Which medium format system

<p>Hello<br>

I would like to get back into shooting medium format. I used it a lot in college and a bit as a pro back in the day (when it was exclusively film). I really like the Mamiya 67 series, but seeing as I will e buying a system from scratch I thought I would ask some advice first.<br>

I like the larger 6x6 and 6x7 sizes rather than 6x4.5, and while I will start shooting film, I might like to upgrade to a secondhand digital back at some point should I get on with shooting medium format.<br>

Any recommendations of camera systems to look at would be greatly appreciated. I am drawn to the Mamiya RZ67 cameras as that's what I used before, but I don't know what digital backs will fit (if any). So I am fully open to suggestions. <br>

Thanks<br>

Gavin</p>

 

<p>I don't have any experience with the RZ67, but I was curious about your questions, so I googled "rz67 digital back" and got a number of interesting hits that bear reading through to improve ones understanding of all that would be involved. Rather than post excepts or links here, I'd recommend that you do the same and, well, study up. Considering the costs involved, that's what I'd do.</p>

<p>When it comes to 6x7, I'm in the Pentax 67 camp, so no digital backs for me, I'm afraid. ;-)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I really like the Mamiya 6, it is such a compact camera and is very easy to handle and focus. Of course it would just be film, but great nonetheless. I could never master the Hasselblad CM system just too slow. I would wait to see what Fuji will announce. Heard they are going to come out with a MF digital to rival the new Hasselblad but at a cheaper price. Could be cheaper than a digital back.</p>

<p>the RZ you can get a digital rotation (?) back and then a digital back. if not a rotation thingy, it's a mounting bracket then. same to the RB but more limited i think. if you want digital backs 6x7 the only ones are Mamiya RB RZ and the Bronica GS-1 not sure if Bronica allows the digital back. </p>

<p>Pentax 67, and the rangefinders cannot take backs. there are 645s and 6x6 - Hassie and Bronica SQ and others like Contax, Rolies etc. </p>

<p>Hasselblad has always been the gold standard of medium format. The only reason not to buy it was that back in the day it was always outrageously expensive. But today you can pick up used Hasselblad gear at reasonable prices not much more than other brands.<br /><br />Personally I can't see paying the price of a used car for a MF digital back when you can get very good quality out of a DSLR. But if you're going to go that route, there are probably more options available for Hasselblad than other brands.</p>

<p>Edited. Wrong thread. </p>

<p>I personally like the Pentax 67, but then I like the very wide range of lenses, reasonable price of the system and the easy of moving to it from a 35mm film SLR. I've had no mechanical issues with my 67 over a period of almost 20 years as well.<br>

The downside is that it doesn't have a back, so changing film is somewhat time consuming, but then you are normally shooting slowly anyway.<br>

There exists a 67 to 645 adapter. I'm not sure of this but I would guess (don't quote me) 67 lenses could be adapter to a dPentax 645.</p>

Hasselblad or Mamiya is a nice option. You can also go for Pentax as well. All of them has

digital backs available.

<p>There are no digital backs for the Pentax medium format film cameras. Pentax does make a digital medium format DSLR, the 645Z. The predecessor 645D is a 40 meg CCD design and will deliver dynamic range, color depth, S/N performance that is likely to be far superior to any used digital back you can afford for a Hasselblad. When changing film types is no longer a consideration, a digital back is less of an advantage other than allowing you to use an older body that won't be weather proof or well integrated. Whereas the 645D is a weatherized, integrated design and the lens selection is very affordable on the used market.</p>

<p>Grab an RB67, a couple of film backs and the 50 mm lens. Switching films is easy. WOW!! Or, the Pentax 67, a grip and the 45mm lens. Finish the roll, then reload. WOW!! I have both systems. From 50/45mm to 360/400mm lenses and three bodies of each. Got them all very cheap when the great move to Digital in 2002 hit. Hasselblads? Nah, no like the square format! </p>