TLR owners/users (If you dare admit if)

TLR owners/users (If you dare admit if)

  • Do own a TLR?

    Votes: 45 7.1%

  • If so, do you use it a lot?

    Votes: 134 21.2%

  • If so, do you use it some?

    Votes: 266 42.0%

  • If so, do you seldom use it?

    Votes: 116 18.3%

  • Does it sit on a shelf looking longingly at RF's

    Votes: 47 7.4%

  • Wouldn't dirty my hands on one and handle my RF's

    Votes: 5 0.8%

  • What is a TLR?

    Votes: 20 3.2%
  • Total voters
    633
I wonder how effective is the use of tlr's with 35 film adapters(yashica 635 rolleikin etc) it seems like a nice full portrait option
 
While this thread is still alive and kicking, I thought I'd share a bit of TLR pr0n with all y'all.

191967296_7312242f73.jpg


Rolleiflex 2.8F
 
I'm a 2-Rollei guy. Have had a 2.8F for ages, and a few months ago picked up a 3.5MX which had just been overhauled by Harry Fleenor (I had my F done by him a few years ago). Both of them have aftermarket bright screens, and I've got hoods and B+W multicoated UV filters for them. Have the prism for the F also but rarely use it. Both cameras have the little focusing window under the sportsfinder sight so I use that for eyelevel, action-type shots. For a while I had a Hasselblad with 3 lenses but sold it. Too much to haul around. Love the Rolleis and don't feel at all constricted by the fixed lens. Can crop the neg down to half size (doubling the focal length effectively without reducing d.o.f.) and still have more film than a 35mm neg. Also I discovered my wife's Canon Elph came with panoramic stitching software that works very well, so I often take 2 tripod-mounted shots with about a 25% overlap and get effectively a 6x9cm "neg" shot with the 75 or 80, which is roughly comparable to a 35mm wide angle (on 35mm format).
 
Rolleis make me drool.I think they are the most estetic(esteticest?)cameras ever made.Love the craftsmanship.wish the more usable models would be cheaper though.Yashicamat for me in the meanwhile.
 
Michael I. said:
Rolleis make me drool.I think they are the most estetic(esteticest?)cameras ever made.Love the craftsmanship.wish the more usable models would be cheaper though.Yashicamat for me in the meanwhile.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with the Yashicamats. My first TLR was a Yashicamat 124 MAT G and I loved it. That big negative was awesome. After it got stolen, I got a Mamiya Super Press and didn't look back. I acquired a Rolleiflex 3.5 in a multi-camera deal and wouldn't give it up, but I seldom use it. I still miss the Yashicamat sometimes.
 
I sorta inherited a Mamiya C220, used it for a wedding once, and sold it because I wasn't using it much, and also because I liked the parallax correction indicator on the Mamiya C330. Just recently I took a look at those old wedding photos, and they were nice! (They're on my flickr site if anyone is curious...just click on the link below). Out of curiousity, I checked ebay to see what they were going for...jeez, really cheap! So what the hell, I bought two of 'em, one with a prism finder, and three lenses; the 80mm, the 105mm, and the 180mm super. All this for about the same price that I sold the C220 with an 80mm and 55mm several years ago. I am rich with cameras.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/haroldgee/sets/72157594197127772/
 
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I have owned a Seagull 4A ,and a Yashicamat,at different times in the past,and enjoyed them both,but found processing in the UK to be expensive.Yesterday I received a really nice Rolleicord 1a,circa 1936!!,from Greyhoundman.I am really looking forward to trying it out.:)
If I can get around the processing aspect,I can see me having a lot of fun,and possibly adding a more modern TLR at some stage.

Brian.
 
Just recieved a Yashica 635 in the post today! A great 6x6 TLR, with the amazing bonus of being able to transform into a marvelous 35mm candid street portrait shooter!
 
Robin Harrison said:
Just recieved a Yashica 635 in the post today! A great 6x6 TLR, with the amazing bonus of being able to transform into a marvelous 35mm candid street portrait shooter!
Click to expand...

Do you have all the parts for the 35mm? I have most of them for my 635, just missing the parts for the spools and the viewfinder mask.
 
I think I am definitely going into the tlr fan camp now as my third one (a Rolleiflex Automat ) is in the post now after getting one off the classifieds here. I know it was not really necesary but I have justified it as I need something to put slower film in + 6X6 is worth the effort, but a MF RF would be too expensive for me, well may be an Iskra for Christmas :).

regards

Stephen
 
Yea I actually love TLR's. I'm glad I didnt buy a cheap one (I class £120 as 'expensive' for a camera!) and my Rolleicord III is coming into its own.

I'm not sure I want to buy another one, but I'd hate to damage or lose this one.
 
Thanks, but I'm not sure if I'll ever use the 35mm of the Yashica now that Im building the other 'cord. You should be able to get a good price if the kit is complete. Watch ebay for a while to see what kind of prices are being gotten, and then try to time you auction so that there aren't too many available after yours ends. If it is complete, I think you should be able to get around $100 USD, which would ofset the price of your 'cord very nicely. Even if you only have some of the parts, you might be able to get a good amount.

Last night I decided that the pleather on my 635 has to go. There was nothing wrong with it, other than being pleather. So I think I'm going to put on a nice smooth grain goat skin in black, though I may go with some really nice red smooth lamb skin that I have.
 
I've had no luck with the 'kin. I bought it as a complete and after a month I went to use it, and found that the "optional" 35mm film winder attachment piece wasn't there. I basically got ripped, or else its a version that only works on a few models of the rolleicord or rolleiflex. I dont really have any hope of getting rid of it. I had it up for two 10 day listings at £20 and no-one wanted it.

It's been stuck in a draw since late last year, so I lost hope in getting any money back for it. No worries just thought you may want it for parts :)
 
I don't have a TLR. I have a Bronica SQA medium format SLR. I have been looking at used Rolleiflexes and thinking that they look kinda neat. You guys that use Rolleiflexes might like to tell me why I should buy and use one. I 'm very interested, but before laying out that kid of cash I'd like some opinions from those with experiece.
 
TLR's are the medium format equivalent of fixed lens rangefinders in the 35mm world. They are best appreciated if they are inexpensive. Serious photography is possible, but without the flexibility of an SLR system.

Two plusses are are quiet shutters and complete forgiveness by most of the general public when shooting. I shoot mainly in the slow mode with a TLR.
 
They look cool
They feel cool
You look cool using one
They sound cool (if you can hear em at all :D )
Rollei/Yashica/etc are excellent picture takers

Oh, and you know you gotta have one just because you haven't. You're missing out on the cool kids club ;)
 
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