Lubitels

[Stoned]

Hi all. Was thinking about dabbling a little in MF photography but don't wish to spend too much. Hence, im looking at some budget options(sub $200) which can still provide quality shots(is it possible at this price?).

Currently im looking specifically at the lubitel 166B because of the price, though I must admit I have no idea about the quality.Can anyone help me here?

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I'll be using the set-up exclusively for portraits. More expensive set-ups can also be recommended for future consideration

 

[sljm]

What abt seagulls ??? I got pretty good experience with them... unfortunately sold mine.. haha thinking of getting one again...

 

[blurblock]

Hi all. Was thinking about dabbling a little in MF photography but don't wish to spend too much. Hence, im looking at some budget options(sub $200) which can still provide quality shots(is it possible at this price?).

Currently im looking specifically at the lubitel 166B because of the price, though I must admit I have no idea about the quality.Can anyone help me here?

Does anyone have any other recommendations? I'll be using the set-up exclusively for portraits. More expensive set-ups can also be recommended for future consideration

TLR is not pretty good for portrait due to the fact there will be parallex error for close up.

 

[nightwolf75]

i'm using a lubitel 166U. lovely little cam and extremely easy to use, once u get the hang of the image being 'inverted' - ie left is right, right is left.

its a cheap entry into MF. i'm using it to take B&W portraits. the 6x6 format gives a different perspective to the shots. i've got a sample shot. will try to post it up tonite or tomorrow becos i need to scan it.

blurblock is right abt the parallel error. u just need to learn to get the hang of viewing it and compose accordingly.

according to some websites, there's a problem of light leaks along the sides of the cam. i solved it by gaffering it up. no problems with my film - both colour and B&W.

right now, i thinking of getting a 645 format (6x4.5) cam - hopefully a kiev60. just dunno where in singapore to find a reasonably priced one... :mad2:

if u want to buy, PM me? mebbe we can arrange a deal?

 

[tsjcsl]

Had a Lubitel as entry into MF. I think the quality control is not very good - mine had some problem with the "plane of sharpness". In other word, either the left, or the right side of the image will slightly out of focus! The image was also pretty soft, so it sort of helped if a large aperture was used.

Having a normal lens will mean that close up will be difficult, so you ar left with half- or three-quarter body shots. But you will be able to falsh sync at all shutter speeds.

I do find focussing a little difficult, the ground glass is small and dark. But it is a fun, and "real" camera, so if you get a good one the results should be OK. You could consider getting a used one from CS, and ask to see the results before buying. In this way, you will overcome potential quality issues. There is almost nothing to break in this camera, perhaps only the shutter which could be out/slow because of under-usage.

Wait until you see the MF slides. WOW ;p

 

[Stoned]

i'm using a lubitel 166U. lovely little cam and extremely easy to use, once u get the hang of the image being 'inverted' - ie left is right, right is left.

its a cheap entry into MF. i'm using it to take B&W portraits. the 6x6 format gives a different perspective to the shots. i've got a sample shot. will try to post it up tonite or tomorrow becos i need to scan it.

blurblock is right abt the parallel error. u just need to learn to get the hang of viewing it and compose accordingly.

according to some websites, there's a problem of light leaks along the sides of the cam. i solved it by gaffering it up. no problems with my film - both colour and B&W.

right now, i thinking of getting a 645 format (6x4.5) cam - hopefully a kiev60. just dunno where in singapore to find a reasonably priced one... :mad2:

if u want to buy, PM me? mebbe we can arrange a deal?

Would love to see the sample shot as i don't really get what you mean by parallax error. Is the image distorted?
As for buying I'm not too sure yet but if i do decide on a lubitel will definitely drop you a PM. Thanks for the offer

 

[Stoned]

Had a Lubitel as entry into MF. I think the quality control is not very good - mine had some problem with the "plane of sharpness". In other word, either the left, or the right side of the image will slightly out of focus! The image was also pretty soft, so it sort of helped if a large aperture was used.

Having a normal lens will mean that close up will be difficult, so you ar left with half- or three-quarter body shots. But you will be able to falsh sync at all shutter speeds.

I do find focussing a little difficult, the ground glass is small and dark. But it is a fun, and "real" camera, so if you get a good one the results should be OK. You could consider getting a used one from CS, and ask to see the results before buying. In this way, you will overcome potential quality issues. There is almost nothing to break in this camera, perhaps only the shutter which could be out/slow because of under-usage.

Wait until you see the MF slides. WOW ;p

How does medium format focal lengths translate to 35mm focal lengths? Is an 85mm lens on say a lubitel the same as that on a 35mm film body?
I've also seen some bright groundglass available recently for $28. I surmised this is used for the viewfinder but what actually is the purpose of groundglass?

 

[nightwolf75]

Would love to see the sample shot as i don't really get what you mean by parallax error. Is the image distorted?
As for buying I'm not too sure yet but if i do decide on a lubitel will definitely drop you a PM. Thanks for the offer

parallel error is becos wat u see from the view finder may be slightly off from wat the lens see. its just like our primary school experiments of putting a pencil in a glass of water. but, once u get the hang of it, u'll learn to live with it and compensate it. this error is true for all TLR cameras.

as for the pic, have to wait. hope to get it up by tonite. if not tomorrow.

 

[blurblock]

Would love to see the sample shot as i don't really get what you mean by parallax error. Is the image distorted?
As for buying I'm not too sure yet but if i do decide on a lubitel will definitely drop you a PM. Thanks for the offer

The Image is not distorted .... read for yourself

http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/tlr.html

 

[blurblock]

How does medium format focal lengths translate to 35mm focal lengths? Is an 85mm lens on say a lubitel the same as that on a 35mm film body?
I've also seen some bright groundglass available recently for $28. I surmised this is used for the viewfinder but what actually is the purpose of groundglass?

A 85mm lens on a Lubitel translate to rougly 56mm lens in 35mm.

Groundglass is useful for Large Format Camera, in which you are not getting. It is a piece of glass for you to view, something like the Focusing screen in Medium format or the Viewfinder in 35mm.

 

[Stoned]

Thanks guys for all the info. Just one more, how exactly is the focal length calculated in 35mm terms?

 

[alvin]

There's a table here showing the relation between 35mm and the various 120 film formats:

http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl/webarticle14b.htm <- scroll down to the very bottom.

This is part 2 of a multipart article. It's a pretty good read

Calculation wise I'm not too sure, this is from the Medium Format Megasite...
http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/lenses3.html

HTHs!

Alvin

 

[nightwolf75]

stoned - the image as promised. i put it up on the galleries. sorry for the low quality scan becos of the file size limit. if u need a clearer pic, let me know?

http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=7407

 

[Stoned]

Thanks nightwolf. Its not quite tack sharp but it looks pretty good for the price. Let me sell some stuff first so I can consider it seriously

 

[alvin]

Say wolfie, can the lubitels take filters? Didja shoot that pic with a filter? Looks very nice and contrasty. What film/development? I just got me a bunch of tmax 400 & delta 400 plus ilford ddx - going back to B&W after seeing too much of HCB's work haha

BTW, Personally I would prefer the lady to be slightly off centre, but that's just me

Alvin

 

[dreamseeker]

Hi nightwolf75,

Great to see you shoot MF and using black & white. Did you print yourself or send to shops?

You can consider Bronica or Mamiya 645?

stoned - the image as promised. i put it up on the galleries. sorry for the low quality scan becos of the file size limit. if u need a clearer pic, let me know?

http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=7407

 

[nightwolf75]

Thanks nightwolf. Its not quite tack sharp but it looks pretty good for the price. Let me sell some stuff first so I can consider it seriously

stoned - anytime, bro! oh yeah. the pic is not tack sharp becos i scanned and had to reduce the pic quality becos of the size limit in the galleries. the lubitel is a fun cam to play with and relatively cheap intro to MF. keeping my fingers crossed as i'm trying to find a decently priced kiev 60 - an oversized MF SLR camera.

alvin - yes, lubitel 166U do take a weird 40.5mm filters. dunno if u can find them in singapore! try reading up here! http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/lubitel.html no, i din use any filters. even then, i love the effects! i shot with color film, but din quite like the effects. mebbe its the film problem lah. and yes, u're not the first one to tell me to place her off-centre. some one in the gallery said the same thing. but, the shot works for me! btw, i used kodak Tmax100 for this shot.

dreamseeker - i only playing ard with MF and B&W. dunno how and have no space at home to develop B&W prints. :embrass: i send all my prints to ruby and ask them to do it for me. did consider mamiya 7II and the pentax 645 auto MF cams. but, they are way too pricey for me, even second hand. both going for ard $1200 at TCW. :cry:

 

[alvin]

Drat. wierd filters... Guess i'll skip this. My current mf cam is just to unwieldy to take around everywhere, 2kg++; now back to bringing my 35mm rf. But seriously, it looks like it was taken with a filter. What film was it? Did you take pictures that have the sky yet? Mine without filtering all become pure white...

wolf, perhaps save a bit then get a used camera off ebay? After discovering the good points and downsides of my system, I'm going to save up to get yet another bronica with a focal plane shutter just for use with two particular kiev lenses - 30mm Arsat and the T&S lens.

btw, I just picked up B&W chemicals, bag, reels etc doesn't really occupy much space - try lah! But not yet shot any for my own development. Friday will be the night

Alvin

 

[nightwolf75]

Drat. wierd filters... Guess i'll skip this. My current mf cam is just to unwieldy to take around everywhere, 2kg++; now back to bringing my 35mm rf.

wolf, perhaps save a bit then get a used camera off ebay? After discovering the good points and downsides of my system, I'm going to save up to get yet another bronica with a focal plane shutter just for use with two particular kiev lenses - 30mm Arsat and the T&S lens.

btw, I just picked up B&W chemicals, bag, reels etc doesn't really occupy much space - try lah! But not yet shot any for my own development. Friday will be the night

Alvin

ermm... my Minister of Interior will kill me if i stink up the whole house with chemicals! :sweat:

i'm eyeing at the pentax 645, with the mamiya 7II RF MF as a close second. saw them on ebay b4. but, including shipping, i might as well buy them in singapore! the prices on ebay are more competitive and realistic than singapore resale prices. but, the shipping is a real killer. :cry:

actually, my lubitel works just fine without filters. i sure u can find them in singapore - eg tcw or konata.

 

[patch17]

Drat. wierd filters... Guess i'll skip this. My current mf cam is just to unwieldy to take around everywhere, 2kg++; now back to bringing my 35mm rf. But seriously, it looks like it was taken with a filter. What film was it? Did you take pictures that have the sky yet? Mine without filtering all become pure white...

wolf, perhaps save a bit then get a used camera off ebay? After discovering the good points and downsides of my system, I'm going to save up to get yet another bronica with a focal plane shutter just for use with two particular kiev lenses - 30mm Arsat and the T&S lens.

btw, I just picked up B&W chemicals, bag, reels etc doesn't really occupy much space - try lah! But not yet shot any for my own development. Friday will be the night

Alvin

you can get a step up ring from 40.5 to 46 or 49mm, then you can use 'regular' sized filters. you can also try asking around video shops, i think 40.5mm should be a standard size for these type of equipment.