Why Use a TLR Camera?

[@anta40]

Why use TLR camera?Why use a TLR camera? - They are typically a nice conversation starter. Grandpas who were youngsters in the 50s usually know what they are - They are silent - Very handy for low angle shooting. Just put in on ground, and no need to cram your face. My favourite is Mamiya C. Sure bigger than the Rolleis, but you can use various lenses on it.

[@bondgabebond4907]

Love how you referred to this camera as a BOX. LOL. I had a Yashica years ago. Lots of fun and made some cool pictures with it. But being in the military, I get neat things and pass them on. The square negative is neither a horizontal nor vertical. You can a print square, horizontal or vertical, your choice. And you get more shots with it than a 6x7. I did have the Mamiya RB67. What a monster of a camera. Sold it to a person who I hope used it.

[@jw48335]

It's funny for me that you posted this today, since I just bought a TLR today after thinking about it for a couple years. I chose a fully serviced 1958 Autocord "Export" model with the Seikosha shutter. Karl Bryan, Autocord legend in the USA, is still going strong. He had a few cameras fully-serviced for sale with the fragile focus lever already replaced. Great comparison video - I expect it will help a lot of people figure out these great old cameras.

[@akhyarrayhka4048]

it is such a beautiful engineering and extraordinary experience to shoot even though i never own one

[@CharlesMuccia]

I decided to get back into film photography this year and the TLR cameras really caught my interest, so I decided to take the plunge and bought a Yashica A. I really had no idea what I was doing or what to expect, but I was very surprised at the quality of the photos and how easy it is to use a TLR camera. I'm now in Love with my Yashica and blown away by the results I'm getting. No doubt digital photography is easier and gives immediate results, but film photography forces you to slow down and put a little more thought into each frame and it's a more enjoyable photography experience.

[@aantonic]

i ve got the same camera. The only problem i have sometimes, keep forgeting to wind to the next frame so have double exposured frame, quite often, but i love the camera, simple, old school, good quality

[@Being_Joe]

I have had my Mamiya C220 for about 18 years or so and recently acquired a Autocord. The Mamiya with its 80mm 2.8 is amazing.

[@josephasghar]

I use a lovely old Yashica 635. A little gem, it is.

[@spiscione]

i still use the Mamiya Automat A i purchased from you! One of my favorite cameras, and is always a conversation starter in the field.

[@russelltorres5276]

No apology necessary...great to see you back safely from the USA. I'm looking forward to using my Yashicaflex that I purchased from you recently!

[@edwardhickey-gg6rc]

Nice thing about these cameras you can match up flash settings to the camera settings. Which means a great way to double check your shoots. And it sinks up with your flash settings. In other words I shoot plenty of f 16 at shutter speed of 60 of a sec and you can bump up the speed just like if you are still learning photography. For fast action.

[@GONZOFAM7]

I shoot with a Yashica 635. I love it. I just have to remember to wind after shooting. So many double exposures.

[@oldtownpaul]

I just bought a Ricohflex Viis and put my first roll through it yesterday. The simplicity is just brilliant. I used to have a Rolleicord Va, but I just couldn’t get on with it. The Ricohflex, however, is a definite keeper!

[@PandaAttackGT]

I just found your channel and I love it.

[@joellinker9899]

Another useful and well thought out presentation, Thank you!

[@williamshaffer9216]

What a great video! I, too, love TLRs. I have two Mamiya C-330s.

[@mkshffr4936]

Closest I have is a Duaflex (unfortunately the fixed exposure one) but I plan to play with it a little. The folks may still have the adjustable focus one with 3 apertures. Some day a proper TLR will be on the list as well as a rangefinder or press camera.

[@Awayne429]

I got lucky an found a yashica 12 from a online thrift for a really good deal. The meter works on it and has been my go to when I go take my walks in the park. I been using expired film with it and been getting great results. I been using it more than my expensive medium format cameras which made me realize it doesn’t matter how much you spend , sometimes your cheapest gear will be your favorite.

[@adventureswithvs6461]

Love my TLR’s. Do you ever come across any Yashica B’s in the non Yashiflex version?

[@chrisloomis1489]

Update .. have procured Rollei Wide 55mm F4 , the cost was absolute , and I hunted up the best complete kit ,covers , cast , and working light meter. Lovely beast. ♥ Yes I spent over 6K ... but she is hardly or very gently used. I am in LOVE ~ ♥ ROLLEI Love .

[@edwardhickey-gg6rc]

You can shot ASA 400 speed film. Which means you can shoot 500 at f22 on fast action. Which is nice.

[@jonathanhotopf1823]

Got the Minolta Autocord which has an incredibly sharp lens, a couple of the slower speeds don’t work but otherwise perfect. Might look out for a perfect version sometime. Very often get positive comments from people about it’s appearance when out and about.

[@SomeUnremarkableGuy]

you forgot to say it

[@petemc5070]

Arbus used a Mamiya C33 so I thought I'd get one a few months back. I found an affordable C3, very similar spec, appearance and the same weight - as in VERY HEAVY. The thought of her wearing one around her neck all day with the big flash fixed to the side and also a bag of alternative twin lens focal lengths hung on her shoulder - that must have been fatiguing.

[@KentuckyDarkroom]

I love my Rolleiflex 3.5 K4B My favorite camera of over 50. Even with a few 4x5s I like that TLR better!

[@andrewinaustintx]

About two decades ago, I dropped the TLR habit after purchasing a mid-1950s Agfa Super Isolette medium format folder with rangefinder focusing and automat film advance. Image quality rivals, if not matches a Rolleicord. I now own two Agfa Super Isolettes. Of the budget Japanese TLRs, the Minolta Autocord was my favorite.

[@c.augustin]

Two Agfa Super Isolettes? I'm impressed! I have one, and the Agfa Solinar 3.5/75 mm I would say is superior to the Xenar 3.5/75 mm found in Rolleicords (I have a Rolleicord III) and earlier Rolleiflex cameras (I also have one, but it doesn't work well). The finder I'm not fond of, so I normally use a Voigtländer Kontur 6x6 finder for more accurate framing.

[@andrewinaustintx]

@@c.augustinThe 6x6 Kontur is a nice add on to the Super Isolette

[@c.augustin]

@@andrewinaustintx I also have the two close-up attachments (Proximeter I and II), but have used them only rarely (image quality degrades more than I hoped for).

[@edwardhickey-gg6rc]

They make a nice passport camera. Also they make a great land scape camera. They also have f stop of 22 which give a great depth of field. The only problem I had was I wish I had a faster shutter speed. 500 Great. 1000 is a little better. as

[@Dwarvenchef]

I use a YashicaMat, simple and enjoyable

[@devroombagchus7460]

I use a Rolleiflex. Simple and enjoyable. Extras: could use 220 rolls years ago, has parallel correction if you insist to use it close up, gives me more cash when I sell it.

[@thebendu33]

I use the yashica mat 124g. Not my go to camera, but I do need to use it more often

[@arnewoodman]

I wish people were honest with advice about strengths and weaknesses and suitability. My father - proud owner of a Rolleiflex TLR - bought me as my first 'serious' camera a Russian Lubitel TLR. He didnt hold with fiddly new-fangled Japanese 35mm. He meant well but could only 'see' photography from his own narrow perspective. TLRs are good for certain subjects and styles. But TLRs inherent parallax error, left/right viewfinder flip, lack of D.o.F visibility etc kill off close-up, telephoto, moving action and eye level shooting. And only 12 exposures per film is expensive and cumbersome to reload. And you can't shoot slides (well only with an adapter and considerable waste of film). Its tough being 14 using a TLR when your friend has an Olympus Trip. Could have put me off photography for life. But I eventually bought a Zenit SLR (with my own money) and the world changed. Did he learn anything from this? not much. He gave my younger sister a Zorki 4K. Nice camera for a certain kind of enthusiast. But for a 12 year old's first camera? heavy, awkward to load, no point in interchangeable lens if you only have one. And don't even get me started on exposure meters! He had a Weston, but we had to use a little calculator card with tables for time of day, weather condition, light or shade, film speed, and read-off an EV value.

[@mahardi.k.a]

i got mine the minoltacord similar as yours, but with the citizen shutter (1/300s as the fastest ss). is there any differences with the build quality, image quality, etc?

[@renemies78]

What type of strap would you recommend for TLR cameras? Thanks.

[@chrisloomis1489]

Got a 1957 Rollei TLR 75mm

[@JenniferM13]

I love TLRs. I currently have 3 Rolleiflexes but wouldn't say no to a fourth.

[@Astyanaz]

One thing I have noticed that the people who make the videos don't seem to have noticed, is that on eBay, cheaper TLRs are now selling for nearly as much as Rolleiflexes, sometimes more.

[@michaelcase8574]

If you ever run across an Ansco tlr take a serious look at it. It is built like a tank and very innovative in it's design. It's spendy but I believe it to be worth it.

[@tomallen6073]

TLR’s have a lot of curb appeal. I own a couple Yashicas, have not really shot with them yet, but if you take one out in public it will be a conversation starter.

[@kei_yw]

Own a Mamiya C200, looking for C200f

[@mugglepower]

so without the mirror, how come it's still a reflex camera tho? thinking about getting one of those little sharan mega house ones since i already load and shoot 8x11

[@medes5597]

They all use a mirror for the focusing viewfinder don't they?

[@stevecrawford3551]

Thank you. 😀

[@alfredbarten4901]

I'm not sure you told me why I should use a TLR other than I happen to like them and grew up using one.

[@jamesjacocks6221]

I believe that SLR cameras preceded TLR cameras. "Old fashioned" is a curious adjective. As with the Uncertainty Principle, the closer you get to the meaning, the less it means.

[@paullacotta5645]

Hi. Can you tell me name of your other channel please?

[@japanvintagecamera8869]

Here you go: kzbin.info/door/isSg81BqJ2hangEwAo17ww

[@Tahmaders]

My c330 is all out of whack with it's film winding.

[@josephasghar]

I had the ?220. Too cumbersome for my tastes. It’s a bit chunky.

[@Tahmaders]

@@josephasghar they're absolutely chunky, but I can't pass up on the interchangeable lenses

[@Robstrap]

4:51 this isnt true anymore bruh, basically every digital camera that came out in the last 5 years has a higher resolution than 35mm. Theres also mirrorless cameras that have way higher resolution than even medium format film now