TLR for travel/landscapes?

Just to close this out in case anyone is curious. I went back to the shop over the weekend; it had been a while since I was last there, and the Rolleicord was gone. He had a Rolleiflex, but either I remembered the price incorrectly or this is a different one than he had before, as it was over $200 (I checked the serial on this one and determined it to be Model 3 / K4B2 - I don't know if that's still a good price or not). That was a bit rich for my blood, so I opted for the much cheaper Ciro-flex Model D he had sitting next to it. Everything worked, but I still CLA'd it last night just for good measure (ridiculously easy camera to work on, BTW). I'm just waiting on some film to try it out. I'm sure it's inferior to the Rolleiflex, and probably to a lot of other TLRs as well, but I figure it's a good cheap way to try out the format and see if it works for me. I can always upgrade down the line.

Once again, thanks for all the comments and advice.
 
Well, get some film, give it a try and have fun! The price on the Automat is maybe a little high, yes, but it's not ridiculous.
 
When it comes to TLR's, I've taken them along as a second camera to my main shooter which is usually a 35mm. I wouldn't want to be stuck with a fixed, generally 80mm lens if I needed a telephoto or WA for a landscape no matter the ability to crop. It's a zoom with the feet type of camera. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. DOF is always a consideration in closer quarters and smaller apertures require slower shutter speeds. A 2lb tripod works well with them.
 
I am going to Sydney Australia next week. I day of business and one walking around shooting. My Rolleiflex will be first camera packed. I love it for City/Landscapes.
 
I took my TLR with my on vacation to Myanmar (along with other camera...) and found it to bulky and slowwww for travel photography. At the end there were only a few keepers from the 55 rolls I shot...
Never again.
 
Vics, if I'm able to get 1/10th the quality out of my new acquisition that the photographers in that Flickr group have, I'll be extremely pleased. Some really stunning shots there.

Waynec, I would only be taking the TLR as a second (or third, if we count digital) camera. A 35mm would definitely be part of the kit.

Thanks all for the encouragement. I will report back when I have some photos.
 
hausen, those shots are from your Rolleiflex? Quite impressive. You and others have effectively allayed my concerns about using the square format for landscapes.
 
Rogier said:
I took my TLR with my on vacation to Myanmar (along with other camera...) and found it to bulky and slowwww for travel photography. At the end there were only a few keepers from the 55 rolls I shot...
Never again.
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55 rolls? Ever heard the expression, "Slow down and smell the daisies"?
 
Mamiya C220 will be fine for landscapes. It has interchangeable lenses of different angles, not heavy as other Mamiyas, quite cheap.
 
Not a whole lot to add except confirmation. I've been a Mamiya 330 user for many years. It's limitations are few and mostly related to close-up and overall speed of operation. The Rollei/Yashica/Autocord family are more compact, and a bit less versatile.

If your style of operation and choice of subject fits the tools, you'll do well with them.

It's very much an individual preference.
 
Those three above are from my Rolleiflex 3.5F. I love 6x6 for Landscapes and almost never crop. I have a grid of framed 12x12 prints on my office wall and each trip I go on I add and rotate out previous shots. Rolleiflex is just so reliable and a joy to use, especially the WLF way of looking at the world is what works for me.
 
Hello all,
So many good recommendations here.
I have owned and used Rolleicord/flex.
Rock solid great cameras.
Can't go wrong there.
The Fuji/Voightlander GF670 have proven to be good travel mates lately.
Keep Eager
JH
 
Is funny you mention the Fuji, I sold my GF670 because I preferred the Rolleiflex. The Fuji is a superb camera but I really like the waist level finder.
 
I use both a 6x6 MF folder (Agfa Isolette w/ Solinar) and a TLR (Rolleiflex 3.5F). For landscapes I would choose the folder over the TLR for a simple reason: bulk and weight. The Isolette is very compact, lightweight and gives me beautiful sharp slides. The Planar of the Rollei might have better sharpness wide open and is better suited to close or medium range shooting, where you have to pick your focus point carefully, but it is more than twice the weight of the folder and for shooting at infinity (or medium range to infinity) under "normal" bright light conditions with ISO 100 slide film like Velvia or Provia 100, the Agfa Isolette stopped down to f8 or so is just perfect. Of course, a modern folder like the one suggested by shadowfox might be even better.
 
02Pilot said:
I am not at the moment a medium format shooter, but I have been intrigued by it for some time. I will be traveling this summer to the Adriatic coast and I'm thinking a MF camera would be useful for shooting the coastline landscape. My problems are: 1) determining which type of MF camera to get and, 2) money, or more precisely a lack thereof.

I chose to post in the TLR forum because I know of a local shop that has a couple of Rolleis (a Rolleiflex and a Rolleicord; I don't know more about which specific models) that I could probably pick up for ~$100/ea. Other than that, my thoughts were either a Moskva folder or..., well, I ran out of other thoughts at that point, not knowing much about the MF world.

So, my questions are:

- How useful is a 6x6 TLR for landscape photography? Would I be better off with a 6x9 folder?

- Is there anything specific I should look for if I go back to the shop to investigate the Rolleis he has further? Any models to run away from at that price point?

- Do you have any other suggestions for what MF cameras might fit my needs, particularly for my summer trip?

Thanks very much.
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At $100 each if they are in good condition I would get them both, then put one on Ebay.
 
I took my Rolleiflex 3.5T to Marrakesh with me last year. It was excellent, if a little slow for street work. Having your head down rather than looking at people through an SLR / rangefinder seems to reduce confrontation.

However, I sold my Rolleiflex to a friend but missed not having a TLR. So, for a lot less than the Rollei, I've now got a Mamiya C330s, 65mm, 80mm and 135mm lenses. the lenses are superb and being able to interchange them is a real advantage.

If you want the best money can buy, a Rolleiflex is THE best TLR you'll own If you want adaptability and rugged construction, I can recommend a Mamiya TLR.
 
I picked up a c220 with the 55mm a couple months ago and have been using it for landscapes lately and love it. I came from shooting SLR's and this has been a much more enjoyable experience. I just got a 180mm and am going to pick up a c330 with 80mm soon. If you can live with a fixed 80mm, really any of the TLR's will work out well for you, but if you want more versatility I cant recommend the Mamiya system enough.
 
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