Classic 120/ 6 x 6 photo with a TLR

[penfan2010]

I finally got back 2 rolls of old Kodax Plus X 120 film which I shot on my vintage Yashicamat 124 G twin lens reflex. There's still something to be said about shooting by looking down into a real ground glass with a reversed image, large, square negatives, and the soft look of film. Oh, and knowing you only have 12 shots to a roll. It really forces you to s...l....o...w......d...o...w...n when taking a photo. A good mental and visual break from shooting digital on an EVF.

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[gsciorio]

Love shooting film! I think you inspired me to take out some film this weekend. Thanks! Great shot BTW

 

[crsnydertx]

Very nice, and it brings back memories. My late father used a Yashica TLR in the late 1950's/early 1960's; I believe it was a "C". I'll bet my sister still has the camera stuffed away somewhere; I may have to see if we can bring it out of retirement for an encore!

 

[Crdome]

Thanks for sharing. Truly there is nothing better than film to make one consider the compositional components before snapping the shutter. You might inspire me to take one of my medium formats for a shoot. I have a ton of film in the freezer.

 

[RevBob]

I've heard a lot of younger folks sneer at film, but there was a great learning advantage to having a limited number of shots available and having to take time to be sure your settings were correct - no do-overs in the field. I also loved watching the image materialize in the developer, it was magical. There really is something to be said for the old ways even in the digital age . . .

 

[oldracer]

... the old ways ...

"Umbilical perspective," too. A pain to get these days unless you have an articulated LCD. The standard for Rolleis and Hassies as well!

 

[DHart]

The film look is nice.

My first camera was a hand me down Rolleiflex TLR that my dad gave me when I was about 10... this brings back great memories of looking down into that viewfinder. Unfortunately, it was stolen a number of years later and I replaced it with a Mamiya 6 TLR. Those were the days... the 1960's! :smile: There's something great about the simplicity of a TLR and, as you mention, the slower pace of creating images.

Many years later I shot for years with a Mamiya RB-67 and then progressed to a pair of RZ67s... still using the waist level finder before progressing to the prism attachments. (I still have the RZ system today, though haven't used in many years)

 

[Lawrence A.]

I've heard a lot of younger folks sneer at film, but there was a great learning advantage to having a limited number of shots available and having to take time to be sure your settings were correct - no do-overs in the field. I also loved watching the image materialize in the developer, it was magical. There really is something to be said for the old ways even in the digital age . . .

Though between darkrooms, I intend to set up a small one and continue to use my film cameras. Last night I developed a roll shot on my ancient Leica IIIb from 1936. The whole experience from shooting to developing was familiar and simply delightful. And I'm currently waiting for my Soviet Industar 61 L/D "normal" to have a coated normal lens for the same camera. I worked in photo labs, standing at enlargers (usually 3 or 4, from 4x5 to 8x10 to those on their sides on tracks projecting huge prints against a wall) and I've never lost the sense of wonder I first had in watching a black and white image emerge in the tray. I shot a lot of 4x5, and still love the slow, contemplative way of doing photography that it forces on you. There's nothing wrong with film.

I was saddened to realize that the Plus-X I shot might be my last, since Kodak no longer makes it. Another one bites the dust.

 

[penfan2010]

Thanks for all the comments and reflections. Nothing quite comes close to the experience of having a subject pop into focus on a large, waist level ground glass. Here's my beloved Yaschicamat, taken with my trusty E-P1 and the Panny 20.

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I've tried to pass along the importance of learning to shoot with film to my older boy, who has also gotten into photography. He started shooting with an Olympus E-410 4/3 DSLR, but since I gave him a Canon QL17 rangefinder for his birthday, it has become his primary shooting tool. Fixed manual focus lens, no working light meter, RF focusing, film - a great combo to learn on.

Lawrence, I just bought a whole bunch of chemicals to do film developing again myself. Looking forward to it!

 

[Lawrence A.]

Penfan2010: There's something about the familiarity of getting a roll on a reel, agitating and timing it after getting the chemistry to the proper temperature that pleases me. I spent a lot of time trying to learn and improve techniques in the craft of film and silver papers, and -- well -- we all like doing things we know how to do well. I was a good darkroom technician if nothing else.
Have fun!

 

[BSH]

My dad still has his old Rolleicord from the 60s. He replaced that in '76 with a Canon FTB (which I still have), then an A1, then a T90, then Canon DSLRs. I used the Rolleicord a couple times. It's funny, digital is just now getting around to having a viewfinder as large as those old waist-level finders on the TLRs.