Bronica SQ-a VS Mamiya 6

[fredus]

Hi there,

 

I'm looking at going a bit deeper into Medium Format. I've been

experiencing with a Yashica 124 and I'm think I'm hungry for more. I

shoot essentially rangefinder, mostly candid (as you can see on my

<b><a href="http://www.400iso.com">photoblog</a></b>. I've come down

to 2 choices:<br>

<br><b>Bronica system</b><br>

Bronica SQ-A body<br>

80mm f/2.8<br>

180mm f/4.5<br>

fast grip<br>

waistlevel<br>

polaroid back<br>

The intent is to shoot "formal" portrait of my children, wife,

friends. I'd like to say that I could carry this system with me on day

trip but it seems a stretch with 3 kids :-) .. so I think I'll keep

this system at home or garden and bring the leica's on day trip. I

think I could take pretty tight portrait with this kit and get

exceptional results from the lenses. Drawback is portability and

noise<br><br>

<br><b>Mamiya 6</b><br>

Mamiya 6 body<br>

75mm f/3.5<br>

150mm f/4.5<br>

This is my second choice. Portability is great with this kit but the

focusing distance (1m and 1.5m for the 150mm) really disapoint me. I

could bring the kit with me on day trip as long with my leica's ...

But wouldn't get tight portrait ... and it's also more expensive than

the Bronica kit ($850 vs $1300 or so ...)<br><br>

 

2 different animals for maybe 2 different application. Best would be

to get both but this is not an option at this point :-) <br><br>

 

Any opinions ? any other options I should consider ?<br><br>

 

Thanks for your help !<br>

 

Fred

[harris_goldstein]

You said it yourself: "2 different animals for maybe 2 different application.".

 

Clearly (IMHO) the Mamiya 6 would be preferable for candid portraits. (I think it's hard to be candid with a larger, relatively noisy, MF SLR). Why are you disappointed in the focusing distance? 1.5 meters with the 150mm should just about fill the frame with a headshot. And probably the closest without severe paralax issues.

 

But what do you hope to achieve - compared to your Leicas - for candid portraits? Granted the larger film size will give better quality (all other things equal) but are you really constrained with the quality from your Leica? I suspect that on day trips with 3 kids and all the paraphernalia that goes with them that even the Mamiya 6 - or the Leica - gets left behind sooner rather than later.

 

So now I'm back to the SQA, but more for the formal portrait work you mentioned (i.e. on a tripod and with some form of lighting control) and in the field where the purpose of the outing is photography. In my mind, it's less of an overlap with the Leicas. Plus interchangeable backs.

 

But, if you're looking for more of a middle ground, what about the 645 SLRs (such as Bronica ETRS, Mamiya 645, Pentax 645)?

 

My 2 cents.

[fredus]

Hi Harris,

 

Thanks for your opinion. Why would a 645 be a middle ground ? they're still heavy beast as far as I understand ... I thought about 645, especially being able to get 8x10 pictures without crop. But I like the 6x6 ... Want to try something different. As for my Leica left behind, this is not the case :-) Want this week end to Santa Cruz, was able to shoot with both my Yashica 124 and my Leica IIIf !!! Drive my wife crazy though ... :-)))

[john_stockdale2]

About close focussing distances: I think that portraits of young children are often better taken quite close. Maybe because we're used to looking at them quite close. I use a Mamiya 6 and I find the focussing distances a limitation too.

[harris_goldstein]

There's heavy beasts and then there's HEAVY beasts. I think that there is a significant weight and cube difference between, for example, the ETRS and the SQA. But even the ETRS is a monster compared to your IIIf (and perhaps roughly comparable to your Y'mat). And the SQA is relatively trim compared to an RB.

 

I think it boils down to whether photography is the primary objective of the trip or secondary. For me, when secondary, I find that the simpler I keep it the better and the more time I spend on actually taking photographs.

 

I agree with your square format view. It's interesting - I find a square print on the wall seems to capture more attention that a rectangular print. People just aren't used to seeing square prints, so they take notice.

[manjo]

I love ur photos from Japan, I shoot a bronica sqa, I just simply love the square format, and ofcourse you can crop it the way you want. I bought my bronica sqa for less than 500 bucks with 80mmlens from a friend. Quality of the images are excellent.

[claude_batmanghelidj]

1. The Mamiya is essentially a perfect camera, it is flawless, *except* it does not focus close enough : (<p>

2. The Bronica SQAI is lightweight. You can take it anywhere, but still not super close focus. Much better than the Mamiya though, in that regard, but the lenses are nowhere as sharp as those Mamiya RF lenses.<p>

3. A compromise would be a Fuji 645ZI. This is as light as it gets in medium format. 220/120 with no problem, built in small flash, superb lens, decent meter. But, AF can be problematic. Sometimes shots not in focus. Still, as for medium format cameras, this is the camera I can take anywhere. I have wandered around Tokyo, drunk off my ass, shooting people in bars with this camera, and brought home perfectly exposed shots from dark bars. However, it is not square.<p>

 

I don't know what it is with this damn 645. I hate 645, much prefer 6x6, but there is a plot among Japanese camera makers to replace 6x6 with 645. I guess it is all academic though, now that no one even makes medium format cameras anymore.<p>

 

If you want to have fun, you could get a Kiev or Salyut with the 90mm vega lens. It focuses closer than anything in medium format short of a macro. You can get really tight with that lens. Look for a decent Kiev, maybe one that has been overhauled and one of those vegas, for some cheap fun.

[robbie_caswell]

I know with my GS1 and 200mm I can't get head shots, but it is a perfect lense for many things. Yeah I could crop it later but that is not what I want. Currently looking at the 100mm specs as I think it gets me closer. Probably the same with the SQ. Look into a second lense... which is never a bad thing.

 

Prices are crazy cheap for medium format. Last night a GS1 wedding shooter setup consisting of 2 bodies, three lense, multiple back/filter, flash etc... went for $1100.