[Leica] Speaking of medium format, Folders

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 7/4/05 5:39 AM, "Mark Langer" <langeratcarleton@gmail.com> typed:


> 
> Finally, medium format folders make superlative travel cameras.  Sure,
> a Rolleicord is light, but not particularly copact.  Folders take up
> very little space and tend to be light -- this may be relative, but
> even the heavy Super Ikonta B is a featherweight compared to some
> TLRs, like the Mamiyas or the Kalloflex.  When you are schlepping your
> luggage by yourself, every pound saved is a blessing.
> 
> Is anyone else a medium format folder maven?
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
The idea of slipping a camera out of my jacket pocket as if it was a Leica A
and snapping a picture and slipping it back but having that picture on a
nice chunk/slab of Brownie film (medium format) has always seemed like a
dream come true to me. In the future tense.
Folders always seem so dirty and beat up when I see them at swap meets and
the few I've seen at camera stores used cases.
The ones I've seen in books seem great.
One hears that the odds of getting one with no bellows problems (leaks,
pinholes, creases, maggots) is 50 50.
Its the bellows thing which scares me off I'm sure when I run into them and
they have a piece of dust on them.
I don't mind that I just need to know the person to send it to to have it
fixed. CLA'd even. Which I'd think of as part of the price of buying an old
camera which I'd take seriously in using.
And from the ones I've run into they all seem to be 620 not 120. Very
frustrating. Not all but most.
But sooner or later I'll end up having one in my jacket pocket which I'm
using all the time and loving it.
Moving to an area of the country where I'd be wearing a jacket all summer.

If I was going to get into "collecting" folders would seem to be an ideal
target. They are the coolest cameras at the lowest price and the usability
factor being the question mark. 50 50 about the idea of having a bunch of
cameras which would maybe make unscathed pictures and maybe not every time I
take one for a spin.

Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/