Veriwide 100 or Lomo LCA-120 anyone?

[Huss]

Got a bee in the bonnet for one of these. Anyone have any experience with the Veriwide? I'm looking at the first model with the bubble level.
It has the equivalent of an 18mm lens, on 6by10 image size.
The Lomo has the equivalent of a 21mm lens, on a 6by6 image.

 

[IdealCamera]

I too am interested in the same subject. Awaiting people’s opinions on this.

As an alternative for Huss: Lomo Belair or Ikonta D.

Here’s a link to a terrific set of photos shot in Italy by some dude with his Lomo LCA120. I drool every time I look.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dreifachzucker/sets/72157653757588284

 

[EdSawyer]

The 1st version of the Veriwide is a great camera, kind of pricey but pretty unique.

 

[Nokton48]

veriwide catalog page by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Huss]

I too am interested in the same subject. Awaiting people’s opinions on this.

As an alternative for Huss: Lomo Belair or Ikonta D.

Here’s a link to a terrific set of photos shot in Italy by some dude with his Lomo LCA120. I drool every time I look.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dreifachzucker/sets/72157653757588284

Thanks for that link! Sweet shots. I’ve seen really nice
stuff from the LCA120 but not from the BelAir.

 

[Huss]

The 1st version of the Veriwide is a great camera, kind of pricey but pretty unique.

I handled one with the Leitz VF - killer view through that. Silky quiet compared to my Fuji 690iii and much smaller.

 

[Oren Grad]

Have you seen Dante Stella's writeup on the Veriwide?

https://web.archive.org/web/20150402154021/http://dantestella.com/technical/veriwide.html

 

[Huss]

Our friend Ken Rockwell also has a decent write up:

https://kenrockwell.com/tech/vw100.htm

 

[Pioneer]

Never tried the Veriwide but it certainly looks like a sweet idea. Can understand why you would be interested.

I personally am quite fond of the LCA-120...but you already knew that. Though it is a bit pricey I have found it to be a wonderfully light and handy camera that provides some great 6x6 images. The film advance can be a bit unreliable and will occasionally lose a frame, leaving you with 11 images on a roll of film, not 12. But I have never really found that to be a deal breaker.

Either way you go I suspect you will enjoy the camera.

Have fun and enjoy.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I don’t know anything about Lomo, but I happen to own a Brooks Veriwide 100. Mine came equipped with 47/5.6 Super Angulon. Wonderful camera, fantastic lens. I have tried using it with viewfinder, but prefer wire frame on the camera. It travels with Rolleiflex, as a companion, making fir a great team. I din’t have any images online, at least I don’t yhink so. If I come up with some, They would end up in this thread.

 

[Huss]

The shop is holding the Veriwide 100 for me until I can come get it on Saturday... I was smitten when I handled it, but wanted to do some research before committing.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Good stuff! Enjoy and let us know your impressions.

 

[Dante_Stella]

The shop is holding the Veriwide 100 for me until I can come get it on Saturday... I was smitten when I handled it, but wanted to do some research before committing.

For a grand or so, it's hard to beat for its size. It's more like a 21mm lens (that's what it uses for a finder). Film advance can be rickety, and no one services Compur 00 shutters anymore. But it is cool and tiny. I'd recommend finding one of those LED bullseye levels and using it in the place of the optical finder, just using the wireframe.

I'd also point out that the 47/8 SA is tiny and very sharp, but it's not a laser-hot Nikkor or Rodenstock of today.

I will get the old review of it back up this weekend.

Dante

 

[Emile de Leon]

One of my all time fav cams..period..a mini 12x20..

 

[Huss]

Nice stuff Emile my tuna loving friend! But you are starting to freak me out, we seem to be brothers from a different mother!.

Please post more.
Re. your camera strap - I heard that those strap lugs are very very fragile and not solidly mounted. But I would like to be proven wrong.
As for the pricing, Dante mentioned $1K, you paid $1200 (but that was years ago). There's nothing at that price level anymore, not even close...

 

[dwojr]

Huss have you thought about getting one of those modified Holga panoramic cameras? Would be a cheaper and newer camera than the Veriwide. Holgamods converts them or you can DIY if you’re handy. Kind of a different beast but sounds like the Veriwide is getting on in years.

The LCA 120 is not really comparable to the Veriwide from the looks of it. Cool camera though the frame skipping thing is an annoyance. It happens on most every roll for me.

 

[Emile de Leon]

Nice stuff Emile my tuna loving friend! But you are starting to freak me out, we seem to be brothers from a different mother!.

Please post more.
Re. your camera strap - I heard that those strap lugs are very very fragile and not solidly mounted. But I would like to be proven wrong.
As for the pricing, Dante mentioned $1K, you paid $1200 (but that was years ago). There's nothing at that price level anymore, not even close...

Huss,
Brothas we are!!Cam is Toooo-naaa..good...

 

[JeffS7444]

Lomo LCA-120's a wonderful toy camera: It weighs next to nothing, and the focus can be operated by feel. Resist the urge to press down on the shutter release unless you actually plan on taking a picture, else it will waste a frame.


I briefly owned a Belair X612 but never really bonded with it: For a toy camera, I thought it was too fiddly.


Aspect ratio-wise, I guess I struggle with anything wider than about 2:3, and feel like I need to learn some new ways to compose if I'm going to accomplish much with wider formats.

 

[Huss]

So here it is, running a test roll through it to make sure everything is ok. Have a 7 day return policy in case it isn't.

 

[Huss]

The manual sez the Rolleiflex strap is recommended I happen to have a spare, and it fits perfectly. But I still remember reading that the lugs are weak - on another forum someone mentioned it - and in Ken Rockwell's review he said his was missing the lugs and those holes were patched with tape.
So I'm a bit worried and sent an email to Ken Ruth (Veriwide service expert but now retired) asking if they are ok to use. Hopefully he writes back.