Light TLR?

[womble]

Hi.

As some of you know I have a Lubitel 2 which I use a great deal and a Yashicamat 124G which I use occasionally. The Lubitel gets the call more often as it is light and small and I can stuff it in my bag with a couple of SLRs and my dSLR when I'm travelling without taking up too much space or weight. I do get annoyed, however, as it sometimes has a light problem. I haven't worked out yet if it is a light leak, or some sort of flare or reflection.

As a result I'm vaguely thinking of investing in another TLR. What I would ideally like is something small and light like the Lubitel, but with fewer problems and especially the ability to use a hood. I'd rather it was a 120 camera now that Efke is no longer in business (I did consider a baby Rollei). I'm not bothered about having a light meter as I always use my handheld meter for medium format images anyway.

The other alternative is to stop taking my SLRs and buy a Pentax 67... Not light, but my wife did note yesterday that I keep complaining about not having a shift lens on the TLR...

Best wishes, Kris.

[Excalibur]

erm seems something like Bronica 645 is too inconvenient..but there is something to be said that if you want to use a medium format film camera for occasional use, then don't mess around with small stuff and go 6X7 and the Pentax seems fairly small (well compared to a Mamiya RB67) and maybe Larry would give advice.

[berraneck]

rolleiflex standard is pretty small camera, maybe on of the smallest TLRs and yet doesn´t lack user comfort. the downside is dark focusing screen, but you can simply change it for Mamiya RZ67 screen which is awesome

[Nesster]

First, you want one without a meter built in, that saves the weight.

My usual suspects for going light - Minolta Autocord, Ricoh Diacord. Probably some of the simpler Roilleis and yashica mats. And quite probably any of the bayonet style lensed TLRs floating about.

[Mos6502]

The Ricohflex series is about as small as it gets for a 120 TLR, indeed if you drew a cube around a 35mm SLR with lens, the Ricohflex would fit inside of it. If you do go for the Ricohflex go for the Super Ricohflex, the earlier models have a joke of a shutter. Also if it has the optional "auto stop" feature that is a huge bonus.

To be perfectly serious though... there's no reason you shouldn't be using the Yashicamat. It's not really that much bigger, and it's worlds better than the Lubi in every other respect.

[luisalegria]

Ciroflex/Graflex are very light as they are simply stamped sheet metal. Very cheap too.
They take press-on series filters/hoods, which are quite easy to find and not expensive.

Voigtlander Brilant are made of plastic and extremely light.
You will want one with geared focus, most are really just viewfinder cameras.

[Mos6502]

The Graflex 22 is a better finished version of the Ciroflex. Even so I'd rather have a Yashica A. Also the Ciroflex is pretty normal sized for a TLR.

Having had a Ciroflex, Ricohflex, Lubitel 2, and a Yashica A and Yashicaflex, I'd say that the Yashica are hands down winners overall in use. The Ricohflex is almost toy like, but it can give really nice results, it's just clumsier to use than a Yashica. On the other hand it is also smaller and lighter. I was never impressed with my Lubitel. Mine had considerable focus fall off in the corners, which to me kind of negated part of the point of using medium format (making enlargements with less noticeable aberrations). I don't think they're all like that since I've seen some really nice images come out of them... but mine was mediocre at best.

[womble]

[Attila]

Both shows excellent IQ , I had several Yashicas all okay , but I miss some feeling. I found Rolleicord,Ricohflex, Zeiss Ikoflex, Rolleiflex give more joy than Yashicas. I sold Rolleiflexes they were expensive to keep them to me, Rolleicord , Ricohflex and Zeiss Ikoflex I have them now, Ricohflex has fantastic IQ , Rolleicord excellent and Ikoflex under discovering any of them recommended.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/filmcamera/japanese/ricohflex-provia-100/?
http://forum.mflenses.com/rolleicord-ii-schneider-xenar-model-5-provia-100-t44198,highlight,%2Brolleicord.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/rolleiflex-t-tessar-3-5-long-expired-kodakchrome-t52588,highlight,%2Brolleiflex.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/rolleiflex-2-8-f-t47965,highlight,%2Brolleiflex.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/rolleiflex-carl-zeiss-tessar-75mm-f3-5-t17846,highlight,%2Brolleiflex.html

[Nesster]

Hey - you've solved the 3-d without goggles problem with that Lubitel

[Laurence]

I still carry my Yashica Mat124 around on hikes - even multi-day hikes. Of course there's a difference in weight compared
to others, but the Yashica Mat is so consistent that I can't bear to let it stay home. My solution: walk more slowly and take
that take that big pig of a pack off for a rest every few miles or so!

I've not used a Pentax 6x7, although I've CERTAINLY had a predilection to purchase one before. For me at least,
the images from my Pentax 645 seems to scan nicely and it is a totally reliable camera, it just goes and goes and goes.

I have to admit that I took a 9 day off-trail hike up and down ridges last year, and carried the Yashica Mat, the Pentax 645,
and the Isolette III! But, I 'fooled' myself by just using one camera at a time while hiking, and keeping the others at the
bottom of the pack so I wouldn't 'see' them. Once at a camp, then I could take them all out and have a lot of fun.
It doesn't take too long to foget about the agony of a heavy pack when you are in a beautiful area.

[Attila]

[Laurence]