Which Medium-format?

[cmo]

If you have a limited budget look for a Mamiya 220 or 330 and an 80, 105 or 135 lens - they are all very good. These cameras and lenses are easy to use, cheap, reliable, silent (!), no mirror slap at all. The viewfinder is wonderful for portraits. For daylight fill flash, you have full flash sync up to 1/500.

If you are really cheap you might look for an old Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex, but there are chances it will need a CLA or repair, and the Ikoflexes are really old-fashioned and outdated.

Even cheaper, a Flexaret (made behind the iron curtain) or a Lubitel might be a good choice if you like adventures

 

[cmo]

I ask because I've been offered a Hasselblad kit for a suspiciously good price. The guy is either generous or the camera is defective, and it'd be really good if I could tell the difference.

Third option: he did not buy it but 'found it somewhere'.

 

[Richard Harris]

I'd recommend a Bronica, either ETRSi or SQi. The leaf shutters in the lenses are much more adaptable than a focal plane shutter in my opinion. The standard lenses go for peanuts and are very sharp, even the old ones. The 50mm 60mm 135mm and 180mm are all pin sharp on the etrsi the 150 is a bit soft but that can be good for portraits. The only dog in my opinion is the old 40mm. That may have been rectified with the PE version, I don't know.