A new contender for my money

[szrimaging]

<p>Guys, thanks for all the info! I knew there was a reason I loved this site.</p>

<p>I am going back and forth in my head on the whole square vs. rectangle debate. Really, if I don't print square, then the 6x6 makes less sense. I think that is what it will all boil down to. Tough decision....</p>

[david finch]

<p>For easy and happy hand-held MF, I'd avoid an RB, a Hasselblad, or other modular TTL designs. They're just too awkward and bulky to be used without a tripod. The same can be said of the big Pentax SLR although I know some users who would disagree. Instead, I'd go for one of the RF designs, which are very easy to handle and have no mirror-slap. The last time I looked the Mamiya 7, which offers changeable lenses, was still in production. The fixed-lens Fuji 6x7 and 6x9 RFs are history, but nice ones can be had for around $700 from KEH. The Fuji lenses are terrific. </p>

<p>I have a Fuji 6x9 with a 90mm lens, and I love using it. For some reason, however, I keep going back to my ancient Rolleiflex 3.5F with prism finder. The 6x6 format gets getting used to, I suppose, but it does make it easy to frame the image. The camera is as light as a feather, dead quiet, and takes beautiful pictures -- the Zeiss TLR taking lens is flat-out better than its larger, more complex Hasselblad TTL equivalent. </p>

<p> </p>

[david_smith35]

<p>Zach, just to add my two pence worth - the SQB doesn't have a 'B' setting and the standard lens supplied with this model didn't have a timer switch, so the longest exposure you could do was 8 seconds. For that reason I would recommend the SQAi model.<br>

BTW, the SQ series do all have a 'proper' mirror lock up ie. one that locks the mirror up permanently unless released. Having said that, mirror lock up and pre release are more or less the same thing from a practical viewpoint.</p>

 

[jeff_livacich]

<p>Lenses with the T/A switch can be used with the SQ-B to make time exposures; as David said, the 80mm "B" lens supplied originally with the camera lacks the T/A switch.<br>

BTW, the original SQ camera did not have mirror lockup. The other SQ-series cameras did.</p>

[john_mcmillin]

<p>MYTHBUSTERS: Medium Format Edition<br>

1) "6x9 beats 6x7"-- MAYBE, if you're intending to make photos in the traditional 35mm aspect ratio of 2:3. But why? One of my main motivations to consider medium format is to leave the historical accident of 2:3 for the artsier pastures of 6x4.5. That's very close. IIRC, to the Golden Mean, a time-honored proportion that dates back to the ancient Greeks. This 4:3 proportion also fits common US frame sizes better. Both 6x9 and 6x7 have to be cropped to reach this, so it's a wash.<br>

2) (paraphrase) "You need a revolving back"- FALSE, because any good 645 is a comfortable hold in vertical orientation. For tripod use, my Pentax 645 beats the others by having two tripod sockets. If you mount two quick-releases, like my Bogens, rotating the camera is as easy as revolving a back.<br>

Other than that, it's a well-informed discussion. I considered the Bronica 645 cameras when I saw one available at a good price. I'd be more concerned about repair and parts availability than with Pentax or Mamiya, though. Also, the Bronica wide angle lens I sampled had terrible barrel distortion.</p>

[david_smith35]

<p>Strange, I've never seen the slightest amount of barrel distortion from either of my Bronica wide angle lenses - I'm beginning to think it's all a myth.</p>