Fastest MF camera to load?

[tessar]

I have 4 MF cameras of different makes and, believe it or not, my pre-WW2 Baby Bessa is the easiest and fastest to load. Voigtlaender's design used swinging half-cylinder holders for the film spools that line up the feeding roll perfectly with the film-advance sprocket. Works like a dream.
Otherwise not up to Hasselblad or Mamiya standards, however!

[piu58]

> if you are standing and have no place to temporarily set down camera parts

It is at least possible with the Rolleiflexes and Rolleicords. I own cameras fro whcih that requires artistic skills.

[j_landecker]

I will carry one back for color and one for b/w, but not 2 of each. Sure, if I run out of color I can switch quickly to the b/w back, but it's not how I like to work because if I've chosen color for a particular shot it's for a reason.

I carry both black & white film backs and color film backs. Sometimes I will take a composition with both backs. I spent a week at Yosemite at the beginning of December one year. I was only planning of shooting color, but it had just snowed and after shooting a few scenes in color, I ended up shooting only black & white the rest of the time. I have some fantastic photographs from that trip. Be prepared for anything and wonderful opportunities arise.

Also when I am using the Hasselblad I already have the 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, 250mm lenses, the filters, close-up rings, 2X adapter and a 903 SWC available. How much more trouble does it take to have an extra film back too?

[revdocjim]

Rangefinders and the P67 have the distinct advantage of working like a 35mm SLR. You just swing open the back and do your thing; thus no removable parts that require another hand or pocket while reloading.

[EASmithV]

+1 for hasselblad and film backs

[Sirius Glass]

Rangefinders and the P67 have the distinct advantage of working like a 35mm SLR. You just swing open the back and do your thing; thus no removable parts that require another hand or pocket while reloading.

But if you need to change film mid=roll, you loose the rest of the roll. If you are using a slower film during the day and have 10 exposures on a 36 exposure roll and you need to change to high speed film for available light photography are you going to waste 16 exposures on the first roll?

[Jeff Kubach]

I never had a problem loading my RB67 or the Rolleiflex TLR 2.8. Usually I can to it within 5 years!

Jeff

[studioesper]

Fuji with bar coded fuji film. no need to align start marks, no 120220 setting or set ISO.