restart

After so many months without blogging I decided that it might be about time to write some new articles about what I like and what concerned me lately. Since I am not used to write so much at a time anymore (it should change soon, if I'd like to finish my papers, essays and start writing my thesis - 120 pages don't get filled by themselves) I think I start slowly.

Well, I had to return my dad's beautiful Hasselblad some time ago already but since then got sticked to medium format: I now almost exclusively shoot in medium format. Back then though, after returning the Hasselblad, there was a lack of medium format cameras in my possession and I had to help myself. I tried to find a good but not expensive one.

After doing some research I realized that a lot of people recommended the Yashica MAT 124(G). It is a copy of the Rolleiflex, where the G - as they stated in the forums and websites about medium format - must stand for glass lenses. The relation of price and quality was the best. So I took my decision: A Yashica it will be. But where to find? After doing some search via ebay and Google I found that very camera for 190€ - which in this condition is a very good price. Since the day I met with the seller and bought the camera I started using my lovely Nikon FM less and less frequently. Just as an example: The last time I brought 6 roll films and only on 135mm film to the development.

Even though the quality of the lenses in the Yashica are dimensions away from what you could see in the Hasselblad-photos it still has, besides the "woah, cool-effect" on people around you, some advantages: It is lightweight, compact and silent: Because it is a twin lense reflex camera it has no big mirror inside. That means for long time exposures that they still deliver convenient photos for a 1/30 second. It also means that it is perfect for street photography and you can carry around the camera in almost any situation. Plus: it has a built-in light meter that is connected to exposure and time value. The disadvantage of the camera - besides the lower quality of the lenses, of course -, is the quite dark matt screen (like in the Rolleiflex), the non-changeable lenses (oh, I would love to use some wide-angle) and some minor things like more plastic inside.

I am pretty sure that the Yashica won't be the last medium format camera I'll own in my life (my aim  will always be the Hasselblad 501C or 503C - but first finding a well-paid job, right?). I definitely would hardly sell it again. It is just too perfect to take a quick shot in medium format.

The picture is taken from the internet. I simply have been too lazy to take a photo myself.

Here are some examples: