Let's See Your Beasts! (Camera Rigs That Is...)

[nickthetasmaniac]

The Tomiyama Art Panorama 120. It uses a Mamiya-Sekor P 75/f5.6 from the Mamiya Universal system and shoots a 120x60mm negative on 120 film.


Tomiyama Art Panorama 120 by Nick Clark, on Flickr


Tomiyama Art Panorama 120 by Nick Clark, on Flickr

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Vince, It's always worth taking the high road to Taos! Or back to Santa Fe 🙂

And if you do, there's Sugar Nymphs Bistro in Penasco. Worth the stop for great food and the funky vibe!

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Currently the beefiest i use.... More awkward than a Rolleiflex.... but the results are good

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Currently the beefiest i use.... More awkward than a Rolleiflex.... but the results are goodView attachment 4817493

As beasts go, this is rather dainty! But yes, the results are very good. With all my junk and trinkets, the Pentax 645 system is still my go-to equipment.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

As beasts go, this is rather dainty! But yes, the results are very good. With all my junk and trinkets, the Pentax 645 system is still my go-to equipment.

I've hauled a 5x7", a Pentax 6x7...and a few others, and prefer the Rolleiflex, & Perkeo route these days, but slap a 200 or 300 on the Pentax 645 and it quickly loses its daintiness....but the added reach is appreciated.

 

[mconnealy]

Ha no. Las Trampas is a pretty special little spot, I actually might pass through there again in a few weeks.

Give us a headsup if you are in the neighborhood. (NM Film Photogs)

 

[mconnealy]

It is definitely a beast, but it makes pretty good pictures and it hasn't yet eaten any of its subjects.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

It is definitely a beast, but it makes pretty good pictures and it hasn't yet eaten any of its subjects.

View attachment 4817523

A beast indeed! And my back agrees, especially after toting mine around (with a prism, no less) for an afternoon, on a neck strap. The good news: ain't no bully gonna kick sand in your face when you're carrying one of these! Seriously, there's a whole different level of interaction that occurs when you photograph strangers with a "beast". People seem to sense a certain formality in the situation, and I think that a certain respect for the subject gets communicated. I often deliberately choose a beast, Mamiya TLR or otherwise, for just those reasons.
Or maybe people just behave differently because they're afraid of being eaten.

 

[Pál_K]

Tomiyama Art Panorama 120 by Nick Clark, on Flickr

Very nice! Where is that - Tasmania?

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Very nice! Where is that - Tasmania?

Yep the Neck on Bruny Island

 

[p.giannakis]

 

[Abbazz]

The big Fuji is my personal favorite beast camera. Here with the 180mm Fujinon:



Equipped with the ultrawide 50mm Fujinon next to the little Panasonic GM5:



The Mamiya Universal is much more difficult to carry than the big Fuji but also more versatile:



Last but not least, the digital beast:



Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[shawn]

That digital beast looks familiar!

With some of its relatives....

 

[mconnealy]

Yashica Auto Yashinon Zoom 1:4.5 f=75mm~230mm

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Yashica Auto Yashinon Zoom 1:4.5 f=75mm~230mm
View attachment 4817561
View attachment 4817562

I can't always tell my gorillas apart, but that looks like Matadi! Charming portrait!

 

[pgk]

Two extremes, both well used. 10" x 8" Gandolfi Precision from the 1940s (?) with 1860s Grubb lens. Leica Standard from 1932 with 1938 3.5cm Elmar.

 

[x-ray]

Went out today shooting and remembered to make a few snapshots of my Deardorff 4x5 / 5x7 special and Cooke XV triple convertible. For those not familiar with convertible lenses many would give different focal length lenses depending on which cell or combination is used. This particular one is the classic made famous by Ansel Adams. The front cell is 25 inches, the rear 19 inches and the combined cells 13 inches in focal length. Notice the aperture scale is marked for three focal lengths. 12-13 inches is a normal lens for 8x10. This particular lens was made in the late 40’s to early 50’s and is in near mint condition. Many people believe Cooke lenses have a special look. Ever heard that before.

These are extremely rare lenses and very expensive if you can find one. In 60 years of photography this is only the third Cooke XV I’ve seen. This one is lightly coated which places it after 1947 and is in a very good Alphax synced shutter.

TT Hobson / Cooke started making these again several years ago with modern coatings and Copal 3 shutters. It’s my understanding they only make 50 at a time and there can be years between runs. People that order them may wait for years to get one. And the cost at the time they made the last batch was $5,600.

Cooke makes some of the finest motion picture lenses. A matched set of 6 primes can easily top $125,000. This is also true of Zeiss motion picture primes.

I went out last week with my 8x10 Deardorff and forgot to snap some pix but will this week.

Until digital came along I often shot catalog shots with 4x5 and 8x10. In the 70’s before scanners came along and separations were done on a process camera I did many double page spreads on 11x14 chrome. Those huge transparencies are gorgeous.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

X-ray, you win the "beast" competition! And perhaps the "best looking" competition as well (your Deardorff, not you. Sorry!).

 

[x-ray]

For those interested in convertible lenses you might search B&L Protar VII / VIIa, Zeiss Protar casket set, Taylor & Taylor Hobson Cooke XV / XVa, Gundlach Convertible, Turner Reich convertible and Wollensak series 1 / 1a.

Other companies made convertibles as well but these come to mind.

A casket set refers to a set of cells of different focal lengths that make different lenses depending on the combinations used. If you bought a set you may have 5 sets of cells and a universal barrel that in different combinations would give many different focal lengths. Clever!

I previously had a B&L Zeiss Protar in a Compound 4 shutter. I also had 3 different Turner Reich lenses in Betax shutters. The Protar and one Turner Reich were similar combinations to my Cooke, 13, 25 & 19 inches. I wish I still had the Protar.

Here are four images shot with the Protar which was most likely made in the 20’s.

 

[x-ray]

X-ray, you win the "beast" competition! And perhaps the "best looking" competition as well (your Deardorff, not you. Sorry!).

I never claimed I could win a beauty contest. ;-)