The Pentacon looks just like a standard 35mm SLR, although it is a little taller, a little wider and a little deeper. It is also heavier although does not feel particularly unwieldy in use.
Tag: Medium Format Film Camera
Camera review: A love letter to my Hasselblad 500CM
After graduating from college in 2020 my parents gave me a Hasselblad 500CM as a graduation present. I had been wishing for a Hasselblad since learning about them. As a quick introduction, Hasselblad is legendary within analogue photography circles, from photos on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission (I can recommend the 2019 documentary […]
Camera review: The utilitarian Kiev 60
The Kiev 60. It was the camera that got me into medium format film photography, and for better or worse, the one that I love, and the one that frustrates me the most. A Soviet tank of a camera — the T-34 if you will — it’s not one that you want to lug up […]
Medium format film camera showdown: Contax 645 vs Pentax 645NII
I love medium format cameras but sometimes I feel a bit lazy: I just want to shoot a camera that is quick and convenient to use. That is when I reach for my trusty Pentax 645NII. It is a medium format film camera, but at the smallest end of what’s officially medium format. The Pentax […]
Same format, different story: Making the switch from a Pentax 67 to a Mamiya 7ii
I had been meaning to get into the medium format 6×7 game for a while and I finally bought the Pentax 67 (the “middle” version before the 67II) at an auction. For a long time, it was my go-to medium format camera. We had a real love-hate relationship. I loved the 105mm lens and hated, […]
The Analogue Studio Polaroid conversion kit for the Mamiya RB67
I get easily excited about the little things. Whether it’s a new film stock, a film stock revived from the dead (come on Agfa Vista 400!), a new camera, a newly discovered old camera, or literally anything with the word Mamiya in it, my creativity starts rolling and I get my butt off the couch […]
Norita 66 system review: Pleasure and pain from my need for speed
Hello. My name is Aivaras and I am a bokeh junkie. I got into film photography mostly because of my ability to play with limited depth of field and I still can’t let it go. However, there are minor signs of remission; I already managed to understand that in the 35mm film world at least, […]
Zenza Bronica ETRS: Not exactly the poor man’s Hasselblad
The Bronica has been described as the poor man’s Hasselblad. That is just wrong, as I hope to demonstrate through this article. When I began my journey back to film photography, I looked at Rolleiflex cameras first, but finally settled on the Hasselblad 500C/M — of which I have two now. I recently decided to […]
The best (and worst) film cameras of the 1990s
My take on the 10 “best” film cameras released during the 1990s. It’s not a countdown in the traditional sense and “best”…well…
GAS and the “wrong” camera: Skateboarders with the Pentax 6×7 in Singapore
I suffer from GAS: Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Even as I write this I have a painfully expensive Mamiya 6 on its way from Japan because I just had to have a medium format camera that’s light and easy to carry. You know, because my 35mm cameras are great, but what if I find myself in […]
A complete guide to the Mamiya RZ67, part five: conclusion and personal stories
This five-part review has taken the best part of three years to complete. At over 40,000 words, I admit that it is quite long (!) but I wanted it to be as detailed and as precise as possible. To the best of my knowledge, no book has ever been written about the Mamiya RZ67 Professional, […]
The mighty Salyut-S; Or how I learned to love a Hasselbladski
While there were a number of different models made – see below – the Soviet copy of Hasselblad’s 1600F modular camera is commonly known as a Kiev, which was both a model name and a reference to it’s place of manufacture, The Arsenal, or more correctly, the Arsenal State Enterprise of Special Instrumentation in Kiev […]
A complete guide to the Mamiya RZ67, part four: maintenance and miscellaneous accessories
Over the past three weeks, I have introduced you to the Mamiya RZ67 Professional camera, its series of film holders and the extensive lens system. In this, part four of the series, I will introduce you to the main system accessories and some basic maintenance/troubleshooting concepts. The neck strap After purchasing my RZ, the first […]
A complete guide to the Mamiya RZ67, part three: lenses, filters and accessories
Welcome back to part three of this guide. We’ve already covered a deep overview of the Mamiya RZ67 Professional system as well as a look at the system’s film holder options. For part three, I’ll be covering the lenses. If you’ve read the previous two parts, you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of the […]
A complete guide to the Mamiya RZ67, part two: film holder system
Welcome to part two of this short but exhaustive series of articles on the Mamiya RZ67 Professional camera system. In part one I gave you a deep overview of the RZ67 system; its history, breadth, basic steps to taking your first photograph, focusing and use cases. Part two dives deep into the RZ’s revolving back, […]
A complete guide to the Mamiya RZ67 Pro: part one – deep system overview
The Mamiya RZ67 is very interesting and in many ways, an unusual camera. It’s not very easy to operate and a little bit slow if you’re not used to it, so it’s maybe not a camera for everybody. It’s also huge and a bit heavy and was primarily created for studio work and landscapes for […]
The Bronica ETR: 40 years old but not an old dog
When I came back to film photography in early 2018, very soon I wanted to try medium format film. Not being sure if I would like it with its lesser number of photos per roll compared to a 35mm film…
My first Impressions with the Bronica ETRSi
I was recently tempted to get into medium format more seriously and began around looking for the camera that would allow me to do so.
Camera review: The Pentacon Six TL, a (hopefully) comprehensive guide to a legend
The Pentacon Six TL is a phenomenon of a camera.
Camera Review: Mamiya 645 Pro, plastic fantastic? – Kikie Wilkins
In 1975, Mamiya introduced their M645 series of medium format cameras. The M645 series have been very successful over the years, continually being upgraded and refined.