Guest Post written by Brandon Aguilar, a film photography enthusiast from Chicago, Illinois. Follow Brandon on Instagram: @brandonaguilarrr
and Tumblr: justanephermerality.tumblr.com
Writing about this camera is going to be a cinch. Not only is it one that is very near and dear to my heart, but this camera is seriously one of the coolest things out there. I can’t say I have all the knowledge in the world about medium format cameras. Heck, I only own one other besides this one. I know there are bigger, meaner, and better ones out there but the point is, not all of them are going to appeal to the people who are looking to get outside their normal realm of 35mm shooting. One must think why 35mm film became and remains so popular in the first place.
Way back when in the early 1900’s, still photography began to grow. Cameras were being born that needed a way to make shooting convenient for the consumer. With the 35mm size being so successful in the film making industry, camera makers soon took advantage of its convenient format, and developed cameras to match its size. With that being said, is that still the reason why 35mm remains supreme? Sure, most rolls allow you to shoot up to 36 frames which is indeed convenient for the photographer who makes sure they get that “perfect shot” but is that it?
{Journey to The Valley of Fire by Jordan Mulcahey , Shot with a Mamiya 645 Pro TL on Kodak Ektar 100 film.}
Every film photographer should explore the different realms of film photography. Especially one that is stuck in that creative rut. If that photographer is you, and you already know that shooting different formats exist but you think it will be more expensive and less convenient then this is the article you should be reading. You will learn about a great line of cameras that will not only assist you in making extraordinary images, but will spare you from breaking your wallet.
I understand that in depth specs are crucial to any camera review, but the crazy thing is that this camera is pretty straight to the point. The fact that it is a film camera may have something to do with that. There are a lot of features this camera has but I’m more focused and excited to just SHOW what this camera can create, rather than explain why and how it does these super cool things.
To make things simple, I am going to break this down into three different categories as to why I think this camera is so dang cool. (I’m limiting myself to 3)
1. It’s Multi-frame Option
If you’re anything like me and you HATE frame chop with double exposing 35mm film, then picking up one of these cameras and a roll of medium format film will fix that issue with a click of a switch.
Frame Chop is when an area shows a distinct end or beginning of a different image,that is overlapped onto another.
The camera has this great feature which allows you to take a second or even a third exposure without advancing the film. The reason this is so great is because with 35mm double exposing, you must shoot an entire roll, rewind it, shoot it again. This never ensures that you will get the two images you want to combine. Although this does bring a level of unpredictability which is what makes it a lot of fun, some people have a distinct idea in mind about what they want to overlap.
{Above: Multi Switch allows multiple frames to be taken without advancing the roll of film.}
The best part is is that you simply have to just move this little lever thing and boom, you can shoot away. Yeah, magic isn’t always going to instantly happen. You have to know a little bit about your rules of double exposure, such as making sure you’re getting two stopped down photos to equal one proper exposure, but once you get the hang of it, you can really start to create some interesting photographs with minimal effort.
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