I greatly prefer 6x6. 645 looks too much like 35mm on much less film. 645 does not allow much left for cropping. I also believe in cropping before photographing.
I'm going to set the over/under prediction for this thread at 10 pages. EVERYBODY has an opinion (including me!). It's all good, though. Lots of opinions mean lots of things to consider.
I have 645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, and 6x9 medium format cameras. They each have something unique to offer. The joy of medium format is all of that glorious negative area. It's tempting to say go big or go home, but lots of medium format enlargers are limited to 6x7 negatives and smaller. Except for some old folders with primitive lenses and quirks, most of the 6x7 and larger formats will be out of your price range.
I'm partial to 6x7 if you can print it with your enlarger. I have several Bronica cameras, including a GS-1 system. Bronica cameras are workhorses with excellent leaf shutter lenses. Leaf shutter lenses will sync at any shutter speed, which is nice if you're working with flash/strobe systems very much (especially portraiture). They don't have the bellows of an RB67 or RZ67. They also don't focus as closely if that's important. A decent GS-1 body, with a 100mm lens, finder, and film back can be had for $500+.
I'm not a fan of 6x6 format. I know I'm in the minority here about that. I almost never print square. I prefer the proportions of 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20 images over square images when printed and framed. That's just me. If you're going to crop to a rectangle, you might as well shoot a rectangle unless you're a wedding photographer who doesn't want to rotate a large camera for portrait and landscape oriented shots. If you print a rectangle from 6x6, you're effectively throwing away the extra negative area over a 645 system. Still, that doesn't stop me from owning a few 6x6 cameras because they have other characteristics I like. TLRs are fun and I like the couple I own, but I wouldn't suggest one for someone's only MF camera.
The 645 format is the least expensive medium format to get into. There are lots of good examples. You could afford a Bronica ETR with multiple lenses, backs, and a non-metered finder for $500. I have a couple of them and they're fine systems. You can even get into autofocus 645 MF cameras, but probably not for $500.
I've suggested system cameras with interchangeable lenses, back, and finders. Those offer huge flexibility and if one part fails, it's sometimes cheaper to buy a replacement than get it repaired. Film backs in particular can wear to a point where they give uneven spacing to the film. Unless it's a rare camera, I just get another back for less than the cost of repairing the bad one.
At today's prices the best bang for the buck is a Hasselblad. It will just take a little longer to by the next lens, but it is worth it.
Yes, one needs to buy three, count them, three (3) Rolleiflex TLRs, wide, normal and tele. Then imaging wearing all three around ones neck walking down the street taking vacation photographs. I for one rather carrying ONE camera and THREE lens, RATHER THAN wearing THREE CAMERAS.
Just curious, in what way are these impossible to repair? In the US at least, they are services and repaired by Eric Henderson ( https://pentaxs.com ) though I don't know if there are some things he can't fix. I know most old cameras no longer have parts supplies, but I was under the impression that he kept a supply of broken cameras to scavenge parts off of.
... Things like that never happen with a Rolleiflex. Or a YashicaMat, Mamiya C220, Minolta Autocord, Rolleicord.... hmmm, what DO these camera have in common, eh?
Yes, one needs to buy three, count them, three (3) Rolleiflex TLRs, wide, normal and tele. Then imaging wearing all three around ones neck walking down the street taking vacation photographs. I for one rather carrying ONE camera and THREE lens, RATHER THAN wearing THREE CAMERAS.
Yes, one needs to buy three, count them, three (3) Rolleiflex TLRs, wide, normal and tele. Then imaging wearing all three around ones neck walking down the street taking vacation photographs. I for one rather carrying ONE camera and THREE lens, RATHER THAN wearing THREE CAMERAS.
Some days I worry how scared you are of Rolleiflexes. It's like someone who got bit by a stray dog and every time they ever see a stray dog again they spend the next fifteen minutes telling you how bad stray dogs are. What DID a Rolleiflex do to you to make you so scared of them? Have you considered therapy?
Now let me tell you about the time I was using a Hasselblad and as I looked into the black hole of the focus screen after firing the shutter, a chicken in the shot was so scared by the mirror clunk that it ran at me from in front and pecked my toe so hard it bled!! And I couldn't see it coming because the godd*** mirror was still up.... The horror, the horror.... Things like that never happen with a Rolleiflex. Or a YashicaMat, Mamiya C220, Minolta Autocord, Rolleicord.... hmmm, what DO these camera have in common, eh?
I also believe in cropping before photographing.
+11 but then there is still the rz67 or Rbhi OP
do you have any other requirements ?
do you need modern lenses, a modern body?
do you need to be able to remove and put new lenses on ?
do you need glass lenses or a lens at all ?
big or small camera ?
professional looking professional or just good looking ?
i ask all these question because you can easily buy a holga, or folding camera
zeiss ikon or nettar or strut camera or a TLR ( many many to choose from )
and still have a TON of $$ left over so if the camera can't be repaired ( anything can be repaired kind of sort of
especially if you send your camera to a shop with a lathe where parts can be made )
or you can buy a old professional camera that has probably been used like a cop car driven
so it looks nice but the guts are so warn out its got the equivilant of 900,000 miles on it ...
if it was me, i'd get something not too expensive and pocket the $$ so you can pay for repairs down the road
you can also get the pinhole or zone plate camera, sweet wooden hand made and make photographs that
your friends and family will wonder how you did it ...
good luck !
john
It is called Rolleiflex bling.
By the way, I often carry three lenses with me, it is part of my fitness program.
If you carried three whole cameras you'd be healthier, and have better cameras too.
Yes, one needs to buy three, count them, three (3) Rolleiflex TLRs, wide, normal and tele. Then imaging wearing all three around ones neck walking down the street taking vacation photographs. I for one rather carrying ONE camera and THREE lens, RATHER THAN wearing THREE CAMERAS.
But then I would be cursed with the left right reversal [right left reversal in the UK] which I eliminate with a prism. Adding three prisms to the three Rolleis would really add to the weight and the bling.
yeah, that too+11 but then there is still the rz67 or Rb
Rolleiflex, what a wonderful way to justify buying three cameras. If you buy three hassy cameras is it out of fear two will Jam! Lol.Yes, one needs to buy three, count them, three (3) Rolleiflex TLRs, wide, normal and tele. Then imaging wearing all three around ones neck walking down the street taking vacation photographs. I for one rather carrying ONE camera and THREE lens, RATHER THAN wearing THREE CAMERAS.
If you carried three whole cameras you'd be healthier, and have better cameras too.
I would advise against getting an old Pentax 6x7 as that is now impossible to repair (I had one). If you can find a 67 though for $500 maybe that would be a good one. There's also the Mamiya 645 stuff which is great (the manual focus ones, not the AF ones obviously).
Well... What do you do with your photographs? Do you actually print them? Or do you just scan your negatives?Hi everyone,
I would like to step up to MF. I'm okay to spend up to USD500 (complete with a standard lens and film back) on a 66, 645 or 67. My requirements are that they should not be difficult or expensive to repair and spare parts readily available. Thank you for your replies.
Blessed day!
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