Hi folkes,

I am sorry for putting this question at this forum. It seems to me that here are more people then in the discussion forum on large cameras. I am sure that besides developing and printing you are using many kinds of cameras. Could you help me? I have been usin "small format" camera (35 mm) for years and now I would like to try large format. I am thinking of 6x9 cm. I dont need autofocus camera, I dont care about the weight of the body and I dont need exposure meter built in the camera. I have an offer for old Mamiya Press Super 23 for wonderful price. The set icludes three lenses 50mm, 100mm and 150 mm. Do you have any suggestion. Should I look after any different kind of camera. Is there another way how to get relatively cheap 6x9 cm camera with those lenses? Thank you for your help

Jan Jedlicka Czech Republic

-- Jan Jedlicka (janjedlicka@atlas.cz), January 23, 2001

Answers

The Mamiya press is a very useable and serviceable camera, despite its complete lack of automation, or even basic interlocks. The lenses are as good as any. You'd have to spend a lot more money on a modern Mamiya 7, for example, to get the same facilities and quality.
If the price is right, then go for it.

By the way, 6x9cm is medium format, it's still not large format, that starts at 5" by 4".

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 23, 2001.

I have a Mamiya press and i love it. yes, it is a tank, but i can take it any where and not worry. I had a "Hassie", always wanted one and then when i got it we were not a good fit. so, there you go. I do enoy the Mamiya and remember you can always change film backs, giving you a variety of shapes. have fun with it.

-- Ann Clancy (aclancy@broadband.att.com), January 23, 2001.

Concider a Graflex 4x5 with roll back. It has a great rangefinder and you can do roll film, but you can do 4x5 sheets wich is so nice to contact print and enlarge the 6x6 or 6x9 rolls. I first wanted the Universal 22, but I ended getting a Graflex and frankly I am very glad I did though the Mamia is a beautiful (well, it is really ugly, but elagant maybe) camera.

Dean

-- Dean Lastoria (dvlastor@sfu.ca), January 23, 2001.

Soory for my mistake, I have written large format instead of middle format. Thank you for your contributions. I would love to go to 4x5 Grafex, but I do not like to think about square format when I am shooting landscape photography. Somehow I feel more free with 6x9, 6x4,5, 6x7. thanks for your suggestions

Jan

-- Jan Jedlicka (janjedlicka@atlas.cz), January 25, 2001.

4 x 5 gives, essentially, the same format ratio as 4,5 x 6 and 6 x 7. With 4x5 you have enough negative area that you can afford to crop to get a ratio that is "less square".

But if you can get a good price on the Mamiya and it is in good condition, why not buy it?

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), January 25, 2001.

Another 6X9 option is the Kodak Medalist. They were made during the 40's and early 50's. They were given to US Naval officers.

The lens is 100mm f3.5 with a really neat couple rangefinder. The depth of field is given by a very neat dial on the top of the camera. The lens is excellent, the camera is built like a battleship.

There are two problems. 1) The lens is fixed so you are stuck with 100mm. 2) The camera was designed to use 620 film.

There is no solution to 1), but the camera can be converted to 120 by "Photography on Bald Mountain"

Check http://home.pacbell.net/baldmtn

I had a Medalist which I bought with paper-route money 50 years ago. Several years ago, I bought another built in 1944 and had it concerted. It is a lot of fun to use and the huge negative is really nice.

Bruce Karnopp

-- Bruce Karnopp (karnopp@umich.edu), October 08, 2001.