Is Your Folder Your Favorite Camera?

chippy said:
i dont think you can include baby linhofs Roger 😉

folders, they can be fun, they are! that might be the only thing needed to get someone taking a picture, the fun and thought of actually composing a picture (instead of snap ,snap)....and considering what goes into it...sometimes slower is better, although i dont believe the majority of cameras you mention are notably any quicker to use, (prob the polaroid is), particularly for critical focusing the folder with the coupled rangefinder is precise and quicker. a decent folder is rigid, of course it cant be compared to the brick strength of the alpa (heck they only have one standard!) but they are rigid enough for the job,

your camera choices are system cameras as well (i too use system camera's ), perhaps from reading your post the only thing i can think where a reasonable difference lies that may 'not' be considered a 'serious' camera is that a folder has a fixed lens...for serious photography we need changeable lenses? if so that doesn't mean it has to be the only camera you own but a very usefull style of camera in certain situations

are the pictures produced from folders not serious pictures? are they of less worth than what comes from an MP or M8.2 ?

cheers
Andrew
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Dear Andrew,

Fair enough, of course. But while I freely agree folders can be fun, I just can't see them as favourite.

Cheers,

R.
 
Well Roger
When we talk about 90% lenses then it it is possible that 90% lens just happens to a 75mm in 6X6. In that case it is possible its just the one fitted on a folder like my Ikonta 531. Why not? It looks like it is just as sharp stopped down as any other and I can't see any signs of ueven sharpness distribution and image quality is well above my treshold. The handling of the camera is perhaps not as fast as handling a Leica or a Nikon but its fast enough for most of my photography and at the times its not Id probably use another camera for other reasons anyway. I find my Folder just as serious or unserieous as any of my other cameras and the quality it delivers is not inferior to the others.
best regards
 
Dear Soeren,

Perhaps the question here is what we take 'favourite' and 'serious' to mean. To me, it's 'a camera I'd go to first in order to take sharp photographs, reliably and easily.'

I've no doubt that many folders take sharp pictures, reasonaby reliably, if not especially easily. Indeed my Retina IIa scores highly on all three, sharpness, ease and reliability. It's just favourite that I have difficulty with. Given the choice I might or might not pick a roll-film folder over a TLR (there's another huge number of people offended!) but I can't see it as a favourite.

Cheers,

R.
 
sevo said:
Well, sort of. I don't know what size pants you have - the bottom is as flat as any folder, but the top half of the Perfekta is not that slim, almost as big as two folders stacked. You can cram it into a back pocket at a pinch - but that is little more than a solution to get your hands and bag free for a few seconds while you hunt for a filter or the exposure meter...

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Sevo
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You've got me of course. Even the upper thickness for the mirror box area isn't as bad as the lens sticking out imho. And you're right, I wouldn't want to walk around with one in my hip pocket like a real folder. I don't think it would fall out with that lens, but if you got it in your pocket, it sure would be uncomfortable. Still, it is a folder and fun to use, just not a favorite.
 
My Balda Mess-Baldix is one of my all time favorite cameras. It's small and light and can easily go anywhere. The lens is gorgeous, and the resulting images are some of my very best. I have other cameras that I like as much, but it's definitely near the top of the list.

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Great results in both color and B&W!

Cheers,
Karl
 
What a fun thread this one has become.

Those back pocket shots ought to have their own thread... 😀

And of course this thread made me miss my 120 folders which I sold because they fetch a lot and I was downsizing.

On the other hand, I am waiting for this little gem to come back from servicing:

3966545078_debcd300d0.jpg


Sorry, not 120 format.
 
shadowfox said:
What a fun thread this one has become.

Those back pocket shots ought to have their own thread... 😀

And of course this thread made me miss my 120 folders which I sold because they fetch a lot and I was downsizing.

On the other hand, I am waiting for this little gem to come back from servicing:

3966545078_debcd300d0.jpg


Sorry, not 120 format.
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Yeah, it is kind of a fun thread. And don't feel bad, as Mr. Hicks was quick to point out, not all folders are 120. I still sometimes take out my Welta or Weltini when I want a camera but want something small and easy to carry. Right now my XA has put them temporarily on the shelf.

And every time Chippy brings out that Welta Superfekta, I get GAS so bad I can't stand it. I like my Perfekta, but that Superfekta ...
 
Mmm, I wouldn't say I really have a favourite as such (especially as my green Werra is currently in dock) - perhaps favourite for different jobs?

Certainly my Moskva-4 has been the favourite for hillwalking - it will fit in my map pocket, and gives negs the size of a cricket pitch. It also slows me down, which is a good thing in terms of photo quality.

Here's a pic from it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gray1720/3721753708/sizes/l/ (linked as it's to the large size)

Unfortunately that's currently in dock as well, until I find the time and courage to replace the bellows.

Adrian
 
P C Headland said:
I realise I didn't really say why those 120 folders were my favourite - well, it's that they are about as small a camera as you can make whilst still having a "proper" sized negative 😛
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That about sums it up for me. Plus, as I mentioned earlier my Agfa Super Isolette does come with an outstanding Tessar-type 75mm unit focusing Solinar, coupled RF and Rollei automat type film winding.
 
Favourite? No, but I like them a lot.
It's a really "classic" feeling when I shoot with'em.

The Adox Golf 63 is great, and I like my Beltica, but the best one is my Retina.
What an amazing piece of art!
 
Muggins said:
Mmm, I wouldn't say I really have a favourite as such (especially as my green Werra is currently in dock) - perhaps favourite for different jobs?

Certainly my Moskva-4 has been the favourite for hillwalking - it will fit in my map pocket, and gives negs the size of a cricket pitch. It also slows me down, which is a good thing in terms of photo quality.

Here's a pic from it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gray1720/3721753708/sizes/l/ (linked as it's to the large size)

Unfortunately that's currently in dock as well, until I find the time and courage to replace the bellows.

Adrian
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Nice photo Adrian. I have a Moskva I don't use much. I guess I need to give it more of a workout. I do like 6x9 for a lot of photos. But I tend to prefer the Zeiss Ikon w/o RF due to its smaller size.
 
Without a doubt the Agfa Super Isolette is my favorite camera. It was my first folder and has been easy to use, reliable and has produced my most cherished images. I love how the Solinar lens draws.
 
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oftheherd said:
Nice photo Adrian. I have a Moskva I don't use much. I guess I need to give it more of a workout.
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Think of it as a MF pocket camera! A Mamiya for the Matterhorn, or a Hassy for Helvellyn (cue horrified splutterings from owners of said beasts - I'm joking, OK? 😀). Thanks for the compliment - must confess, my best pics are of places where it's hard to take a really bad picture. Though I do try...

Adrian
 
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