MF camera with movements

R

Rich Silfver

Guest
I'm looking for ideas for a camera with some movements (tilt/shift).

I've been readin a bit about the Mamiya Super 23 which seems to have some movement, ground glass focusing and bellows.
It looks like a great camera but from what I can gather the movements seems very limited in use.
I may be wrong though.

Does anyone know of any MF RF camera with movements that supports a longer lens (in the 150-250 neighbourhood).

Intended use is portraits.
 
Several comments: First, I have a Super Press 23. It does have a bellows on the back (the Universal does not). It is for close-up photography or for focus control (with the 100mm collapsable lens). There is no rise/fall, shift, nor tilt. It is a nice camera however.

Second: Fuji has made at least one medium format camera with movements and bellows. I forget which one(s?) it was, but a search on google or the Fuji site should get you an answer. They are quite expensive.

Third: Why do you want movements for portraiture? What kind of portraiture are you anticipating doing? Normally the large studio cameras you see for portraits in a studio are for the big negative, not because they may or may not have movements. Usually if they need to come up, it is done on a column rather than with rise.

The Mamiya Unversal/Super Press 23, with a 150mm lens would make a good portrait camera. That is equivalent to a 75mm lens on a 35mm camera. You also get a larger negative. You have the added advantage of being able to use a cut film back with a ground glass, and even cut film itself, which should be easier to touch-up if necessary.

For the recent prices on ebay (buyer beware), you might be better off getting a 4x5 view or field camera and long lens.

If you have other questions about the Super Press 23, let me know in this thread.
 
Oftheheard,
thanks for the reply. I think the Fuji camera you're thinking of might be the GX (GX680). That's a very nice camera indeed but a bit over my self-appointed budget of 500 dollars.

The reason for wanting movements is that there are certain effects I want to be able to achieve through shallow and selective dof. I do however believe that that would require me to have front movements (tilt and shift/swing).

The Super Press 23 looks like a great camera but for this particular purpose it may not fit the bill.

I am now looking closer at the Graflex cameras.
 
Looking at the Graflex cameras seems a fruitful path to take! There is a lot of name recognition for the Speed Graphic, which is your "classic" folding RF press camera. Offered in 2x3 as well as 4x5 format. And should be pretty reasonable in price, due to being long "obsolete."

There are several other brands to look at too, let by the Linhof Technika, which is additonally available in 5x7! Linhof commands higher prices, but the quality is there.

The Horseman Press may be the most recently made of this camera category, another one to look for.

A buddy has the "baby" 2x3 Speed Graphic and recently found a Bush Pressman at a yard sale. The Pressman is clearly a better-made camera with better features.

Not having had one, I'm not expert on this kind of "press" or "technical" camera, but I believe most or all offer a focal plane shutter in additon to the lens's leaf shutter. Many brands seem to use the same rangefinder module by Kalert (or is it Kalart?), but in any case you need a rangefinder cam matching the lenses you use as well as a matching viewfinder for framing.

Obviously the camera movements will require use of the ground-glass back, so in camera shopping I'd be looking closely at the ease and convenience of switching between the ground-glass and the roll-film back.

Final thought is that you might find more versatility in a 4x5 press camera over the 2x3 as far as accessories and conveniences, and these can be fitted with the same roll-film back, etc.
 
Doug,
yes I'm trying to get as much information as I can when it comes to how useful the Graflex cameras would be for portraits and it seems as if its front movements actually could do the trick - AND they're cheap enough.

I was initially going for a Super Speed Graphics but I read a lot about issues with the 1000 speed shutter so I'm trying to learn more about that and also looking at the non-speed super graphics (1/500).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top