OK...Hassey, Mamiya, or Pentax 67 ???

[f._schall]

I've been shooting in the 35mm format for years, it's time to move to the medium format.

It's obvious that the major players are Hasselblad, Mamiya, Pentax.

 

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I am mainly interested in tripod work outdoors with nature/people images. Need durable equipment that can take the weather/travel.

Will need 2 bodies....somewhat ease of setup, and minimun breakdowns.

I take time with each shot..but need a MF which will be somewhat easy to move up from 35mm. Don't want a rangefinder.

Working pros please tell me the news......so I don't learn the hard way again.....Thanks

[ulrik_neupert]

I went for Hasselblad 500C/M because I liked the square format, needed exchangeable backs for color slide and b&w, the camera had to be lightweight, durable and battery independent and had to have a prerelease. I am not a professional but my cameras have seen a little bit of this world. I do nature photography with this mainly, bought only used equipment, never had a breakdown in ten years (except a lens that needed adjustment which I recognized after the first film), never needed an unjamming tool. I started with 80 mm for some years, then added 50 mm and finally completed with 150 and 250 mm lenses. Yes, I have a spare body with me on long journeys but never needed it. If you buy used older stuff it should be in good condition and send it to a Hasselblad service center for adjustment, lubricating etc. Do not believe what you sometimes read that the Zeiss lenses are not sharp or lack contrast- they are really not that bad (at least good enough for me). Of course there is also abused scrap on the market but you can easily spot the difference, look for excessive wear and play in the components, compare that with new components. You should have mechanical sympathy, there are some brutes that manage to perform operations the design is not made for. I am sure Mamiya and Pentax are also very fine, but I wanted a 6x6 which is perfect for slide shows. Be prepared that it will not be cheap.

 

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That is just my own experience

 

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Ulrik

[tim_brown]

Don't forget Bronica. Your best bet is to try some out (rent?). See what feels right. Any of these brands can give excellent results.

[mark_hubbard]

OK, Pentax 67: It's cheap, extremely rugged, totally mechanical, excellent choice of very good lenses available used at sometimes half the cost of Mamiya or Hasselblad. Hard to lose money on if you buy used and smart. Larger usable neg than 6x6. A pro workhorse.

[lightcraftsman]

Have we confused you yet? All these systems have advantages and disadvantages. Everything is a compromise, and the best camera system is the one that works the way you work, instead of forcing you to change your shooting style to fit the camera designer's (or committee's) style.

 

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Moving up from 35mm won't be a problem if you are already taking your time with shots. You need to consider what type of nature/people images you plan to shoot.

 

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For wildlife you should look at the Mamiya and Pentax 645 systems with their long lenses. For outdoor portraits, the leaf shutters in the Bronica or Hassleblad systems would work best. For landscapes, you can't beat the price/performance ratio of the Pentax 67. For a combination of landscapes and outdoor portraits, the Bronica GS-1 offers interchangeable backs and leaf shutter lenses.

 

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The Bronica GS-1 and Pentax 67 will give the best ultimate image quality because they shoot the largest originals. The 645 cameras handle more like a 35mm camera, offer motor winders (standard on the Pentax 645) and still yield much better results than 35mm. The square format cameras are great all-around choices, especially because you don't have to re-orient the tripod head to switch from horizontal to vertical.

 

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If you haven't done so already, read through the equipment postings on this forum. Note which brands have fiercely loyal followers, which have ho-hum feedback, and which have been troublesome lately. Read the Hassleblad threads carefully.

 

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You can't go wrong with any of these systems. If handling the cameras in stores doesn't help, try renting one each weekend. You'll know which system to buy when you don't want to take it back to the store.