Originally Posted by
monochromeFan
Im interested in light weight. Hence my interest in the press cameras, meant to be hand held and fold up smoothly. I do admit that the big rail cameras can be had rather cheaply for the body, but the NEED of a huge tripod is not a fun one. Some sellers are listing the calumet 4x5 rail camera as being 18 pounds WITHOUT a lens, lens board, or film holders.
There ARE preffered options to the back and how it holds film.
But for a starter outer.. its rather hard to keep from getting screwed on a lens as the lenses dont say what format they are for, and the sellers dont want to say.
I ended up getting creamed on a "really nice condition, almost mint TLR" a few years ago,, beautiful exterior condition. focused fine, shutter was sticking badly. TO get it repaired correctly without destroying the leather, tripled my overal cost for getting into TLR. Hardly ever use it sadly.
Its hard to get the reading material right, but the press camera with its handholding power, and its claimed ability to use lenses with higher powers and faster shutters, in general, is nice. I plan on taking a camera with me to work every day and with the people i work with... it has to stay in my car and get damaged in summer, or be in my tiny locker under pad lock.
Ive had coworkers rearrange the items in my lunch for me. I mean, i make my dinner and the sausage is UNDER the rice, i go to eat it and the sausage is ON top of the rice, strange fingerprints from them trying to get into my phone. things like that.
I dont mind the idea of using roll film backs for it, im used to 120/220 via my mamiya 645. I have been thinking on getting myself a univeral glass carrier for my beseler 23c. I can do 2x3 negatives on it last i checked, and not need anything new.