Good lens, well built

Not a grabshot camera, clumsy to load film

Purchased this TLR new in '76. A great entry into medium format. More expensive now since they are out of production. If you can find one now that looks good for $200,try it first. IF it works well, BUY IT!

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Similar Products Used:

None

Sharp lens
large negs
waist level viewfinder
apparent high resale value

Not a great grab-shot camera...
The 124G's new found popularity has driven prices far beyond where they probably should be

Marvelous entry into MF, if you can find one with a reasonable price tag nowadays. Many compare the 124G to pricey MF rigs, and I can see why; the glass is tack sharp and the 6X6 neg is capable of being enlarged to just about any size, or at least any size I've tried. Being a long-time 35mm SLR user, the only thing I find troubling (if you can call it that) is my own personal need to just about always use the 124G on a tripod. Then again, this quirk causes me to tinker with composition, and that can be a good thing. The price of a 124G can be another issue all together; it's become the sweetheart of those wanting to try MF, and this has spiked prices. The 124G often sells for upwards of $500 on internet auctions, which is pretty steep, considering that this camera could be found for around $100 brand new shortly before it went out of production. I got lucky and found mine at a local shop for $150, which included lens hood and a set of close-up filters.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Seagull TLR

sharp lens
fun factor
everyone wnats you to take their picture when they see you with such a funky looking camera

TTL gets some getting used to
Use a lens hood(I made my own from a small yogurt cup and painted it black. It works/looks fine).

This was my introduction to medium format and I was stunned how much superior the 6x6 was to 35mm. I really enjoy walking around town with this camera. Nobody objects to having their photo taken. Try that with your new SLR and big zoom and you'll get a totally different reponse. The 124G is still a great buy for the money for anyone wanting to try medium format before committing big bucks to it.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Koni-Omega, Nikon F90x, Olympus OM-1,Canonet GIII QL17, Yashica Electro GT, Olympus RC, Olympus Stylus Epic

Nice Lens
Viewfinder makes composition enjoyable
Picture quality excellent
Ease of usage
Lens attachments very good

Film loading a hassle when using a tripod
Viewfinder somewhat dark

Fun, easy to use camera that produces GREAT pictures. I've made enlargements to 16" x 16" with sharp results. A great choice for introductory MF use. Be sure to look for the best quality 124G you can find because even the rougher ones seem to still command a fairly high price. Mine was $220, but it came with the taking and viewing telephoto lenses in perfect shape! All in all, I am very pleased! In closing, I highly recommend Fuji Reala 100 for outdoor photography

Customer Service

I have not had to seek repair as of yet.

Similar Products Used:

Various SLR's
Kodak Medalist II MF
Kodak Signet 35
Older Kodaks with Ektar lenses

Huge, bright viewfinder.
Very sharp photos.
Inexpensive entry into MF.
Great conversation starter when in public

Not easy to load film.
Can't change lenses as you can with more expensive cameras.

This has to be the best way to get into medium format photography inexpensively. It's much easier to use than my Zeiss-Ikon rangefinder. My camera repair guy (whom I really trust) told me that (1). make sure you get the winding mechanism lubricated every 10 years because the camera may be ruined if the winder jams, and (2). these cameras are more reliable than any of the recent Bronicas, Mamiyas and Hassleblads (which are optically superb but a headache to maintain). Take this camera out in public and just see how many people start talking about how they used to own one (it's like driving a classic car).

Similar Products Used:

Zeiss-Ikon Ikonta-B.

-sharp taking lense
-simple operation

fumble when insert fiml

i started with an old Seagul then this 124G .It worked so beautifull for seven years and i still used this one as a back up with a roll of 220 film .

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

-mamiya c330
-mamiya 67pro
-fuji 645
-seagull
-124MAT

* Sharp and contrasty lens
* Reliable
* Relatively bright finder
* 120 or 200 film formats

* The usual TLR-related handling problems (you CAN get used to them)
* Non-interchangable lens

Perhaps the best choice for entry-level medium format photography. The lens is amazingly sharp and contrasty. Construction is rugged with excellent workmanship. Very reliable, it has never let me down, and never disappointed.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

Rolliecord IV
Mamiya C220
Bronica ETRSi
Mamiya 645

1) Ease of use
2) Good optical quality
3) Cheap
4) Accurate meter (if you can get PX625 mercury battery)
5) Relative light weight (about 1kg) when compared to other medium format camera, even my Nikon system.

1) Lens not interchangeable
2) Difficult to get battery for the meter but I can.
3) No zoom
4) Accessories are quite expensive when compared to the camera

I bought this twin lens reflex camera as my entry to medium format world from Ebay. After I shot two rolls of fuji Reala 120 films in Philippines, the camera performed fantastic and all the photoes were absolutely clear and sharp. I am really satisified with it. Some people said that the cmaera was rather clumsy when it was used with flashgun or tripod but they were not my concerns because I always handheld the camera and shot photo with ambient light without tripod. Although the price of it is going up recently in Ebay, it is still worth to buy one if you want the feel the magic of medium format.

Customer Service

Not yet required upto this moment.

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It is my first camera in medium format.

price
picture quality
both 120 and 220 film format
fixed focal length (makes you think about composition more)
meter

fixed focal length
lens flare
somewhat dim viewfinder

I thoroughly enjoy this camera. It is so much fun to use. Also, with the larger negative, you can have the shots blown up to almost any size you want. To really unleash it's capabilities you might want to get filters for it, but the are hard to come by. You can also get a step down ring to fit 52mm filters, so you can save money that way. Image quality is excellent, obviously not as good as the hight end MF cameras, but for what you pay, it's a steal. An excellent camera for someone breaking into MF.

If you are interested in getting yours repaired, below is the e-mail address of Kikuo Hama. He used to work for Yashica in Japan and probably built your camera (or part of it). He lives in the US now.

Kikuo Hama - markhama@bellsouth.net

If you wnat to replace your ground glass, below are some people/companies that make replacement focusing screens. You can get a replacement that is significantly brighter. You can also get one that has split image focusing if using the magnifier is not enough for you.

http://www.brightscreen.com

Bill Maxwell - Maxwell Precision Optics, Box 33146, Decatur, GA, (404) 244-0095

http://www.intenscreen.com/

Get the camera, you will love it.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya
Hassy
Bronica

low cost (sometimes),light weight
easy to mount on a inverted tripod column

lens has flare when there is back lighting or side lighting. winding problems

ok camera for the price and the portablity. i got the best results at F11. I do think the lens is overated, my minolta hi-matic has a better lens, however the big negative does produce a better picture. but the $30 hi-matic has much brighter and contrastry prints. over all i would say that it is a good choice in a medium format camera due to it's size more than cost. I paid as much for a rapid omega as what a yashica mat in the same condition and i can say that the rapid omega leaves the yashica mat in the dust. however if i found a yashica mat in good condition at a resonable price i would probably buy it because what else is there with reflex viewing at such a low cost

Similar Products Used:

no other tlr