except the meter would stop working when the finder was opened. I had to remove it to clean the contacts from time to time, something very easy to do. Apparently this was a across the board problem because, from my understand, the Mat 124G had gold plated meter contacts, eliminating meter/switch problems. It may also have had gold plated flash contacts too, I do not know. The Mat 124G was also black, removing most of the chrome of the Mat 124. Other than that, I was told (at the time by a sales person) at our local camera store that they were the same. In the mid-70's I replaced it with a Mamiya C220.

Wayne

 

[Pioneer]

From what I understand, the 124G handles flare better (or should) than the 124 due to improved internal flocking. FWIW, I own one and never had a flare problem - it's just a great little camera.

I have been using a 124G for a couple of years now and have never noticed a flare issue. I do use a hood religiously so that probably helps.

My meter does work pretty well though it is usually 1/2 to 1 stop under-exposed so I make the adjustments. Test it before you rely on it. Mine is also very sensitive to bright point light sources even if they are out on the edge of the picture.

Likewise, though the film transport doesn't feel as smooth as the one on my old Rolleiflex, you really need to take that one with a grain of salt. Face it, there really isn't many things in this world that do feel as smooth as the film transport on a Rollei. But my YashicaMat has never let me down and I have never had any indication that would worry me either.

The lens is great and I am sure it imparts far more quality than my poor compositions probably deserve. I do use flash with mine and it responds very well. Since the Copal shutter synchs at all speeds it is actually very nice for daylight fill flash and I use it that way a lot.

Everyone has their favorite camera and their are certainly faults that can be picked with any camera, but I really don't believe you will regret buying a YashicaMat.

 

[Ed Bray]

Just as an aside, I find the film transport more than acceptable with a film loaded but without a film I find it feels rough.