Mamiya 7II or 645 AFD?

[oliver_bross]

Hi Guys,

 

I am still shopping for the most suitable MF camera. I wanted to

originaly go for 7II, then found auction for 6 with all 3 lenses,

which I have just lost. I am quite dissapointed, the Mamiya 6 would

suit me quite well, has got all 3 lenses, but the price went just sky

high. There are few 645's available aout there .. for average price of

?1200 in standart configuration. What do you think about this one? I

can't really find good reviews about this system on the net. Please,

help and share your experience! Mamiya 7II (6) or 645 AFD?

 

Oliver

[lwg]

I think it comes down to do you want a range finder or an SLR? I have the 7 and think it is a great camera system. It does not however handle like a SLR.

[john_stockdale2]

Before you worry about finding reviews, you need to think about which characteristics and compromises fit your intended use. Maybe you might get some help by browsing the Medium Format Megasite at:

 

http://medfmt.8k.com/

 

You have chosen for your short list almost two opposite cameras (very different neg sizes, one has a quiet leaf shutter, the other an SLR which would be noisier but with better viewfinder framing accuracy, one is AF, they are different shapes requiring a different grip).

[christopher perez]

For many people "raised" on SLR's in their youth, the Mamiya 7 can take some getting used to. But if you train yourself just a little, its a great camera.

 

If you tend to work more like Henri Cartier-Bresson used to, then the "7" is probably perfect. If you work more like a National Geographic photographer who ships one of _everything_ wherever they go, then the 645 or even a RZ or RB 6x7 could work for you.

 

Cut yet another way, ask yourself if you need or want telephotos. If you do, then a SLR might be the way to go.

[oliver_bross]

Well, guys, I am use to use Canon SLR, one of the most used lenses was canon 28mm and second one was Tamron 90mm 2.8 (superb one!).

My primary interest are landscapes, I do not shot sports or anything high-action. I don't really need SLR (which is usefull, anyway), but I would like to be able blow the pictures I take quite a bit. I am tempted to go for 645, but I do know that the 7's lenses are superb (expensive, lol). I use to walk quite a lot/hike, so 7 would be better, but still like the convinience of SLR. I do know that I can't have everything! Specially with the buget I have! It looks like there are not so many people who are using 645AFD...

[hakon_soreide]

If you do landscapes, you don't need AF, at least. If you wish to have the potential for really large blow-ups of your best photos, then you'll get bigger ones out of the Mamiya 7. The lenses for it, albeit pricey, also are some of the sharpest out there for any camera system. If you'd got your hands on the 6, that would also have been a great buy. The lenses are just as sharp, but the camera is even more compact.

<p>

I use a Mamiya 7II myself, and I love it. It's a wonderful camera to use. Handles easily also with gloves on for cold weather (except for changing film, which might take some practice to do with gloves on...), and the level of detail I see in my slides always amazes me.<p>

Also, it's very light to carry and hold, its size compared to weight meaning it feels even lighter and better balanced in your hands than smaller more compact SLRs.<p>

 

I've not yet budgetted with a second lens, but the 80mm has an angle of view that suits me fine for now.<p>

Another thing about the 645 compared to the 7 is the vertical format on the 645 which means that for a typical wide landscape shot, you'd have to turn your camera 90 degrees. If you have to do that ALL the time, that might get annoying.<p>

Unless you need the possibility for digital backs, and don't intend to do weddings, then getting the old manual focus 645 might make a good budget option compared to the AFD, and if you need a bigger and cheaper selection of lenses compared to the 7. Shops that still have the old stuff in stock from when the autofocus version came tend to sell it off cheaply.<p>

 

<a href="http://www.hakonsoreide.com/Photos">www.hakonsoreide.com</a>

[bobmichaels]

I have the Mamiya 7 and love it. But I'm a rangefinder person and not everyone is.

 

The Mamiya 7 lenses are absolutely superb. But they are pricey. MF rangefinders just have not dropped in price like MF SLR's have.

 

If you're still unsure, buy a 645 or 6x6 SLR. You'll have a lot less money invested if it doesn't work for you. And consider a Bronica. You just can't beat the price / performance ratio these days. And remember, any new camera you buy will become a used one the next day.

[harvey_edelstein1]

Oliver your primary interest is lanscapes then I would start with the 45mm and also get the panoramic kit. Then you can take your time and find a used 90mm equvalent for portraits later on. Some would say 45mm is too wide but when you can make jumbo sized prints it changes everything. I too think of MF with digital backs but they are like one shot at a time not that well integrated like a DSLR and as pricey as a complete Canon 16.8MP camera that is more flexible and easier to use. I think the Mamiya is like a Texas Leica M7, costs about the same for the body and lenses as the Leica and except for size and weight has most of the same advantages. This is the way to go using film for landscapes without carrying tons of heavy stuff on a hike.

[david_henderson]

Its surprising that you didn't want to pay the auction price for a Mamiya 6 system but are considering a 7, which I'd imagine to be more expensive.

 

The availability or otherwise of certain types of camera on eBay might well, from the sound of it, drive what you buy. But it shouldn't drive what you want, and doesn't drive what you need. I think you should decide between rangefinder and slr, and on the format you want before you start looking at brands and available deals. At the moment you are trying to decide between two cameras which work very differently and have different strengths and weaknesses. Unsurprisingly this makes it a difficult choice.

 

In many ways rangefinders are great for landscape work - light, great quality, but you have to go into it knowing that you can't see depth of field (which might be OK if you don't have near foregrounds in your compositions); you can't use rectangular ND grads effectively; exact framing is far from easy; and that whilst no MF is cheap to fix, Mamiya seems very expensive.

[joseph_albert]

if you want an interchangeable lens medium format camera that isn't pricey, you probably want to avoid Mamiya 6, 7, 645 AFD, hasselblad, rollei SLR.

<p>

Pentax 645 (especially manual focus) and 6x7, Mamiya TLR, 645 manual focus (especially those without interchangeable backs), RB/RZ 67 are all inexpensive these days. Bronica SLRs are also plummetting and probably could be found for fraction of what they sold for a year ago.

<p>

I wouldnt' worry about reviews. any medium format camera made by mamiya, pentax, hasselblad, bronica, contax, rollei, or Fuji made in the last 30 years or so is a quality camera system. even 50 year old Rollei TLRs can produce image quality that holds up next to current models.

<p>

Cheers,

<p>

Joseph Albert

[john_photo]

I own both a 645 system ( bronica etrsi with PE glass ) and a Mamiya 7 with 50 and 80mm lenses.

 

The thing I dislike the most about the mamiya is trying to use it on a tripod. Its a pain in the rear to use on a tripod compared to the SLR.

 

The Mamiya 7 is a great camera in that it allows handheld medium format photography at some ridiculously low shutter speeds. I'm not in love with the camera itself ( to much plastic and cheap feeling compared to the etrsi ) but the results are stunning. Rangefinder optics are stellar and the distortion free 50mm ( due to the lack of mirror in its rangefinder design ) is quite nice.

 

If you dont need autofocus you should consider the 645 PRO TL models from mamiya. They are quite inexpensive used on ebay and you should be able to find one with an AE prism for a reasonable price. If you dont need the autofocus save yourself some cash.

 

Think about the type of photography you do and whether a rangefinder will suit you and the decision will be easy. I have had problems adjusting to the mamiya and when I am working off a tripod, wich is most of the time, its much quicker and easier for me to use the bronica for tripod work since I rarely print over 11 by 14 the 645 format holds up well for my needs.