Camera Stories is an on-going series where we ask photographers to tell us about their favourite camera, and give us the story behind one meaningful image they captured with it. This instalment features Los Angeles-based photographer and director Elizabeth Weinberg.
Okay, so my favorite camera is the Pentagon Six TL. It’s a German medium format SLR camera that produces 6×6 medium format negatives. This is a pic of me with it (above) by Jesse Hlebo, a long time ago in the Bronx.
One of my favorite images is this one of my friend Charlotte, in Brooklyn. I know I was open all the way to 2.8, most likely at 1/250th. It’s definitely Kodak Portra NC 400, back when they still made it! I think I’m underexposed but the tones are so lovely that it doesn’t matter.
I love this camera (and am now inspired to shoot with it again) because of its incredible Zeiss lens, because it’s sort of compact enough to throw in a backpack, is super solid (mostly made of metal), and it’s completely mechanical.
The negatives are BEAUTIFUL. You have to be really specific about how you load and wind the film or your frames overlap. It forces you to slow down. The body is incredibly affordable on Ebay, as are the lenses and accessories. I was going to get a metered prism but never got around to it, and I like the mental exercise of metering in my head anyway. It’s a nice change from the rapid fire shooting that I always end up doing with DSLRs.
Call to Submit: Art & Photo Book Award
If you have a specific series or a cohesive selection of work that you want to turn into a book, we want to see it!
Learn more
Call to Submit: “Array” Photo & Art Features
Submit single images to be featured alongside the work of other artists and photographers as a group feature.
Learn moreRelated Articles
