Which TLR for me?

K

Kyle

Guest
I'm thinking of getting a TLR and I was wondering which model(s) would fit my requirements? Any help is greatly appreciated!

1) The faster the lens the better... maybe f/2.8? Not necessarily a requirement, though.

2) Easy film transportation. I had an old Yashica with fiddly knob, I want one with an easy to use crank.

3) Full range of speeds... the Yashica I had lacked slow speeds below 1/15 IIRC, and I don't think the fast speeds even went up to 1/500.

4) Looking to spend no more than $500. Willing to spend a little more if I were to get a fixer-upper for cheap and then have it CLA'd and then had a new Maxwell screen installed.

Thanks again!
 
You're going to have trouble finding leaf shutter cameras with shutter speeds faster than 1/500. That seems to be the practical limit for those shutters.
The only TLR I have any actual experience with is the Mamiya series. It is physically larger than other makes, but offers lots of accessories and a series of lenses from 55mm to 250mm.
The 330 cameras cock the lens shutter when film is wound, but not the 220 series.
The normal (80mm) lens is F/ 2.8, the 105mm is F/3.5, and the rest are all F/ 4.5 or slower.
Downsides? No DOF scale and bulk.
 
Bryce said:
You're going to have trouble finding leaf shutter cameras with shutter speeds faster than 1/500. That seems to be the practical limit for those shutters.
The only TLR I have any actual experience with is the Mamiya series. It is physically larger than other makes, but offers lots of accessories and a series of lenses from 55mm to 250mm.
The 330 cameras cock the lens shutter when film is wound, but not the 220 series.
The normal (80mm) lens is F/ 2.8, the 105mm is F/3.5, and the rest are all F/ 4.5 or slower.
Downsides? No DOF scale and bulk.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, Bryce.

I knew I wasn't going to find a camera with a shutter faster than 1/500, but I've seen some that only go up to 1/250 or 1/300.
 
My first adjustable camera was a Minolta Autocord TLR purchsed new in the late fifties. My Uncle loaned me the money and took me to the camera store to buy it. I paid him back out of my paper route and other big money jobs.

It took great pictures but crapped out with shutter problems a few years later. It cost almost as much as a new one to get it fixed so I got rid of it and never had a Minolta product since. The camera still looked like new, and was never abused. Just poor quality I think.

I have also owned a Yashica TLR that a I sold to a friend that he still has, and a couple of Rollies that I purchased used and later sold. Both these makes were better cameras, IMHO but for some reason, I just did not grow real fond of. Maybe reminded me of the Cord.

The one I like the best and still have is a Mamaya C330 and a couple of lens. I know, its bigger, heavier, and built really solid. Great for close ups, wide angles, telephotos, and if I ever again have a shutter problems (none so far) I can at least put on another lens and keep shooting.
 
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Kyle what about a Yashica 124G, cheap but good then use the rest of the bucks for some RF glass, film or beer :)
 
I think if you can spend as much as $500 you might well be able to find a Rolleiflex 3.5E or 3.5F, or maybe even a 2.8E. Another possibility, for less than that, would be a Rolleiflex T.

I agree with the Autocord recommendations and the 124G recommendations -- excellent lenses and pretty darn reliable, and less money than the Rolleis. The Yashicas are perhaps not as well made, being more prone to frame overlap issues, but a good one will be quite reliable.

Of these cameras, only the 2.8E would have a 2.8 taking lens; having that faster lens isn't really critical, though. More important is to have a bright focusing screen, which a fresnel screen in combination with a viewing lens that's wider than f3.5 will give you.
 
consider a Mamiya 330F or 330S model. I bought a brand new in the box 330F with 80mm/2.8 last year for $400 on ebay. The optics are outstanding. The Mamiya weighs more than a Rollieflex but its newer and the weight adds to stability. I carry it for special portraits, where I may want more detail or big enlargement. Its an inexpensive way of satisfying MF requirement.

BulK? Yeap, thats why its goes for special occasion only. I can throw it in my backpack or in my camera bag if I'm working out of a car. The other thing I like about Mamiya TLR is the ability to switch lenses and the ability to use 120 or 220 film on the fly.

For lenses I like the 80mm/2.8, and the 65mm/3.5 for groups. You ought to see the results in chromes...WoW, really cool.
 
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Rolleiflex. Older ones the lens just as good as the newer ones. If you don't need a meter and could live with f3.5 more reasonable. Many of these cameras went to amateurs -moi- who cared for them.
 
The older Rolleis are great, no question (like the MX-EVS), but the relatively dim focusing screen is harder to use.
 
another vote for mamiya c330 here.
i have a c330f and its great, you can change the lenses, and the focus screen is really bright. a little awkward to use handheld at times due to the weight, but overall a great camera.
 
I bought a Rolleiflex 3.5 Tessar a couple of weeks ago, in perfect condition, with a bright and clear focusing screen, for £200/$400. Great camera, and pretty light and portable too.

Ian
 
I own a Rolleiflex 3.5E-3 with a Planar lens and I love the darn thing -- just a pleasure to use. It cost me a little over $400 and I put a Maxwell screen in it for another $150 --- nice and bright and I've been very happy with it .

I got it from a local store, Koh's Cameras. Jimmy is a nice guy, he restores them himself (does tons of Bronica repairs as well). The store is filled with Leicas and Rolleis --- makes my husband nervous everytime I go. I got a ugly-looking Rollei off ebay for $70 a few months ago-- turned out to be a Rolleicord Vb :D , Jimmy fixed the shutter for $90 and now it's my teenager's prized possession. You might consider on of the later 'Cords.

Here's one of Jimmy's current cameras for sale: http://www.kohscamera.com/product_images/rolleiflex/rolleiflex_3.5E_planar_images.htm

No connection, just a happy customer.

Good luck with your search,

JT
 
I have a pair of Ricohmatic 225's that I use a lot, and have never let me down. Bright screen, sharp lens. It has a nearly identical focusing mechanism as the Autocord, but I understand it is better built. I also understand that, since it runs film in the opposite direction of almost every other TLR, it keeps the film flatter. The last one I saw on ebay went for around $80.

Richie
 
Kyle said:
I'm thinking of getting a TLR and I was wondering which model(s) would fit my requirements? Any help is greatly appreciated!

1) The faster the lens the better... maybe f/2.8? Not necessarily a requirement, though.

2) Easy film transportation. I had an old Yashica with fiddly knob, I want one with an easy to use crank.

3) Full range of speeds... the Yashica I had lacked slow speeds below 1/15 IIRC, and I don't think the fast speeds even went up to 1/500.

4) Looking to spend no more than $500. Willing to spend a little more if I were to get a fixer-upper for cheap and then have it CLA'd and then had a new Maxwell screen installed.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

The Rollei Planar or Xenotar models reign supreme in the TLR universe and some models have F2.8 taking lenses. Your target price should be able to get you one in good working condition if you shop carefully (eBay). They meet your specs and produce amazing images.
 
The Rolleiflex remains an ingenious design. It is probably the most compact, light, and easy to handle medium format camera out there even today. These cameras simply dominate the serious higher-end realm of the TLR universe. The Mamiyas are interesting and have good lenses, but they lack the portablity and compactness of a Rolleiflex.
 
David Murphy said:
The Rolleiflex remains an ingenious design.
Click to expand...
So good, Minolta improved it...
If you ever have used a Rolleiflex twin-lens-reflex camera, you will have noticed that it loads with the full spool on the bottom and the empty spool on the top. On the Autocord, this is reversed -- the full spool goes on the top. This was not simply a whim on the part of the Autocord's designers. They were well aware of what every experienced Rolleiflex user knew: If you left your film sitting in your Rolleiflex a long time, the part of the film that bent around the corner after leaving the supply spool could "take a set" that would keep it from lying flat in the film plane. Rollei manuals of the era warned the user not to expect the sharpest possible picture on the first frame after winding the camera in such an instance. Minolta specifically designed the Autocord to avoid this, making sure that the film comes straight off the supply spool to the film gate instead of having to bend around a corner.
Click to expand...
(http://sds.com/mug/autocord_faq.html)
:)
 
The issue w/ Rollie is that you'd have to live with its 80mm lens, which can be constraining for some of us at times. If you shoot indoors it becomes an issue as well as if you shoot groups, or landscapes. Yes, I know Rollie made wide angle TLRs but today cost an arm/leg.

Having said that, everytime I feel constrainted by the 80mm lens, I remember what August Sander did with his Voighlander standard lens. His portraits are fantastic.

For me, I buy cameras based on its optics. Thats just one of my criteria. But keep in mind that once you hit MF, even average optics are pretty good. I picked up a Rollieflex 3.5 in Ex cond out of a pawn shop a few years ago for $180. I was amazed at the quality of the imagery it produced. I don't know if it was the lens coating or possibly the lens design. It was compact and extremely light - great travel camera. However, I've always liked to have the ability to go from 120 to 220 on the fly and use wider lenses. Thus, the Mamiya 330f Pro.

Interestingly enough, Mamiya still services these cameras. The last model in the series is the C330S. The one previous to that is the C330F. I've also owned C220 and C330. These are pro caliber and for the amount of money a pretty good deal IMHO. I lucked out when I found a new-in-the-box C330f kit from circa 1985 (ebay). The midwest seller told me he had bought two kits for a foto biz that never got off the ground. While I shoot handheld a fair amount, I also like to tripod it when possible shooting at f/11. In a more dynamic environment my Leicas step up.
 
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