MF camera for simple portrait orientation shooting

[menthel]

What about a Hassie? No need to change camera orientation, just crop as you like afterwards. With a 80 mm the size & weight is not too bad either.

A bit out of my budget really. I guess a 6x6 camera is the next go to and then crop but I have trouble thinking in squares! 😉

 

[sevo]

Thanks- how 'electronic' are the ETR series of cameras?

Electronic leaf shutter, where the Mamiya M645 had a electronic focal plane shutter. The ETR had a mechanical backup time of 1/500, the M645 a (more useful) 1/60. Many later 645 SLRs did not even have that any more.

 

[ruby.monkey]

A bit out of my budget really. I guess a 6x6 camera is the next go to and then crop but I have trouble thinking in squares! 😉

An RB-67 would save you a fortune in gym membership fees. 😉

 

[menthel]

Thanks all. My brain now hurts and it seems I cannot get exactly what I wanted, oh well! Off to ponder and cogitate.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A bit out of my budget really. I guess a 6x6 camera is the next go to and then crop but I have trouble thinking in squares! 😉

This is arguably the best answer. A gridded screen will also help you to visualize your pictures. Omit the 1/4 at the the bottom and you have a rising front; omit the top and bottom 1/8 and you have 645 landscape; omit the left and right 1/8 and you have 645 portrait. Among SLRs, a good Pentacon 6 will do what you need, inside your budget, or a KowaSix (I have both). Or bite the bullet and buy an old Hasselblad. Interchangeable-lens 6x6 non-SLRs are a bit thinner on the ground: the only one that springs to mind is a Mamiya 6.

Cheers,

R.

 

[menthel]

This is arguably the best answer. A gridded screen will also help you to visualize your pictures. Omit the 1/4 at the the bottom and you have a rising front; omit the top and bottom 1/8 and you have 645 landscape; omit the left and right 1/8 and you have 645 portrait. Among SLRs, a good Pentacon 6 will do what you need, inside your budget, or a KowaSix (I have both). Or bite the bullet and buy an old Hasselblad. Interchangeable-lens 6x6 non-SLRs are a bit thinner on the ground: the only one that springs to mind is a Mamiya 6.

Cheers,

R.

Thanks Roger. Further info for cogitating.

 

[bobbyrab]

Mamiya C330, not too heavy, WLF, great lenses and silent shutter, no mirror slap, and within budget. It is square format, but i've known photographers to mask off hasselblads when shooting for Magazines to give them accurate ratios, you could even rotat the glass finder to suit orientation.

 

[jamais]

...how 'electronic' are the ETR series of cameras? ...

If you take the battery out of the camera you'll be able to use the T mode only. All other shutter speeds need electricity. I consider the Bronicas very reliable. For easy use in portrait orientation I strongly recommend to add a prism finder and a Grip to a camera of the ETR or M645 type. But then, you may find that a 6x6 outfit with WLF is both smaller and lighter and gives you the option of either cropping your result to 6x4,5 or keeping the full frame.

EDIT:

...The ETR had a mechanical backup time of 1/500....

Didn't know that.

 

[Steve M.]

If you don't absolutely need a SLR, I'd recommend a Zeiss Super Ikonta. If I remember correctly, the 6x4.5 versions were 131's. Like this:

http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=17426&weiid=5259210&lang=En

I owned a few of them, and the Tessar lenses (either coated or uncoated) were nice and sharp, and the size of the camera is great. Tiny little thing. It would also fit your budget. But for portraits, I always preferred Heliar lenses, so you may be able to fit a Bessa RF into your budget, and try for one w/ a Heliar lens and the 6x4.5 mask. It's twice as large as the Ikonta, but still a folder, so it can be transported easily, especially compared to a SLR MF camera.

Otherwise, get a more modern Fuji rangefinder w/ a meter.

 

[shadowfox]

I like 6x4.5 frames, they print really well on 11x14 papers.
Food for thought: A Palmable Folder