SWC 903 6x6 and biogon alternative

[Nokton48]

I've always used the C Series 'blads, I really like my 40mm C T* Distagon. I've borrowed an SWC, but I have one issue with it. Shooting a "near-far" composition, the finder did not provide accurate composition. I guess that's why they make the ground glass. Not critical on a "grab shot", I just prefer SLR viewing. YMMV. 🙂

 

[otveit]

What about the Fujifilm GA645w. It also has a biogon-style lens, though not quite as wide and 645 format. I stopped using, and eventually sold my Mamiya 7 with 65mm after getting the GA645w.

 

[Huss]

I think the only solution is to get the SWC. Getting a different camera that is kinda like it if you squint real hard in a dark room, won't cut it. You'll still wonder about the SWC.
Get it, if you don't like it, sell it.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

?
Why? I have never done that, nor has anyone I know. The point of shooting the square format is for the square print.
You could crop it but then again you could crop any format into any shape.

Yes 6x6 !

 

[Beemermark]

?
Why? I have never done that, nor has anyone I know. The point of shooting the square format is for the square print.
You could crop it but then again you could crop any format into any shape.

I guess you could call me the odd duck. Then again, look at magazine spreads, pictures in museums, pictures on walls, pictures on buses and tell me the percentage of square formats vs rectangular.


Don't get me wrong, I love square pictures but the prints do get boring after awhile. Your telling me you never cropped a 6x6 negative to fit 11x14 paper under the enlarger lens?

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Very rarely.
IMG_7542 copy by , on Flickr

 

[Godfrey]

6X6 negatives usually are cropped to 6x4.5 for printing. A Mamiya 645 with the 35mm lens would give the same results as a SWC. IMHO by the time you invest in another camera system you should just buy the SWC. If you end up not liking it your loss on reselling probably would be less than buying another system to try out.

(bolded) I can't speak for anyone else, but that's not how I print my 6x6 photographs except on rare occasions. When I crop a 6x6 photograph, it's because I framed it at the time of taking it for that crop. Normally, I frame for the full frame, square image.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

(bolded) I can't speak for anyone else, but that's not how I print my 6x6 photographs except on rare occasions. When I crop a 6x6 photograph, it's because I framed it at the time of taking it for that crop. Normally, I frame for the full frame, square image.

Likewise, the only time I've cropped 6x6 to something out of square is when I've shot with a certain composition in mind. I've never cropped to fit a paper size.

 

[Rayt]

This is my Hopper moment from a Rolleiflex. I shoot and print in 6x6 full frame. The square is very natural for street portraits. I have done a lot of street photography with the SWC and will scan them someday.

Beijingc by ray tai, on Flickr

 

[JChrome]

SWC 903 6x6 and biogon alternative

The SWC is a fine camera. A joy to use. The viewfinder with the bubble level is perfectly engineered. The shutter is smooth as butter and the lens is stellar.

I sold her to move further into large format. Now that I’ve got a young one, I need either 1) more autofocus or 2) smaller circles of confusion (both in my photos and in my head).

The SWC gives you 2) but not 1).

Others have mentioned the Mamiya Universal 50mm Biogon. That too is a stellar lens but of course using the Press camera isnt as smooth as the Hassy. I use the 50 Biogon regularly.

Another option is the Rollei 6000 series and the Schneider 40mm f3.5. You do have half stop advantage over the SWCs 4.5 along with the other things you get such as auto exposure (and focus confirmation for the later models). Not to mention its an SLR. I’ve yet to shoot it but Ive got designs on it one day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Huss]

I guess you could call me the odd duck. Then again, look at magazine spreads, pictures in museums, pictures on walls, pictures on buses and tell me the percentage of square formats vs rectangular.


Don't get me wrong, I love square pictures but the prints do get boring after awhile. Your telling me you never cropped a 6x6 negative to fit 11x14 paper under the enlarger lens?

I'm not disputing that the majority of prints out there are NOT square.
What I am saying is people who use the square film format want square images.
I have never cropped square to something unholy.
:angel:

 

[Emile de Leon]

Like it or not..the SWC is a 1 trick pony..
It's 1 hell of a 1 trick pony though..
but..
The pics..are...can be..kinda..boring..as in...its very tricky to get a good composition within that WA square format..
As there are few people that can use that camera to full effect w/o the usual benefits of a rectangular format (as in square format zeroing in..ala Rolle TLR..75mm)..as SWC takes everything in..and pushes it away..
Thing is..the bottom and the top of the frame..what to do w/it??..as usually this is the SWC weak point in the photograph..
Like the size though...lol..cute lil thing..
For me...I would luv it as a down and dirty street camera..off the cuff stuff..move in as close as possible..let the chips fall where they may..
Or careful stuff on a tripod..but would rather 6x9 wide w/movements for that..or 8x10..

 

[ka7197]

What I am saying is people who use the square film format want square images.

No.

People who use the square film format don't want to rotate their cameras between landscape and portrait orientations—because that doesn't work well with waist-level viewfinders. So they crop their rectangles out of the square after the fact ... maybe it should be "waste-level finder" 😀

A few actually want square pictures but those are the minority.

My alternative to the Hasselblad SWC is the Mamiya 7 with N 43 mm L lens. But that's neither cheap nor square. I don't like the square film format. The diagonal angles-of-view of the Biogon 38 mm on 6 × 6 format and the N 43 mm L on 6 × 7 format are about equal—until you start cropping the SWC's frame to anything non-square; then the Mamiya wins.

 

[Calzone]

Way out of the box, but I use a baby Linhof with a 53/4.5 Zeiss Biogon.

Kinda heavy and big, but mucho flexibility. For 120 I have 6x7 and 6x9 capabilities. For 70mm I have 6x7 and 645 capabilities using Linhof CINE backs. I also have 10 2x3 graphmatics plus 6.5x9 sheet holders.

My friend Christian three-d printed a Polaroid back so I also have pack film capabilities.

Having a rangefinder is nice. The 645 CINE allows 120 shots from 15 feet of film, which from the 53mm translates into a 35mm FOV. A 6x7 CINE provides 53 shots using 70mm film. Pretty much I can shoot a baby Linhof like a Leica.

Anyways I get that Biogon look. Just saying if you are locked into that Zeiss Biogon look... Bonus is other possibilities, but not the same packaging.

Cal

 

[Huss]

No.

People who use the square film format don't want to rotate their cameras between landscape and portrait orientations—because that doesn't work well with waist-level viewfinders. So they crop their rectangles out of the square after the fact ... maybe it should be "waste-level finder" 😀

A few actually want square pictures but those are the minority.

My alternative to the Hasselblad SWC is the Mamiya 7 with N 43 mm L lens. But that's neither cheap nor square. I don't like the square film format. The diagonal angles-of-view of the Biogon 38 mm on 6 × 6 format and the N 43 mm L on 6 × 7 format are about equal—until you start cropping the SWC's frame to anything non-square; then the Mamiya wins.

Incorrecto because using your assumption you can just crop any format into the shape want. Plus the giveaway is you mention u dont like the square. Other people who pick 6x6 do.
I could have used my Mam 645 ProTl w waist level finder that way. Native rectangle, crop to square or whatever whenever I want.

Bringing this to the current zeitgeist, why do u think the insanely popular instagram site uses the square format? Because that is what people like.

 

[Swift1]

I've wanted an SWC for years but could never justify buying one.
If you want a low cost alternative you should check out the Bronica S2 with either a Nikkor 40mm or Super-Komura 45mm

 

[ka7197]

... why do you think the insanely popular Instagram site uses the square format?

Because it's the easiest to handle. Same reason why 6 × 6 format cameras are using it.