Affordable Medium Format Cameras!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 มิ.ย. 2024
- / bazooka_mouth
Jumping from 35mm to 120 film can be quite intimidating, especially from a gear stand-point. With expensive, legendary cameras out there, it can be difficult to know which one to get in the beginning. From Landscape focused cameras, to Portrait focused cameras, to even some niche, tumblr style toy cameras, I go over my top 6ish cameras that are AFFORDABLE but still give great function and use! Let me know in the comments below if I missed any cameras that you think should have been added! Enjoy!
Metal Fingers Film:
/ metalfingersfilm
Thank you to the wonderful TH-cam Film Community for providing great BRoll for cameras that I sadly do not own and cannot film myself. Without my detail orientated peers, this video would have been considerably more boring. Additionally, all photos used were taken from reddit.com/analog. Same thing goes for that community, without the talented photogs posting there, sample photos would have been much more difficult to come across.
Music by JUNO
#MediumFormat #120Film #Cheap - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I made another video outline CHEAP medium format cameras HERE --> th-cam.com/video/ISOFncie_wo/w-d-xo.html
InstaBlaster...
I have an old tlr that I've had for 25 or so still alot of fun to shot with. but I'm 65 now so eyes not so good.
Nice to see young people shooting with theses cameras. Good luck
Keep on shooting
Thank you Joe! Appreciate your comment! :)
Bronica gang lets go! Such a solid video man, good info and straight to the point. Great stuff.
Thanks Brae! Appreciate your support, homie!
gang gang
bronica slept on od
I'm not so bronica gang :( my S2A has less than stellar sharpness even at infinity focus. Things in the distance just look low quality, even when focusing on up close subjects, my images look a bit soft. My lens has no issues other than some dust but that's typical. How others are getting tack sharp af images is beyond me. I'm starting to think maybe the film back isn't holding the film tightly enough and I have no way of checking that.
This was so inspiring to me that I actually went out on a 30 minute bike ride to shoot a couple of 120's on my RB67 in the middle of the video. Good job with the video!
Thats great to hear!! :)
I'd still say square is the best medium format option. Makes you think about framing with purpose more.
Bronicas are definitely the best value for money. They were a workhorse for wedding photographers back in the day. In the UK there are still a lot of places you can pick up used film gear. You'll most likely get a warranty or at a 14 day return policy and they should come tested. The import tax on cameras from Russia and Japan can negate the cheaper price. Then there's the hassle should something go wrong.
I used a Yashica 124 for my high school annual pics back in the 70s. My high school offered a class in photography, we had a nice dark room and all the works. Its nice to look thru those annuals and remember taking those pictures! It was fun trying to get football action shots with a twin lens reflex! I just about got creamed a few times shooting from the sidelines! The one I used belonged to the school but I picked up one back in the 90s. Still have it. Its one of my favorite cameras. (favorite is a Nikon F3)
Hi Ive been shooting cameras as a hobby since 1983, buying a lubitel 166B in around 88 as a move up from my first 35mm a Practika MTL5B which i still have too. Since then Ive had hassleblads Kievs Mamiyas etc but theres something so simple and innocent about the Lubitel, buy a good one thats been looked after and mine still takes some great images and is a lovely way to spend a day,,,,,,,,, most of all whatever you have ,,,,,,enjoy
I've just inherited an early Rolleiflex T and I'm already hooked on Medium Format.
Great to hear! :)
Such an awesome video man! All of those photos where so sick! Just subbed 🙌🏽
Beautiful shots man!
Hey man. I’ve been shooting 35mm and feeling for something more. This video is just what I needed. Thanks.
6x6 rules - literally the coolest aspect ratio! Think of legendary medium format system, Hasselblad, Rolleiflex TLR, Rollei and you are talking 6x6. Back when everyone shot film, 645 was a bit amateur, 6x6 got you access to the best cameras and lens systems (Zeiss etc) and 6x7 was a handy format for those shooting for magazines etc as the aspect ratio was better suited. People could be a bit sniffy about the lenses on the Japanese 6x7s - the Mamiyas, Pentax 6x7 but they are pretty good - just not Zeiss! 6x6 takes a bit of learning compositionally but once mastered... So many greats of photography in so many fields have used it. Iconic.
Agreed! I really like 6x6, I just know its not the most popular in today's market.
metal fingers Time for a 6x6 renaissance! Dust off that oversized neg carrier and print with a bit of black film rebate showing - the ‘Blad users can show off those little ranging marks on the LHS of the frame that say ‘this was shot on a Hasselblad and I nailed the composition in camera so I have not cropped at all! Look on my works you mighty....’
Not to mention, 6x6 is perfect for Instagram's 1:1 aspect ratio, if that's your intended destination for your medium format photos.
the lick from the background music lol
Damn your images are out of this world.. and nice video dude, appreciate it.
so informative!!! was so drawn to your photos too!!
Clean video (footage, fx, music, AND narrative wise). Thank you for all the information! *Subscribed*
Thanks for the sub!
Great video! I have a few of these cameras. I've always been conflicted on the Holga too. I've had a 120CFN with the rotating flash color gels since about 2007. I used to like shooting slide in it and cross processing. But that is just a waste of money these days. It's really hard to justify shooting that camera anymore except with the cheapest B&W film and developing at home. The last thing I did with mine was a series of abstract double exposures. One more medium format option is an old folder. I have a 1950 Voigtlander Perkeo II 6x6 folder with a beautiful Color Skopar lens. Great to take backpacking because it folds down small but has amazing image quality.
My Dad used an RB67 for years professionally and I got to try it a few times. I now have a couple of them, and they are wonderful, reliable tanks. You have to get used to the order of operations and remember all the interlocks that prevent you from making mistakes. They are more awkward to handhold than smaller cameras, but they have great glass. I also have a very old Hasselblad 500C and the Mamiya 645 Super. I grab the Super when I need something that handles well and shoots quickly, but the Hasselblad definitely has a great vibe!
I had an RB67 for years but I never really gelled with it. That said, it produced fantastic results. They are a wonderful workhorse camera with a lot of flexibility. I eventually sold it and bought a Bronica SQ. I was a Bronica ETRS shooter in my brief period as a working photographer about 40 years ago and I always liked Bronicas.
This guy is wrong about the noise though. Bronicas are very loud when the mirror flips up. Much louder than a RB67.
Great recommendations-- I'm big on the Mamiya 645 too. Your shots are absolute fire!!
Sadly, not all my shots, haha.
This was one of the best videos ive ever watched!
THank you!!
This is a really good video man. Thank you.
Insanely good photos make this video really easy to watch
Thank you!!
this is an awesome vid! so so much info im saving it to my playlist to revisit when I need it
Glad it was helpful!
I've heard decent things about the kiev. I have a 35mm kiev 4 but you have to be careful when winding them. Apparently changing the shutter speed after you've wound the shutter you can basically destroy the mechanism.
Hey, that Fuji looks familiar! Haha dope video, Keaton. Just when I thought I didn’t need the RB, you make me question myself. Thanks for the little credit as well
You should!! Of course man! Thanks for the footage, would have been SOL otherwise haha.
Thank you for this video.im moving into medium format film , and this really helped
Glad it was helpful!
I adore my Holga! I get ethereal and ghostly images, that I could never have planned!! Always fun waitin to get the film returned!!
Wonderful! I'm sure its great if thats what youre looking for lol.
Yeah, you don’t buy a Holga DESPITE it’s flaws, you buy it BECAUSE OF them.
@@butchmosier that's what I'm sayin ;) xo
This is a very good video describing the various medium format cameras and their status as starter level investments. I owned an M645 back in 1978 while stationed in Germany. To my bad judgment, I sold it around 1983 or so. As of now, I have made up for that slip. I have a number of the Mamiya M645s up to the M645AF. And they all fit beautifully in my hand. The only one that I am missing is the (E). I have also acquired a Bronica SQ-A with a leaf shutter lens. I have added two Pentax 645(s), the A, and N models. The Pentax(N) needs a mode dial and I hope to be able to 3d print one. I have repaired and added several TL cameras to my collection. The Mamiya C3 is the heaviest one but it works great. I know you will enjoy the ones you have. They help you to be more intentional with your photography, causing you to slow down and pay attention to the smallest area of a scene. Enjoy and take great images.
Words of wisdom, sir!! :)
Nice video thanks a lot, my photography took leaps and bounds once I started using a Hasselblad which I still own today!
Super helpful video, thank you so much!
So many dope photos in this video. I haven't paused a youtube video this much ever.
I agree. Beautiful pictures.
@@kinglear5952 wonder if there correspond to the camera presented
@@eladbari I hope that he is not tricking us. I own a Mamiya C330 and it it produces pictures of just as good quality as those @2:12-2:17 so he might be telling the truth this time.
@@kinglear5952 no one said anything about trickery. I was just wondering if these were random medium format shots or actual shots from each camera?
I also wonder what's an slr-style medium format camera that's not too heavy so it's travel friendly...
@@eladbari Sure. I was not being entirely serious. You can ask around. One light and travel friendly camera is the Mamiya 6 but it is fearfully expensive. A Yashica 124g is not that heavy. Then there are Bronica 645s I just looked on Ebay and they are way more expensive than I thought www.ebay.co.uk/itm/N-MINT-Bronica-RF645-Zenzanon-RF-65mm-f-4-Lens-RF20-Flash-from-JAPAN/254706562198?hash=item3b4db1b496:g:3RgAAOSw4C5fMeiN
I always bring my rb67 with me most places I go. With a good strap or bag its really not as bad as you would think
the Yashicamat 124G with the optional wide and tele lenses is a great system camera. Another overlooked camera is the Fujica 690 series of rangefinder cameras. The Kiev 88 is a great system camera for 6X6.
love this video had to subscribe!
Thanks for subbing!
"If you can get past the square format.....". Yes, if you can get past it just maybe it will reward you with your best pictures
Many people aren't fans of 6x6, so I figured I should throw in the disclaimer ;)
@@metalfingersfilm perhaps for film, the square format I think was one of the reasons Instagram was so fun. Thank you for the video by the way (y)
@@metalfingersfilm i love it. i crop many of my 35mm shots to be 6x6
@@metalfingersfilm Many people aren't fans of 6x6 because if you're shit at composing an image, a 6x6 will make attention of that. Many of todays "instagram" images are composed like dogs ass. Look at older 6x6 images taken by professionals who know how to compose an image. 6x6 is an unforgiving format in terms of composition.
Dude if you don’t know you just don’t know, very simple.
Made a 35mm version of this video around the same price range! Check it out HERE! bit.ly/3hF2Zuj
love the image reflection picture @ 5:18
Before I bought a Hasselblad, I rented a Mamiya RZ67 to try out. It jammed up completely the first time I pressed the shutter. I loved my Blads.
I had a Bronica SQ w an 80mm but switch to a 500CM w a 100mm, because I felt the Bronica lense was soft focus. Although the 100mm field is kinda tight it is tack sharp. Should have bought the 50mm for weddings, but money was tight after shelling out $1000 for the 100mm. In other news, my 500CM occassionally locks up (but fortunately never during a wedding, but there is a tool to fix it in the field.
Do you have prints for sale because I'd love a print of 7:30 - That shot of the sun on the water like that.
Can't go wrong with a good old Yashica TLR when getting into medium, reliable and beautiful pieces of machinery. Plus yeah, hipster points.
Hahahaha
dude, great review. I love the Mamiya RB67.. I'm getting it.
Loff Fonseca, Lisbon. Pentax 67 (for film and slides) was the best camera I ever had in the past. Than came digital Nikon stuff and changed everything ...
The Kiev looks so cool!
The best cheap introduction to medium format IMO is the Argus 40. A pseudo TLR with a three element glass,single coated lens that is focused by distance estimation with a F4.5-F22 lens and a 1/25th to 150th sec plus B shutter. Its designed for 620 film,but a 120 film roll can be trimmed down to fit (with a 620 take up spool) . The best part is F8-F22 ,its pictures are almost indistinguishable from those taken with Yashica Mat or Rolleicord.
Argus Super Seventy-Five -- basically a slight update to the 40 -- have shot some really great *in focus* photos with mine....
Good job man!!!
✌
Nice production quality on your videos! I would definetly love to have a Mamiya c330, but so far the Mamiya 645 I chose to buy has been a really good decision for the price.
Great choice!! I love mine! :)
i just got into medium format through the Pentax 645n and I really love it. that's the only one that jumps out to me as missing from this list. pretty sure you can get the original Pentax 645 for like 300-400 bucks.
Facts!! I kept it out because the Mamiya 645 systems, sort of fill that void, and I actually have never shot with a pentax outside of teh 6X7
@@metalfingersfilm in my opinion pe tax 645 is a bad investment. The lenses are very expensive and the bodies have gone up few yrs ago it was nothing to grab one for 200 us dollars but that seems to have gone away.
I recently bought a Bronica ETRS, a 6x4.5 with great lenses.
A great system! Let me know what you think!!
I bought one a few months back and the shutter failed on first day. I have since then been avoiding any electronic fired shutters.
I like the square format a lot, it's a pleasure to hold those big negatives.
To each their own, I like 6X6 too tbh!!
It has its limitations but my zeiss super ikonta C is a dream travel camera: barely bigger than it's 6x9 format; it allows 6x4.5 as well, 105 f3.5 lens and a 1/400s leaf shutter (i think even faster ones were produced as well in the late 40s). Built like both clockwork and the german tank it is it has imho the best looks ever for a folding camera and honestly i
At 200-350 for a good condition and serviced one it's pretty damn cheap for what it is!
Reccently picked up the folding fuji gs645 pro happy with the purchase
I've had a Pentax 645 with a 55m for a few weeks and have been very happy given the price.
That Lomo Lubitel is more like 20€ :D they are at every flea market here, for 100-250 you can get yourself nice Pentacon six kit with prism and 1 or 2 lenses...
Hi,
I want to buy a medium format camera without breaking the bank and am so glad I found your video 🙏🏽 very helpful, thank you. I had to subscribe 🤗 - your pictures are really good.
Props on the Dodger Stadium shot.
Forreal, that dude went crazy for that shot.
@@metalfingersfilm I got a few shots of Dodger Stadium with my Holga for over ten years ago. Would love to show up with a nice MF camera though.
I have a Fuji GF670. while its not affordable- its amazing in that it does 6x6 and 6x7 and it folds closed to be rather small/compact
you ticket pretty much all the boxes! TLRs are specially a good starting point, I think. they're just a neat package. oh, and please do a video on the holga. I would love to see what you get out of it. if you get it connected with studio flashes you can really go a long way.
Hmm I will definitely look into it!!
I still have a Bronica SQ-ai, 120 and several 220 backs, polaroid back, view finder...85, and 105mm lenses. Metz flash. The shutter in the 105 doesn't work. Shot many a wedding "back in the day". Also shot the Mamiya RB67 in the studio. Ah... those were the days!
If you ever want to get rid of either, let me know ;)
The pentacon six camera's are also great to consider. They're similar to the kiev 60 and they have some great Carl Zeiss lenses.
Btw I absolutely loved this video!
They're much better than the kiev 60 which was a cheap knockoff. Pentacon was the East German half of Carl Zeiss (Zeiss ikon - Pentax Ikon - Pentacon). Great cheap lenses made by Zeiss. Any urban legend shortcomings of the camera are from people who didn't use it properly, mainly LOAD YOUR FILM PROPERLY (TIGHTLY).
I have a bunch of Kiev 60s and 80/88s ... I actually w=think if you have a good one, it is amazing!!! I got a Lomo in the 90s and actually felt it was too good for the Toy Camera show i intended to us it for!!!
Great first video cool photographs and very interesting subject. How you build your own digital camera excellent thumbs up!
You have bypassed a great, affordable and very reliable camera. The Rapid Omega 100-200 - 6x7 Koni Rapid Omega with tack sharp lenses. A big honking rangefinder that can nit be killed. I paid the mortgage and fed the babies with Rapids in the early to mid 70's before I could afford a Hasselblad kit. You really should take a look. Thanks. Alan
Currently owning a pair of RB67's I completely agree with you. They are still a relatively good purchase right now compared to the RZ. Just take a look and see how many faulty RZ bodies there are for sale out there right now. I had a fault recently with one of my RB's related to the timing of the mirror & light baffle. As its a completely mechanical camera I had the offending part repaired and back in service after a couple of hours on my bench. I have also recently purchased a Hassy 500EL/M, but if I'm being totally honest it does not feel as well put together as the Mamiya, but time will tell.
Yes time will definitely tell! Let me know how it ends up going!!
6x6 is amazing! I shoot on a Bronica s2a. Photo-people often think I’m using a Hassy. It’s very similar and gives great images, even though I’m using a vintage camera. Though, most of my classmates used mamiya 645.
6x6 truly is underrated!!
Lubitel 2 TLR Is quite good And was also exported into different countries, so it's the perfect manual 120 camera to start with for european photographers.
Nice intro video, but you left out a lot in between toys and professional gear. There are really fine older folders with stellar lenses, many with rangefinders, that can be had for a song. There are TLRs in between Lomo's toy Lubitel (older ones are not bad) and a Yashica or Mamiya too. Ricoh, Argus E (an actual TLR), or a Rolleicord are very affordable TLRs for the images they take. Post-Soviet is after 1991. 6x6 rules because 120/620/220 gives the resolution to crop to the aspect ratio you want after the shot. These are all nit-picks - I loved the video. Thanks.
Another great tlr is Flexaret, from former Czechoslovakia. Sharp lens, good build quality and quite cheap.
Everyone always misses out the Mamiya Press, its super underrated.
Good to know!
Hey I've got one of them, must dust it off.
Super versatile, but man is it heavy.
@@wreckingpress7080 I suppose but it doesn't feel the heaviest, the C330 seems heavier ... not scientific, haven't weighed ..
@@wreckingpress7080 yeah man it is a bit on the heavier side
I recommend hands down the Mamiya Press Super 23 with the 100mm F2.8 and the 50mm F6.3 lenses with 2 6x9 backs. Should be able to get this for under $1000.
I have a pretty complete Bronica ETR kit, with 40mm, 75 and 150mm lenses, multiple 120 backs and a 135W back, which makes a 24x54mm negative for panoramas. I also recently bought an ETRSi body, which was the most recent iteration of the series. I can truly say that I have taken my best pictures over the past 25 years with this system.I also have a Zeiss Ikon 6x9cm folding camera that takes great pictures, but with the uncoated lens, you have to be very careful where the sun is in relation to your lens, or lens flare will get you!
Sounds awesome!! You have a link to your work? Would love to check it out! :)
metal fingers It’s all negatives and chromes. Very little of it has been digitized. I guess I need to do some of that.
just found the channel. Great photo's!!
Don't forget the Bronica S2A, it's basically the predecessor to the SQ series but fully mechanical with no need for batteries.
WOW! Didn't think about that! I love the mechanical cameras too! :D
I have a Kiev 6c 6x6 slr with a 90mm 2.8 Vega lens, a 1957 Yashica Mat with a 75mm 3.5 Lumaxar lens, a Seagull 4bi tlr and a Lubitel 2 which I haven't put a film through yet.
I have just got a black felt lining kit to stop the light reflections from the inside of the Kiev 6c.
The Kiev is my favourite because its an slr. I have the waist level finder and its prism finder.
I am looking to shooting more portraits with the Kiev and maybe getting a 50mm Zeiss pentacon 6 lens for landscapes.
The Lubitel 2 is very light and extremely cool to look at.
I am putting a film through it today!
I love shooting with a Bronica ETRSi for landscapes and portraits, except the widest non-fisheye lens is only 40mm. Other than that, it's a great modular system camera.
Agreed!!
an under-rated TLR is a minolta autocord, truly a gem!
I'll look into it!
That Rokkor lens has a good rep.
The Autocord is a superior 6x6. Mine has a film pressure plate that ensures that the film will lie completely flat at the focal point. My favorite 6x6 is my versatile Zeiss Ikonta (I can stuff it into my hip pocket), but it would benefit from a pressure plate.
Look at the Bronica RF645 w/65mm lens. Fantastic fun to shoot.
All hail the ZB SQ 6x6 med 4mat camera .. had mine 9 mths now. Had it CLAd & trying 2 source the chimney finder (4 its TTL metering), found a coupla 150mm lens but would like a 105mm portrait one .. 4 me, 6x6 is exactly the 4mat I like 2 compose on .. deeeeep colour saturation & hi-res are why i like med 4mat .. trying 2 shoot my own artwork 2 mount around the cottage (experimenting with mosaics). Yes, u had me with the ZB SQ 6x6👍
Good choice
Hey! Amazing video and photographs!!! Could you please share your method of scanning them ? It yields gorgeous results. Thank you !
Missing the Zeiss nettar and ikonta folder cameras! They're a steal at like 100 usd with excellent lenses.
Oooo good to know!!
Great video. I have a Lubitel 166U and it’s image quality is disappointing. In the past I ventured further into medium format with a Bronica ETRS, then a Mamiya RB67 ProS, then a Mamiya RZ67 Pro2. I got out of medium format as the gear was getting too bulky for me to cart about. After 10 years of DSLRs, I recently got back into film. TLRs have become really expensive in the UK so ruled them out when l started looking. I did, however, get a Bronica SQ-A. I’m really pleased with the handling and images I’ve taken with the 80mm lens. I’ve no plans to get a second lens, so as to keep it compact for carrying.
That's awesome to hear!! I love the whole Bronica lineup!!
subbed!
Great video thanks.
Holgas are great!!
You forgot about all the good old folders from the 1930s-40s. I have a few, and they take professional quality photos for less than $50. I even still use the camera that my great grandfather bought in 1937.
Amazing!! what camera??
metal fingers The Kodak Six-20 folder
Take a look at folding cameras from the 50s and 60s such as the Agfa Isolette. Cheap as chips and take quality 6x6 images.
You're right!! These old cameras make me weary since they're rare to find in good condition and I'm not sure if they're serviceable anymore...
@@metalfingersfilm pretty much any camera is serviceable and all of the older cameras and lenses are generally easier to service than new cameras
YES! I got a first model Jsolette with the double action shutter and it take awesome images
Some of them also take 6x9 images that look incredible when scanned!
I don't know where you are based but here in the UK they have gone up in price in the last few months by over 70%~100% . A couple of years ago one could get a Isolette iii with the built in range finder for less than £40.00. Now one would be lucky to find it in any decent order for less than £100.00. The same goes for the Zeiss Ikons and the English Ensign 820s. The 820 Selfix with rangefinder and the Ross Xpress lens is now touching £ 220.00+. Some Voightlanders are now approaching silly money at around £500.00 +.
A Holga and a rolleiflex was my intro to medium format. Big opposites, but the holga travels better being so light. A Diana with a glass lens is a nice step up from a holga. A little much for what it is but who makes medium format cameras anymore anyways. Rolleicords, ricohflex, and some of the more obscure 50s rolleiflexes are a nice way to get into tlr. Always surprised how undervalued a rolleiflex MX is.
Interesting!! Thanks for commenting! :)
Pentax 645, the original one from 1984, can be find for very little money. Everything automatic except the focussing, and really easy to use. If it works that is.
That being said, I have the Yashica LM from 1958 which was given to me, and after some CLA it works marvellous...
Ill check it out! :)
Good video here... Where would you recommend one look for a medium format online? What's a good price range for the RB645's..? 🙏
I'd try KEH photo! But if you're referring to RB67, somewhere around $300-$600 depending on condition and accessories!
I've been using medium format for over 40 years, currently own several Rolliflex tlrs, Mamiya M645 gen 1 and 2, Bronica ETRSi, zeiss ikonta, and super ikonta, etc etc. somehow i seem to graduate towards the ETRSi for serious shots and the lighter Ikontas for portable snap shots. The issue these days is getting 120 processed commercially, it can only get worse as time goes on
What's the matter with processing film on your own?
It's easy to do and costs a fraction of getting it done by someone else.
My first medium format camera was a no.2 brownie model f.
Were all the photos shown taken by the cameras in the video your photos? They're fantastic looking works
Not all the photos are mine! But they are of each camera, respectively!
I have a Seagull 4bi tlr and a 1957 Yashica Mat tlr with a 75mm 3.5 Lumaxar lens. I also have a Kiev 6c slr with the 90mm Vega 2.8 lens and waist level finder
I bought all three recently for under $300 total.
All three take brilliant pictures.
Yes!! Don't need to pay tons of good cameras!
🔥🔥❤️❤️
Great video. Thanks
Glad you liked it!
@@metalfingersfilm I certainly didnt expect to see the Holga at the end.
I've only ever shot medium format on The Holga, with mixed results.. some black electrical tape seems to works wonders for the light leaks. I have gotten one really nice, contrasty, candid group photo from it using w/ fill flash. But that's about it from 3 rolls.
Otherwise, I think they are pretty great for collecting personal memories. It is plastic, but pretty hardy, so you can more feasibly bring the camera along casually. But I would agree. You certainly get what you pay for with a $50 camera.
I have the Mamiya M645 1000s, but I am considering giving up on this system. I have tried 6 bodies, and they all suffered from the same intermittent shutter fault (as does my current body) of a line through the centre of the frame. The problem is I have 3 lenses. I have thought about the M645 Super because the lenses will fit, but am wary about the mirror stop problem.
I was in the same spot! My 1000s broke but I have loved my Super since day one after picking one up.
Where can I find that song that's playing at 6:14? Thanks
Using a No2 Brownie and looking to upgrade
I have Lubitel 2. Very old TLR for a very low price. I gotta service it tho (gotta clean the lens and stuff, but I do like its simplicity and all)
one you missed... any of the old 'folding' cameras, such as the o.g. Mamiya-6. i picked up a mint one for less than $200 and it's probably one of the most underrated cameras ever. and, some of them have the option to shoot 6x6 OR 6x45 !!
I sed to have a Yashicamat 124G. I had a hard time correctly framing a square. I guess it's from years of watching TV and running a TV camera. I only want to see a rectangle in a viewfinder. That being said I think I'd love a 645 format. I have used and liked a RB67 and I like it but, as you say, it is not a small on-the-go camera.
Give it a shot! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!