4x4?

dazedgonebye

dazedgonebye

Veteran
Local time
2:28 AM
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
3,932
I've got one of my funky camera urges going...just wondering about 4x4 cameras.
I see I can get efke 100 in 127, and I assume my adjustable film reels would manage 127 film, so I'd only have to figure out scanning. Not a problem, I think.

Anyway, what can you tell me about available cameras? I'm looking to go cheap, since this is a novelty.

So far I see Rolleiflex Baby 4x4 and a Sawyer Mark IV 4x4.

Any insight on these or other 4x4's?

Thanks,
 
All I know is when I saw a friend's Kodachromes mounted in 2 inch slides (cut down slightly) and then projected, well that was perfect. I don't think the guy even knew what he had done, he got the camera (baby rollei) from his father, and used Kodachrome because that is what his father used.
 
I have two of the Sawyer's TLR and they are very nice cameras, comparable to the Baby Rollei IMHO. They are fun to use.
 
Check the Classifieds!

Check the Classifieds!

There's a Baby Rollei in the classifieds right now...looks to be in impeccable condition with a couple of extra goodies. I know nothing about the seller, just trying to be helpful.

dc3
 
There's a sawyer on evilbay that has my eye....

The baby Rollei i the classifieds is beyond my means for a camera like this. Just want something cheap(er) to play with.
 
I wasn't that impressed with my Y44 experiences (will probably sell it when I get to it)... but the results were only ok (has some charm), but focusing was nowhere near as good as most 6x6 TLRs and it was still big and heavy... cute interesting cameras, just not that rewarding to actually use... the reason they went away? I made a mask for my flatbed, but compared to 35mm in my Coolscan V, 127 from my 4990 are no match.

hope that isn't too discouraging, but you get the idea...
 
mh2000 said:
I wasn't that impressed with my Y44 experiences (will probably sell it when I get to it)... but the results were only ok (has some charm), but focusing was nowhere near as good as most 6x6 TLRs and it was still big and heavy... cute interesting cameras, just not that rewarding to actually use... the reason they went away? I made a mask for my flatbed, but compared to 35mm in my Coolscan V, 127 from my 4990 are no match.

hope that isn't too discouraging, but you get the idea...
Click to expand...

Not really looking for super high quality. I was considering a Lubitel in 6x6 and then this seemed like a fun alternative.
 
The Sawyers was made by Topcon and marketed in the U.S. under the Sawyers name by the slide projector company. The Topcor lenses are superb and the camera is very well made. It uses Rollei size I bayonet filters and the same hood as the baby Rollei. The standard bayonet I hood for 120 cameras WILL NOT FIT.

Keep in mind that like 620 film, the spool is very small in diameter, so the film can take on a pronounce curl and not lay flat in the film plane. Also, the few companies still dealing in these sizes know that they have you backed into a corner. You could probably be shooting 4 X 5 inches for less money than 4 X 4 cm.
 
Al Kaplan said:
The Sawyers was made by Topcon and marketed in the U.S. under the Sawyers name by the slide projector company. The Topcor lenses are superb and the camera is very well made. It uses Rollei size I bayonet filters and the same hood as the baby Rollei. The standard bayonet I hood for 120 cameras WILL NOT FIT.

Keep in mind that like 620 film, the spool is very small in diameter, so the film can take on a pronounce curl and not lay flat in the film plane. Also, the few companies still dealing in these sizes know that they have you backed into a corner. You could probably be shooting 4 X 5 inches for less money than 4 X 4 cm.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input on the Sawyers. It's a handsome camera...as is a Ricoh Supper 44 I'm watching.

Film for 127 seems reasonable at $5/roll for Efke 100.
I'm not too concerned about absolute image quality issues such as film flatness.
 
dazedgonebye said:
Not really looking for super high quality. I was considering a Lubitel in 6x6 and then this seemed like a fun alternative.
Click to expand...


I spent a few minutes looking for the Yashica or Sawyer, I know I have seen it somewhere, it has a nice case, and a physically broken meter, I was going to sell it for parts, but it should be working, just not pretty. Another project not completed, will check back here if I find it.

I have a baby Rollei and have been saving a couple rolls of 127 for it or waiting for that trip to Croatia to buy Efke there. ;-)

I have accumulated a bunch of dial set folders in 127, real tribute to the cameras that film is still available so long since the last camera was marketed.
All of them seem to work pretty well, and seem well made.

As I recall, the slides fit in regular 35mm projectors as did 126, great super slides, and I think most developing reels adjusted for them, no reason really not to. I have a cutter somewhere as well, Mamiya, as I recall, to cut super slides from 120.

Regards, John
 
I use both a Sawyer's and a Baby grey. IMHO, and being a certified, card-carrying Rollei fan, the Sawyers is the better camera. Has crank transport, also.

BTW, look into superslides. For me, they justify 127 on their own- spectacular when projected, easy to scan due to their mounts.
 
I have the Primo Jr (same as the Sawyers but sold under Topcon's own name). Its shutter needs overhauling, but I really want to get it working and try some 127 with it.
 
Primo Jr. Damn! I just couldn't think of the name.

I think that the actual size of the slide mount opening is about 38 X 38mm and 126 is 26 X 26mm, in both cases a bit smaller than the negative/slide image (and so are 35mm slide mounts) so alignment in the automatic machinery isn't so critical. When it comes to projection it's the diagonal measurement that counts, and it's bigger on "super slides" than on 35mm slides. The condensors on some projectors (not Sawyers...LOL) might be a bit tight for fully illuminating the corners.

Durst made an enlarger, the 404, for the format. These days it might be difficult to find 4X 4 negative carriers for any enlarger.

I guess the five buck a roll price seems steep to me because I remember when ASA 100 Gevapan could be had in 100 roll boxes for as little as $15 while Kodak Verichrome Pan listed for 55 cents a roll but could be had for 39 cents.
 
Unfortunately, $5 a roll is about right these days.

I doubt I'll do slides. I like my black and white and that'll fit the kind of shot I'm likely to do with one of these.
 
The Sawyer is certainly handsome, but I think I'm liking the Ricoh at the moment.
The Sawyer is attracting bids several days out and the Ricoh is going unnoticed. The Ricoh also has a cold shoe for me to hang my CV meter from, which is a plus.

I'm going to have to see what I can find on that camera on the internet.
 
I'll have to watch that Sawyer auction. For reasons I can never fathom I have two mint ones with filters, hoods, cases and instruction manuals. Lately I've been thinking I only need one of everything-:). BTW I never find film curl an issue. I have a Rollei 3F and the Sawyer is every bit as nice.

BTW these cameras really fell out of favor when Kodak stopped making film all together. There was long dry spell in the 90's when no film was available. The Efke B&W is nice and just as cheap as 120.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom