Comments on: Desert Island Cameras No. 08 – Medium Format Edition

By: Tobias W.

Tobias W. — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 19:34:00 +0000

Bronica S2A. Fully modular, fully mechanical, no battery needed, no electronics to die. Focal plane shutter in camera with 1/1000s, faster than most leaf shutter based alternatives. Back can be switched out with shutter cocked! All kids of backs are available, I have a 6×6 and 6×4.5. Really ingenious lens mount system with an outer larger mount and inner mount that allows adaption of large format lenses (with leaf shutters), a bellows system or native lenses with leaf shutter if desired etc., most lenses are excellent Nikkor lenses. The whole system is super inexpensive still. A great condition S2A with standard Nikkor lens, waist level viewfinder and back will set you back ~USD500 currently, minor maintenance might be required to fix the foam seal issue typical for these cameras.

By: Timothy Gasper

Timothy Gasper — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 17:18:45 +0000

My goodness. So many wonderful cameras…and some not even listed .But really…the questions are: for how long would one be on the island…is there any electricity on the island…and things of that nature. I will answer under the pretence that I would be on the island for maybe 5 years…no electricity available and have as many rolls of film of my choice and a dark bag to store them.
With that said, just about any camera which does not require batteries would work. Would half to have a light meter though…so personally I would choose a Gossen Luna Pro (any model). The battery lasts a very long time…so not to worry. Now….personally I would choose the following, in defending order (maybe):
Hasselblad 500 CM
Any Rolleiflex TLR
Mamiya C330 Pro S or F
Mamiya RB 67
Pentax 67
And any others you could help me name. Hey…maybe I should try this???

By: Andre Tampubolon

Andre Tampubolon — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 17:37:30 +0000

Initially I was going to pick Mamiya 7, unfortunately it’s an electric camera.
Must resort to something mechanical… guess I’ll pick Graflex Norita 66. Think of the little brother of Pentax 67 🙂

By: Gary Wakeling

Gary Wakeling — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 16:49:09 +0000

Straight up my desert island pick would be the Pentax 67II, fully kitted out with the metering head and the full selection of lenses and bellows for macro close ups for those tiny crawling insects that share the island with me and the swimsuit fashion model, so ubiquitous with the 67 Pentax. Naturally with the addition of the lovely wooden handle on the camera so that I could club off any dangerous wild beasts that may attack me. The upgrade from the 6×7 and 67 versions to the 67II is just sublime, it keeps all of the great handling feel of a modern SLR teamed up with an amazing choice of lenses from fisheye to super telephoto as well as specialist use lenses such as the Leaf Shutter Portrait lenses as well as the very 80’s Soft Lens. But mostly it is just to hear that wonderful thwack as you press the shutter button to take a shot……..

By: bosdugem

bosdugem — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 00:56:04 +0000

In reply to Carl Hall. haha.. yeah, I remember the time when I didn't need to go to fitness center.. just lug a RB67 around and you'll reach your peak in a week

By: Huss

Huss — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 17:38:46 +0000

Ya know i love all these picks! It’s hard to go wrong when u step up to MF thanks to that big honkin slab o film. But u can go wrong! I had a new old stock Lubitel 166 Moscow Olympics edition. Terrible focusing screen but a really characterful lens. First roll was great, sold a few images. 2nd roll for some reason I only got 8 shots when there should have been 12. 3rd roll – 6 shots! Yep after one roll the film transport mechanism had broken….

Now I’m using Rolleiflexes, Fuji GW690, Hassel H1, and my fave – Brooks Plaubel Veriwide 100. The Veriwide has the 35mm equivalent of a 21mm lens and phat 6×10 negs with a soft silky smooth shutter release unlike the GW690’s sproing!