Difference between revisions of "TLR"
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* The Medium Format Photography Megasite's [http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/tlr.html page on TLRs] | * The Medium Format Photography Megasite's [http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/tlr.html page on TLRs] | ||
* [http://www.stutterheim.nl/rollei/text_pages/rolleiflex_userinfo.htm#buying Points to watch] when buying a TLR | * [http://www.stutterheim.nl/rollei/text_pages/rolleiflex_userinfo.htm#buying Points to watch] when buying a TLR | ||
| − | + | * [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/ Barry Toogood's good site on TLRs] | |
{{glossary}} | {{glossary}} | ||
[[Category: TLR|*]] | [[Category: TLR|*]] | ||
Revision as of 22:26, 4 July 2006
To have a list of TLR cameras, see the Category: TLR.
TLR is an acronym for Twin Lens Reflex. What does that stand for?
- Twin Lens - The camera uses two lenses, one for viewing and for taking.
- Reflex - Refers to the mirror used behind the viewing lens to make focusing possible.
Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras are "two-eyed" cameras such as the classic Rolleiflex. They consist of a ground glass on the top and two lenses on the front.
The scene viewed by the top lens (the viewing lens) is reflected by a mirror onto the ground glass. The image seen on the ground glass is back to front (left is right, right is left) which can take some getting used to.
The bottom lens (the taking lens) exposes the film. This means that, unlike SLR cameras, the viewed image is not exactly the same as the image recorded on the film - the difference being the distance between the centre of the viewing lens and the centre of the taking lens. This discrepancy is known as parallax error, which can be corrected by lifting the camera until the taking lens is as high as the viewing lens was when the image was composed.
Well-known TLR manufacturers are Rollei, Yashica, and Seagull. Popular and beautiful TLRs were also made by Japanese companies such as Mamiya prior to the 1970's.
The vast majority of TLRs takes the 120 film and exposes 12 pictures in 6x6 format. Some models did take 127 film and expose 12 pictures in 4x4 format.
Pros
- TLRs are typically very quiet.
- Viewfinder image matches image size on film.
- No viewfinder blackout during exposure.
- TLRs use leaf shutters, which can sync at any speed.
Cons
- Parallax is a problem at close distances.
- Reversed image (image is upright but reversed left to right).
- Most don't have interchangeable lenses (exception - Mamiya C series).
- Can be relatively large and heavy.
Links
- TLR shutter repair
- The Medium Format Photography Megasite's page on TLRs
- Points to watch when buying a TLR
- Barry Toogood's good site on TLRs
