RZ67 Finders

[trace_dibble6]

I need your help again, guys, before I make an expensive mistake.

 

I'm assembling an RZ67 Pro II setup piece-by-piece, and I know from broken

love affairs with TLRs that I need a prism finder ("it isn't you dear," I

said, fumbling my words as I caressed her D of F preview lever, "it's me"). I

would visualize a photograph, look in the viewfinder, then try to reconstruct

the magic in my mind from the left-to-right reversal I would see. Some kind of

left brain/right brain disconnect, I suppose, but it never worked for me.

 

I've also decided on a metered finder. In my Pentax 67 days, I had a Pentax V

spotmeter, but more of the time than not all I did was aim it at an 18% gray

card held at arm's length. Shooting only landscapes, that used to work for me

(except for the occasional situation in which the luminance ratio was

impossibly wide). In any event, I could just as well do that with the meter in

the camera than pull something else out of the bag.

 

This is where things get dicey, because there appears to be multiple

varieties, I'm buying things online and the Mamiya site is in a shameful state

of disrepair. From what I've been able to glean, the AE has capabilities

beyond what I need/want. The PD seems to be the thing, but I've seen photos in

which "RB-67" is inscribed across the front of them, then others that proudly

proclaim themselves to be of the RZ67 persuation.

 

Can someone help me make sense of this? And by the way, would I be overpaying

for a used, supposedly "excellent" PD finder at $239?

[zml]

The only AE finder that will work on Mamiya RZ 67 Pro II w/o factory changes/adjustments is RZ AE Finder II. This finder has average and spot metering (plus a "smart" mode) and is very accurate IMO. Look for the relevant threds on this forum - this has been explainded in detail many times. As an aside, the prism for Mamiya RZ weights in at 2 lbs... It's a bear to handhold...

[trace_dibble6]

Thanks, Micheal. But I didn't make myself clear: the finder over which I'm finding RZ67/RB67 confusion is the PD finder. I've seen photos which had either designation, as if there are two dedicated PD finders, one for the RB, the other for the RZ. Either that or the photos submitted by Ebay sellers weren't accurate--which is altogether possible, of course.

[eric friedemann]

Trace, there is one PD prism finder with metering that will work with RB67 variants and older RZ cameras:

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=33864&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

 

 

If you want a metered finder for the RZ Pro II, as Michael notes, the AE Prism Finder II is the hot ticket:

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=33801&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

[akajohndoe]

There are choices. There's the PD Prism Finder RZ, which is identical to the Prism Finder Model 2 for the RB with the addition of a Photo Diode meter (hence the PD). And there's the AE Finder RZ. I use the Prism Finder 2 on my RZ Pro II when the WLF won't do.

[zml]

The only finder which will function "out of the box" as a fully AE metered finder on RZ Pro II is AE finder II.

 

There are at least two models of PD finders for RB and RZ. AFAIK all RB finders will work as prism finders (i.e. will mount on the RZ II body) but neither will work in AE/metered mode with the RZ Pro II camera. I have an old RB "chimney" metered finder which I use on my RZ II as a finder but not as a meter. Apparently Mamiya can electrically modify some RB/RZ AE finders to work on RZ Pro II in AE mode but I'm not sure whether the PD finder for RB can be modified. You can ask Customer/Tech Support on the mamiya.com - they still answer eamils.

[akajohndoe]

In case it was not clear from the prior post, the PD Prism Finder RZ is metered and the Prism Finder 2 is not metered. I use the unmetered prism.

[akajohndoe]

And even tho the PD Prism Finder RZ is metered it is NOT AE mode; manual only.

[trace_dibble6]

Thanks Michael, Eric, DM. I've finally found something about it in the manual, and you were right. The RZ PD ain't gonna work with the Pro II. In fact, they go to the trouble to warn that it "cannot be retrofitted." AE it is (sigh)

[akajohndoe]

While an AE meter is certainly useful, I find an incident light meter (Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master) better for my use. In fact, the only reason I have or use a prism finder at all is to allow me to see into the RZ without a ladder!

[eric friedemann]

Trace, I would note that I shot an RB Pro and then RZ Pro IIs for years before switching to Mamiya 7IIs. I tried metered prisms for RBs and RZs, but wound up buying meterless finders, as I simply found hand-held meters to be more accurate.

[trace_dibble6]

There's a trade-off to everything, Eric. 7IIs, like Leicas, are wonderful cameras, but I prefer looking through the same "eye" the film will. I wouldn't be surprised if I went back to a hand-held meter, though, if only because I'm the slow-slow-slow contemplative type.

[eric friedemann]

Trace, I wanted to be able to use my 6x7 cameras for event photography, so I switched over to M7IIs. RZ variants are not optimal cameras to hand-hold. For personal work, I almost always shot RZPIIs on a tripod or monopod- a Bogen monopod with the little feet. Using hand-held meters with RZPIIs hardly took ant time relative to setting up a tripod.

[trace_dibble6]

Yeah, I know, Eric. The time it took me to set up my Bogen, lock up all supports and ballhead adjustments always far exceeded that spent metering. I had a metered finder with my P67, but I never used it. I've just decided to give the AE finder a go, insofar as a Seconic L-508 or its ilk would cost me nearly what the finder has.

 

Actually, I'm surprised you picked a 67 of any stripe for events. The P67 was billed as a gentle-giant SLR, but it's definately a tripod-potato