walter_hawn Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Looking at buying the new Mamiya 645AFD II body/ZD back bundle. But -- Ireally, really like Zeiss lenses. Can they be made to fit the Mamiya? I don'tuse auto-focus, so that's not a concern. I would like to be able to use themetering, though. An alternative would be a Contax 645 and a digital back. H-ever, cost is aconcern, as is parts availability in the long term. And, with the announcement of the new Canon 1ds mkIII (why, oh why, can't we getpronounceable names for these things?), maybe a 645 is not the way to go, anymore. In any event, I need to move up from 35mm film. I have a Canon V1 with severallenses that I seldom use, and a well-used Contax 139q, nearing the end of itslife, which is how I got hooked on Zeiss. Advice? Discussion? Regards,Walter Hawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Have you tried Mamiya lenses? Some of them are fantastic. I shoot Hasselblad, Rollei (6000) and a Mamiya 7II and the Mamiya 7II has some of the best glass. Admittedly, I have not shot with the 645 lenses, but you might as well rent one and see how it works for you. Especially if you are thinking of plunking down multiple thousands of dollars on an MF digital kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagesax Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 I think you are in the same predicament as many of us who still have 'blads around, hoping for an affordable digital back. With Mamiya coming out with a decent priced digital back perhaps other companies will lower their prices. I can't justify paying $25,000 for a digital back for weddings, which is my main income. If you are doing other types of photography and you can justify spending this kind of money the differences between a medium digital back and the slr digital backs are said to be well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagesax Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 As Stuart stated, I'd consider renting a Mamiya. Their backs are about 1/2 the cost and the lenses are very sharp. Some people on photo.net have said these lenses are sharper than zeiss. I've never done a side by side experiment myself, but if it is that good and about 1/2 the price it's worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_hawn Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Thanks for the discussion. I haven't used Mamiya lenses since my 500DTL died a quarter of a century ago. It was shortly after that I discovered Ziess. The Mamiya lenses were very good, I recall (my wife shot my profile photo with the 55mm Mamiya), but there is a certain, indefinable *something* that Ziess adds to a shot. Besides the tack-sharpness, the quality (I don't know how else to say it) of the contrast in color work is so much livelier. In BW work, the difference is there, but more subtly so. Thanks for the suggestion, and I will look into renting a kit, but I have some problems along that line, since I'm in Wyoming -- and the only places that rent anything are in Jackson or Denver. FWIW, I do fine-art landscapes and have hit the limit on print size from scanned 35mm film. I've discovered that certain people like *really big* prints, and are willing to pay for them. (BTW I have -- and have put to good use -- an Epson 9800, for anyone who might need something 44 inches wide...) I have not invested in medium format anything, yet, but I'm still hoping for adapter rings for the Mamiya, to take lenses with either Hasselblad or Contax mounts. It seems though, that no one has made any thus far. Regards, Walter Hawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawz Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 You can get an adaptor which will allow you to use V-Series lenses that support focal plane shutters on M645's. Restrictions are the same as for manual M645 lenses on the 645AF's (Stop-down metering, no auto-aperture). Fotodiox makes the necessary adaptors (Others are available if you look, notably a Pentacon 6 adaptor allowing use of some of the excellent Pentacon glass on a body that is actually reliable) I'd say MF has one major advantage over the high-MP 35mm FF DSLR's. With good lenses MF digital (and film) is not lens limited. A 22MP FF 35mm DSLR is often lens limited for resolution even with good glass, while a 39MP 645 is only approaching lens resolution limits, a 22MP 645 setup isn't even close to lens resolution limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick j dempsey Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 There are adaptors from Pentacon 6 to 645 mount. You would probably loose metering... but you would at least have all of the other advantages of interchangable Mamiya body parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I use a Hasselblad V to Mamiya 645 adapter on a AFD-II, as well as select Mamiya AF lenses. All CF, CFi, CFE and F, FE lenses work. The F lenses are a particuarly good buy and offer very fast aperture choices ... F50/2.8, F110/2, F150/2.8. You lose auto aperture metering, but gain in-viewfinder AF confirmation when using the Zeiss manual focusing lenses. Zeiss and Mamiya have different signatures, and are a matter of preference. I prefer Zeiss, but like AF, so I use both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan_dong1 Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Marc, In a previous posting you mention using your Mamiya 645 lenses on your COntax 645. Which adapter are you using and where can I buy one?I would assume that same feature here with this adapter focusing to Infinity without any problems.Evan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 That Mamiya to Contax adapter was custom made, one of six. Since then I think someone makes them now. Do a search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightminer Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I know this thread is old, but Mamiya makes these now for us - that seems an important addition here. http://www.mamiya.com/news-events-press-releases-mamiya-introduces-lens-adapters-for-hasselblad-lenses.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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