Medium Format Lomo's

[MTHall]

Has anyone looked in here...http://uk.shop.lomography.com/cameras/belair-cameras?utm_source=www&utm_medium=teaserwall&utm_campaign=nl_Belair_Update_Jan_2

I thought Lomo cameras were little plastic devices that cost very little but could take a photograph if one tried hard enough? Some of these look quite good!

[fuzzywuzzy]

Intriguing specs aren't they?

flickr pool - http://www.flickr.com/groups/lomobelair/pool/with/8210917611/

There's a thread here with a few hands-on impressions and a couple of sample pics: - http://www.flickr.com/photos/37385617@N00/8210917611/

I looked at a few of the samples and didn't see anything razor sharp, but there were some interesting shots that made good use of that crazy 6x12 format.

[Attila]

I am grateful to lomo only to bring back to life film, plenty of old folder available from little cost to high , take one what is fit into your budget.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Here's an actual review with test shots - http://filmadvance.com/2012/12/review-lomography-belair-x-6-12-camera-part-3/#more-2262

[Nesster]

[martinsmith99]

[Drack]

The Beliar camera that you have shown is probably the most attractive lomo camera that has been made so far ( in my opinion ). From the looks of it, it seem rather promising and I`d actually like to try one, but for that price...forget it. Instead I`ll load a film to my Moskva-5 or buy another chap`o alternative and enjoy better image quality and experience. But I do thing this will be a huge success in the lomo community

[MTHall]

I've read the replies to my post with interest and I've followed the links to the revue's, I now think that it's not much camera for a lot of money! My apologies to the Lomo community, but it seems the cameras REAL price should be in the £50 or £60's price range. I'm quite disappointed because it did look so good in the adverts on site. The ordinary lomos, I've seen advertised at £75, this is a camera that a decade or so ago wouldn't have gone over £2.50. I admire those who try to get the most from the least, but to indulge that effort at that price tag, is sheer lunacy, or, `more money than good sense!!'.
I would only accept a Bellair as a gift, not one penny more, those reviews did it for me, to think that the poor humble Zenit has been reduced to this. The Zenit was a fine example of rugged reliable engineering, basic but good quality photography, some of the lenses were really beautiful pieces of optical delight (Jupiter 9 comes to mind!). Sic gloria transit! Zenit and Praktica, the eastern bloc's legend fades from view and only the trash remains.

Anyone remember the `Cosmic Symbol' 35mm with Industar 50/3.5 plastic Russian camera? Beat a Lomo or Diana easy for quality, mechanical and photographic. £12.50 Dixons in 1975. REALLY basic, but quite well made and very functional, everyone knows what the little Industar was like for sharpness and contrast, IQ was very good.



Or the earlier version was just as good.

[Drack]

Cosmic Symbol is a nice collectors camera and way more expensive than simple Smena symbol . You can actually buy Smena 8M . You can buy them by wight since they do not cost anything, and you`ll get exactly the same results as Diana or Holga

[MTHall]

[martinsmith99]

[martinsmith99]

[MTHall]

[Drack]

I also forgot one other great Russian viewfinder camera - Vilia . This was , I believe the 4th film camera that I have used since I`ve started film photography. Really liked the little thing. It made some amazing shot considering all the metering and focusing was done by guessing. It`s truly a great alternative to the smena since its better built and cheaper because of lower popularity.

Some pictures ( Fujifilm superia 200iso expired and kept in warm places )





Its very nice to remember this little camera. I should put some film in one and see just how good I`ve gotten over the last 2 years .

I`ve also used the smena symbol. In terms of looks i like it more over the Vilia. You can add an additional rangefinder called Blick which ( if i`m not mistaken ) was originally made for it and therefore looks great. But I like the feel of the vilia more. In terms of image quality - as good as the film you put in them

[MTHall]

Hi Drack, that's a beautiful picture of the seaside, almost like a painting. Frame and hang? I've not heard of the camera you describe, so I looked it up and I'd say it's a re-hashed Cosmic Cymbal? I think it looks more attractive than the Cymbal, a matter of taste I suppose?

[martinsmith99]

The overlap wasn't consistent. I think it's just the design. I may add somthing to the take-up spool to thicken it, thereby making the frame gaps bigger.

I really like using them and have the Blik RF too.

[MTHall]

[Drack]

Actually the Vilia is nothing similar to Cosmic symbol. It is bigger, the focus mechanism is completely different, viewfinder is way better and even shows you the DOF when changing the aperture. The only similarities are the shutter release knob and the fat that it has the same shutter speeds. Vilia feels way more solid than the Smena ( for me at least ).
In terms of taste I can say that if you put a Cosmic symbol + rangefinder blick and vilia next to each other the Symbol is the winner. However without the rangefinder Vilia is nicer

[womble]

[iangreenhalgh1]

The Cosmic Symbol doesn't have an Industar-50, it has a T-43 triplet, important difference.

I agree with Kris, old folders are much better than these modern Lomo things. The one interesting feature of this Bel-Air is the 6x12 format, but the lenses are excreable and the price is ludicrous for such cheap and nasty plastic.

Even the most basic of old 6x9 folder will have a far, far better lens and be much better built, no plastic on these 1930s cameras. I shot this with a Franka Rolfix from 1929 with an uncoated Schneider Radionar triplet, this camera cost me 99p in fully working condition, all shutter speeds work and are pretty accurate, lens has spotless glass, bellows are free of holes, I just put a film in it and shot.



This one was with a 1930s Voigtlander Bessa with Skopar 3.5/105, another camera that worked perfectly, the lens had some dust and haze but cleaned up perfectly in 5mins with a soft cloth and some isopropanol. This camera was less than 7ukp.



This one was with an identical Bessa but this one has the uncommon 3.5/105 Voigtar triplet (most Bessa Voigtars are 4.5) and is no less sharp than the 4-element Skopar, this camera was less than 10ukp and was working perfectly.



This one was with another Bessa with Skopar 3.5/105, this camera belonged to a friend and was the reason I bought two for myself.



The quality of a 6x9 from one of these old folders absolutely annihilates anything you can do with 35mm, even with the most expensive lenses. How will the plastic Bel-Air work in 70 years? These old cameras still work perfectly, most work, some require some maintenance but these are very simple cameras to work on and cleaning the lenses is really easy as the front and rear cells just unscrew from the shutter.

[Attila]

No comparation to 35mm indeed, this is valid to any medium format.

[skida]

If this fashion for Lomography is the only thing that has saved the film industry it worries me because if it suddenly goes out of fashion the industry will die quickly.

[Attila]