Throwback Edit Version: I edited this in March 2025, checked the links and converted it to the new WordPress blocks format if needed.

This is another camera that I actively searched for. There are many versions of this camera and I didn’t really have a preference for any. I just wanted a good medium format twin reflex camera that didn’t cost thousands of dollars. I have a Bronica and a Lubitel 166B, but this was a completely different kind of camera.

This truly was a beast of a camera. Some people on the net refer to it as a tank. Even Camerapedia said it was “steel, very solid as rock”. On that site, it said the weight was 2kg+. When I weighed mine it was 2.2kg with the old strap attached, but it did make it easier to carry. This would be a camera to take somewhere in my car, not something I might trek up a mountain with.

I wanted this camera as something to compare to the Lubitel for one thing…there was no comparison. Everything about this camera screamed quality, from the weight to the focusing system. Mine came with a 65mm lens, but they are interchangeable. This site says there are seven available.

There was supposed to be an automatic shutter cocking system, but it didn’t seem to work on my example. For this one, I had to leave the switch on multiple exposure or the shutter did not work at all. It was annoying considering how much I paid for it. Never mind, considering this camera was from 1965 it was a minor issue. To cock the shutter, you wind on the film then turn the crank anticlockwise/backwards until it clicks. That is usually when the knob lines back up with the hole it slots into. The red screen on the back of the camera is quite dark and some films were impossible to read the numbers through it. I eventually figured out that one turn of the crank was enough to advance the film for the 6×6 format. Lomography film was the worst, black paper with very faint writing. This reviewer had the same issue. At this point, I found the frame counter did not work either.

But what about the photos?

For some reason, I had a huge issue loading the film and ruined 2 rolls trying. The first issue was that I didn’t know the auto stop did not work and wound the whole film to the take-up spool. I used a dark bag to put it back once, the second time I could not get it back and fogged the film. Then I tried again with a new film and it just wouldn’t load and I ended up fogging that too. Then I had the bright idea of practicing with the fogged film until it was easy for me. This idea came after a lot of swearing and almost throwing the camera out of the window!

Finally, with camera loaded with my last film, a Rollei 200, I headed out to a local park. It was a dull day and a 200ASA film was not fast enough. Then I remembered I would be developing it myself and I could push process it. So I shot it at 800ASA. I have never push processed before, it was so easy I don’t know why I haven’t tried it before. I will definitely be doing it again.

The main problem I had was due to the wind-on issue. As the camera was set to multiple exposures I sometimes double exposed the shot by mistake. Apart from that, I love the camera. I love how cool I felt using it. The bellows meant the camera could act like a macro camera and get very close to the subject.

Once I bought more film, I tried again. I used the next two films to get used to the camera. The set below is from a Fuji Acros 100 pushed to 400 which only had 7 viable shots, the others I wound passed by mistake.

The next set is from a Fuji Across 100 pushed to 200. By this time I had figured out the one turn of the crank to wind on.

So like I said, this is a great camera and I will keep it…if I can get it back to the UK with my luggage allowance.

Addendum: The faults with this example got worse so I had to return it for a refund 🙁