6x6 or 6x4.5 folders or TLRs

[oftheherd]

I am a fan of the Weltas. They can be had in your price range from the *bay, but as always, you must exercise care on the 'bay. Some of them not only do 6x6 and 645, but still have the 645 inserts. They tend to be easy to carry as well, and sometimes still come with usable cases. I like mine.

Just another option.

 

[dazedgonebye]

The Weltas are pretty and I've always been tempted by them. Not had my hands on one yet. They do sound like they meet you specs.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Or you could gor for something like THIS. 😀 It's a little heavy and I didn't make the best choices for all my lenses(skip the MIR 45mm)but I like it and the other lenses alot!
Rob

Little bit of a hi-jack, but: I've been well tempted by one of these. Any advice? There seem to be several companies selling renovated Kievs. I'm thinking more of the Kiev-88 design over the 60, just for the removable backs.

Cheers
Jamie

 

[rbiemer]

Little bit of a hi-jack, but: I've been well tempted by one of these. Any advice? There seem to be several companies selling renovated Kievs. I'm thinking more of the Kiev-88 design over the 60, just for the removable backs.

Cheers
Jamie

Jamie,
I PM'd you about this but iseems the message dissapeared into "database error" land...
Long story short: I spent alot of time deciding who to buy a 6x6 Kiev from and settled on Arax since the owner(Gevorg Vartanyan) was unfailingly helpful and happy to answer my many questons. And the price--including shipping to USA--was significantly better than the US dealers. Highly recommended!
Check out THE KIEV REPORT for lots of info and opinions.
Rob

 

[35mmdelux]

ISOLETTE #II.
Forget the #1. #III doesn't give any distinct advantages. #III has uncoupled rangefinder which wastes time. The other folder of course is the Perkeo, which costs a bit more because of its supposed smaller size. ISOLETTE #II is light and small enough to carry in small satchel w/ my two Leicas.

 

[ErnestoJL]

Remy:
it all depends if you consider shooting MF for the future.
Your choice would be influenced by:
Size and weight
Normal lens only or T/W too?
6x6 or 6x4.5 or both?

I´m restoring a Voigtländer Virtus (6x4.5) for that purpose, but I have to confess I was tempted sometimes to buy again a TLR (I had a Yashica 635 for some time, and I never get used to the reversed image). Besides, that camera didn´t have any double exposure prevention and film advance didn´t cock the shutter, the taking lens was the Yashikor... so it was kind of a pain sometimes...

If you consider a TLR then go for the Yashica Mat 124G with exp. meter, or any Rollei.
If you need T/W, a Mamiya C220 or 330 (but this camera is HEAVY!) or any MF SLR.
Otherwise a folder in good shape will be a nicer choice if you need something small enough to avoid extra bulk.
Prices shouldn´t be quite high (less than USD 150) unless your choice is made in Sweden or by Francke & Heidecke in Germany.
Folder´s price is so low that you can buy two to have spare parts if needed.

Ernesto.

 

[suckerpunch]

i would suggest a rolleicord tlr. very light for carrying around and fun to use. soft, old timey images that i find are nice for portraits.

 

[RML]

So much info to digest! 😛

 

[oftheherd]

The Weltas are pretty and I've always been tempted by them. Not had my hands on one yet. They do sound like they meet you specs.

I guess it depends on how you define pretty. I certainly enjoy mine. I just like their looks as well as how they are usable. I have 6x6/645 and 35mm in a Welti. The Welti is the second I have had. The first I inherited from my father and it worked until destroyed by a fire. It jumped outof airplanes with me and stayed with me for four years in Vietnam. They are rather small when folded up, but take good photos. I have always wanted the Weltini but just haven't figured out why to spend what they usually cost when I can still judge distance at set the lens. They are fairly quiet in operation. They make great low light cameras. Especially the 6x6. I guess I better quit or you will get the idea I like them. Not to mention drive up the ebay prices.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Thanks, Rob. You're right - no PM ever got to my end...

That's a very useful link (and another hosted by the ever-prolific Rick Denney!) that I'll look through before getting into more cash-flow trouble with the gf. Your positive vote for Arax will help me to decide.

Cheers
Jamie

 

[dazedgonebye]

I guess it depends on how you define pretty. I certainly enjoy mine. I just like their looks as well as how they are usable. I have 6x6/645 and 35mm in a Welti. The Welti is the second I have had. The first I inherited from my father and it worked until destroyed by a fire. It jumped outof airplanes with me and stayed with me for four years in Vietnam. They are rather small when folded up, but take good photos. I have always wanted the Weltini but just haven't figured out why to spend what they usually cost when I can still judge distance at set the lens. They are fairly quiet in operation. They make great low light cameras. Especially the 6x6. I guess I better quit or you will get the idea I like them. Not to mention drive up the ebay prices.

Well, as always, pretty is as pretty does. Performance certainly counts. I don't have any cameras that stay on the shelf.

 

[Bertram2]

So much info to digest! 😛

Yes, as it was to expect ! 😉

My recommendation would be first to think about the limitations of the several Formats and then about the style of shooting you have to expect from several camera designs.

6X9 folders often have a film flatness issue , that is what is reported at least and the 100 -120mm FL is tricky to use without RF, no wonder f 4,5 as widest aperture is no real issue. All you shoot should l be around 1/125sec, not wider open than f11 because of the DOF and you need a calm hand anyway. O:K: , Tri -X with Xtol looks on a 6X9 neg like FP4, this makes it easier.

A 6X6 is a totally different thing and a 4,5X6 again another kinda (interesting) compromise, not to speak of what it means to use a VF, RF , TLR or SLR system.

I was quite near to a Bessa I or II but I gave up after a while because I saw how limited the use of it would be and how seldom I let enlarge photos to a size which would give me the benefits.of the large neg.

I have gone back and forth with all this hassle several times (to say the least, VERY often would come closer) , and at the time I want stick with my TLRs and if a wonder happens maybe at the end of the year I will buy a 4,5X6 SLR with a 55mm lens and a 150mm too, as a complement for my 80mm TLRs.

Maybe there will be a certain project in future, , shot with a Zeiss Tengor 6X9 Box or a AGFA Clack , but that is a completely different issue .......... something like
"La Raffinesse qui ne peut que résulter du minimum."
Yes that's the other way of having fun. Before you say no think about String Tangas.. 😀

Regards,
bertram

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

At the risk of making these great cameras more unaffordable ...

The Rolleicord V with the Xenar lens is just spectacular. Much lighter than my Rolleiflex, but just as sharp at comparable ranges, wonderful bokeh.

Another truly hidden secret (shhhhhhhh .... ) is the Ricoh Diacord TLR ... easily on par with the Rolleicords and other f/3.5 TLRs out there (including the Yashicamats). Again, very sharp lens, compact, solidly built, and I love the lever focusing, much smoother and user friendly than even a knob, in my humble opinion.

The Rolleicord V ranges from $100 to $200 depending on whether it needs a CLA and the Diacord can be had for $60 to $150 depending on condition as well.

good luck

 

[tom_f77]

Remy,

I have something that is a (more or less) unique fusion of several of the suggestions above. I will bring it when I come over in May for you to try; it's not too big or heavy to carry along just in case.

Tom

 

[jano]

The diacord has limited shutter speeds, right?

 

[oftheherd]

...

I don't have any cameras that stay on the shelf.

I wish I could say that. GAS being what it is. Also buying cheap and needing to do repairs myself. I have an 8x10 that I really want to use. Also a 4x5. I just need to overcome inertia on the 4x5, and buy some film. With the 8x10, it is both the bellows needing repair ( my maglight inside brings out all the constellations ), and getting the lens I wanted. I finally got the lens, a Turner Reich triple, that needs some shutter work and now I have no excuse not to tackle the bellows. Ah, life. (where do I mount the rangefinder on the 8x10? 😛 )

 

[dazedgonebye]

Regarding cameras on the shelf...
Yesterday I shot my wife's old Canon AE-1, because it was the only SLR I had that I could easily add my fisheye adapter to.
Today I took my Retina IIa off the shelf to have a pocket camera counter to the Koni-Omega I've been carrying around.
If something stays on the shelf too long, you'll see it in the classifieds.

 

[RML]

Just yesterday I received the Vest Pocket Kodak Stephanie Brim kindly sent me (she got some fine chocolates in this trade. I don't know who got the sweetest deal. 🙂 ) It's a 127 film camera (Steph provided a roll of 127 with the camera. Thanks, Steph!). Not too long ago I also received some 6x9 folders from RBiemer and JoeFriday. I'm running rolls thru them right now and I'm having fun.

I want to try the 6x9 for landscape photography and some portraits but I feel the 6x9 are a bit too big negatives for portrait. At least, I find it a waste of film, especially as most of these folders have a minimum distance of 3 meters/10 feet, resulting in ful length portraits. I want to do more head/shoulder and head/torso shots than full body shots. That's why I'm looking for a 6x6 or 6x4.5.

 

[pshinkaw]

Some Diacords have shutter speeds all the way up to 1/500. The Ricohflex's are the models with fewer features, the Diacords were their top-of-the-line.

In good working condition, I would rate a Diacord as mechanically superior to any Yashica and not quite as good as a Minolta Autocord.

I also have a Welta Weltur, which is the 6X4.5 folding camera. With it's pre-WWII uncoated 75mm/3.5 Tessar, it takes great photos. It also has a coupled rangefinder and a flash sync. If you can find one, it is a fine folder.

-Paul