But for new and would-be medium format photographers, the ever-shifting landscape of the hobby can be a bit daunting. Of the hundreds of available medium format cameras, how can we possible know which is the one to buy?

We answered this very question in a pair of articles, the first published way back in 2016 and another in 2019. Five years on, they could do for an update. So, here’s the update.

I’ve meticulously selected five of the best medium format cameras that one can buy today, each with its own unique reason for being. Since we’re just starting out, the cameras are arranged by type, which will help would-be users who may not know what they want. I’ve also tried to keep the cameras on this list limited to those with reasonable prices. (I break this rule only once.)

Enjoy!

For old school sophistication, buy a Minolta TLR

Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras; one glance and we know we’re holding an old world piece of machinery. They’re as much jewelry as they are highly functional photographic tools, and I mean that in the best way possible — TLRs are gorgeous, and can make gorgeous photos.

TLRs have two major features which differentiate them from most other cameras. First, they shoot square images. Second, they have two lenses, one which acts as a focusing screen viewfinder through which the photographer looks to frame the shot, and a second lens which is used to actually expose the film.

The viewfinder of a TLR is typically located on the top of the camera. The photographer peers down into it while holding the camera at waist-level. Since there’s no penta-prism as we find in most SLR cameras, the image in the viewfinder can be a bit disorienting for new shooters. But stick with it and we’re able to enjoy a unique and engaging perspective.

The most popular TLRs in the world are the famed Rolleiflex and Rolleicord TLRs. However, these camera are quite expensive today, loved for their extremely high build quality and classic characterful lenses. For new shooters looking to try a TLR, I have two recommendations.

If you’re looking for a classic TLR with a capable lens, high build quality, bright and accurate focusing screen, and easy-to-learn all-manual controls, buy the Minolta Autocord. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Minolta made about a dozen different Autocord models, some with light meters and some without.

Avoid buying the Autocord L and the Autocord LMX, since these models used a selenium light meter (which in modern times will almost certainly be dead). If you require a camera with a built-in light meter, seek out the Autocord CDS II or CDS III, the only Autocords with built-in battery-powered CdS meters (these meters don’t die from age, like the selenium ones do).

An all-manual meter-less Autocord can be purchased today for under $250, and if we’re patient and careful, it’s possible to find one for under $100. I can’t overstate the value proposition of a camera this good at a price this low.

Read my full review of the Autocord here, and then shop for one on eBay.

Minolta Autocord for sale | eBay

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HONORABLE MENTION : Much of what I wrote about Minolta’s TLRs can be equally applied to Yashica’s TLRs. Yashica made a number of incredibly reliable, capable TLR cameras, some of which are all-manual and some of which come with light meters. Indeed, an article on this very site has gone into great detail to spotlight the Yashica TLR as a perfect first medium format film camera.

The most popular Yashica TLR is the Yashicamat 124 G, a truly gorgeous and capable camera. By the specs and the results, the Yashica and Minolta TLRs are essentially equal. I picked the Minolta because they’re less popular, and therefore less expensive today.

For those who love SLRs, Buy the Pentax 645

The Pentax 645 is quintessential Pentax. It’s affordable, easy to use and delivers quality images. It was marketed toward amateur photographers shooting their first weddings and those just breaking into the professional world. Which means it’ll be more than good enough for the brand new medium format photographer.

It offers center-weighted metering with full auto Program mode, plus semi-auto Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, as well as full manual mode. ISO ranges in 1/3 stops from 6 – 6,400 with shutter speeds of 15 seconds to 1/1,000th of a second, plus bulb mode for long exposures. Its motor drive is capable of 1.5 frames per second, which allows us to blow through a whole roll in just twenty seconds (kind of absurd).

The viewfinder has a lovely LED display. In manual mode it shows how many stops we are from a perfect exposure, which it indicates with an encouraging “Ok!” If we use the exposure compensation, a very tiny plus sign will light up when compensation is engaged. Nice touches.

It’s a relatively small and light camera, for medium format, and benefits from a truly astonishing line-up of interchangeable lenses.

All of these features combine to create a camera which, essentially, can do anything any new medium format film shooter could ever ask of a camera.

The Pentax 645 has undergone two facelifts over time: the 645N in 1996 and the 645NII in 2001. The 645N was a complete overhaul which added a more sophisticated interface, auto-focus, and matrix metering. The later 645NII added mirror-lock up. Both the N and NII are much more professional-oriented cameras, but that comes at a price. They cost double or triple the cost of an original 645.

For budget-conscious film photographers looking for a solid medium format SLR camera, the original Pentax 645 is it. Importantly, it also leaves enough money left over to buy the most important ingredient for growth – lots and lots of film.

Read all about the Pentax 645 in our article here, and then buy one on eBay here.

Pentax 645 for sale | eBay

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HONORABLE MENTION : The Mamiya 645 series of cameras can be very similar to the Pentax 645. The oldest version of the Mamiya is a full-manual camera, but later models offer various degrees of semi-auto and full-auto shooting modes. Prices on these start at the same level as the Pentax, but climb significantly with the spec sheet. The Mamiya was not my first choice because the Pentax is typically cheaper.

For effortless photography, buy the Fujifilm GA645

The Fujifilm GA645 is a very special, and very modern camera. Made in 1995, it is essentially a point-and-shoot medium format film camera that makes shooting medium format as easy as… well, pointing and shooting.

Focus is automatic. Film advance and rewind are automatic. Exposure is automatic, semi-automatic, or full manual. It’s compact and portable, making it a great choice for travelers or street photographers. It even has a built-in flash. Shooting this thing is like shooting the most capable point-and-shoot film camera ever made. It’s the Canon Sure Shot of medium format!

The 60mm f/4 Fujinon Super EBC lens creates stunning images. A variant called the GA645W is fitted with a wider 45mm f/5.6 lens, though this camera tends to be more expensive than the original GA645.

The only major issue with the Fuji is that it’s relatively expensive. Indeed, it’s the most expensive camera on this list. However, there really are no other alternatives for people seeking a fully-automated point-and-shoot medium format film camera, and this one is a true wonder of modern photographic engineering. As Aldo Gucci once said, quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

Buy your own Fuji GA645 on eBay.

Fujifilm GA645 for sale | eBay

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For medium format on a budget, buy an old folder

Contrary to oft-repeated opinion, it is in fact possible to buy a compact, high quality medium format film camera with a stunning lens for under $150. And I don’t mean a Holga (don’t buy a Holga). We just need to know what to look for.

Medium format folding cameras are the best kept open secret in the medium format world. Collectors and “the olds” have known about them for decades, and we can often find these photographic saints spreading the good word of folding cameras as far as their Facebook groups’ organic reach will allow.

Medium format folding cameras are essentially simple, light tight machines with shutter and lens assemblies mounted to the front of a collapsible bellows. The lens, shutter, and bellows are typically protected by a folding door, which can fold open to extend the whole business into the position needed to make a photo.

When closed, they are incredibly compact (I once used one during a vacation in Disney World). When opened for use, they can make incredible images in a variety of image formats (6 x 6, 6 x 7, and 6 x 9 are most popular).

The downside to these cameras is that they’re all manual and often lacking in any sort of focusing aids. This means that we’ll need to understand light or carry a light meter, set our aperture and shutter speed manually, and even focus by eye using the scale focus method (estimate distance to subject, set that number on the lens, and hope for the best). For this reason alone, medium format folders are not necessarily a great choice for beginner photographers. But for those who know what they’re doing in the 35mm space, the price is low enough to justify the risk.

Medium format folding cameras were made by plenty of companies – Zeiss, Agfa, Kodak, and more. Which means that their are plenty to choose from. The big peril in buying a folding camera is that we need to make sure we’re buying one that’s fully functional.

As a result of their age and their rather delicate design, folding medium format camera can be a bit fragile. When looking to buy one, make sure that the bellows are free of leaks and pinholes, ensure that the lens elements are free of haze and fungus, and confirm that the shutter and aperture function as they should.

The models that I would seek out are the Agfa Isolette, Super Fujica 6, or the Zeiss Ikonta.

medium format folding camera for sale | eBay

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For the biggest possible negative, buy a Fuji Panorama G617

I admit, this final addition to my list is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Nobody should buy this camera as their first medium format camera, and it shouldn’t be on this list. But it’s been so long since I was able to write about the G617, and I really want to do so.

Because there’s simply no other camera like the Fuji Panorama G617.

The biggest selling point for the G617 is hinted at in the name; the enormous image area. Measuring a truly massive 6 x 17 centimeters (2.25 x 6.5 inches) in a 3:1 aspect ratio, the G617 is capable of exposing unbelievably large swathes of film. First produced in 1983, it was intended to be a specialty tool for landscape and architectural photographers who were looking to expose gigantic negatives in a relatively portable camera.

It features a fixed Fujinon 105mm F/8 lens providing a diagonal angle of view of 80.3º (the approximate equivalent angle of view of a 25.8mm lens in the 35mm format). The lens’ aperture spans from a maximum aperture of F/8 to a minimum of F/45, and this sits behind a Made-in-Japan Seiko No. 0 inter-lens leaf shutter capable of speeds from 1 second to as fast as 1/500th of a second, with additional Bulb mode for long exposures and flash sync at all speeds.

Focusing is handled via the scale focus system, film advance is achieved via a thumb-powered advance lever on the top plate, and aperture and shutter speed are all adjusted via rings or levers on the lens. Multiple exposures are possible by resetting the shutter with the lens-mounted lever and firing it again via the release on the lens without advancing the film between shots.

Essentially, that’s all there is to the Fuji G617. It’s just a gorgeous specialty camera made for creating super-wide, extremely massive images on medium format film. And if you want to see what it can do, check out my review here.

Fujifilm G617 for sale | eBay

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The full details of the press release are included here in this article. Briefly, here are the important bits.

Lomography 120 Film New Prices (in US Dollars)

Color Negative 100 ISO 3 Pack : was $34.90, NOW $24.90
Color Negative 400 ISO 3 Pack : was $34.90, NOW $24.90
Color Negative 800 ISO 3 Pack : was $39.90, NOW $27.90
Redscale XR 50–200 3 Pack : was $35.90, NOW $24.90
Potsdam Kino 100 ISO : was $10.90, NOW $6.90
LomoChrome Metropolis 2021 : was $12.90, NOW $11.90
LomoChrome Purple 2021 : was $13.90, NOW $11.90

Lomography’s film can be purchased from retailers such as B&H Photo (there may be a delay with price reductions as retailers roll out the change), or through Lomography’s own online shop.

In a time in which prices seem to be universally on the rise, including prices for film and cameras, it’s a relief to find some good news of price reductions.

If you’d like to learn more about Lomography’s film, you can find many of their films profiled here. And if you’re unsure of which medium format film camera is right for you, take a look at our many medium format camera reviews and buyer’s guides.

Lomo’s films, which in many cases offer visually unique images and a strong individual identity, are now competitively priced with more “normie” films like Ilford’s HP5, Kodak Portra, and Gold 200.

I’m pretty stoked whenever a company moves to keep film photography affordable and bring more people into the craft. This move by Lomo should encourage people to try medium format, even if they had previously thought the format prohibitively expensive.

For my part, I’m already scouring eBay for a new medium format film camera.

Medium Format Film Camera for sale | eBay

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120 Film | B&H Photo Video

Your source for 120 Film from top brands like Kodak, Lomography, Ilford and Rollei. Visit us for outstanding prices, selection, and fast shipping.

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[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

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But over the last few years I’ve increasingly realized there is another part to the film ecosystem that the film community often doesn’t talk about, the camera supply side. Sure, we hear about it when a celebrity or popular YouTuber highlights a camera and prices suddenly skyrocket. Times like these, the realities of a market with largely a fixed supply and varying demand become all too apparent. But there seems to be a solution to this that not many people take. Buy new cameras. Not “new to you,” but like, new, from a company, with a box and everything. You don’t even have to go to eBay for them.

So that’s what I decided to do this year. If I wanted to buy a camera, it had to be new.

Now for 35mm options, I’m pretty well stocked and don’t have much of a need for a new camera. My Pentax KX was my first camera and it’s still my favorite by far. If I had to pare down to just one camera, it would be an easy choice. The KX is a glorious piece of kit.

Medium format was an entirely different beast. Up until 2020 I had never shot a medium format camera. Despite taking some photography classes in college, it just never came up. But after doing some research, I initially got into the format with the Mamiya C33 TLR, picking up the 65mm and 105mm in a kit. Fantastic camera, amazing glass, loved the system, two-thumbs up. Would buy again. But I mostly shoot documentary family stuff, so a camera with no metering and longer lenses made it not ideal for the everyday shooting I do. I then turned to a Pentax 645n, which solved both of those complaints. But it’s a big camera. It doesn’t pass my critical “fits in my car’s center console” test, which means I often don’t take it with me and the family, and thus it’s a bit of a shelf queen. Plus it’s possibly the loudest camera in existence. So maybe medium format just didn’t meet my needs.

The Solution Presents Itself

While researching for medium format options that might thread my rather specific needle, I happened upon Eduardo Pavez Goye’s review of the Lomo LC-A 120. What stood out to me was the form factor, a 6×6 camera that was coat pocket-able and weighed less than the Pentax 45mm f2.8 lens for my 645n. It’s nothing fancy, basically a 6×6 full auto point-and-shoot, but it seemed to meet my requirements. Eduardo’s review piqued my interest in its capabilities. It offered a glass ultra-wide lens, and seemed to have decent metering.

The one thing I was concerned about was the camera’s zone-focusing. I hadn’t really done much zone focusing in the past, and it seemed like a completely unreliable way to try and grab a shot. But while I was debating about the camera, I got a hold of a Rollei 35, with a similar focal length to the LC-A 120 (40mm vs 38mm). After a few rolls and being able to get a good hit rate with it, I was encouraged to take the plunge on the Lomo.

What is Zone Focus, Plus How and When to Do It

Zone focusing (sometimes called scale focusing) allows a photographer to know what will be in focus without even looking through the viewfinder. It's an invaluable technique that's often used in street and other types of photography where speed and spontaneity are factors.

Struggling to Make It Work

As someone who’s ordered a fair amount of camera gear in the last few years, there was something exciting about getting the LC-A 120. Rather than arriving trapped in bubble wrap and smelling musty, it came fully sealed in a brand new box. Honestly, Lomography’s packaging was almost too much, very stylish and ornate, with an included photo book of sample photos from the camera, a manual, cable release, and a strap. I appreciate the accessories, but all the paper and space seemed a little wasteful. I’m sure it looks good on a shelf but give me the option for minimalist packaging.

That being said, everything seemed very thoughtfully included, down to the LR44 batteries needed to operate the camera. This was my first sign that maybe these cameras weren’t selling like hot cakes. The batteries included were expired and starting to corrode. Not the end of the world; they remained safely nestled in their packaging and I had a bunch of spare batteries around, so I was off to the races.

I quickly shot off two rolls with the camera, and everything seemed to be operating as expected. In my haste, I neglected to put on the camera strap included with the camera. When I decided to add it on, I noticed that one of the strap lugs was super dented. If this was an [EXC!!++++++] camera from eBay, I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But, it came like that straight out of the box. The camera had a warranty from Lomography, so I contacted their support and got an exchange.

This is where things got frustrating. I am now on my fourth copy of this camera, all returned under warranty. While the first two rolls from my original dented unit turned out fine, every other copy has given me not insignificant light leaks on my photos. With the first roll, I thought it was something I did during loading. But after being extremely careful and even trying to load it in a dark bag, I was still getting light leaks.

Throughout this process, Lomography’s support has been top notch. They are quick to respond to emails, and turned around the exchanges very quickly. But it was extremely frustrating when the returns didn’t seem to resolve the issue. This is either a design flaw with the camera or perhaps an effect of these cameras sitting for some time, maybe both.

A Word on Lomography

At this point, I’m sure some readers will think to themselves, “What did you expect, you bought a camera from Lomography. They make cheap plastic junk.” While my own experience with the LC-A 120 was less than ideal, I can’t abide this kind of knee jerk negativity. I’ve heard Cameradactyl’s Ethan Moses talking about the capital costs involved with making a camera using plastic injection molding, and they are daunting. You can say that Lomography chases fads or doesn’t make cameras that you like, but you can’t deny they are investing in building out both sides of the analog photography world in a way that very few companies can today. A lot of this is bringing new products to market, like the Lomograflok.

While my experience with the LC-A 120 may have been frustrating, and quality control might be something Lomography should double down on, the reason I was attracted to the camera in the first place was because it was genuinely innovative. It filled a niche like no other available camera could. I remain impressed with it as an idea, even if the execution didn’t live up to it. Do I wish Lomography could do better in some regards? Sure. But I refuse to view them as anything other than essential to the future of analog photography.

Life After Leaks

Setting aside the light leak issues, let’s talk about using this camera. Remember how I said that zone focusing the Rollei 35 gave me the confidence to take on the LC-A 120? Well I was partially justified in that act of hubris. Focusing on it is fairly reliable, but operates much differently than on the Rollei. With that camera, you’re essentially using a fully manual camera, with a traditional focus scale on the lens. This matters because I really only shoot the 35 at f/8 or slower, meaning that I know how much depth of field I’m going to have to help hedge my guess about guessing distance wrong.

You don’t have that luxury on the LC-A, since the aperture (and shutter speed for that matter) are all handled by the camera. Instead of a set focus scale, you have a little lever with set markings and detents for 0.6m, 1m, 2.5m, and infinity. You can also set the lever in between these, but you’re really guessing at that point. There are some advantages to this arrangement. Unlike the Rollei 35, you can both quickly confirm and change focus with the camera up to your eye, perfect for quick shots. Since there are only four options, you can just rack the level quickly to move the focus. Given that the lens only goes down to f/4.5, you’ve always got a little depth of field to play around with, especially beyond 1 meter.

Overall, I actually really like the design of this camera. The body is all plastic, but when handling it, you don’t get any creaks. Lomography uses a softer touch plastic where you grip the camera, embossed with a leatherette styling, and feels good in the hand. The shutter button feels really nice, with a long throw but a solid actuation. Like the 35mm original LC-A, the 120 is designed for quick street work. The lens cover needs to be slid down to shoot. Having it up blocks the viewfinder and locks the shutter, so you can’t accidentally shoot a frame, a nice touch. I was afraid that moving the lens cover would also move the focus level, but luckily your focus stays put.

A lot of what makes me put up with the travails of the LC-A 120 is the lens. At 38mm on a 6×6 negative, it offers a 21mm equivalent field of view, which is always wider than you think it is, especially vertically. This alone makes the camera unique, as getting a lens that wide in medium format generally requires buying a lens that’s considerably more expensive and heavy. That wouldn’t mean a lot if it was bad, but I find it sharp enough and punch as hell. In all of the sample photos Lomography puts up for the camera, they show a heavy vignette. I haven’t found it to be nearly as dramatic, often there’s no vignette, so your mileage may vary.

Areas of Improvement

I suspect that Lomography isn’t actively manufacturing this camera any more and selling through old stock. All the replacements I received showed signs of sitting for a while (one was quite dusty). If that’s the case, there are a few features I’d love to see Lomography add to a refreshed model, maybe a Lomo LC-A 120+.

Asking for aperture priority on this camera seems silly given that it’s a simple device electronically. But I wish there was a way to lock the aperture into a set stopped down position, say f/8. That’s something you can do on a flipping Holga. Not only would this make it easier to focus critical shots, but it would also be nice for working with flash. Right now using flash means everything is shot wide open, which is rarely ideal.

Speaking of flash, the camera does have a hot shoe but hacks a PC sync port. I know I could get an adapter for the shoe, but it would be nice to get some off-camera flash a little easier with this camera. While I’m at it a proper bulb mode would be great for long exposures. You can sort of do this by blocking the light meter, but just give it to me as a proper option. Exposure compensation is that other glaring omission on this camera. Given that you can only set ISO in full stops from 100-1600, even having a ∓ 1 option would add a lot of flexibility. Again you can sort of hack it with the ISO dial, but it’s a hassle.

Would I Buy It Again

Honestly, if I had known about the light leak issues, I would have just kept my original copy and done without a strap. The camera is pocket-able enough that I just would have used a wrist strap on the other good lug. I’ve ended up with a lot of wasted, or at least compromised, film as a result of this camera. A lot of it was original frozen Acros, that hurts.

But I keep wanting to love this camera. It’s truly unique in the photography world. The look you can get from the lens is great, made even better because you can take it anywhere. While expensive compared to a lot of other Lomography gear, compared to other ultra-wide, portable, or just more recent medium format cameras, it’s priced competitively, if not a bargain. With everything I’ve gone through with this camera, the one thing I would never do is buy it used. I can’t reiterate how nice it was to have a warranty on this camera, with actual company support, rather than hoping that I could get a refund on eBay or something like that. While you can definitely find bargains on these used cameras online, I’d hesitate to pull the trigger unless you get it in writing that it’s in light tight condition.

Overall the LC-A 120 is sticking around for now. When it nails a shot, it’s just so dang fun. Right now it fits really well into my need for packing light. Combined with my Rollei 35, I can pack two cameras on my without needing a bag (although if both are in my pockets probably a belt). I now know its limitations quite well. It’s serviceable as a fun documentary camera, where I’m not strictly look for precision. I thought that this might be a great landscape companion, but until I can tame the light leaks, I think that’s asking a bit too much. I’ve recently found a lot of fun using it with flash, dragging the shutter to get some striking motion blur and a relatively crisp subject.

Knowing what I do now, I’d probably pass on buying it. I don’t need a medium format camera for my work. But now that I have it, it’s still a striking and supremely unique camera.

Buy a Lomo LC-A on eBay here

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[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Camera of Shattered Dreams: Living with the Lomo LC-A 120 appeared first on Casual Photophile.

This sight, simple, yet truly beautiful, still brought me moments of begging for spring and the wash of vibrancy it ushers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am primarily a black and white film user, but every so often, there is a tugging at my eye that I can’t ignore. In this article though, the draw for color has been replaced with the need to know the possibility of a certain piece of gear.

Living in Spokane, Washington, there are some truly beautiful landscapes around every corner. The camera that’s the subject of this article is a great medium format camera for landscape shooting. But I mostly use it in whatever way fits the moment. I tend to walk around my neighborhood and the not too far surrounding areas almost everyday. Work and other things often weigh in and affect this privilege, but I try my darndest to do a few blocks here and there on even the sleepiest of days.

Movement is very important to me, whether it be the movement of my feet, my eyes adjusting to a scene, my mind wandering through its bubbling bog of ideas or my move to purchase an amazing camera and lens (for the second time) because I just couldn’t cut a certain thought free. One particular thought was that I had let go one of the best made film cameras of all time, and one that was fitted with a beautiful kit lens as well; the Mamiya C330 Pro F, wearing the lovely Mamiya Sekor 80mm f2.8 on its front. I was so impressed by this camera. The way it leaned into my hands so comfortably when composing and how it offered so much control and so many options during use. I really enjoyed my time using that camera, but then came life, and I had to sell it.

That’s where my story with the formerly-owned pristine Mamiya kit ends, and my current journey with a very well kept C330 (with one of the ugliest 80mm lenses I’ve ever seen) begins.

This story is more or less about the wonders that can be explored (and explored confidently) with a lens that doesn’t seem like it could give good results. Because the truth is, we can spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars less on a beat-up lens and still get sharp, well balanced, contrasty, and flare free results, even with glass that looks like it was pulled out of the bottom of Indiana Jones’ side bag 33 years after his retirement. Hairy, dinged and dusty, rough as an elbow and still shining.

The snow has been replaced with trees heavy in themselves, leaning and giving off their scents. Puffs of green dotting along lane after lane beside other long stemmed flowering cities and fluffy ground covers. Some wearing clusters of lovely thin layers, yellow, white, pink and so on, inviting bees and butterflies for seasonal conversation and sending them off with gifts.

This is the blue sky backdrop where my new kit was welcomed in. I first opened the box it came in and was a little worried. Having bought it online and in “heavily used” condition, where the photos were not so telling, I was unsure of what to expect. Right away I noticed the circular scratches covering both lenses. Looking a little closer I saw what looked at first like specks of dirt, or maybe some kind of lens coating issue. I quickly ran to my room and grabbed some cotton swabs, a little isopropyl, and gave them both a visit to the doctor.

I cleaned the lens bodies, for there was a bit of grime all over, and lastly the elements themselves. That’s when I noticed there was definitely an issue. The issue wasn’t with the shutter mechanism or the aperture blades being sticky, or any of the common issues that one finds when buying old gear (and especially older leaf shutter lenses). It was something I had never seen before on any other lens, and it sort of freaked me out.

Pitting. There were tons of tiny little dings all over both front elements. Now. I don’t know if you have ever experienced this yourself, and if you have perhaps you’ll understand, but if you haven’t, let me tell you that it’s horrifying!

I didn’t know what to do, and I bounced around in my head whether or not to contact the seller, start looking into potential repair, possibly look into buying new front elements… the list goes on. Eventually, having given some time to looking and focusing inside and outside through the bright finder of the C330, I decided to load the camera with some Kodak Tmax 100 and go for a walk. It was a bright day, and I figured this would be a great time to test for softness and flaring or any other aberrations that may accompany such an ugly set of lenses. I gave the camera a little pat on the back, dropped an extra roll of Tri X 400 into my shirt pocket and headed out.

There isn’t anything special about my setup. No grip, just strapped and hanging there waiting to be scooped, held and cranked, and I did just that. Walking through that day glow looking at all the houses and parked cars with rosebush back drops, tulips hugging tulips the way they do, watching cats maneuver through yards and follow squirrel tracks. I looked for test images to make terrible negatives, sure that the resulting images would my new lenses out to pasture. Then I would reach out in some new direction to try for a solution to the problem of the pitted lens.

I wandered down alleys, finding new growth climbing the sides of blinding white sheds and garages leaning with time. I don’t use a light meter so I was really going for the gusto here, trying to see how well the lens could handle the brightness. I knelt down in a shaded area under the trees, trying for images that gave the lens some respite and would push it from the other end of the spectrum. I don’t fully know what I was expecting to find, but probably some sort of fogged out, soft images with lots of weird distorted points that I would see, and give up on, lightly tossing the negatives into my bowl filled with scraps for future negative collage.

I carried on, probably walking for about an hour. Finishing the roll of Tmax and loving the general feel and function of the camera again. Oh, the familiarity of knowing. I loaded up the Tri X and went through maybe three images before circling back to once more find myself outside of my house. I went inside and got prepared to develop the roll and see the results (with no small amount of hesitancy).

I develop all of my black and white film (except for Ilford XP2, which is a C41 process film) in Cinestill Df96 monobath, so it’s a very simple process. I know it, I like it, its consistent, and it takes no time. After developing, I hung the negatives to dry and looking at them while they just hung there in the dim light of my room, I didn’t see much to prompt an immediate conclusion in how the lens performed, so I told myself to chill and carry on doing something else for the time being.

I went out into the living room with my tripod and a flash and decided to shoot the rest of the Tri X with flash. Doing some self portraits and stuff with a banana and just whatever I could think of in the moment for the last few frames, I still had some reservations. Not knowing how much detail would be lost even with the wonderful crispness that adding flash can bring, I trudged on. The roll ended, I went to the kitchen shook and wiped out the Patterson, the reels and loaded up the Tri X for development. I figured that while this roll was drying I could scan the Tmax and see what I was dealing with, and then sandwiched by both discoveries I could truly have answers. So I did just that.

With the Mamiya sitting just beside me on the table, I scanned image after image from that walk just hours before and what I saw was very surprising. Mostly very usable images, with the right amount of contrast and, yes, yes, some blown out highlights, which I was expecting. But that is not the lens’ fault, that was user error. Not using a meter sometimes jeopardizes my final image, but never in a way that I can’t fix it in post with software or in the darkroom. So I wasn’t bummed or caught off guard, knowing that blown highlights wasn’t something to expect every time I used the lens. I continued scanning and continued to be happy to know it performs well while the flash roll dried, hanging there… looking at me. What to expect next!

Then the time came. I don’t shoot flash in this way, nearly ever. The most flash photography I had really done up to this point was with point and shoots. So the flash I had attached was nothing fancy, some little Vivitar deal. And for this reason, the flash roll had me more nervous. No meter, indoors, with flash, without much experience, with a lens that I was still unsure of.

Let the scanning begin!

Frame after frame, yet again, I was stunned. Not by the subject matter or composition, but by the amount of detail in the highlights and shadows. The mid tones were there making an appearance as well! I was so happy, and really pleased that I didn’t make a huge mistake. I was convinced that in the future I could be scrolling through lenses or looking at lenses in a free or cheap box and find a lens that normally would be on the pricier side or about to be thrown away, pick it up for dirt cheap because of how “ugly” it was and end up making some, to me, perfect images.

I really think this is a mostly untapped market for buyers and the resale value and potential is not guaranteed, nor should it be at this stage, but it’s so worth it. If you are looking for something that has been used into the ground but still has much more to offer, based on your budget, having more options, your work flow or just finding it on a shelf somewhere, pick it up, pop it on whatever camera you are wanting to use that day, and give it the time of its life. These lenses aren’t being newly made and this could be that lens’ last ride. I’m truly happy that the last time this Mamiya Sekor was used by the previous owner was not its last moment to shine. With me, it will get to experience a whole new life in all of its glorious, banged up brilliance.

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The resurgence of film photography led to a natural progression for many new film shooters from 35mm to medium format or 120 roll film cameras. Sadly, this burgeoning interest in medium format has also led to an explosion in the price of medium format cameras such as the Contax 645 and the Pentax 67 [our review here], placing many of them out of the reach of ordinary shooters. Fortunately, there is an alternative for those wanting to move up to medium format shooting, folding 120 cameras. From the end of WWII in 1946 until 1960 these were the predominant type of consumer cameras, so you have hundreds of choices, and many superb cameras that with a CLA can become a great daily shooter. If you want to get into medium format photography but can’t afford the crazy prices that the trendy cameras are going for, a classic 120 folding camera provides a budget-friendly alternative, and the Pearl IV is one of the best.

The History of the Konishiroku Pearl IV

The Pearl IV was released in December 1958 as a replacement for the Konishiroku Pearl III. It was the last model in a long line of cameras bearing the name “Pearl” starting in 1909. The camera had a very short lifespan and only approximately 5,000 copies were produced over a period of six months. It was advertised for just one month, being featured in the January 1959 issue of most of the major Japanese photography magazines, such as on the back cover of Shashin Kōgyō (above), and a two-page advertisement in Asahi Camera. It was distributed and advertised only in Japan, where it cost ¥22,000. However, the previous Pearl III had been selling for ¥24,000. To put that price into context, in Japan in 1959, a 30-year-old junior high school teacher would have been paid around ¥1,000 per month.

1958-59 represents a pivotal period in camera production and the beginning of the massive growth of the camera industry in Japan, which coincided with a commensurate drop in production in Germany. Up to this point “roll-film” cameras (including 120, 127, and 620 cameras) were the mainstream choice for amateur photographers. 35mm film was actually called “miniature” film, and professional photographers were still shooting 4×5 sheet film in what were often dubbed “press” cameras, such as the Speed Graphic.

Only four months after the release of the Pearl IV, in April 1959 Nikon released their ground-breaking Nikon F, and a month later Canon released its first SLR camera, the Canonflex. The creation of multiple SLR cameras, combined with the craze for slides shot on 35mm Kodachrome, meant that virtually every photography magazine around the world during 1957 through to 1959 had major features extolling the virtues of 35mm film and the cameras which shot the stuff. Folding medium format cameras quickly came to be regarded as old-fashioned and cumbersome, and by 1959 advertisements for them in camera magazines had virtually disappeared. By 1960, the production of folding cameras in Japan had ceased altogether.

120 folding cameras would be almost an extinct format until Fuji unexpectedly launched their Fujica GS645 rangefinder, a modern 120 folding camera with a plastic body in March 1983. If the GS645 had a parent it would be the Pearl IV, and although it added a light meter and weighs less, it is 15% larger and not as smooth in operation.

In the year 2000, Konica secretly planned a limited reproduction of the Pearl IV, most probably prompted by Nikon’s release of their Nikon S3 2000 special edition the same year. Sadly, despite having the perfectly preserved manufacturing drawings, Konica discovered that they lacked any assembly workers with the necessary skills to recreate the camera. The fact Konica considered this as a potential project is a testament to the quality of the Pearl IV.

Specifications

• Manufacturer : Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. (later: Konica), Yodobashi, Tokyo
• Released : December 1958
• Production amount : 5,000 over 6 months
• Film : 120 roll film
• Exposures : 16 shots 6×4.5
• Format : 64.5mm x 40mm (4×4)
• Images Size : 60 mm x 45 mm (portrait aspect) exposed area 41.5 x 56mm
• Material : Diecast aluminium and steel, leather coated
• Lens : Konishiroku Hexar 75mm f/3.5 Hexar, Tessar type, Single Coated
• Aperture : f/3.5 – f/22
• Focus : 1.1m – ∞
• Focus adjustment : interlocking type Rangefinder
• Rangefinder : Vertical image matching type
• Viewfinder : Bright-Frameline
• Focusing : Helical
• Shutter : Seikosha MXL (#00) LV scale, double-exposure prevention, MXF synch
• Shutter Speeds : B, T, 1, 1/10,1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200, 1/300, 1/400, 1/500
• Filter diameter : 30.5mm screw specially designed
• Exposure : Manual
• Light Meter : No
• Film advance : Rewind knob and automatic stop
• Frame counter : Automatic
• ASA : 50 – 800
• Self-timer : Auxiliary
• Battery : Nil
• Tripod socket : UK/USA standard
• Size L x H x W : 127 x 108 x 50mm (5” x 4 ¼” x 2”)
• Weight : 709 grams (25 ounces)
• Original Price : ¥22,000 Japanese Yen

Shooting the Konishiroku Pearl IV

Shooting a rangefinder-focusing 120 folding camera may seem a bit daunting to those bought up with digital imagery and automatic focus, but the Pearl IV brought many features that other cameras of the era did not possess. These included an automatic film advance and a big, bright viewfinder/rangefinder which makes it relatively easy to use, even for medium format beginners. With a little practice, and this article as your guide, you could easily discover the joys of medium format photography with a Pearl IV.

Viewfinder/Rangefinder: I wear glasses, and struggle with the tiny viewfinders on most cameras of this era. What drew me to getting a Pearl IV initially was reading about the big, bright viewfinder that it has. Apart from the Konishiroku Pearl IV, only two other all metal folding 120 cameras from the classic era came with big, bright frameline viewfinders, the Ensign Autorange 820 and the Takane Mine Six Super 66.

Although the finder is sometimes described as having automatic parallax correction, that is incorrect. The finder has an etched short-range mark to adjust manually for parallax, similar to the Leica M3. The viewfinder has an actual rangefinder base of 42mm and a magnification of 0.57, giving an effective base length of 24mm. Although the existing frame lines and rangefinder patch are very easy to use, I had a small, green piece of glass added while the camera was being serviced to turn it into a Green-O-Matic style system, which is far easier to focus.

Konishiroku’s Famed Hexar Lens – Konica’s Hexar lens was used on a variety of their cameras and is renowned as one of the best fixed focal length lenses in the world. The Pearl IV’s amber hard-coated 75mm f/3.5 Hexar, is a four element in three group ‘Tessar’ type, with five aperture blades and aperture stops going from f/3.5-32 in half stop clicks. As the attached images show, the lens is incredibly sharp edge to edge and produces rich vibrant colors.

“I also have a Super Ikonta A with coated Zeiss Opton Tessar 75mm 3.5 lens, and the Pearl totally outperforms the Super Ikonta A in both picture quality and ease of use.” – Robert Chojecki, Photo.Net discussion forum, Apr 27, 2006

A 75mm f/3.5 lens in 645 format equates roughly to a 45mm f/1.4 lens on a 35mm camera. A 45mm focal length (equivalent) and 1.1 metre minimum distance creates a good all-round lens, although it is compromise; not really close enough for head shot portraits, and not really wide enough for landscapes. The beauty of medium format, though, allows loads of space to crop images for tight head shots.

Film Loading – The Pearl IV uses a film loading method that will be familiar to anyone who has used a modern medium format camera. The hinged back is opened by releasing the sliding bar on the left, then the two bottom dials pop out from the body to more easily load the film and take-up spool in position. The two spring-loaded flanges inside the camera are then released before inserting the film spools. Once inserted, the two dials on the bottom are pressed back in and turned to the red marks to lock them in place. Then the back is closed and we can advance the film. The small diamond-shaped indicator on the top plate confirms that the roll film leader paper is correctly engaged and the supply spool is actually turning.

Semi-Automatic film advance – Just like its predecessor the Pearl IV uses a “semi-automatic” (auto-stop) film advance system instead of the usual red window found on most folding cameras of this era. This system was designed and manufactured by Nakagawa Kenzō and supplied to Konishiroku by his company Aram Kōgaku, at a pace of 2,000 units per month.

Compared to using a red window, or the semi-automatic systems used on other cameras, the system on the Pearl IV is intuitive, and very easy to use. The film is loaded and advanced to the “Start” line indicated by a dot on the film rails, the camera is closed, and film advanced by the winding knob until the exposure counter reaches 1. After that it operates much the same as a 35mm film camera of the era, and in my experience the frame spacing is always perfect. The system also includes a double exposure prevention mechanism, and a small indicator shows if the film has been advanced correctly, then allowing you to manually cock the shutter. After exposing frame 16, the film winding knob will turn continuously again until you’ve wound all the backing paper onto the take-up spool. There is also an internal lock, preventing accidental opening of the back before the film roll is finished.

Seikosha-MXL Shutter – Seikosha’s MXL shutter was the top-of-the-line leaf shutter produced in Japan, and equivalent to Synchro-Compur produced in Germany. First released in 1957 the shutter features five aperture leaves, an interlocked light value scale, double-exposure prevention and nine speeds, as well as Bulb Mode. The focusing helicoid has a red cover to minimize dust, and this also works as a memory aid, indicating that the lens must be set to infinity before closing the camera.

Shutter speeds did not become uniform across manufacturers until the 1960s. The Pearl IV uses the “older” style shutter speeds — so 1/10 instead of 1/15, 1/25 instead of 1/30, 1/50 instead of 1/60, 1/100 instead of 1/125; however, 1/250 and 1/500 are the same. Don’t be worried though, these minor variations in speeds should not throw off exposures. The beauty of leaf shutters is that not only are they whisper quiet, but because they are virtually vibration free you can shoot hand-held with shutter speeds as low as 1/15 second.

WARNING! once the shutter is cocked you should not change speeds up to or down from the 1/500th speed, as this can damage the shutter mechanism which has an extra spring for the top speed.

Cold Shoe & Flash Photography – The camera has a cold shoe located on the top plate which I usually use to mount my auxiliary light meter. The Pearl IV has X synchronization for electronic flash, which was only just becoming popular at this time. There is a red selector lever for M, F, and X flash synchronization located on the lower shutter, unless you plan on using a flash leave it in the X position. The flash-sync cable is attached to the brass connector on the front of the shutter.

Light Value (LV) System – Like many cameras from the late 1950s the Pearl IV uses a coupled Light Value System (LVS) scale; generally known as the Exposure Value System (EVS) in the United States. This mechanism was invented by Freidrich Deckel in Germany and released on their Synchro-Compur shutters at Photokina in Munich 1954. The system was later adopted by Alfred Gauthier and eventually throughout the camera industry.  The system simplified choosing exposure settings by replacing numerous combinations of shutter speed and f-number – i.e.1/125 s at f/16 – with a single number from 2 to 18 which can be changed at the flick of a switch. This is a really useful function, and I like it, since it operates like a primitive aperture priority mechanism (this is the mode in which I prefer to shoot). Of course, the inverse can also be said – the system easily acts like a shutter-priority mode as well.

The shutter speed and aperture are cross-coupled, and work in tandem, so any change to one directly affects the other. So if you want a wider aperture for portraits, and select f/3.5 the shutter speed is automatically increased. The reverse is also the case. If, for instance, the LV lever is moved to 8 you have six shutter speeds 1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25 and 1/50, and as your speed is made higher from 1 to 1/50 second, the aperture changes from 16 to 2 and shows you the optimal shutter or aperture speeds

Using the Light Value system has the advantage that, after some practice and for a certain ISO, it is easy to memorize the LV for typical situations such as sunny, cloudy, overcast, indoors and etc. Much like Sunny 16 there is a single number, a single scale to memorize and from there the aperture and speed combinations are pre-selected in the camera. With some practice with a certain ISO, you no longer need a light meter.

Shutter & Cable Release – The shutter release is on the right-hand side of the camera. It’s the square button on top of the lens door. In the normal position for a shutter button on most cameras you will instead find a threaded cable release socket which is mechanically linked to the shutter button on the door.

Tripod Mount – The camera has a regular sized tripod mount located in the middle of the bottom plate of the camera.

Selfie Stand – Sitting flush with the front of the lens door is a small metal tab which opens out to allow the camera to stand by itself on a flat surface in its horizontal orientation. This was a common feature on cameras of the era to allow selfies to be taken, but is also useful when using slower speed films, or longer exposures. As the Pearl IV has no inbuilt self-timer you need to use an auxiliary self timer which attaches to the shutter to take self-timed shots.

Accessories

The Pearl IV came in a blue and white presentation box with brown leather ever-ready case with PEARL embossed on the front. Additional accessories sold separately were the Konihood with its own filters, Koniflash, and Konifliters.

Leather Case – The Pearl IV was sold with a two-part leather case, which could be turned into a half case with camera strap attachments. Because the Pearl IV does not come with strap lugs on the body if you like carrying a camera around your neck you will need to buy a case to do that. However, the vintage leather case for the Pearl IV are extremely hard to find. Another solution is to use a wrist strap or find a vintage camera neck strap with tripod mount.

Lens Hood – The Pearl IV was advertised with a metal clamp on lens hood, the Konihood, originally priced at ¥330. Chrome plated on the outside with KONIHOOD engraved, and black on the inside, it was attached to the lens via a tightening screw. The Konihood for the Pearl III is exactly the same size, but as both hoods are hard to find today, an aftermarket 30.5mm screw-in hood will work. Please remember that you must remove the lens hood before closing the camera.

Filters – The Pearl IV takes Konica’s proprietary “Konifilters” in 30.5mm thread. However, Konica produced Konifilters for a variety of their camera, and the Pearl IV took special filters that were very low profile to allow the camera to close with them still attached. The Konihood also took Push-on Y0, Y1, Y2, R1 and P1 filters originally priced at ¥260 each. You can use modern filters, but ensure you get the low-profile type so you don’t damage the camera if leaving them on. Schneider-Kreuznach produced the best low-profile filters that will fit the camera.

Flash – Konica produced a fold-up Koniflash, a fan-shaped unit taking magnesium bulbs, originally priced at ¥1,950. Luckily, the Pearl IV has electronic flash synchronization so will work with any modern electronic flash at all shutter speeds.

Pearl IV Auto-Up System – Like many folding 120 cameras of the era the Pearl IV used a 75mm lens, with a minimum focus distance of 1.1 metres. As a 75mm lens on a 645 camera equates to a 45mm lens on a 35mm camera, the Pearl IV is only capable of taking a head and shoulders shot at the minimum distance. To allow macro and close up head shots a company called PLEASANT devised the “Auto-Up” close-up attachments. They were available in two versions, priced at ¥1,930 each, the Auto-Up No.1 is suitable for portraits from 50cm – 1m, and Auto-Up No.2 for macro shots from 43-60cm. You can read more about the system here.

Cheyenne’s Verdict

Firstly, the pluses which are many. Beautifully crafted, with a razor-sharp lens and whisper-quiet shutter, bright line coupled rangefinder, easy film loading, double exposure prevention and automatic film advance, all packed into one of the smallest and lightest medium format cameras that will fit in a coat pocket, or small camera bag.

Now for the negatives of the camera, which shouldn’t deter you from considering one.

• Right hand opening folding cameras are not as easy to hold on to as horizontally folding 120 cameras, unless you are left-handed. Added to this ergonomic quirk is the fact that the shutter release is not in the traditional position on the body, but a button on the folding door.
• It lacks neck-strap lugs on the body, these were on the original leather case which nowadays can be hard to find. Personally, I carry it in a cheap foam camera case when it’s in my camera bag and use a wrist strap for protection.
• Like nearly all 120 folding cameras the aperture and shutter mechanism on the front of the camera makes it a little difficult to alter with changing light.
• The LV exposure system may not be to everyone’s taste, but personally I like it and use it as a primitive aperture priority system.
• It lacks an internal light meter, but as most cameras of this period used Selenium meters that may not work or be accurate, I see this as a plus. I use a Hedeco Lime auxiliary light meter mounted in the hot shoe and find this works incredibly well.

Thinking of Buying a Pearl IV?

While the Pearl IV is an uncommon camera, 5,000 were produced, meaning that it’s not especially rare and examples are readily available on eBay. If you compare the features of the camera and what other vintage medium format camera are selling for, I think a working Pearl IV is a bargain. As with all vintage film cameras I would emphasize that you should have a CLA done before actively shooting one, and factor that into the price when buying one.

The Konica Pearl IV, Ensign Autorange 820, and the Takane Mine Six Super 66 are the only all-metal 120 folding cameras with big, bright frameline viewfinders, which are easier to use, especially for those who wear glasses. I understand that the Pearl IV is quite collectible and more expensive than other 120 folders, but there are similar cameras produced during this era which you can pick up cheaply with a bit of hunting online.

The natural alternative is to get a Pearl III, which has a smaller viewfinder but is still a beautiful camera. Other superb 120 folding cameras to look out for are the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta series, Mamiya 6 series, Ross Ensign Selfix 16-20 Auto-Range, Takane Mine Six II-F & Mine Six Super 66, Petri RF aka Karoron RF and Karoron SII, Voigtlander Perkeo, Balda Super-Baldax, Certo Six, and Agfa Super Isolette, all of which have superb lenses and semi-automatic film advance (in some).

If you’re put off by older cameras, then the easiest choice is a Fuji GS645 Pro, which has all the features of the Pearl IV, as well as a built-in light meter, auto parallax correction, and a film advance which automatically cocks the shutter. However, it has a plastic body and the original bellows will need to be replaced.

As readers of Casual Photophile might know, I have bought, shot with, and then kept or sold a variety of rare film cameras over many years. So, despite a lot of research and online comments telling me that the Pearl IV was a great camera, there is always some trepidation when receiving a new/old camera around whether or not it will live up to my expectations. Well, the Pearl IV not only fulfilled my expectations, but it exceeded them.

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I’m so honored that she took the time out of her busy life to talk with me. We chatted about everything from the ridiculous prices of film to the urgency of preserving moments with the people we love. Our time together helped me realize my own desire to preserve the people and places I hold dear and I hope you find our conversation and her photos as inspiring as I do.

Can you start off by giving us a brief introduction to yourself?

I’m Han Phan. Last name is pronounced “Fan” even though my Instagram says it’s “Fawn.” I am now exclusively a medium format and large format film photographer. I fell into that niche and it’s been pretty good thus far. In regards to what I’m shooting, I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure that out. That’s me! If I’m not photographing, I’m probably reading.

What initially got you into film photography and why do you keep shooting film?

It was exclusively my dad. For as long as I can remember growing up it was him with some kind of camera pointed in our faces. I know that he was an amateur photographer when he was in Vietnam. He’s told me about how it took him years to save up money to buy his first nice analog camera. It was, I believe, a Nikon FG or something like that. And then he slowly progressed into the FM’s, and FM2’s. I have all those now, he gave them all to me. He was always around and taking photos of us. I’m very thankful for that because now I have all these photographs of my youth, and I get to look back on them. Ever since I can remember he’s been subtly pushing film on me, like growing up he gave me the disposable point and shoots and then bought me a Polaroid camera. Then we got into the digital age so he bought me the Canon point and shoots. I was always that person in our group of friends who had a camera.

I took a huge hiatus from shooting in general, but then picked it up again in college when I shot for our newspaper. It all sparked up again when I went home and all of a sudden all my friends were shooting film, and I was like “wait what year is this??” They all had film cameras now. It was bananas, so I asked my dad if he still had his Nikon cameras and he did. So huge credit to my dad. He was always an inspiration.

Looking at our photos growing up, they were so organic. There was no “pose here, do this.” I feel like that’s why I continue to be obsessed with capturing organic, raw moments. I’m terrible at it, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. It’s wanting to preserve and memorialize the people every day that I choose to give my time to. So that in five years, or even five days from now I can look back and think “remember that time, it was great.” It’s really preservation that’s why we shoot whatever it is we shoot, like our neighborhoods for instance. Like my neighborhood growing up doesn’t look anything like it does now.

The people in our lives, our parents, it’s important to have photographic mementos of them.

I love the stunning portraits of your parents that you post, along with beautifully written details about your family life and their experiences here in America. How has your family life shaped you as a photographer?

It’s affected me a lot. I feel like those are the realest, proudest photos I take of my family around their home. I think it’s kind of the reverse of how it’s affected me. It’s kind of, for me, a lack of family in my life that drives me to take more photos of them.

I live in Northern California and my parents live in Southern California. It’s only about a six hour drive away, but it still doesn’t mean I’m afforded time with them. I only get to see them maybe once every three or four months, and maybe for two or three days at a time, at most. I feel like when I’m there it’s almost a selfish, greedy desire to capture everything, to want to photograph things so I can remember them, or so I have more photos of my parents.

I don’t know how this developed. Growing up I didn’t have the best relationship with my parents. I have gaps in my memory where I spent time with them or they weren’t huge figures in my life. Like when I was a teenager or when I was in college because they were working their butts off, or I just didn’t want to be around them, you know, like you think your parents are your worst enemies.

It didn’t make any sense. They were my sole providers and worked so hard to give me the life I have now. But I was so anti-family, now I have to make up for that for all the time I lost and all the times I pushed them away. Now I just want to embrace them and anything and everything they can tell me about their struggles and our home life growing up. I would say it has affected my photography a lot because I feel like when I’m home and photographing them, those photos are the proudest I’ve made. They feel like the most important ones.

Do you envision long term that you will keep documenting your parents for the rest of your life?

Yeah, I was thinking about that recently. It’s like a finite but infinite project, in that for as long as I can and for as long as they are around I will be working on this project. I thought originally I’d love to put together a photo-book, at least for myself, that I can look back on and reflect. But I feel like it’s always going to be a working body, something I’m going to want to photograph because they’re still here. And it would be cool if they’re here for a very long time and I can continue to work on it. But obviously they are not going to be around forever, so as much as I can and for as long as I can I will be working on this.

How do your parents feel about the project, and has it evolved at all as a response to their feelings?

It first started out as me just wanting to see how far I could push my parents before they thought it was annoying. Also, you have to know this about my mom, she is such a ham. She thrives in front of the camera. And my dad, as a photographer, loves it. So that, coupled with her being a hoarder and having tons of clothes, I thought would be one of the projects. Her in every single garment she owns. It’ll just be a thousand pages of weird clothes she’s wearing. But it ended up being so forced. I hated the photos that came out of it, just me being like “Can you stand here, pose like this.” 

That changed the first time I ever photographed them and felt proud of it. It was her in her bathrobe cleaning the yard, and I just told her “Look up, smile” and took the photo. And I love that. And that’s how it’s changed.

In regards to their reception. She hates it when it is organic. But I love it, because that’s you in this moment. Whether you’re angry or caught off guard. My mom is always like “Let me curl my hair, put on earrings. Oh and pose me here.” So then she’s trying to direct me on how to direct her, and I just want her to be natural. Then she asks me to show her the photos I post online and she’ll be like, “What, I only got 300 likes??” Mom! You’re crazy! Look at this one, you got 1,000 likes. She’s hilarious.

As for my dad, on the other hand, he’s a photographer so he’ll be asking why am I having him sit a certain way or why I’m taking photos of him. But it’s really fun. They’re really supportive and used to it by this point. I really appreciate it. I’m working on how to translate what I write, so I can tell them. Me and my broken Chinese, I’m able to tell them what I was writing about but not a true translation of it yet.

Since you mentioned the writing aspect of your posts. Not only are your photos stunning, but you also post the beautiful prose and story behind the photos. What is the connection for you with words and photos?

I think I take more pride when people compliment me on my writing. So I think in that sense I would consider myself more of a writer than a photographer. But honestly, I’m neither. But on my phone I just have a ton of notes. Like sometimes I won’t be able to sleep so I’ll just re-write or it’ll be just word vomit. With the pieces with my parents, half the stuff is pre-written. Then if a photograph fits what I already wrote then I’ll finish the piece I already wrote, or I’ll write something specifically for it. Initially I felt every photo I took had to have something so deep and eloquent. And sometimes, like, it’s a photo of a sunrise. It’ll happen again. Yes, it’s beautiful but I don’t need to be deep or introspective about it.

But I feel like with the images of my parents, it’s so natural. For me, it’s kind of figuring out my lineage and my parents, so it’s therapeutic just writing. That’s what a lot of this is. Figuring things out by writing it down. And [the motivation is not] so I can post it and people can like it. Like, that one post where I didn’t know my grandma had the experience she did with the French soldiers. My mom just made an off-handed comment about how she shouldn’t really be here and how her dad wasn’t really her dad, her brothers aren’t her brothers. I was like, what?! And then she explained how grandma was assaulted, and how she was the product of it. I was like, hold up, we need to talk about this. But she didn’t really want to. So I needed to process that and write about it.

So yeah, I would say writing is very meaningful to me and very therapeutic. If it’s befitting of what I wrote or it’s a photo that means something to me, I’ll write something. But if I force it, nothing comes out. The theme is just very organic.

What was the evolution of 35mm to now focusing primarily on medium and large format?

My dad really believed you could only learn how to use a camera if everything is manual, so he really encouraged me to try the Nikons. But I just wanted a point and shoot. I wanted something easy and fast, set it and forget it. I didn’t really care. Then looking back on my first 10-15 rolls on the point and shoots, I realized all that stuff kind of sucked. I thought I was making cool photos, but it was really just me thinking I was the shit because I was shooting film. I think we get in our heads a lot about that stuff. I didn’t really connect with the 35mm work. I couldn’t fathom taking so many photos. So what I ended up doing was blowing through them on stupid things. I couldn’t really connect with it.

It was purely accidental that I got into medium format. I was on eBay and had purchased a roll of Lomography film. I thought I ordered 35mm but they shipped me 120 and I was like, “What is this??” I remember even leaving a three star review because I was frustrated at not getting 35mm. But lo and behold I should go back and give that guy five stars now! At the time I borrowed a camera to shoot it, a Mamiya RB67. The HEAVIEST camera you could possibly own. I put the roll through and I got the results back from the lab, and was like, “OH CRAP”. That just ruined me forever. It was so great. And because it was just 10 photos, I had to really think about what I wanted to photograph. It was a lot better because it slowed me down. Before I had just been walking around downtown San Francisco and just blowing rolls of 35mm on things that didn’t matter. With this, I was really, really slowed down. I really cared about the photographs I was taking. I almost immediately abandoned shooting 35mm, and went exclusively medium format. Which is still my main format, only because large format is so expensive. It’s been good, I’ve been so happy. I finally have teased out which cameras do and do not work. I’m just rotating on two medium formats now.

Which two are those?

The Pentax 67 will always be my baby. I love it so much. And the Mamiya 645.

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You mentioned that you are still figuring out what you like to shoot, but you obviously like shooting portraits. What draws you to shooting people vs. other subjects?

About two years ago I went on Instagram and declared “I am going to be a good portrait photographer!” It felt like the bane of my existence. I feel like I’m better now, but not the best. You can see in my photos it’s frequently people standing in the middle and they’re not really posing. It’s mainly, “Let me get a photo of you”. For me, that’s what matters and it’s not so much the pose. It’s not so much the portrait itself, but the people. You can see I do have a lot of the same people that I re-post. Again, that’s who I choose to give my time to, it means a lot to me. Taking their portraits and having a photo of them at this place where we did something together, that means more to me and these portraits are for me. It’s memorializing them and our time together. Having something to show for it, I guess.

That’s why I’m drawn to portraits, it’s about my relationship with these people. But man, it’s hard. There’s people out here taking amazing editorial shots of people, or making photos that are so emotive that tell a story just looking at them. That’s the level I want to get to. Still working on it! Will forever be working on it.

I’ve noticed your subjects seem so comfortable in front of your camera. Do you do anything to help people feel at ease in front of your lens? 

I think it has to do with getting to know people first. It’s cool to take portraits of strangers, because they look really nice or you want to capture their aura. But it’s also so important to build a relationship with someone before capturing their photo, because it is so intimate. Like I mentioned, a lot of the people featured in my work are friends and people I’m really comfortable with. I’m really happy you’re able to feel that between me and this person and our sense of trust in the photos.

Of the photos you’ve taken, what is your most impactful photo?

Probably photos I’ve taken of my parents. Maybe more so of my mom, because we’re so close. My mom is my best friend, she’s the love of my life. It’s a huge fear when I lose her it will be the end of me. Any photos I have of her mean so much to me. It’s always the ones where she’s caught off guard or I make her laugh and get a photo of that.

There’s one I took with my Mamiya 645 and her glasses are sitting on the edge of her nose and she’s cheesing. She had just finished grabbing some lemons off the lemon trees and I snuck up on her. Things like that, where she’s in her natural element. It’s just like, that’s my mom. She’s a happy person. She’s the light of my life. She makes me so happy. Any photos that emit that kind of feeling for me are my most meaningful and they impact me emotionally a lot.

Is there anything you feel like you’ve struggled with in photography that you’ve overcome?

You know, I could make up something and be super deep, but honestly no. I don’t think so. Photography isn’t that serious for me. If I make a photo, I make a photo. If it’s great, it’s great. If it’s not, I’ll just throw it away and never think of it again.

But I think if I had to pinpoint the most challenging part, it would come down to how expensive things are. That’s just it. I would have no qualms about this hobby if things were affordable. My partner and I are trying to save to buy a house, and once we became serious about wanting to get a house I realized I couldn’t buy film and camera gear any more, until we at least get an accepted offer. And I’ve saved so much money! It’s so stupid. Oh my gosh, this is where all my money is going? Literally, it’s just being sunk into this hobby that’s never going to make me money. But I enjoy it. It’s so challenging in that I want to save money, of course, but at the same time I want the cameras I think are fun and I want all the film!

And one day I won’t be able to afford it anymore. So that really is the most challenging part of this. I’ve calculated it, Portra is $13-14 a roll now. I gave up on developing film myself, the colors were always terrible. So I send everything to a lab and scan my film myself to save some money. But sometimes I don’t have the time and energy, so I pay for the lab to do both, so then it’s like $16 for developing and scan, and then you’re paying for like $30 for a single roll of film start to finish. I can’t do that! That’s bananas. I want a baby, and we cannot afford to have a kid when their formula is $30+. This is just nuts. Sometimes I just have to break it down and focus on real life things and what I could afford instead. It’s so sad. $55 for a pro-pack, or half of a one-way ticket to see my parents? Oh man, this is really not fun when you sit down and think of these costs.

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What female or non-binary photographers are inspirational to you?

Oh Hannah Films! She’s amazing, and oh my gosh super cool too. I love her landscape photos. I don’t know how she gets the dreamiest and richest colors. Her photos are what I want my landscape photos to look like. Also there’s a couple that do predominantly story telling of the queer community. They’re known as Allie and Jesse on Instagram. They make really beautiful portraits. One of my most favorite ones of theirs was a boxer who had transitioned from female to male, and they followed their story, how they transitioned, and what they look like now. It was riveting. It was so cool.

When people take photos like that, I wonder how they make those connections? Because it’s so intimate and personal. They were able to connect with this person and they were comfortable enough to let them tell their story. That’s what Allie and Jesse do.

Obviously Sara Messinger. She’s amazing. I just discovered her. She’s based in New York and she does these photos, where they feel almost just like photos you take of your friends just hanging out but they are punchy and raw. The people she is photographing are like the cool punks or the misfit kids in high school you wished you could have talked to. All her photos are of people like that. Very raw. And I wonder how she evokes these emotions. Literally I have a whole list of people. Lindsay Perryman, they are so so good. Their portraits are super dynamic and powerful.

From the past, but Mary Mark Ellen. I bought a three book set of her work and after going through it I couldn’t photograph for months. I was just like, what am I doing? Her whole thing is she ingratiates herself into her subjects’ lives. She spent months in India photographing sex workers. I don’t even think it was an assignment. It was just her wanting to know about these people and their lives and that she wanted to photograph them. She spends time building up these relationships and making people feel comfortable. She takes these amazing photos that are just dripping with emotion. It evokes so much from just looking at it. That definitely made me pause and reevaluate things. I’m such a fan of her work.

Also, Aly’s Vintage Camera Alley, Shay of the Arts, and Liz Potter! And oh Jess Hobbs. She’s amazing. She’s actually the reason I’m now diving into modified cameras for instant film. All these women, like Jessie Tepper, Film by Kait, Chris Bartolucci, it’s been such a welcoming group of people that have been so supportive. Not just of me, but of everyone and of each other. There’s no gatekeeping. Also, Vania Francesca, she’s been so helpful in talking about quick loads and ready loads, and learning about how she does things.

Just looking at everyone’s work is so motivating. It makes me want to continue making good photos. It’s so invigorating seeing women and non-binary people be represented in this community. It sucks when it gets so loud with people trying to make a point that there couldn’t possibly be 50% of the film photography population be these people, that they think it’s all white men. It really sucks, because I could go on and on listing these people. It sucks that there are people who don’t believe there’s equal numbers of all these different kinds of photographers. But it’s so empowering to see all these feature pages pop up that aren’t just featuring cis-white men. I love it, it’s so cool. I’m glad more people are becoming aware of this. I hope it continues and we start becoming louder voices!

As we wrap up, what big projects are you working on?

Not so much projects, but I’ve gotten to a point where I’m comfortable with medium and large format and now I feel like, what else should I throw my money at? There’s a discord called Film and Filaments, or something like that, it’s a bunch of smart people modifying or designing their own 3D printed cameras so you can take instant photos. Polaroids are so expensive! People are upgrading and making those things at more affordable prices. I’m printing one right now that will work with a Mamiya Press Lens and the LomoGraflock Back. So there’s better alternatives to using the LomoGraflock Back. I’m super excited to dive into the world of instant film. So many of the instant film cameras on the market just don’t have a lot of control, so then your photos don’t turn out the greatest or the sharpest. With these designs they make it possible to shoot instant film with a lot more control, so I’m ecstatic about that. It’s not so much a project that will be fruitful and produce a specific body of work. It’s going to be fun and I’m really excited about it. But also it’s super aggravating because 3D printing is stupid and hard. But yeah, I’m really excited.

You can find Han’s work online on Instagram, Twitter, and on her Website.

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The post Parents and Portraits with Film Photographer Han Phan appeared first on Casual Photophile.