Going on holiday, which TLR?

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_larky

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I'm going to Scotland for walks up mountains, follwed by a week in France doing the Champage Vinyard thing. Old villages, nice countryside etc. So, I have the excuse to buy a new toy ;)

I have a TLR, it's a Photina Reflex. However the back cover falls off easily due to a lost part. I cannot afford a Rollei, but after just processing a 3 year old MF film that I found again, and looking at those negs... think I'll be shooting all the 120 I bought a while back.

So, what would you all suggest? I know nothing about TLRs. I'd like to be able to focus faster than I can on my Photina, which is very stiff and tries to eat your finger. Magnified focus thing would be nice too.
 
A Yashica D should be relatively cheap and a good camera. I have an "A" which is actually decent, and the D's lens is supposed to be better.
 
Mamiya C330 (or any other from this serie of TLR's)
The only TLR with interchangable lenses, but it's a bit larger and heavier then the other TLR's.
 
The 220 is lighter than the 330, and the 220F is a bit lighter than the older 220s. The possibility of using interchangeable lenses is the main feature, though there are others. A 65 + 105, both f3.5, are my recommendation, though I don't know your budget, nor how much you want to pack.
 
I like to pack light, and I tend to use one lens forever. The Yashica fits the bill in every way until you read that review site. Focus is critical for me as I'm rubbish at it. Are the Rollei's that much better?
 
Im a big fan of rolleicords. I prefer there lens to most. I do portraits so I am not looking for crazy sharp.
 
_larky said:
I like to pack light, and I tend to use one lens forever. The Yashica fits the bill in every way until you read that review site. Focus is critical for me as I'm rubbish at it. Are the Rollei's that much better?
Click to expand...

Ignore that review it's snobbish and hamfisted. The Yashicamat is a very usable camera. The lens is a tessar scheme that is every bit in par with allthee other tessar/xenar lenses you will find in TLR cameras. The focus screen is brighter than the Rolleiflex screens and compares to the screen in my Mamiya C3. The meter is useful only in good light. It is poor in low light. One must understand how to adjust exposure for different situations as with any meter.
 
Skip the Yashicas and Autocords, unless you feel like caving in to the herd mentality, nothing wrong with that, I did that too sometimes :)

But if you want something different, read this.
 
Minolta Autocord is very good but they are hard to find in good condition. For a TLR condition is everything. I would prefer a good €50 Yashica D to an abused €800 Rolleiflex 2.8F anyday. Yashica 124(G) is very popular and can be bought and sold relatively easily. It has a bright viewfinder glass, a built in meter and a great Tessar type lens.
 
_larky said:
I like to pack light, and I tend to use one lens forever. The Yashica fits the bill in every way until you read that review site. Focus is critical for me as I'm rubbish at it. Are the Rollei's that much better?
Click to expand...

I never found my Yashica (124, non G) hard to focus, and I used the standard screen. My Rollei is marginally easier to focus, with an RB67 screen in it.

I'd say go for whatever TLR you find, they are quite cheap today, and enjoy the trip !

I must admit I'd be happy to give a try to Autocord
 
Oh, another problem with my current TLR is the 200th of a second shutter speed max, coupled with f16. Means ISO 400 film is of no use at all. :)
 
Gonna have to agree with a lot of folks here, Autocord.

Sharp, small, bright focus screen, great colour rendition, superb for black and white, I love the tab based focus mechanism.

The Mamiya C's are fine cameras but they weigh an absolute ton compared to the smaller TLRs, if you're doing a lot of walking this might soon come to nag you. The C330F I had was an absolute brick.

I just got my Autocord back from Karl Bryan who did a super job on it. I paid £90 for mine a few years ago, they now go for around £150-60 for a good one.
 
Autocord. The only weak spot is the focus knob. Everything else is a step from the Yashicas. And the way the lens is held to a brass helix mechanism, very hard for it to go out of alignment bouncing around on the trail. Yashica's rail are not the strongest.
 
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