Shooters of the 35mm format seem to get all the perks cheaply. For under $20, one can easily pickup any of a wide number of choices for a competent used shooter taking 135 stock that will pretty much do about all that one can expect, including a wide range of shutter speeds and the ability to close focus on even some of the most basic of cameras, allowing for some great shots with wonderful separation of field.
In the world of medium format however, this wide array of choices quickly vanishes. For those of us who love working with the larger negative sizes that 120 film offers, securing a decent 120 camera for anywhere under $100 often seems like something of a challenge. And whether one's 120 camera of choice is ultimately is a TLR, a guess focus folder, or a something more along the lines of the "Texas Leica," the ability to get close can be especially elusive on medium format altogether.
However, with a little bit of ingenuity and some stubborn determination, one can pretty readily be up and about shooting macros in medium format after having spent less than $20 in equipment for camera and accessories, while having a tremendous amount of fun and involvement in the process! This is the hobby of photography at its most enjoyable and affordable.
So let's start with a shot taken on Ilford HP5 with focus around infinity. Pretty decent stuff, though this gate in foreground is completely out of focus. It'd be great to pull the focus a bit closer...
Hey, now we're getting somewhere, though the ornament is still a bit shy of the sweet spot...
Now that's better! Any chance focus can be pulled in even further?...
Now this is closer than one typically sees from medium format cameras. Just how close can we pull in focus?
All the way to the nearest bar in the gate! By now that once crisp backdrop has been wonderfully muted in the distance.
The camera used to produce these images cost me just $15 in a second hand shop, and is readily found in antique stores or online auction sites at around the same price in ready to use condition. So what did I use for these medium format macro photos? This!
A simple Kodak Brownie Number 2 was used to create all of the images above, by means of a pretty simple technique.
