It’s not the camera, it’s not because it’s square format, it’s me, or rather us, we just don’t click together. Years ago I used a Hasselblad for a long time, mostly happily, and took some decent photos. But it seems TLRs and I just don’t get on. I had the same problems with a Rolleiflex.
I used the camera with a UV or red filter and a lens hood, together with fresh HP5 and FP4 film stocks and Acros which was 12 years past expiry but refrigerated. I metered using a Sekonic Flashmate. Film was stand developed in Rodinal 100:1 and scanned on an Epson GT-X900.
I found the concept of pre-visualisation had vapourised in my head, I was fumbling with the controls, losing concentration and taking photos which are just not my sort of shots generally. I was disappointed – I was expecting great things from this camera but I was behaving like a rank amateur. I remember years ago I had compared 35mm, MF (Hassy) and 4×5 taking shots of a bookcase in my flat. I compared B&W prints 40cm length on the short side: there was a world of difference between 35mm and MF in tone separation, only subtle differences between MF and LF. I was hoping for a similar leap with the YMat over my Leica but it didn’t happen. Maybe I need to put 50 rolls through before I’d get comfortable with the camera. I was hand holding the camera, so maybe camera shake plays a part, using wide aperture when the light was anything my bright sunlight so mis-focussing and shallow depth of field play a part, camera tilt can be corrected in post but bad composition or boring shots are entirely down to me.
From five rolls I selected seven barely decent shots (a poor hit rate even for me). My first shot, in Brussels at night on HP5. I tried to support the camera on a bollard as best I could. I set the wrong shutter speed and forgot to focus (excuse – it’s exceptionally hard to see the image on the viewfinder at night). I had not even been drinking.
The next two shots are of Hotel Ravenstein (Brussels) and associated buildings – not a hotel but the remains of a former rambling palace – now used in part as a film archive. The entrance shot on Acros, the row of buildings on HP5.
Finally some shots in decent light both on Acros – we decided a few days in Lisbon to get some vitamin D would be a good idea. Former fort on the seafront (and a sculptured car), and a bridge over an inlet from the sea.
Hand-held shooting in bright light is a usable option, but under overcast skies a tripod or found support is necessary to enable greater depth-of-field. Be prepared to take time photographing with this camera, it doesn’t suit my style of photo-walks, put plenty of rolls of film through until you really get the hang of it. Even so I don’t think it will ever achieve a Leica-like transparency in use.
Share this post:
Comments
Jeffery Luhn on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Lars W on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
My tips: I scale-focused my way through military service with a 6x6 folder. I fully agree that TLR viewfinders can be murky in normal room lighting, outdoors at night sounds really challenging. Try the sports viewfinder instead? You probably know this but bear with me: At or near infinity you won´t have much parallax error anyway. Many of your shots are of the kind where you need to choose between the infinity, 20 m or 10 m mark. Practice estimating distance in broad daylight.
If I were you, I´d stick with 400ISO film for some time unless you know you´ll have plenty of daylight. It´s a smidge grainier but what you gain in smaller aperture and faster shutter speed more than makes up for it in terms of crispness. No personal experience, but a lens like this usually is OK fully open but works best at f/5,6 - 11-ish. There´s a neat trick to holding TLR's steady provided you have a neck strap. Let it hang from the neck strap, rest gently against chest and expose.
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Ian R on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Gary Smith on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Alan on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Comment posted: 28/04/2024
Marco Andrés on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Perhaps it is too soon to part ways with the tool. One practical accessory would help: consider attaching a spirit level to the accessory shoe [and using the wireframe view finder]. There are brighter screens [brightscreen] that pop in for improved focusing.
As for the images … The night images are so evocative.Everything that needs to be sharp is. Blurred movement is inevitable. Surely the title of the image of Grand-Place framed by a heart is not “tacky”. Well-composed. And more importantly it speaks, at least to me. Graffiti.
Worth repeating. You have an eye, no doubt about that. “Pleas, sir.", as Oliver would have said, "I want some more."
.
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Simon Foale on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Jeffery Luhn on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Comment posted: 29/04/2024
Jack on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 30/04/2024
Comment posted: 30/04/2024
Ibraar Hussain on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 30/04/2024
I’ve had the same issue with some cameras - or rather they’ve had an issue with me. I’ve had too many uninspiring boring shots which has turned me into a boring mundane snapper and I can’t remember the last time I took a photo which I’m proud of. Bar a couple which have sentimental reasons
I really like all of your work here - so as others are saying - don’t beat yourself up - you’ve done better than I or many others would’ve been able to.
Comment posted: 30/04/2024
Paul Quellin on The Yashica Mat 124G and Me
Comment posted: 30/04/2024
Comment posted: 30/04/2024