Analog film photography and cameras

Have you tried grabbing the central part with a set of pliers? No experience with an ME, but on my Spotmatic, that part goes all the way through.

All really nice, particularly 3 and 4. Are 2 and 3 Otley Chevin?

Is the thread of the part still on the camera in ok condition? Could you somehow screw something on there to act as a bodged replacement crank?
Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Otley Chevin?

Aye! Was quite enjoying my walks around snapping photos, but that's off the menu for a while now with the lockdown. Gonna have to see what the Meanwood Valley Trail has to offer.

Meanwood Valley Trail is lovely too, I much prefer the end of it past meanwood, away from town. I went for a run there last autumn when it was pissing it down and it felt like I was a in a jungle or something!

Yeah up to the Hollies is nice. Lots of weaving wee trails about. Probably the only bit of greenery I'll see for a while!

I'm hoping to get my hands on a medium format camera for my wife, for her birthday. Entry-level budget - what are my best bets? I've seen some nice Bronicas in the classifieds over the last year, at around my budget.

I have a Bronica ETRSi, it is my first dip into medium format. Mine has a metered prism viewfinder which, in operation, makes it quite like a 35mm SLR. Mine was in VGC and came with the 75mm Zenzanon F2.8 lens and side winder grip. I paid €480 and I've loved every second of it and can fully recommend. It shoots 6 x 4.5 which means you get the most exposures out of a roll of 120 film.

Cheaper options include older twin lens designs such as Rolleiflex models, which can be had for much less and can still produce stunning results. I don't have experience with these but they are more stripped back and rudimentary in their design and operation from what I gather.

That does sound the kind of thing I’m after, yeah. There’s one on eBay at the moment with a winder grip for £400 actually. About £100 over my max budget I reckon though :-(
This is not exactly the flush-est I’ve even been annoyingly, with the current situation :-D

Maybe have a read about the Rolleicord models. You can get a clean 60s model for £200.

+1 for Bronica, I've got an SQ-A (Which is 6x6 as opposed to 645), but it's built like a tank and the lenses are gorgeous

I paid around £350 for mine from ebay I think?

There’s also an rb67 currently at £200 on eBay with 5 days to go. They’ve always been reasonably priced as they’re so common. I like mine, and have scored an extra back and a couple more lenses for not much cash.

They’re massive though. Proper beast.

Some more large format work now that self-isolation has taken ahold :)

fucking nice

Aye, +1 for the bronica systems

I had a Hasselblad 500CM with an 80mm CF and an Bronica SQA, sold the Hasselblad for the hype money, Bronica is as good if you’re not bothered by the battery dependency plus the lenses are far cheaper than hasselblad alternatives.

1st one is particularly Alec Soth-y

Very nice!

My first medium format was a Pentacon Six TL, which I picked up in Prague.

6x6 SLR, has some quirks - mostly the wind on fails so frames have odd spacing.

But lens are great and is basically an oversized 35mm SLR so she should have some familiarity?

I picked it up for less than £100 with a 80mm and TTL prism but this was probably 10 years ago, no idea what they’re commanding now.

They are hyped so not cheap.

Generally if you go for the best; hasselblad or something, you dont lose money.

True, between buying the camera body & the older 80mm C lens and later swapping for the CF lens, I used it for two years and sold it for twice what I paid for it.

Hasselblad + leicas good place to park your money, but you’ve already got all the cool point and shoots which have rocketed up :-)

I would say now is a good time to look as I’ve seen some things on eBay sell for silly cheap.

Thanks for all the advice - I reckon a Bronica feels about right for my budget. Coming from using 35mm slrs and rangefinders, do you think a metered prism viewer is a good shout?

I've been working on my parents' garden following the confinement in France.
Some pics, Plaubel Makina & last one T2:

Are metered prisms useful? Very.

Metered cameras tend to be more expensive though. Light meters can be expensive too, but light meter apps are surprisingly reliable. Less to go wrong with a mechanical camera too.

Wow! These are fantastic. Really striking images,

Ah yeah, I've always got about 12 batteries on me and that might last the day (hyperbole)

Yeah I've got a metered prisim and love it, although definitely not necessary and some argue more fun without. Phone meters are more than good enough for negatives, and I've shot slides with a phone meter and been pretty bang on.