When I started collecting old film cameras a decade or so ago, they were literally as cheap as chips. These days, of course, this is absolutely no longer the case, with coveted film cameras going for multiple thousands of dollars. Especially, it seems, a very particular panoramic camera and certain medium format models. It's all a bit crazy. At any rate, the first medium format camera I added to my collection was the Mamiya 645 1000S, which set me back a whopping $50. To be clear, I mean fifty bucks for the entire set-up, including a lens. I still remember shooting my first roll, thinking to myself that this was the bargain of the century. And, it really is a very enjoyable camera to shoot with. Over time, I've added the 50mm shift lens and the rather unique 80mm f/1.9 lens to my kit. When shooting the 80mm wide open at f/1.9, the depth of field is vanishingly small (totally impractical, honestly) and the bokeh can be, shall we say, a bit disorienting. That said, many photographers (I know of at least one) are connoisseurs of unusual lens properties, including weird bokeh. And, with the 50mm shift lens, you can stitch together two or three frames for a very nice panoramic photograph.
