[Russell W. Barnes]

I'm thinking of giving 120 roll film another go, and can only think that selling the Yashica TLR I used for years and that stood on top of my wardrobe latterly as 'a good idea at the time...'

Anyone had any success with folding 120 cameras? Apart from leaky bellows and misaligned lenses, are there any other issues I need to look out for? What cameras should I keep away from and what are desirable? I'd prefer an uncoupled rangefinder one with a fast(ish) lens. I don't want to spend millions, you understand.


All comments appreciated.

[pathdoc]

Folding cameras - from the days when f/5.6 was FAST, and 100 ASA was cutting-edge.

Every time I think about getting into folders, I remember that.

[TwoUptons]

I have a couple folders that I enjoy, primarily for the convenience and aspect ratio.

If I want top quality images, I never go for the folders. But they are a hoot.

That might be different if mine were better... but they are all slower zone-focusers...

-Eric

[Mikesul]

Are these still available? New? Or used in good condition?

[Johndav]

I'm thinking of giving 120 roll film another go, and can only think that selling the Yashica TLR I used for years and that stood on top of my wardrobe latterly as 'a good idea at the time...'

Anyone had any success with folding 120 cameras? Apart from leaky bellows and misaligned lenses, are there any other issues I need to look out for? What cameras should I keep away from and what are desirable? I'd prefer an uncoupled rangefinder one with a fast(ish) lens. I don't want to spend millions, you understand.

I suppose the golden era for 120 folders was the 1950s when coated lenses became more common. One model I have read good things about is the Konica Pearl; the later incarnations - III and IV with f3.5 Hexar lenses, seem the most desirable but these rarely appear outside of Japan. A lot of cameras do come with f3.5 lenses and some occasionally come with f2.8 lenses (like the Certo-Six) but given the vintage you'd need to factor in a CLA unless the seller has done this already.
Are you fully on board with a folder because the issues you highlighted (light leaks and misaligned lenses) will be less likely with a TLR and you have experience using these?

[Russell W. Barnes]

.
Are you fully on board with a folder because the issues you highlighted (light leaks and misaligned lenses) will be less likely with a TLR and you have experience using these?

The last time I had a folder in my hand was about forty years ago and I've never used one in anger. I've had a Yashicamat 124G and, later, an older Yashica TLR which was a lovely camera and in good nick. I bought it for £65 in 1985 and I sold it for £65 about five years ago.


I'm not ruling out another TLR by any means, but I like how a folder, er, 'folds'! I'm aware of limitations of shutter speed and the need (probably) to zone-focus and keep a tight aperture but I won't be doing any action shots with it. I like how it's the archetypal camera represented as such on road-traffic speed-camera signs: everyone recognises it as a camera irrespective of their age and who may have never even seen one 'in the flesh'.

[disconnekt]

Are these still available? New? Or used in good condition?

I've seen them on shopgoodwill.com (here: Listings - shopgoodwill.com) for cheap, usually around $10 bucks or so. Also check the "Film Camera" section too, sometimes they mis-catagorize cameras at times, so they'll be in one or the other.

[HomeMadeSin]

I'm interested in this also. I have my grandfather's folder (technically a 620) that I'll keep for sentimental reasons if nothing else. It's a Kodak Vollenda 620 (German made but picked up by Kodak at some point), with the Compur f4.5 Anastigmat if anyone cares. But it is tough to get a good shot, especially out in the sun. I did get a decent shot indoors at a foundry (if only I moved it a bit to the right.......):



I got so hot and bothered about the 6x9's that I bought another Kodak for cheap (Junior 620 with original manual and soft case). Picture quality is poor so it'll be for decoration. I then bought a Zeiss Ercona from certo6 on Fleabay and a Ikon Nettar 515/2 on shopgoodwill.com but neither turned out to be worth the effort. I love the format (or even wider) but my patience level just isn't there yet.

Z

[Russell W. Barnes]

Had a 'what the hell' moment last night and bought a Balda Mess-Baldix 6x6. It appears to have been made in 1954 and was described as 'working condition' so we'll see... I can get 1940s and 1950s radio sets and telephones and multimeters going again and working satisfactorily so I'll consider it a fair challenge.

It'll be a nice 'lunch-time' project and if it does indeed work faultlessly, it'll be a bonus!

[Johndav]

Good luck, it's a nice looking camera - I hope you can post up your results soon

[Russell W. Barnes]

'I hope you can post up your results soon'

I shall, John. When it comes I'll give it a once-over and have a play then I'll run a B&W film through it. I've never had a 120 in the spiral - had a 127 though! - so I expect there'll be some minor swearing and the occasional 'tut', but hey-ho... I'll never learn younger!

[Mr Bassie]

I found a folder at my local thrift store a few months back and have yet to use it. I see them in thrift stores pretty regularly so if I was looking for one that is where I would look.

[lesmore49]

The last time I had a folder in my hand was about forty years ago and I've never used one in anger. I've had a Yashicamat 124G and, later, an older Yashica TLR which was a lovely camera and in good nick. I bought it for £65 in 1985 and I sold it for £65 about five years ago.


I'm not ruling out another TLR by any means, but I like how a folder, er, 'folds'! I'm aware of limitations of shutter speed and the need (probably) to zone-focus and keep a tight aperture but I won't be doing any action shots with it. I like how it's the archetypal camera represented as such on road-traffic speed-camera signs: everyone recognises it as a camera irrespective of their age and who may have never even seen one 'in the flesh'.

I have a 120 folder, a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta B. It's ok, but I prefer my Mamiya 220 Pro F TLR 6X6. The end product, the quality of picture, is better in my experience. I like both, but prefer a TLR, particularly the Mamiya 220/330 line. I have a Yashicamat 124 G and it's a nice little camera, but my heart belongs to the Mamiya TLR.

Just saw your post on your new purchase. Sounds like you'll have a lot of fun with that 'new' camera and after all, a major part of photography is the fun factor.

[Russell W. Barnes]

My camera came Friday and looks in good nick. The rangefinder 'ghost' was a bit faint so I removed the top cover and cleaned the optics - except the projection glass, which I didn't touch - with a cotton bud and some isopropyl alcohol. When I replaced everything I must've misaligned the distance wheel very slightly as the rangefinder was about a foot out (at 4'). I replaced it and adjusted the little screw in the back slightly so 4' on the dial equates to 4' on a tape-measure and infinity equates to above 50'. The ghost is now much clearer and the view through the finder brighter.

I didn't do any scientific checks with the Prontor shutter other than to see that the speeds varied with respect to each other and looked 'about right'. All very smooth anyway. Tested it with a flashgun and the X position is fine - didn't check 'M' position. I actually have about five unused flashbulbs left and a Zeiss Icoblitz folding flashgun, but I need a new battery for it (or make up a stack of cheap 'pound-pack' 3V lithium cells)! Lens looks fine and bellows appear sound but I'll tell better when I examine the negs under a glass on the lightbox. They're hanging up to dry as I type.


However... I made a bit of a horlicks of loading the film! I put an Ilford FP4 in it and as I was winding it onto the start, mistook the thick black bar for the number 1. Subsequently I lost the first four shots and had blank film at the end. I was looking for a big fat number through the red window and it's likely quite a faint number as I found when I examined the backing paper. D'oh...

I also found that there is a 5mm overlap between frames, so I wound the backing paper back onto the spool, pretended it was a film and ran it through. I observed that the frame counter is slightly out-of-kilter with the number in the red window, although I'm wondering if this is because the backing paper alone is of less diameter than if it had a film in it. Now I know how to start the film at the right place I can check this as I go. I was relying on the Baldix frame counter and should've checked the window.

Anyway... The negs look fine and I'll tell better tomorrow. I'll have to photograph the negs on my lightbox with my Sony RX100 II until I get a set of extension tubes for my 5D Mk:1 and I can use that. I don't have a 6x6 scanner.

Having fun with it anyway!

[Johndav]

I have heard that backing paper thickness changed over the years and this can affect cameras with automatic counters; but of course if you've set the counter to start at the wrong bit will this have been a factor?