Agfa Film

Rolleiflex 3.5F and Agfa Ultra 50 – Taveling in Turkey and Pakistan

The Rolleiflex 3.5F wasn’t my first TLR – that honour goes to the MPP Microcord. But the Rolleiflex is a name up there with Leica and Carl Zeiss.

When one thinks of a TLR, images from TV and Film from ages past come to mind – of Movie stars such as Marilyn Monroe and used by greats to make some of the most iconic photographs in history: such as David Bailey, Richard Avedon, Robert Doisneu, Fritz hence, Eduard Boubat, Lee Miller and Robert Capa amongst many others.

Konica TCX with Sigma 28mm lens

5 Frames Simply Taken with a Konica TC-X and Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm lens (No Batteries Required) – By Iain Paterson

Going back to basics in photography – using just a light-tight box, a single lens, and a mechanical shutter and winder – is often framed as a return to simplicity, even if it immensely complicates the actual process of taking a picture. I guess simplicity refers in this case not only to the equipment, but also to a sort of purity of experience. Seeking more engagement with the process than an autofocus SLR or compact can provide, and even perhaps aiming for something of a meditative state, a photographer might first choose a metered manual focus camera, perhaps setting exposure guided by a match needle in the viewfinder.

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