P3D Re: MF camera for stereo

[Brian Reynolds <reynolds@xxxxxxxxx>]

David wrote:
> I knew this would happen - I have been mounting MF stereo slides 
> for others for a while now and I can't take it any longer. I saw one 
> too many rolls last night and now I want to take the plunge and do it 
> myself.
> 

Welcome to the club.

> I would like some advice on a good MF camera. As much as some 
> people like the 'dreamy' quality of the Lubitel I demand pin sharp 
> focus and well balanced contrast. As much as some people like the 
> ease of a Sputnik I want the flexibility of dual cameras for 
> hyperstereos and the ability to sync for action shots. As much as 
> some people like Rollies or Hassys I can't afford that (the house 
> already got mortgaged for the RBT).
> 
> So what is out there? What should I expect to pay? Any and all 
> advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 

Lubitels tend to be pretty good (relatively speaking).  They have
three(?) element glass lenses (one thing the FSU did very well was
optics).  The Diana and Holga are the "dreamy" cameras.  Unfortunately
the Lubitels are no longer produced.  The Lubitels were worth the $40
each that I paid for mine, and I probably wouldn't have gotten into
stereo photography if they hadn't been available.

The Sputnik is an earlier camera from the same factory.  It hasn't
been produced in a while (since the 1960's(?)).  It uses the same
glass lenses as the Lubitel.  The Sputnik has more problems than the
Lubitel (in my experience).  Sputniks have light leaks, a shiny black
interior, and a very poor viewer.  There is information on the web on
how to correct most of these problems.  Black yarn or camera foam in
the light trap (groove running around the camera back) helps with the
light leaks.  Flocking or baffling the interior and using lens shades
should minimize the flare problems caused by the shiny interior.
Scale focusing or hyperfocal focusing helps with the viewfinder.
There is talk about a possible fix-up kit and a fix-up service.

The Seagull WWSC-120, currently being sold by Calumet
<URL:http://www.calumetphoto.com/>, has a bad reputation based on
previous Seagulls.  I've handled one in their NYC store, and the fit
and finish is up there with my rather worn Yashicamat 124G.  I don't
own one of these (yet?), so I don't know how good they are optically,
but Calumet stands behind their products and Photo Techniques USA has
put it on their list of 25 best cameras two years in a row (basically
as an outstanding value for the price).  I'm looking around to get my
Yashicamat overhauled.  If it costs too much I may just get one of
these instead.  Calumet sells these on their web page for $139.95.

What you pay for used cameras depends on where you are and how hard
you look.  In NYC used prices are very high because it is mostly
professionals selling off no longer needed equipment to the big stores
(B&H, Lens&Repro).  Yashicamats are currently overpriced due to an
increase in their popularity.  The less well known Ricoh and Minolta
TLRs are much cheaper.  Even the Rolleis aren't that bad depending on
which model you are looking for.  Most TLRs can't focus very close
(about 1 meter), but the Mamiya TLRs have a built-in bellows that
allows close focusing and interchangeable lenses (another feature most
TLRs do not have).  If you are planning on a twin rig you probably
want to consider the knob wind cameras, which will likely be cheaper,
because operating the crank wind cameras can be a pain in close
quarters (i.e., with the two cameras right next to each other).  If
you are going to twin two metal bodied cameras then you better get a
very sturdy bracket.

-- 
Brian Reynolds                  | "Dee Dee!  Don't touch that button!"
reynolds@xxxxxxxxx              | "Oooh!"
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds  |    -- Dexter and Dee Dee
NAR# 54438                      |       "Dexter's Laboratory"