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Peteski
Tinkerer
Username: Peteski
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 09:49 pm: | 
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Kind of a long story so I will try to stick to the high points.
I would like to get into medium format film photography and would like to get a non-functioning camera and work on it myself. I would ultimately like a Hassleblad, but based on my limited research there seems to be a lot of folks who say you should only use factory authorized service. When you price this, a typical CLA on a Hasselblad is $150. Moreover, there don't seem to be a lot of repair manuals and/or information out there for the Hasselblad. A decent used Hasseblad "kit" with one lens typically goes for $800. I am guessing that most used equipment is due for a CLA, and if you tack that onto the $800 you are close to $1,000. Significantly more than I wish to spend.
My ambition is to do some black and white landscapes, nature, informal family portraits, etc and I am doing this as a hobby, not as a money making venture. If I get one great image in a day of shooting, I would call that a good day.
My thoughts are to buy a used body like a Mamiya or Bronica, etc. and work on it. If I destroy it, less money will be lost. If I fix it, I can buy the rest of the package (back, lens, etc) and have a working camera.
I would like to hear from others who have been down this path. If I learn how to fix, say a Mamiya, does that help me fix a Hasselblad down the road?
Sorry for the long winded message. Thanks in advance. |
John_cribbin
Tinkerer
Username: John_cribbin
Post Number: 8
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 05:03 am: |
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Ok, my first question would be, do you have the tools / skills to do the work in the first place?
A lot of the Japanese MF cameras are now out of production, so where will you get parts? If you have to buy two defective cameras to make one good one, you may not be saving money on buying a good one in the first place.
Other people may have different opinions, but if I was going to do it, I would go for a Kiev 60. These things are cheap and built like tanks. Bad quality control causes the most problems on an otherwise solid design. It's a simple all mechinical design, which does not require specialised tools to work on. They are available in large numbers and at a low cost. They can be sent back to Arax in the Ukraine and totally rebuilt at a very low cost.
They come with a P6 mount, so you have access to all the Carl Zeiss Jena / Schneider lenses.
I recently took one up a mountain and fell on a boulder face camera first. If it was my Pentax 645 gear, I'd still be crying. Kiev 60 just carried on taking pictures ....... |
Krp
Tinkerer
Username: Krp
Post Number: 38
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 05:55 am: |
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A Mamiya TLR, (twin lens) might suit you too. Eliminating the inter-changeable film backs would cut the cost of the equipment. |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 82
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 07:08 am: |
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At least in cars, the same part seems to go on a particular year/model. So you could buy a dozen junkers for parts but the one part you needed would be broken on all twelve. |
Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian
Post Number: 66
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 07:38 am: |
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I'd be very wary of buying anything broken if you intend to use it seriously, unless you are experienced in small-scale mechanics. Most people's first few "fixes" end up dead. Unless you want to experiment with fixing a few junk cameras first, why not find something that takes pictures and play with it to see how it goes? Of course I don't know your level of experience here - apologies if I am being patronising!
I "learnt" MF through old No2 Box Brownies, and had a barrel of fun. Eight shots, a mirrored viewfinder (you try snapping a moving object with one of those!) and a viewfinder the size of my thumbnail all conspired to make me think far more about composition than I'd ever had to before. If you get one with a lens behind the shutter you can even use colour film, as this reduces flare as effectively as a coating - or so I am told!
While I wouldn't necessarily suggest that you try the way I did, you don't need a Bessa or a Super Ikonta to have fun and find out what you can do. Folders are easy to carry (well, easier than a Hassy, anyway) and the family will love being snapped with a funny old-fashioned camera! Sure, you may not get all the bells and whistles but it'll give you something to play with while you decide what you want and what you can afford.
Hope that helps,
Adrian |
F16sunshyn
Tinkerer
Username: F16sunshyn
Post Number: 9
Registered: 05-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 10:35 am: |
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I really encourage you to pick up an old Yashica TLR. There are usually dozens available daily on Ebay. If you buy one from a seller who will allow return for nonfunction you are safe. The 124G is the latest model made with the best lens. It has a light meter but don't rely on it. We still use them in our shop to get folks to warm to camera. The fun classic looking design really gets people into the portraits. If you had the money I would still suggest a TLR. But maybe a Rollei w/planar lens. If twin lens does not appeal to you, take a look at Pentax. I also have a couple of 6x7's . These things are built like tanks. They are loud and heavy but there are some nice lenses available. The negative size is huge, super for landscapes. In over 20years, neither of the 2 bodies I have has had any problems. Still TLRs are more fun and take great photos. And they won't break the bank. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 162
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 05:35 pm: |
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In my view you are wanting to pursue hobbies which are not necessarily compatible. If you want to 'get into' medium format, do it with equipment that does not need repair. If you hanker after a Hasselblad, go to Arax and get one of their P6 mount Hassel 'copies'. As has been stated, the Kiev 60 is also a choice, but personally I prefer the old Praktisix to the Kiev 60. It all depends on your available funds, but the Zeiss Jena P6 mount lenses can give you a lot of glass for very little money.
If you are determined to do the repair route, start by refurbishing a working camera. Give it a CLA and generally tidy it up. If you do this on a Kiev or other Russian/Ukrainian camera, the odd mistake in the learning curve will not be too heavy on the wallet. Unless you have plenty of experience, you could find that trying to work on Hasselblads will leave you with an empty wallet and a scrap bin full of expensive doorstops. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 320
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 08:17 pm: |
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If you want to work on it, DO NOT buy an SLR. A TLR will give you at least as good results (if the normal lens is OK for your applications, which it sounds like it would be), and it's the sort of thing you can repair and maintain yourself.
The simplest, cheapest and easiest to get running that will still give you serious quality results is the Ciro-Flex. These have a decent (though not world-class) lens and shutter (look for the Rapax shutter), and no other gadgets to go wrong. Up from that is the Rolleicord (various models), and several Yashicas from the A through the MAT-124. All of these are practical for DIY maintenance and serious photography.
As Glenn suggests, if you want a more complex camera you really need to get a working one... but personally I would wait on that and start with a TLR. |
Peteski
Tinkerer
Username: Peteski
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 09:30 pm: |
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Wow! Thanks for all the input so quickly!
I have some experience in photography. I was a teenager (in the land that time forgot before microwaves and autofocus)and had an art teacher who was into photography. I saved my pennies and bought a Minolta SRT202 brand spankin' new, which I still have. It is in pristine condition. I haven't fired it up in a long while but I do remember vividly using it. The thing that amazed me at the time was the "fit and finish" of the thing when I took it home. Manual focus, lining up the exposure meter, using the focus ring in the center, etc. Kind of a radical departure from the "automatic everything" cameras of today. I never did the darkroom thing back in the day. I just didn't have access to that. I know that everyone is going digital these days. I do like the killer quality of a big chunk of film.
I did manage to acquire a used Hasselblad 500 EL/M on eBay that is not working on ebay for $60 since this post. I may shelve it for the time being or take it to a repair shop for an estimate.
In any case, I will keep you posted. I hope I can keep my camera addition under control. Thanks for all of the input! |
Krp
Tinkerer
Username: Krp
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 11:05 am: |
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You might have got a good one there. I wouldn't take anything apart until you've tried the camera with fresh batteries. That might be all that it needs. |
Charlie
Tinkerer
Username: Charlie
Post Number: 83
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 12:42 pm: |
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And clean the contacts. Good luck. |
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