RB67 and 90mm Sekor C - a good or bad focal length?

[dean_waters]

When I moved up from 35mm to medium format, I was worried that the sheer

weight of the RB67 would put me off carrying it around. However, surprisingly,

I find that I carry less weight with the MF kit than 35mm because I'm limited

to one lens, a 90mm which I got with the camera, which means there's no

temptation to cart a full set of focal lengths around with me. In a small bag

goes the RB, 90mm, extension tube 1, and a 120 back with Provia, and another

back with FP4, and an old Pentax spotmeter, oh and a polariser and orange

filter (the tripod has its own bag). The 90mm focal length is good for the

mixed kinds of photography that I'm interested in, a little macro, some

portraits, a bit of landscape. However, the need to acquire more kit is never

far away, though I'm trying to resist, but what your favourite lenses for 6x7,

and what do you use them for? Is the 90mm a good compromise, a jack of all

trades, or is it a focal length that is dull and lifeless? Please guys, talk

me out of getting another lens, my wife would kill me, not least because she

bought me the bag it all fits in, and there isn't space for another lens...

[dan_spahn]

I always used the 127mm as the normal lens. It could be used for everything with people but a tight head and shoulders, when I used a 180mm. This was used extensively for the reception studio photos at weddings.

[william_markey]

Sorry, can't talk you out of buying more lenses! LOL

 

On my RB67, I use my 180mm literally 98% of the time, but then most of my shooting is for portraits. It is a BEAUTIFUL portrait lens--very nice depth of field. I am also looking at getting a 65mm lens so that I can take wider-angled portraits and include more of the environment (similar to the portrait photographer William McIntosh-spelling??). Although I should use it, I hardly ever pull out my 90mm.

 

My recommendation? You cannot live without a 180mm lens!! LOL

 

William Markey

Birmingham, AL

[mag_miksch]

IMO the 90 is one of the sharpest Masmiya lenses and has great macro performance, espacially used with the extension tubes. Its not very suited for portraits, 90mm is about a 45mm lens in 35mm, so for my taste its to wide for portrait. My first RB lens was the 127, also very good but I preferred the 90 as standard lens. In the meantime I got 50, 65, 90, 180, 250 and 360mm lenses, the 127 and 150 softfocus I sold because I didnt use them. Now my most used lenses are the 65 and the 180, especially the 180 is a "must have", you can use it for landscapes and for portrait, so look for the 180 as second lens. But there is no need to hurry, the 90 is a very good lens to start, in my old 35mm days I did a lot of landscapes with a 45mm lens.<br>

Have fun<br>

Martin

[chris_waller]

I have the 90 and a 180. Both are excellent lenses but if I could find a 127 at the right price I'd buy it. The 127 is better for 3/4 and full length portraits.

[ranong]

i like the previous posters response that "we can noty talk you out of buying more lenses".

 

i have an Rb and love it to death. i have a 50, 90, and 250. i ma a travel photog. mostly. sometimes i wish i had the 127. the 90 distorts slightly and when i am shooting temples and other buildings i find it a bit annoying . other than that i love the 90mm. i shoot with the 90 most of the time. i use my 250 next and my 50mm least. but i always have all three!

 

you got a 90 so that leaves you open for every tihng other than the 127 IMO. if you were to buy other lenses i would buy any other lens except the 127 (it is too close to the 90). all the mamiya lenses are great so you can not go wrong. i keep watching KEH. i saw an "ugly" 127 i almost bought just to play with.

 

eddie

[erie_patsellis]

Like Mag, I have a fairly full set of lenses, 50,65, 90, 127, 150SF, 180, 250, 360. I don't know that I could live without any of them, quite frankly, IF I had to take just one lens, it would be the 127, though I have a small pelican case, and can fit the 50,60,127 and 180, body, prism and 3 backs. it's pretty light, all things considered.

 

 

erie

[dean_waters]

Hmmm, not much chance of being talked out of getting more lenses then! When I bought the RB, I had a choice of getting one with a 127 and one with a 90mm. I went with the 90mm due to getting 1:1 macro with extension tube 1, but also because with 35mm SLRs if I was limited to one lens, I took a 35mm lens for general photography. It's quite an education living with just one focal length, you really have to think more about what you want...

[jerry_friedman]

I find the 90mm lens a good all around lens. There are times when a 65mm lens

would give me a little more sweep but I find that too wide for genenral shooting.

BTW- I originally thought the rb might be too heavy to carry and i have been

surprised that it is really quite managable hand held. I find that the one lens i would

like to have, but it usually too costly for me, is the 140 mm macro. And the best part

is this: I got my two cameras are very low prices because so many pros have gone

digital. For me, they are a dream. I no longer use a Rollei because of rb close focusing

skill and the ability to rotate the back. It's a handful, but the best are.

[dean_waters]

I was surprised by just how manageable the RB was as well. I have gone from a backpack full of Nikon kit to a small Kodak camera bag. I find it entertaining to watch other photographers faces when I turn up with a small bag and then produce an RB67 out of it. I find it quite refreshing to be limited to a single focal length, hand-held meter and a filter or two. Certainly makes you slow down and think more. I am tempted to go two ways, a 65mm would be better for the landscapes that I'm interested in, and a 140mm would be lovely for macro, but at the moment, the 90mm does a pretty good job of both.

[k5083]

I am a new owner too and I think you can get by fine with just the 90. Many times that is the only one I will take with me. However I confess I have bought a 50 because I do like the coverage sometimes on landscapes or for the sake of the distortion. Most likely I will also get either a 180 or a 250 for the occasions when I need a little reach or compression effect. That will only go in the bag when I have that type of picture in mind before I leave. I wouldn't say that my RB kit is going to be lighter than my 35mm kit but it may just be comparable. Certainly there's not the temptation to take 2 or 3 bodies!!