joobass

Many people still uses TLR's(I myself have 3). Most models are old with fixed lens. To My knowledge the only TLR's on the market with interchangeable lens are Mamiya TLR's(you can only get secondhand), but the are heavy and bulky, I've never used them and in fact never actually seen them in person. Yashicamat is cheaper it has fixed lens- but to me they are even more rare to see. A Chinese make TLR is on the new product market, they cost about $250(+/-) " Seagull 4B-1 - also fixed lens with 80mm standard lens", they take tolerabel pictures( I have one and ised them often). Other TLR's are the original, the rolleiflex. they too have fixed lens. at present 3 models are sold and probably produced: 2.8FX(80mm standard). 4.0FW(50mm wide angle), and 3.5FT( 135mm tele lens). and older model of FX is the 2.8GXthey cost about USD $15,000 to 20,000(used). the meter is good and they are light and compact, they take excellent picture. I Myself rate their picture better than the hasselbads. this opinion of very subjective(don't get me wrong, I love my hassys too). Well it your pick, but if you ask me get the 2.8Gx if its yuor first time expireience with TLR, or if you want practice first than the Seagull 4B-1 and upgrade later.

First I like to thank you all for sharing your experiences with me.

I don't know how to post picture in the thread, sorry so I can't show you the actual pictures, I tell you they are beautiful. They have the classic look with the modern feel to it. When I show my wife my Leica M6 TTL her first reaction was " How could you spend so much money on a such old out dated machine!", but when I showed her the Rollei she said "It must cost a fortune!". Well she couldn't really understood my interest in cameras, and probably never will. After living with me for nearly 20yrs, she almost gave up stopping me collecting more cameras. I did try to get my self a Mamiya TLR for the past year and half, but couldn't find it. I guess Mamiya TLR were never popular here in Korea. To obtain it through e-bay or anyother internet seller's there are too many obsticles. Maybe in the future if I have a oppurtunity to travel to US or Japan I might look it up.

The first TLR I own was a chinese make camera Seagull, I still own it. it was

a simple camera that took not to bad picture, especially B&W Portraits. It was

simple and fun to take pictures with, but I must say its craftmanship was very

sloppy, but I think its worth its price, I paid 200,000 Korean won(about

US$154 in 1998 exchange rate) for it about 8yrs ago. Nayway after tring it

out, well I wanted to buy a true TLR(?) and I bought myself a Rollei 2.8GX(in

2000) and it was a terrific camera and I really had great fun using it. I gave

my Seagull to my 5th grade son to take pictures with and teaching him to

develop films. I hope he likes it. I carry it with me about 70% of the time.

It is light, simple to use, its meters are accurate. No hassel of carrying

extra lens and exchanging lens. Just yesterday I bought another TLR -

Rolleiflex 4.0FW I'm very excited about the purchase(Not My wife-she's very

sore about it) and can't wait to try it out this weekend.

Over the past 30 years I've collected about 20 cameras and assortment of lens

and accessories, I'm more of camera freak than a photographer. I like cameras

because they record what I saw in my life time and show how I lived to my

future generations. to me photography and cameras were the greatest invention

man made. I don't like taking digitals too much, but they are OK too.

I just wrote my thought's and I hope I haven't offended anyone.

Hassel X-pan I and II are both were made by Fuji. The same camera sold under fuji name was Tx-1 and Tx-2 X-pan II and TX-2 had slight improvements done on older models(Don't know what I only have expirience with X-pan II) anyway Fuji model was about 20 ~ 30% cheaper and had interchangeables lens with hassel model(I think).

The quality was same. So if you are considering X-pan you check up Tx models too.

When I restarted(2yrs ago) developing my B&W and colour slide films, I felt very lonely. I hardly hear anyone developing films here in Korea today but when I visit photo.net I feel corfortable knowing that there are still many people developing their films world wide for work or for just fun. Many lucks to you all and may 2007 be a blessful year to you all.

I too suggest M6TTL + 50mm f2 or f1.4. I have 500mm f1.4 sometimes noctilux 50mm f1.0 would be cool, but I ever quit felt the need for it. thus I'm very happy with my M6-TTL + 50mm f1.4. I also have the MP and 35mm f2.0, but to be honest, I perfer M6TT over MP and 50mm over 35mm.

Larry, I don't know how old you are, but I'm 48 now I've been using leica M6TTl and MP for several years. I had great fun with so I want to try out medium format RF camera and two weeks ago I bought a new non-used Mamiya 7 II with 43mm lens and standard 80mm lens. I too had some minor problems focusing manually with my leicas(especially in the darker environment) due to presbyopia which started about 4 - 5 yrs ago. I didn't expected it, but to me focusing with my new Mamiya was lot more comfortable than the leica's and as stuart has shown above me, they take excellent picture. You focus using the original RF window and frame it with the view finder which comes with the 43mm lens. So you won't regret it, at least I don't.

If you are gonig to keep the FM2n, I adivce against it.

When I got my first AF camera(F90x) I kept my F3 but changed most MF lens(I kept my 18mm) to AF lens because my F3 can take the AF lens.

That was a big mistake. Although Iwas right about using MF lens on AF cameras and the otherway around, To me MF lens worked best on MF cameras and true for the opposite too. with digital the sensor size is smaller therefore D-lens wrok best for digitals. So wait till you can afford a new D-lens(e.g. 17-55mm zoom - an excellent lens yeilding very sharp images) and in the mean time use the MF lens on your D-80. Also some recent new lens don't have aperture ring therefore you only use minimal aperture if you use it on your FM2.

P.S.: Quality of AF lens are as good as MF lens or better in some.

I don't think phils thought is worth discussion here. His reveiw was good and interesting, and I assume he is a canon fan. Well that is fine with me. He is free to have his thoughts and idea, even though I don't agree. I have owned my Nikon system for over 30yrs and have no intension of changing to Canon,if I wanted I would of done it 10yrs ago. I still own Nikon MF lens and camera that still works of AF bodies and DSLR(D2x). I don't think Nikon will fall like Minolta, thay may remain No.2 forever or recaim No.1 place, nobody knows. In the past who had thought that Canon would push aside Nikon and take the No. 1 place, or oneday Sony might take the No.1 place. Future is impossible to predict and nobody knows, but what I know for certain is that there will be no monopoly in a any single market.

I think it is a problem of getting used to it. I have both 503CW and Rolleiflex 2.8GX which I love very much(Both). At first it was difficult getting used Rt. to lt. orientastion waist level finder after having used to prism findcer when I got the 503CW But than as got used to it it was fine and very esy to use. with TLR(2.8GX) the hassy had the shutter speed and aperature adjustment on the lens, but with TLR it had it on each side of the lens and it was confusing at first this to is ssovled with time. Both are really great cameras yeilding satisfactory results. Just get used to it.

I own both PME-45 and CW winder. I tried tham togather, but to use them togather, It is just too bulky, and people like me who has cervical disk problem may cause some problem. I don't use them togather now days, but I occasionally use it sepreately.

I think this question must be answered by yourself, because I think it is a preferance that is at stake. I hve both M6TTL and MP. MP has a better RF, but M6 film rewind is more useful than MP, If you are economically willing, get MP in M& body on a le carte. Both cameras are really super camera's.

To me the greatest advantage of nikon system is that you don't have to change the lens to after changing the body.

That is all present nikon lens fits the F3 body, there maybe some limitations though as "G" lens with no aperture ring.

and all old manual lens can be mounted on current bodies, although you can't autofocus manual lens of AF bodies. that was the main reseon I stayed with nikon when they went AF and digital too.

I thought of the canon back than, but than I would have to change all the lens, I never regreted my descision.

I've been playing with photography since I was 17(30yrs ago) and collecting cameras and lens, to my ingorance I thought only SLR's were worth investment. Reulting in building hasselblad, Nikon and leica-R system.

Only recently did I realize that many pros and serious photographers use RF camreas and TLR cameras.

So I started investing in leica M system and last year got Rollei 2.8Gx for $2000. it was worth getting.

The rollei was compact, easy to use, gets crisp sharp pictures. I think if you get the 2.8D, you won't regret it. Street price for 2.8D I have no I dea, so i can't remark on that. All I know is that Rollei TLR f2.8 cameras are great joyful camera.

Same to you Karl and everybody else in this forums. I Korea year 2007 started earlier than most of you.

Myfavortie is M6TTL, 50mm/f1.4, Rollei R3 film

If were you I would buy what ever lens I can afford and use it, and I my economic state improves, I'll buy the lens I want.

My first leica was an MP with it I bought a Biogon 35mm/f2.0 zeiss lens and 90mm/f3.5 voigtlander lens for several month until I could afford my Leica-M lens, when I did get my 35mm/f2.0, 50mm/f1.4 lecia lens I liked my first lenses that I still holdiing on to them.

I thank you all for your advice, I think I'll test the 85B filter and the photoshop and compare the results.

Couple of days ago I found about 12 rolls of Tungsten light balanced film in

the freezer of our house, they have about 4 month to expiration date. My house

is mostly lighted by flourescent light, so I wnat to try it out in the day

light when I took some test shots overall tone was blue. can anybody tell me

what filter I should use to compensate this blue tone.

I think it is a choice you won't regret it. I didn't.

Also My X-pan II is just 1and 1/2 years old, but has never malfunctioned.

Why would you want to do that?

Is there any benefit to it over using its own lens or camera.

I use several phtographic systems, to me Nikon lens works best on Nikon bodies and leica-M lens to M camera and R lens to R body.

Also Nikon als makes good if no excellent macro lenses. May be I Ignorant, but to my simple thoughts, your method would ruin both the lens and the camera body, and economically not sound.

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I do hope that film industry do make a come back. I know they are still active, but declining In Japan I think only Nikon makes film cameras, but it is just time before they too stop and go all digital.

I know digital technology has developed fast with imporved quality in images. I myself has a digital camera along with my film camera.

Dica is simple and fast with quick results, but it can never replace the feel and the fun I get from film camera( taking picture -> processinf the film -> selection for printing - finally printing: to me the whole process itself is art). I know it tkae time and effort to manipulate images I take on photoshop, but it is nothing compared to processing the film and pictures as a whole. I also don,t like autofocus, I enjoy manual focus very much and It is part of the fun.

After nearly 30yrs of taking film photography, I would hate to give it in the future, I also invested heavy to.

Well think it over carefully, both X-pan II and TX-II are both out of production and rare to find new or used(Here in Korea, at least).

they take great panorama pictures, are excellent adjuvant to my Leicas. I always carry my M^, MP and the X-pan II. Just yesterday about 20cm of snow fell in Seoul area a rare site now days The scenary was great for the X-pan panorama shots that leica could not make. So think twice before you make the choice.

When leica was first introduced the first 35mm still camera, there was nothing else that was possible except taking pictures, thus they produced everything that was needed to take the picture, process the film and finally print the film(This is what remember reading on the internet some years ago about leica history), and when i was in in late teens, I remeber seeing a leica enlarger, which was much too expensive so I had to buy the cheepest available enlarger which was "Lucky" B&W enlarger, at that time "Durst" and "LPL" was like Nikon or canon in the enlarger industry. Lucky was good but still a slightly lower class, I've never used leica enlarger, but that were expensive wityh leica lens, that was about 30yrs age. Anyway, due to the fact that they made and sold everything from taking picture to printing it they made it possible for 35mm format cameras to take off.