FUTURE OF 120 FILM

[JPlomley]

My only concern with the ZI was build quality and potential resale value. There have been reports on the Rangefinder Forum of the ZI shipping with the rangefinder out of alignment and not standing up to the abuse that the Leica's can take. For me personally, I gravitate towards the 35mm lens for street work and as an eyeglass wearer, prefer a 0.58 VF. A further advantage of the 0.58 VF on the Leica M is that only the 35mm frame lines are present when a 35mm lens is mounted. This makes for an uncluttered VF akin to my Mamiya 7 with 65mm lens. Reportedly, the M7 has the quietist shutter of all Leica's. But it is no where near as silent as the leaf shutter in my Mamiya 7.

[Dphotography]

No it is not Dafoe.

[venchka]

...For me personally, I gravitate towards the 35mm lens for street work and as an eyeglass wearer, prefer a 0.58 VF. A further advantage of the 0.58 VF on the Leica M is that only the 35mm frame lines are present when a 35mm lens is mounted.

The Hexar RF has a 0.60 viewfinder. Sad to say that what is probably the best rangefinder body ever made has Zero repair support.

[lenser]

I don't know how you feel about sending film to the states and what crossing the borders might entail for commerce, but I've been delighted with Allied Photocolor in St,. Louis. Incredible range of services from all film processes through digital services and they are quite reasonable. Check them out at www.alliedphotocolor.com.

Good luck.

Tim

[mdd99]

In a recent PDN (travel issue), there was an article about a guy who travels around the world shooting for Travel and Leisure (and others). He hauls around 2 Pentax 67s, plus an RZ. He says the airport security people just love him when he shows up with 140 rolls of 120. Mike

[mawz]

Indeed .....they are both rangefinders.

Far more than that, they share a basic shutter & film transport design, as well as the basic RF arrangement, film loading arrangement, metering and other minor aspects. The ZI is a collaboration between Zeiss and Cosina, to make a top-drawer RF drawing from the experience Cosina had from the Bessa's and Ziess's optical expertise. The ZI is a definite step up from the Bessa's in quality, but the two lines are definitely related far more closely than just being rangefinders.

[Rob_5419]

Not to be outdone in the everlasting rangefinder squabblying tendencies of the 35mm communities to split hairs over atomic differences which import something I've yet to grasp, a step up to 120mm will bring us back to topic and remind us that 35mm rangefinders are essentially tiny 35mm rangefinders.

It's nice to have one to shoot with. Which one doesn't really matter for the least pernickety of us

[venchka]

Amen!

I have enough 120/220 film stashed in my fridge to keep my Pentax 6x7 fed beyond the ability of the stashed film to render a decent image.

[Bob Salomon]

Not to be outdone in the everlasting rangefinder squabblying tendencies of the 35mm communities to split hairs over atomic differences which import something I've yet to grasp, a step up to 120mm will bring us back to topic and remind us that 35mm rangefinders are essentially tiny 35mm rangefinders.

It's nice to have one to shoot with. Which one doesn't really matter for the least pernickety of us

120mm is 4x5. 70mm is/was medium format. So 120mm is a big step up from 35mm.

[CG]

OK - got it right now....

CG, don't know where you are in New Hampshire nd a lab in MA may be closer to you but have you tried Slide Specialists in Lebanon? Any size you shoot they process.

Hi there,

Thanks for the suggestion. At one point I obtained a web address from them, and the site now seems dead. I assumed - incorrectly - they had gone away like many other labs.

I'm very grateful you have told me they are still around. I will use them. I'm close enough to drive there when time is short. I'm at exit 8 / 9 off 89, so they're, ummm, a 30 or 40 minute drive away.

Thanks!

C