Quote Originally Posted by guitstik View Post
Blads aren't bad, I have three but I use the Mamiya's, especially the 645.
The older folding style cameras are still pretty usable, and there were a lot of top grade models, like the Super Ikonta, Agfa Anscs, Perkeos, Mamiyas, etc, and particular the Voigtlander Bessa II. I have had a fair number (got some on display and three boxes of misc folders), but like the Bessa II best - whopping 6cm x 9cm negative, superb lens (three models) and an excelent co-incident image viewfinder.

The Baby Speed Graphic (6cm x 7cm I thin) is another contender - very functional camera with interchangeable backs, a small version of its 4x5 inch format bigger brother - I have had both, but only kept the baby.

For 6cm x 7cm the old interchangeable back/lens/finder Mamiya RB rollfilm camera (not the twin lens C330 type) is great - still got one of those. Heavy weight, though - not a good hand-holder.

I got into the quest of the perfect negative -stray dirt specks, hairs, emulsion defects, scratches etc were a bit hard to retouch on the negative with medium format, so I made the leap from 4x5ins camera, to a 5x7 inch Gandolfi Field to an 8 x 10 inch Kodak. Sadly, I still have those too.

My wife wants me to label everything with prices, just in case I decide to push up the daisies any time soon. Practical, that's what she is.

Regards,
Neil