What is your best pic from a cheepo M/F camera?

Hello All,

I have been seeing many pictures taken with the Holga plastic cameras

(quite well done), appearing on the net lately; so I thought I might

pose the question: What is the best picutes you have taken with a

medium format camera that you payed 50 dollars for less for? I would

upload a picture or two myself, but my el-cheepo scanner just went on

the fritz, so I guess the world will never see my great Ciro-flex

images or the wonderfull shots take with my Agfa Standard. <P>

I am also interested in debunking the myth that you have to mortage

your house to get a good medium format camera. Lets face it, when

you have all that negative area to play with, who needs a triple

coated, six element lens.

<P>

I can't wait to see what you guys have been doing with those 20

dollar cameras.

<P>

Mark

<i>...when you have all that negative area to play with, who needs a t

triple coated, six element lens</i>

<br>

So....why are you using a MF camera then...to get unsharp images spread over a larger area of film...?

<center>

<p><img

src="http://www.sljus.lu.se/People/Struan/pics/magnuscolic.jpg"

width=400 height=500 alt="Colic"><br>

<i>Colic. Ensign Carbine 6x9 folder from the 1930s.</i></p>

</center>

<p>Yup.</p>

Mark

Perhaps you would like the book called "beach" by Tim Hixson (Bangalley Press, Avalon, Australia). All done on Diana's and Holga's.

You might not be able to get the book, but you can look at some of his beach images at

http://www.timhixsonphotography.com.au/be.html?

I have just got a Diana for fun. See how it goes.

I also fully take your point, Richard.

Nick

<CENTER><IMG SRC="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=1430144&size=md" WIDTH=600 HEIGHT=591 BORDER=0 ALT=""></CENTER>

<P>

<CENTER><I>The Long Walk</I></CENTER>

<P>

<CENTER>Holga 120S, Ilford HP5+</CENTER>

<CENTER><IMG SRC="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-display?photo_id=1389622&size=lg" WIDTH=527 HEIGHT=530 BORDER=0 ALT=""></CENTER>

<P>

<CENTER><I>Borders</I></CENTER>

<P>

<CENTER>Windsor #151, Ektachrome 64T EPY</CENTER><br><br>

<p>

<p> I have a folder of recent Windsor images in my portfolio. If you haven't tried one of these medium format plastic cameras, you owe to yourself to do so. They will help you develop creativity rather than obsess over technical details and a $3,000 camera (and I have both Rolleiflex and Mamiya). I've only shot 4-5 rolls so far, but I find that I now take the camera everywhere since it weighs practically nothing and I have no fear of breaking it, losing it, etc.

Thanks guys,<P>

All these are great! I had hoped to see some picts from some slightly more obscure stuff, like maybe a Bioflex, or a Beauticord; but I enjoy seeing Holga stuff just the same.

<P>

Richard,<P>

I have a Bronica SQ with a 150mm lens that takes picutes that are too sharp! They appear cold and foreboading, I would rather shoot my Welta Trio with Gorlitz Trioplan lens, than make the iceberg images the 150 gives. If sharpness was the only consideration in image quality, then we would all be shooting 11x14 field cameras with 25 speed film. <P>

Thanks for the pictures,

<P>Mark

<img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-

display?photo_id=1177253&size=lg">

<br><br>

<img src="http://www.photo.net/photodb/image-

display?photo_id=1193190&size=lg">

<br><br>

Modified Holga 120S

Mark, not to come down on you at all but...

<i>If sharpness was the only consideration in image quality, then we would all be shooting 11x14 field cameras with 25 speed film. </i>

<br>

No..if we wanted full movements, less grain and the ability to enlarge to billboard sizes we'd do that :-)

Sharpness has little to do with film and nothing to do with camerabox :-)

Richard

Thanks to everone for the great pictures.

<P>

However Richard, Sharpness, has to do with a number of variables these are:

<P>1)Lens astigmatism or lack there of, in physics classes they call this Coma and spherical apparition.<P>

2) Resolving power of the film, a film capable of 500 lines/mm will not appear as sharp as one that can resolve 1000 lines/mm.<P>

3) What the photographer made of the resolving power of the film--how was it developed? <P>

4) Since sharpness will be judged in the final product as a print or projection; how many diameters will the final product be enlarged by? The sharpest negatives will become grainy when enlarged excessively making them appear less sharp.<P>

5) Movements on a camera can help to sharpen the focus, thereby making the picture sharper.<P>

Go and shoot your Blad and leave us low budget photographers alone (just kidding).

<P>Mark

I picked up a $15.00 Agfa Billy Record II that needed a thorough cleaning. This is the first photo taken with it after cleaning it up. It's a small grocery store, a couple of blocks from my home. Not bad for a 6x9 camera with a three element lens and no light meter.

http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/sandwich.jpg

Mark, a "spherical apparition". Aren't they the things you see in the sky on lonely nights in the desert??

You mean spherical aberration, one of 6 aberrations to be corrected in lenses. FWIW, "sharpness" is a visual perception of the combination of resolution (of lens, film whatever) and contrast.

It is possible to have high resolution-low contrast pictures that look less sharp lower resolution-higher contrast ones.

El cheapo lenses are poor on both, which is their reverse charm. False to compare them to good lenses though.

<i>Movements on a camera can help to sharpen the focus, thereby making the picture sharper.</i>

<br>

No. Movements can only achieve the perception of sharpness due to the depth of field applied. Movements doesn't have anything to do with sharpness in themselves. If you had a holga with movements - would it make your holga images sharper?

Spherical *aburrations* aside, I take it that part of the *kult* appeal for such a MF camera would be the vignetting and the less than optimal resolution of its plastic lens.

Sorry to change the subject, but I found the composition of the above photos to be well done. The vignetting adds nicely to the image of the bridge. I loved the composition in the photo with the borders of the fountain and the softening of the focus towards the edges, but was distracted by what appears to be a light leak.

In conclusion, I hope someone really does start a fad with these $25 shooters, just to boost 120 film sales.