GW670 vs. Mamiya 6/7

Has anyone made a succinct summary of the advantages (or opinions) of

the Fuji GW670 vs. the Mamiya 7 (especially considering the price ratio of 2:1 or 3:1) ?? Except for non-interchangeable lenses on the Fuji, these two cameras appear on the surface to be very similar. Are there differences in the lenses to account for the difference in price (the Fuji lenses are considered to be pretty sharp, I believe)?

 

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Direct email is welcome, as well as posting here. Is there a comparison in some archives? thanks, David

The big difference is the interchangeable lenses. If one doesn't consider that, the Fujis compare very favorably, IMO.

 

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Both the Fujis and the Mamiya 7 have superior lenses. Some, like me, believe the Fujis are slightly better, but, not by much. The Fuji lenses have unbelievable sharpness and contrast.

 

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The rangefinders are similar. Personal preference seems to have some people favor one over the other. The magnification is different, and the Fujis show almost the full frame (since they don't need to change with the lenses)

 

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The Mayiya 7 includes an excellent light meter. The Fuji 67s don't have a meter built in. But, they don't ever need a battery.

 

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Construction quality is similar. The newer Fujis have composite bodies and are very tough and lightweight. The Mayiya is also composite. The Fujis seem bigger but lighter.

 

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The Fujis have a total shot counter, and have reccommended maintenence at 5000 pictures. But, it's relatively inexpensive. I'm not sure what the Mayiya recommendation is. Both cameras seem to have a good reputation for reliability in professional use.

 

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Dave Garth

I was at a Mamiya demo the other day where the factory rep offered to sell a M7 with lens for $1700. Kind of shoots down your ratio. The Japenese need Dollars and Mamiya seems to be giving out rebates upon rebates. After this latest drop of their economy I'd hold off for a month or two and see if prices don't drop further.

To me, the M7 is just more elegant, more ergonomic and more fun to use. I prefer the look of photos taken with Mamiya lenses. Except for the amazing panoramas taken with the Fuji 617, I just haven't seen many Fuji MF images that have grabbed me, even those in Fuji ads.<p>If I wanted a high-quality, fixed-lens medium format rangefinder on a budget, I would hunt for an older Voigtlander Bessa II folder with the 105mm f3.5 Color Skopar lens in exc+ to mint- condition. Such a camera can be had for anywhere from $450 to $700, depending on the seller, is smaller (but heavier) than the Fuji, fits folded into a large coat pocket, and will take photos rivaling some of the best glass available today, especially when stopped down a bit. There is even an earlier Bessa I with the same Color Skopar lens but no rangefinder and an almost unusably small viewfinder that will nevertheless take photos just as good as the Bessa II and sells these days for about $200. (Note that Bessas with the slower Voigtar lenses are even older and should go for MUCH less money. I'm only recommending the Color Skopar or the insanely expensive Heliar or Apo-Lanthar lenses for the later Bessas, since I have no experience with the Voigtar lenses.) Someone more familiar with the Zeiss Ikonta folders could also give you a few recommendations if you prefer the look of images made with the renowned Zeiss glass. But you can't beat the Bessas in my opinion!