Tlr Camera
Where can i buy a cheap Twin Lens Reflex Camera?
i would love to have my own twin lens, with a focus ring and aperture control, i'm not too concerned with finding a high quality brand name or anything. i only been looking on ebay, and i was wondering where else i could look for a medium format TLR. i would prefer not to spend over $50. any suggestions of places to look?
I have to agree with Slightly Amused. Yashica TLR's are really good. I have a Yashica A, and it's one of my favorite cameras now. It's very reliable and solidly built, and it takes incredibly sharp pictures. I bought it on eBay for about $65, and in my opinion it was worth every penny. You might be able to find one for around $50, but seriously if you can afford it, it's worth more than that.
Just be careful, and be sure it has a detailed description. The seller should say that the lens is clear with no scratches or fungus, that the shutter fires, that the aperture control dial turns, etc. I don't expect the seller to have actually tested the camera with a roll of film, but they should at least have checked the camera first. If the seller says something like "oh, I don't know anything about cameras" then forget it. The more detailed the description is, the better.
If you've never used a Twin Lens Reflex camera before, it will feel a little awkward at first. They're kind of heavy, and it feels strange looking in the view screen at the top of the camera, instead of a normal viewfinder like on 35mm cameras. Also, because it uses a mirror, your view will be reversed. That took me a little while to get used to...everytime I wanted to pan the camera left, everything shifted to the right! But you'll get used to it, and the large screen does help a lot with composing your pictures.
The only thing is that medium format cameras are getting really popular right now for some reason, and they're selling for very high prices on eBay. Some people try to say that "no one uses film anymore"...well, that is NOT true at all, because I was just outbid on the last 3 cameras I tried to buy. In fact, the last medium format folding camera I tried to buy ended up having over 10 bids and sold for $120. So you might have to look around for a while to find one.
Another good TLR camera that you might be able to find for a little cheaper is a Graflex 22. I have one, and it takes good pictures. It's not quite as sharp as the Yashica A, but it still takes really good pictures and I've been happy with it.
Both the Yashica A and Graflex 22 are completely manual...manual focus, shutter speed, and aperture control. So you'll have to learn how to use manual exposure. But that's better anyway, so you'll be able to have more control and creativity in your pictures. They also both use 120 film.
Good luck and have fun!
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