# Your favorite medium format camera?



## Streets (Sep 28, 2016)

I loved the medium format until digital came along.  Here are the 3 cameras that were my favorites.  I feel that they were all great.
1a) Graflex XLRF with 100mm Planar.
1b) Rolleiflex 2.8f with 80mm Planar.
1c) Zeiss Super Ikonta BX with f2.8 Tessar


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## pixmedic (Sep 28, 2016)

Mamiya m645 1000s. 
'cause I owned one. 

a close second would be a rolleiflex 3.5e 'cause i owned one of those two, but never cared much for the waist level finder.


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## jcdeboever (Sep 28, 2016)

My Agfa Isolette II. I love my Holga 120 TLR as well.


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## SoulfulRecover (Sep 28, 2016)

Mamiya RZ67


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## tirediron (Sep 28, 2016)

Favorite I've owned would be the Mamiya 645 AFD; "dream MF" would be the Fuji GX680.


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## 480sparky (Sep 28, 2016)

Mamiya RB67.


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## john.margetts (Sep 28, 2016)

Still current as I still use both - Bronica ETRs and Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515 - both half frame (6x4.5). Bronica for critical work (range of shutter speeds, apertures and ease of focusing) and Nettar as a pocket camera.


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## table1349 (Sep 28, 2016)

Pentax 67


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## webestang64 (Sep 28, 2016)

Voigtlander Perkeo 1


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## limr (Sep 28, 2016)

I love my Mamiya 645 Pro TL but am definitely drawn more to TLRs. I love my little Lubitel as just a walk-about TLR, but of course the Mamiya C330 is just such a beautiful beast


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## dxqcanada (Sep 28, 2016)

I miss my Bronica SQ-A, liked it better than a Hasselblad 500CM.
for TLR, I like the Minolta Autocord with Rokkor 75mm f3.5


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## cgw (Sep 29, 2016)

The ones I own now: Mamiya 645 Super, Bronica SQ-B, Mamiya RB67 Pro S. 

DSLR scanning keeps these running as pro lab services, aside from processing, keep shrinking.


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## Light Guru (Sep 29, 2016)

Yashica Mat-124 G gets my vote.


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## Dave Colangelo (Sep 30, 2016)

Hasselblad 500C/M, it just feels right in the hand....


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## Gary A. (Sep 30, 2016)

Presently I am shooting a Fujifilm GX680III and I love it.  But my favorite is the Hasselblad 500 C/M.


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite


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## 480sparky (Sep 30, 2016)

limr said:


> I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite



I fancy I know where you can find at least a half-dozen of 'em.  Free for the taking.  All you need to do is go pick 'em up.


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

480sparky said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite
> ...


Taxi-fare might be a bit steep though...


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## 480sparky (Sep 30, 2016)

tirediron said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > limr said:
> ...



Elon Musk might take you just for S&G's.


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

limr said:


> I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite


Buy one... they're cheap like borscht now.


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

tirediron said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite
> ...



"Cheap" is a relative term  I'm saving up, though.


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

480sparky said:


> I fancy I know where you can find at least a half-dozen of 'em.  Free for the taking.  All you need to do is go pick 'em up.





tirediron said:


> Taxi-fare might be a bit steep though...



What am I missing?


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

limr said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > I fancy I know where you can find at least a half-dozen of 'em.  Free for the taking.  All you need to do is go pick 'em up.
> ...


A free 500 C/M apparently!


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

tirediron said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > 480sparky said:
> ...



Well, obviously!   What _reference_ am I missing?


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

limr said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > limr said:
> ...


The name Sparky mentioned might help, but think of a destination to which you might need to take a camera, but not bring it back because of say... "baggage restrictions".


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

tirediron said:


> The name Sparky mentioned might help, but think of a destination to which you might need to take a camera, but not bring it back because of say... "baggage restrictions".



Yes, I know about Elon Musk and his planned trip to Mars, but I just don't understand how that links to free Hasselblads. Is that because he's going to take some with them? Because that's what they used when going to the moon?


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

"Son of Zeus"?


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## tirediron (Sep 30, 2016)

w00t!  Just found my new favorite!


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## Streets (Sep 30, 2016)

I've just handled the Hassy 500CM but I can't imagine anything that fit a hand like my pistol gripped Graflex XLRF, except for, maybe, a slender woman's waist.


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## 480sparky (Sep 30, 2016)

limr said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > The name Sparky mentioned might help, but think of a destination to which you might need to take a camera, but not bring it back because of say... "baggage restrictions".
> ...



All 6 of the Apollo moon landings left at least one Hassy body (most left two) on the surface of the moon.  The moonwalk(s) were done, and there were other cameras on the command module still in orbit.  So the astronauts just ditched the Hassies on the surface of the moon in order to reduce lift-off weight of the lunar module's ascent stage.  They removed the film backs first. Anything that didn't need to go back to earth (or at least the trip back up to the command/service modules) got left behind.  They also tossed out their moon suits, garbage, and yes, even bags of poop.

So the cameras and lenses are still up there.  Free for the taking.


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## webestang64 (Sep 30, 2016)

A little off topic but I got a chance in the early 90's to scan actual film that was on Conrad's Apollo 12 mission. Touching/scanning negs that were on the moon was exciting.


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## limr (Sep 30, 2016)

480sparky said:


> All 6 of the Apollo moon landings left at least one Hassy body (most left two) on the surface of the moon.  The moonwalk(s) were done, and there were other cameras on the command module still in orbit.  So the astronauts just ditched the Hassies on the surface of the moon in order to reduce lift-off weight of the lunar module's ascent stage.  They removed the film backs first. Anything that didn't need to go back to earth (or at least the trip back up to the command/service modules) got left behind.  They also tossed out their moon suits, garbage, and yes, even bags of poop.
> 
> So the cameras and lenses are still up there.  Free for the taking.



Ahhhh, I hadn't know that cameras were left behind. Thanks 



webestang64 said:


> A little off topic but I got a chance in the early 90's to scan actual film that was on Conrad's Apollo 12 mission. Touching/scanning negs that were on the moon was exciting.



SO COOL!


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## terri (Oct 1, 2016)

pixmedic said:


> Mamiya m645 1000s.
> 'cause I owned one.



Still have mine, use it and love it.   Never cared for waist level finders, so bought the prism finder.   Adds a bit more weight but it's much easier for me.


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## pixmedic (Oct 1, 2016)

terri said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > Mamiya m645 1000s.
> ...



mine broke.  
i had the prism finder as well. 
and an 80mm f/4 macro.


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## manny212 (Oct 1, 2016)

Pentax 6x7 by manny herreria, on Flickr


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## thereyougo! (Oct 2, 2016)

tirediron said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > I would LOVE for the opportunity to find out if a 500 C/M would be my favorite
> ...



Except for the 24 carat gold one I saw in Seoul's Coex Mall recently.  That one wasn't cheap!


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## Gary A. (Oct 2, 2016)

For John:


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## The Barbarian (Oct 5, 2016)

I love my Voigtlander Perkeo:


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## Gary A. (Oct 5, 2016)

Nice.


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## minicoop1985 (Oct 28, 2016)

This is my favorite. By far. I missed it so much that I bought an H2, which I'm debating switching out for an H3D. The H2 is compatible with film backs AND third party digital backs, whereas the H3D is quite limited to Hasselblad digital backs only.




Hasselblad H1 by Michael Long, on Flickr


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## Causapscal (Oct 28, 2016)

I sold my Hasselblad 500C/M three years ago and I'm very sorry about that...


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## gsgary (Oct 28, 2016)

Fuji GW690III


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## pendennis (Oct 29, 2016)

A few years ago, I sold off all my medium format cameras, mostly Mamiya 645, RB67, and C330.  They'd sat gathering dust since I converted to digital.  A few months ago, I got the urge to start taking M/F transparencies again, and started looking for more equipment.  After searching eBay, I found a Mamiya 645 Pro TL in Japan.  It had nearly everything I needed to restart; $500, + $35 shipping.  The Japanese are very conservative in their condition ratings.  These items appeared nearly mint condition, but rated good by the seller.  Everything works perfectly.  

Body and A/E finder
3 backs
50-110mm zoom
45mm f2.8
4 extension tubes
2x Mamiya T/C
Since then, I've picked up the following lenses for nearly "fire sale" prices:

80mm f1.9

500mm f5.6
300mm f5.6
210mm f4
120mm f4 Macro
I just finished my first roll of Fuji Velvia ISO 50.  It's being processed and scanned now.


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## Causapscal (Oct 29, 2016)

Very good deal !  

Me too I bought from Japan and the lenses appeared nearly mint too ! The price is right and prompt shippong


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## Advanced Photo (Oct 29, 2016)

Favorite ever, bar non: Seitz 6×17 Panoramic. I have made a lot of very nice prints from this one.


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## cgw (Oct 29, 2016)

pendennis said:


> A few years ago, I sold off all my medium format cameras, mostly Mamiya 645, RB67, and C330.  They'd sat gathering dust since I converted to digital.  A few months ago, I got the urge to start taking M/F transparencies again, and started looking for more equipment.  After searching eBay, I found a Mamiya 645 Pro TL in Japan.  It had nearly everything I needed to restart; $500, + $35 shipping.  The Japanese are very conservative in their condition ratings.  These items appeared nearly mint condition, but rated good by the seller.  Everything works perfectly.
> 
> Body and A/E finder
> 3 backs
> ...



The only glitches for many would-be film shooters are lab access(esp. E-6) and available repair resources.


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## minicoop1985 (Oct 29, 2016)

Causapscal said:


> I sold my Hasselblad 500C/M three years ago and I'm very sorry about that...


Yup, I did that too. Ditched my 500C/M for the H1. I should never have ditched the 500C/M and just bought the H1 in addition to the 500C/M.

My poor H2 is dying to have a lens put on it. I forgot the amazing sound these massive mirrors make when they slap up.


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## pendennis (Oct 29, 2016)

cgw said:


> The only glitches for many would-be film shooters are lab access(esp. E-6) and available repair resources.



E-6 processing, even medium format, isn't difficult to find in the Detroit Metro area.  The problem has been finding film.  I'm buying from B&H right now.  Both developers I've contacted also do hi-res scans, so I'm good to go on that.  However, I have several hundreds of 6x4.5, 6x6, and 6x7 transparencies to be scanned, along with a few thousand 35mm slides.  I think I'll probably buy a good scanner and start doing the job myself.  Winter time up here is ideal for that kind of work.

I do worry a bit about potential repair.  However, there's a great local repair shop here, and I've found a couple on line.  I'm definitely going to get a second body, though.


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## gsgary (Oct 30, 2016)

cgw said:


> pendennis said:
> 
> 
> > A few years ago, I sold off all my medium format cameras, mostly Mamiya 645, RB67, and C330.  They'd sat gathering dust since I converted to digital.  A few months ago, I got the urge to start taking M/F transparencies again, and started looking for more equipment.  After searching eBay, I found a Mamiya 645 Pro TL in Japan.  It had nearly everything I needed to restart; $500, + $35 shipping.  The Japanese are very conservative in their condition ratings.  These items appeared nearly mint condition, but rated good by the seller.  Everything works perfectly.
> ...



Not over here in the UK


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## minicoop1985 (Oct 30, 2016)

Well, I'm thinking my favorite is likely to be the Hasselblad H3D in the very near future, assuming it's still around.


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## Patriot (Nov 26, 2016)

The Mamiya RZ67 by default since it is my only one.


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## ashleykaryl (Nov 26, 2016)

I miss my old black bodied Hasselblad 501cm. I also had a 500cm that was my first Hasselblad and served as a backup, but the 501 was just a wonderful work tool. Some days I'd go through a hundred rolls of film with alternating backs and it was just a joy to use, especially with the prism finder.

I'm seriously considering a move back to medium format, but it will have to be digital.


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## Jamesaz (Dec 1, 2016)

Had one of those  (graflex xl) when I was in the army but that was almost 50 years ago.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Jamesaz (Dec 1, 2016)

Sorry, operator malfunction. Hope to figure out posting eventually.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## minicoop1985 (Dec 5, 2016)

minicoop1985 said:


> Well, I'm thinking my favorite is likely to be the Hasselblad H3D in the very near future, assuming it's still around.


It was, and I have it. I need a film back for it.


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## sabbath999 (Dec 8, 2016)

Favorite is hard for me, I regularly shoot several that I love. 

Pentax 645N, Fuji GW670III 90mm, Fujifilm GW690II 60mm, Debonaire FPP camera 645, and ye ole Holga 120 are regular shooters for me.


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## r.reeder (Dec 28, 2016)

Kodak Medalist II.  Mine is from 1946.


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## pixmedic (Dec 28, 2016)




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