Film Friday: Chroma Cameras shares details of its new Six6, Six12 modular medium format cameras: Digital Photography Review

The new camera system covers formats from 6×6 to 6×12 | Photo by Chroma Cameras

Steve Lloyd, founder of Chroma Cameras, has unveiled a pair of modular medium format film cameras designed to shoot 6×9 and 6×12 format film photographs. As exclusively detailed on Kosmo Foto, the 6×9 camera, called the Six9, can also shoot 6×6 images, while the 6×12 camera, called the Six12, can capture 6×9 and 6×6 through the use of swappable film holders.

‘There are two models of my new camera. One is a native 6×9 format (with magnetic inserts for 6×6), and the other is 6×12 format natively (with inserts for both 6×6 and 6×9),’ Lloyd tells Kosmo Foto. ‘They both share the same interchangeable magnetic lens cone design, integrated grip, dual cold shoes, and removable rear half, which allows for considerably simpler film loading than other OEM roll film holders.’

Photo by Chroma Cameras

The idea to create these cameras after ‘quite a few people’ informed him it was getting more and more difficult to find decent Mamiya Press 6×9 roll film holders, which are one of the main components used in Chroma Cameras’ versatile 679 multi-format system. It took many months of tweaking and at least five design iterations, but he’s come up with an integrated solution he compares to a Rollei 35, but larger.

As for what lenses will work with his Six9 and Six12 cameras, Lloyd says, ‘At the moment, I’ve designed lens cones for the Schneider 47/5.6, 75/5.6 and 90/6.8, along with a Mamiya Press lens mount, which uses a rotating locking ring, allowing for Press lenses to be swapped without any tools.’ Additional lens cones are expected to be developed as time goes on, as well as a collection of frame finders to match the various focal lengths. Lloyd says he’s ‘also working on a stereo pinhole plate, which will give either two 645 frames, or two 6×6 frames, depending on which camera model it is mounted to.’

Both the Six9 and Six12 are available to purchase on Lloyd’s Chroma Camera website and start at £295 and £325, respectively. In addition to the main frame, you also have the option to select from an array of lens cones for various lenses and pinhole setups, some of which require a lens board as well.

To find out more from Lloyd’s exclusive interview with Stephen Downling, head on over to Kosmo Foto:

Chroma Cameras unveils new medium-format models and new camera shutter plans

About Film Fridays: We’ve launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we’ll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at 35mmc and KosmoFoto.