Re: Hello from newbie in MD.

[erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Greg Erker)]

>There are alot of good TLRs out there to choose from, the Diacord
>is one, Yashica Mat 124Gs are quite respectable.

  124G's are probably out of Lattie's $100
price range, but non-G 124's might be close.

  My sources tell me that the f2.8 viewfinder
lens on the 124G makes it easier to focus than
older Rolleis, Autocords and even the f3.2 Ricohmatic
225 that I have.

>Another series
>of options are the Mamiya Cxxx series of TLRs with interchangable
>lenses. For example, one inexpensive way to get a TLR is to find
>an old plain-jane Mamiyaflex body (from $20-$70) and add a new 80
>mm lens, typically sold for the Cxxx series ($70-$80 used).

  They are big and heavy but if you don't mind
semi-hypers they should be nice.

  The f2.8 lens makes these ones easy to focus
too (at least on later C-series bodies). Don't
know what the focusing screen is like on the
Mamiyaflex.

  Mamiya TLR's also have the advantage of
interchangable lenses. John B. would roll over
in his grave if he weren't still alive :)
but it may be handy sometimes to take a photo
with a wider or more tele than normal lens
(even though you are going to view it with
80mm lenses).

  I don't know about siamesing these TLR's
but as I've said before I think the Mamiya
TLR lenses would be idea for a scratch built
MF stereo camera. Assuming the shutter blades
can be linked, you could have interchangable
lens plates with different FL lenses.

  Actually you could do it even if they aren't
linkable but then they wouldn't be nearly as
nice for building a camera (flash sync problems,
retinal rivalry from moving objects and slight
exposure differences).

Greg