Also what percentage of your photography is with a TLR?
Just trying to kick start this group

I just got my Rolleiflex 3.5F about six months ago, my first TLR ever. So I can't say I'm entirely comfortable with it yet -- I still regard my 35mm rangefinder (a Zeiss Ikon) as my "main" camera. But I am using the Rollei more and more. It usually takes a while to switch gears, but when I do, I am very pleased with the results. The image quality is just incomparable. It would be interesting to hear from other new TLR users on how they've been able (or not) to change their shooting style -- and their way of seeing the picture -- to suit the camera's unique capabilities.

Percentage would be hard to say. The fun stuff is with the Rollei.

I had a gap of about 7 years without a Rollei, where most of my film work was on 35mm (or the other unmentionable stuff). I almost slap my head when I look at some of my 35mm portraits-I think the Rollei stuff is far superior. Also I think that having a square makes me think differently about composition and sometimes now I'll crop stuff square that I shoot on digital/35mm.
I guess I use the Rollei mainly for portraits and reportage it's great for those things, in fact I'm almost thinking of selling my M4-P and buying a 3,5F probably won't but the Leica sits on the shelf. I also have a 6x7 RF Fuji which I like but has a plastic feel and elastic band shutter, which will probably stay my landscape camera along with my Nikon F2 which is my Macro and telephoto cam.
I'm guessing that about 60% of my film work is now on the Rollei 30% Nikon and the rest Fuji/Leica RF I would like to have a try with LF possibly 4x5 B&W but I never really enjoyed using them back in the 80's and with 3 kids don't have the time for landscapes really.
Equipment choice really does leave its fingerprint on our work, and my style is more suited to the Rollei than I imagined and I wish I'd used my old Rollei more when looking back at my old negs, and I certainly shouldn't have sold it–how do I get back those 7 years?

I would like to say that I use my TLR most of the time, and sometimes that is true, but I tend to alternate between my different cameras, depending on what kind of shooting I do. Though it is most certainly my best camera, my Rollei is not my "everything" camera.

I've got a nice Nikon N80 that is a flexible and reliable tool. It's great for days where I'm out scouting for photo opportunities. I've also got a wonderful little XA2 which easily fits in a jacket pocket and can be counted on for quick snaps. For medium format, I've got a Bronica GS-1, which honestly hasn't seen much work lately, but it is capable of wonderful images. And I've been known to scrape a perfectly useable roll of film through a Holga.

All this said, I must admit that my Rollei is my true muse. When I have it in my hands I feel inspired to make pictures in a way that no other camera can do.... with this camera, I feel like a PHOTOGRAPHER.

The only camera I use is my Mamiya C330.

I always found photography a bit boring before I discovered a twins lens camera.

If I don't take pictures with the C330, then I use a super8 camera.

Well, I've got a Voigtlander Bessa R2 and Bronica SQAi - mostly for using tele and wide lenses that my Rollei can't offer.

I'm only shooting maybe 25% with TLRs right now. I get more 120 film so I use them more as time goes on. I have a Ricohflex, Yashica LM and Mamiya C330

I shoot about 20% with my Mamiya C330 F mainly portraits on neg film, I mainly shoot 35mm with six Canon FD bodys I have ( 2x F1N AE , EF, 2x T90 and a FTbn.
I've had almost all of my equipment for more than twenty years, since I'm retired I have plenty of time to use it, and go out shooting almost every day.

Hello to all.

Not really new to apug but not yet comfortable with posting. I'm no youngster just an amateur that enjoys the craft.
My kit includes cameras of many kinds and includes a rollei 2.8e, an Ikoflex, a baby rollei 4x4, yashicamat 4x4, other tlr's
such as kodak, argus, voightlander brilliant, slr's in olympus om2, om10, pentax H2 spotmatic, K1000, and many others.
The kit is there all I need to do is get out use it. Perhaps My contact with the group will be educational and create more
of an urge to more.
My first post. hopefully there will something I can share from some 60 years of experience.
greetings to all.

john

I had a Yashicamat 124 a number of years ago but wasn't taken by the photos I took with it, so it was sold off at some point. Then last year I got a Rollei New Standard at an estate auction; that and an old Agfa folder are the only medium format cameras I have any more. I mostly use 4x5 or 8x10, then 35mm. I tend to view the Rollei as a casual camera, or for street shooting (and living in a small town, there just isn't that much going on for "street photography".) The Rollei has pretty much taken over from the Agfa folder; I think I've shot two rolls on that this year.

I wonder how one would measure the proportions of photographs taken by various cameras? If by frame count, it seems 35mm would have a distinct advantage (and for those using 8mm or 16mm movie cameras, an overwhelming one, even if it were just one reel a year.) In all honesty, I don't count sheets/rolls/exposures over time. I have no idea, for example, how many sheets of 4x5 I've taken this year. A lot, by my standards (and there are 13 more sheets waiting for development, along with a mystery roll of old medium format film a friend found in a box in his attic.) If counting by exposures, 35mm may be my most used film this year as I bought a couple backup bodies on Ebay and ran some test rolls through each, then a couple more through my old standby for comparison. On the whole, I think I prefer to think of the problem as how much time have I spent photographing with one or the other camera, and this year like most it's been 4x5 with 8x10 a close second, followed by the Rollei and the 35mm stuff bringing up the rear.

I have no idea if that helps with your question or not, sorry.

Mike

Most of my personal work since 1986 has been LF 5"x4" and in the early days also 35mm with an M3 & 50mm Summicron, but the 35mm was almost like a diary;

Now I shoot 10x8 as well, I've stopped using 35mm as I found I rarely if ever printed or exhibited the images. Since returning to using a TLR last year I now find I'm using it far more than I expected.

So I'd guess a breakdown of actual images printed recently would be along the lines of:

5x4 40%
10x8 5%
6x17 15%
6x6 40%

I'm definitely shooting very much more with the TLR's but many images are outside current project work, so actual film usage is more like 70+%

Now I find I'm really enjoying using TLR's again and when I bought my Yashicamat 124 on a whim didn't expect this

Ian

I'm maybe a counterpoint to Ian above; I've been using 4x5 and 8x10 for the vast majority of my work the past seven or so years (all my work is personal; I'm not a professional photographer.) I got my Rollei about a year ago and have run perhaps three dozen rolls of film through it; it's definately a "for fun" thing. I've been using more 35mm this past summer after having rarely opened the case for years. It's a lot more spontaneous than the view cameras and I've been enjoying that, although I have to admit that I don't print many of the frames I shoot, as opposed to the view cameras, where I print almost all the sheets I shoot, or the Rollei, where I print more than half the frames. Still, the current breakdown would look something like:

4x5: 80 %
8x10: 10%
Rollei: 8%
35mm: 2%

Mike

My TLR(s) represent the majority of my photography at the moment (100 rolls in one year, Vs 20 in 35mm and maybe 50/70 sheets in 4/5). These cameras have everything : they are light, simple, well made (I have a Rolleiflex and a Yashica mat), and deliver nice image quality. I can bring one of them when I go to work, including for business trips, so this helps a lot.

Whenever I go out for shooting seriously (as serious as I can get, that is) I have my Rollei and a Leica, since that is about all I can carry for any distance, with a tripod. They take different kinds of pictures, to state the obvious; either can make powerful portraits, for example, or landscape work, and entirely satisfactory prints in any size I care to print them (up to 16x20). I've been preparing for a road trip next spring to west Texas and had been wanting to take a 4x5, but the only one I have lives on my studio stand and is too darn heavy to schlep, I don't have a suitable tripod for its weight, either, and also Dennis's pictures of Mexico convinced me that the Rollei is Big Enough, so that's what I'm going with. I also have a Widelux which is fun to use and does some nice landscape work.
In ratio terms I'm mostly using the Rollei (I also have a Minolta Automat), next most the 35s, then the 4x5 (but it's getting winter and there will be a lot more of that soon). Just now looking at my gallery postings is a pretty fair representation of ratio.

Bill

Those Mexico pics were hand held on Tmax 400. Use a tripod and a fine grain film and the Rollei compares to LF
Dennis

I make extensive use of my C330, these days the rest is either a Graflex RB or Mamiya RB67. The C330 is comparatively small and has enough lenses to choose from to fit almost any situation. If I know I'll be able to carry an assortment of gear I'll pack along anther camera, if I have to travel light it's almost always my go-to camera.

I have a Yashicamat 124 G which I tend not to use often. Since it has a waist-level viewfinder, it can be difficult to use for some of my subjects. Perhaps, I just need to use it more to become comfortable with it. I also have a Yashica-flex which I like more. Mostly, I use the 35mm because of their adaptability.

I like my Rolleiflex 3,5F a lot - took it on a 14day sailing trip this summer which was great. It's surely the one I love the most. I also have a Yashica Mat 124G which is now more a back up - I bought it 25 Years ago and used it until the Flex came into my house. Another outfit are my Hasselblads 500c/m and 500 EL/X - but I usually hate to carry all that weight inluding the tripod. But sometimes great to be able to change lenses and to be able to use different backs with different type of films (usually have one colour and one 100bw and one 400 bw loaded back.) Most of the time I got a canonet in my backpack and a Minox 35 in my motorcycle jacket for the quick shots along my way. Thought about selling my Hasselblads and to get the new Bessa 667, but then thought that the shuter of that Bessa couldn't be as quiet as the one of the Rolleiflex TLR.

Fascinating! I use beat up, old Rollei 3.5 Automats for a third of the time, a wood field 4x5 the other major third, a Heligon Retina once in a while for some reason... and whatever is laying about for the rest of the time. In the (laying around) lot is an older 8x10, 120 SLRs, homemade contraptions, less preferred Retinas, point and shoots, A Nikkormat with a 105mm, and things of that nature. Really moving away from interchangable lenses for some reason, which makes the TLR feel even more comfy to me, if that's even possible.

I use my Canon EOS 3 bodies, as well as a Holga and "PinHolga". I do love my MAT 124G though...

John, just post, I had my first camera 54 years ago - but I couldn't use it

A post here from someone in their 60's, 70's, 80's or even 90's is just as valid as a new teenage film user.

Ian

I use my Autocord almost exclusively, my 35mm hasn't seen the light of day for over a year now. When I was shooting 35 it seemed I never had the right lens on, always wanting wider or closer. Now I make the images fit the lens and am much happier with the results even though the gear isn't nearly as versatile. I should admit though, I have a couple of Roleinars that do give me a little more latitude. But they really don't get used that often.

I just had my Mamiya C 330F serviced for the first time , I bought it second hand about twenty five years ago and thought it was due for some attention, the winding mechanism had developed a fault and the whole camera needed re -lubing and the light seals replacing, I hope to get another twenty years out of it now.

Hello all.This is my first post to this group. As an aside; I am amazed at the quality of work that APUG members do. Absolutely beautiful.
In answer to the question; I shoot everything from 35MM: Nikon F2, F4, Nikkormat, 120MM: Yashicamat 124g, Mamiya RB67, plus a couple of folders, 4x5: Graflex View II, B&J Press, Motion Picture: 16MM: B&H Filmo, K-3, Eclair ACL 1.5 35MM: Eyemo, Konvas 2M.