richard baznik

I suggest you try the used market. About two years ago I bought for about $65 a used B+W 95mm Polaroid filter for my 50mm Bronica PG (for the GS-1) at a used gear fair. Shutterbug lists the schedule for these traveling markets.

 

A note on Polaroids for WA lenses: watch out for the "banding" affect in the sky.

I picked up my DLC last weekend at Midwest Photo and have spent evenings this week remounting lenses and learning the controls (I'm an amateur, and I have a day job). The weather for the weekend looks slightly promising, and I can't wait to get out there with it. The design is amazing -- it's lightweight and solid at the same time -- and the workmanship is excellent. No complaints here.

I've been shooting Leica for about 50 years -- since I was ten or so -- and my subjects are similar to yours. For MF I decided I did not want an RF system, but rather something that would be ideal for careful composition and the kind of architectural and nature details I favor. I've been using a Bronica GS-1, which is easily hand-held and has sharp optics. My travel kit is Leica M (with Tri-Elmar and "thin" 90mm Tele-Elmar) and the GS-1 (with 65mm and 150mm lenses and the AE prism and speed grip).

Another vote for Midwest, though I agree that Keh's ratings are very conservative. Midwest is a throw-back to an earlier era -- in all the good ways.

>>"Bronica lenses are as sharp as a steamed up window."

 

Come on! This is starting to look like the Leica forum!

 

I've traveled with a two-lens Bronica GS-1 kit,plus a Leica M system (all fitting on one smallish bag), and was happy to have taken the MF gear with me. The Mamiya 7 or Pentax 67 would probably be a bit more convenient, but my preferred overall MF choice (not just for travel) is the GS-1, so that's what I have.

 

BTW, Bronica optics are excellent.

The 100 PG is the traditional "normal" lens for the GS-1. It's a perfectly good lens -- sharp, contrasty, compact, and relatively light. It was the first lens I bought for my GS-1 and I still have it, though it gets proportionately less use than any of my others (50, 65, 150, and 200). For example, my preferred "walking-around" kit includes the 65 and the 150.

 

The newer 110 macro is a very nice lens, but considerably heavier and a tad slower than the 100. I have extension tubes in both lengths, so I don't feel a need to have a macro lens.

Pavel is accurate in his description. I would add only that Bronica makes a device that makes it easy to rotate the camera 90 degrees on a tripod, although it's awfully pricey. Bogen has a much cheaper -- though somewhat less convenient -- alternative. In certain circumstances I choose to use 6x6 format rather than rotate the camera. And hand-holding the GS-1 in portrait orientation is almost out of the question.

 

That said, the GS-1 remains my choice in 6x7 MF: excellent construction, wonderful optics, light in weight (relatively, that is), and currently great pricing -- I've bought my entire system used.

'Tis a good time to in the market for almost any kind of used film camera gear.

Slightly depressing the button on the Bronica cable release does NOT activate the meter. It releases the shutter. However, you can still half-depress the shutter release button on the camera body and activate the meter.

I went through this analysis about two years ago and decided to buy the L-508 because it is much more versatile than the dedicated spot meters from Pentax and Minolta. I've been pleased with it and have not regretted the choice.

Alex:

 

Glad you're enjoying the GS-1. My screen has the split-image method of focusing, though in relatively low light I find it much more effective to just use the regular parts of the screen to judge when the image is sharp.

 

My screen does not have the frames for 6x6 and 6x4.5 images, and I often wish it did. I used to use masks I cut out of old color negatives, but they proved to be more trouble than they were worth.

Are you sure the box of 20 exposures of Tmax is not Kodak's Readyload format? That format comes 20 to the box, vs. their plain sheet film, and it's much more expensive.

I've used a GS-1 system for a number of years now and like it very much. I agree that $2K is high, however. I've purchased my entire system (two bodies, six lenses, four backs, flash, AE prism, W/L finder, extension tubes, etc. -- on the used market. The optics are very sharp, and the overall build qualty is high. It doesn't bother me that the GS-1 has been discontinued, but then I'm not counting on it to make a living.

 

One comment about a digital back: There sesems to be no advantage (at least yet) in using a digital back on a MF system vs. using a 35mm-style digital SLR. You can get a complete digital SLR for less than the price of a decent MF digital back.

 

Most of my used GS-1 gear has come from Midwest Photo Exchange. They maintain a good supply and are very helpful.

A vote for the GS-1. Yes, it's discontinued, but that's nothing new -- even before it was discontinued you had to prod Tamron to tell you they made a 6x7 model. New gear is available at competitive prices, and prices of used gear are very attractive. The system is well designed and built, and their optics are superb.

 

I've used a GS-1 system for about six years now and have been quite pleased with it. Had to have one lens CLA'd, and had a body adjusted. I've bought every piece of the system (two bodies, five lenses, four backs, W/L, AE prism, flash, and other accessories) on the used market.

 

As a travel kit I like it. I take one body, two lenses, two backs, filters, shade, and AE prism. I can fit that plus a Leica M kit into a mid-sized shoulder bag.

Here's a vote for APX100 in HC110-B for either 120 or 4x5. Be careful you do not over-develop, however.

Shirley: Sounds like it's time for CLAs for both lenses. A couple of additional items: I presume you're using the "Time" setting (vs. the "Auto" setting) for those long exposures, right? And make sure the "Time" setting isn't somehow being engaged when you want shorter exposures.

There was a time when I shot mostly TMX and TMY, and I slavishly used Tmax developer for them both. I started experimenting with APX100 and naturally tried souping it in Tmax. Very bad results: the shadows blocked up, and the highlights were gone. Now I use HC110-B or Rodinol 1:50 for APX100 in medium and large format.

At -10C my Bronica GS-1 was fine except that the battery power drained quickly. If I were going to do that regularly, I'd invest in one of those small extension battery packs that you keep inside your jacket and connect to the camera by insulated wire.

We stayed at the Smithsonian camp that's about 1.3 miles from the base of the mountain, and I will never forget being awakened in the middle of the night by the rumbling of the volcano and looking out the large picture window of the room to see the peak of the mountain erupt in a shower of reds and yellows. We stayed up the rest of the night.

With sufficient light, NPS at box speed is the best choice among those you mention. I also use NPH ay box speed quite a bit for MF portrait work, however, and have not been disappointed.

Donald:

 

Bronica (Tamron) recommends against lithium cells for the GS-1 because they keep on functioning at reduced power rather than simply cutting out, resulting in unpredictable results late in the power cycle.

 

For cold weather use, consider the remote power adapter, essentially an extension cord from the camera body to a battery that you tuck into one of your own pockets to keep it warm. I've never seen one up close, but I've seen pictures of them and they seem well designed.

The Pentax 67 makes sense, but if you're planning to do portraits the Mamiya 7 (a rangefinder) is not a good idea because it will present critical focusing problems up close.

 

My perennial 6x7 recommendation is the Bronica GS-1, which meets all your specs except the autofocus (not available on any 6x7 I know of) and spot metering (likewise). They're very affordable on the used market, with good build quality, excellent optics, TTL, AE prism, and the flexibility to shoot in 6x4.5, 6x6, or 6x7 formats.

Marrigje: Before I added the 50mm, I thought the 65mm was wonderful. Now I use it only in special situations, generally preferring the added scope and sharpness of the 50. It's a bit slower and it takes those expensive 95mm filters, but the images are superb.

 

As for the 200 vs. the 150, I seldom carry both at the same time. The 150 seems better for landscapes and general use, while the 200 is great for portraits.

 

An exception to my comment on the 50/65 lenses is that I carry the 65 and the 150 as an all-purpose light-weight kit when traveling with medium format gear. They use the same filters, both are very compact, and the range works for me.

I've never used one, but I've seen one. They're primarily for portraits, and they allow the user to focus and adjust composition after the film is loaded, eliminating the uncertainty arising from being unable to see what the camera sees for a period of time before actually releasing the shutter.

The best source of information I know on Zeiss lenses is Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>. You can also consult Barringer and Small, "The Zeiss Compendium." I can tell you that the 1940s vintage 135mm LTM Zeiss Jena lens I have is superb, though the high-carbon steel used for the barrel is no longer bright and shiny.