Which Medium format to chose from a list of Four . Mamiya RZ/RB Or Hasselblad 501/503

[chiho_shiu]

Hi Everybody

 

I am a 35mm User for about Four Year Now. I have always wanted to

getinto the Medium Format, For the past 6 month i have been

researching for a suitable Camera and finally i have narrow down to

Four Model.

 

1.Mamiya RZ

 

2.Mamiya RB

 

3.Hasseblad 501CM

 

4.Hasselblad 503CW

 

But The problem is i work both in Studio and Street .

This is a diffcult decision to make therfore, I would like some

advise from you medium format pro, since you have the experience on

this subject.

 

I am looking forward to all your reply.

 

Thank you very Much

 

Chiho

[barry schmetter]

The Mamiyas are excellent cameras, but I consider them studio creatures for the most part. The Hasselblads are lighter and more compact and therefore, more suited to street work. Unless you are a big fan of on-camera TTL flash, the 501CM should suit your needs.

[garry edwards]

The RZ is easier and quicker to use than the RB for only a little extra money, and I prefer it to the Hasselblad for studio use but I agree that the Hasselblads are more suitable for street use. I feel that they are also more suitable than the RZs for studio use with a digital back.

[bill_dewberry]

Hasselblad 503CW, gives you the option of TTL flash, you may choose to use it some time, and it works great.

[bill_dewberry]

The ttl flash does not have to be on camera, I put my quantum T2 on a light stand next to the camera a lot, this way I shoot the camera handheld, and the flash is on a stand.

[peter_free]

It's been years since I shot professionally (sports with Pentax 6x7), and I make no claim to unusual expertise. But I've used cameras #2, 3, and 4 on your list and played with 1. I agree with the wisdom of the previous posters.

 

The modular 6x6 cameras (your Hasselblads) are more versatile than the 6x7s, but that means they trade off brilliance at both ends of their range to more targeted cameras. For example, street use generally favors 645 over 6x6 or 6x7. And studio use, where large enlargements are anticipated, might slightly favor 6x7 designs with rotating backs and a built-in bellows (like the RB/RZ) over the Blads. This is particularly so, if you want a full-negative rectangular option.

 

However, I'm not one to stress this "enlargement" factor. In-use ergonomics are more important to me.

 

In their respective engineering compromise areas, my experience has been that the Hasselblad (and Bronica and Rollei 6000 series) do studio work better than the RB/RZ does street work.

 

Your decision may boil down to three primary considerations. (1) Is there even a slight difference in the proportion and importance of the studio versus street work you do? If so, you may want to slant your purchase that way. For example, I do prefer using the RB/RZ over the Hasselblad, when the camera is always going to be tripod-mounted.

 

(2) Is there any reason to favor the slightly larger 6x7 negative over the 6x6? In this digital age, I increasingly feel that there is not.

 

(3) What sort of resale value is foreseeable, if you decide later than you bought into the wrong system?

 

In sum, even today, after nearly 50 years of taking photography seriously, I find that modular, leaf-shuttered 6x6s probably fill the "one camera" medium format function better than anything else. This doesn't mean there aren't times when I wish I had something else for a particular task. But it does mean that, when limited to one system, the modular 6x6s get more done, more pleasurably for me, than anything else. That's probably why Hasselblad remains so popular and has such a loyal group of users.

 

As for TTL flash versus non-TTL, I'm one of those who remains satisfied with the non-TTL automatic setting on a good flash unit for street or candid use. With both approaches, you will need your brain to calculate what the shut-off in the flash unit or the TTL processor is reading.

 

In studio use, where you can calculate and Polaroid-check proper flash exposure, I see no great benefit to TTL. (Currently working pros may disagree. I'm accustomed to doing things the old-fashioned and not necessarily the best way.)

 

TTL may be a benefit in wedding and candid photography. Though there are many successful photographers who don't use it. But you may decide that TTL capability is a plus for resale.

 

Yours is a difficult decision. I don't know anyone who is consistently positive they made the right decision in a similar case. But if you're a passionate photographer, you'll very much enjoy using whatever you buy. Among these cameras, it would be difficult to go wrong. If it were my decision to make, I would toss the RB out of consideration first.

[keithdunlop]

Another perspective from a 35mm shooter . . . I went with the Mamiya RZ due in part to it's proportion. The 6x7 negative renders a familiar rectangular format which, for me, aids in composition. I shoot 35mm, 6x7, and 4x5, and for me it would be difficult to adjust to 6x6, then back to a rectangular frame. Many times I am shooting the 4x5 together with the RZ on certain jobs, and both being rectangular is very helpful. I also use the L-Grip in the field, which helps in handling, although it is still a very heavy beast.

[bas1]

This is not a vote for the Hasselblad, although I shoot one and am very happy with it, but you should really rule out the mamiya's if you consider shooting handheld. They are much bigger and heavier then the Blads. Other deciding factor is how often you print square. I love it and print most stuff square and love not having to turn the camera for portrait or landscape orientation. These for me where critical in choosing hasselblad.

[wayne_crider4]

I'd take the Hasselblad over the RB/RZ any day of the week and

would buy a Rollei with an in camera meter before the Hassey.

It's just much faster to street shoot having a meter in the body if

you need the speed. The RB/RZ is fine if you are working off a

tripod all the time or use a monopod.

[montague_withnail]

Get the Hasselblad 503CW with a meter prism. Very light

and handholdable, IMO.

[fotografz]

Love them all, but I'd go Hasselblad 503CW for what you want to do.

[john_bellenis]

I have a perspective here, although it may not be totally relevant

to your situation as I don't do street/candid style work, but I shot

professionally with Hasselblads for 12 years (I had 3 500CMs

with 6 lenses, multiple backs, Polaroid backs, bellows, prisms

etc etc) and personally ended up hating the system, felt very

limited by it, and switched to Mamiya RZs in 1992. The last 10

years have been just great (I switched my original RZs to Pro IIs

a few years ago) and I wish I had sold my Hassies a lot sooner.

 

I bought Hasselblads after college (4 years photography) as we

used them at school and they were "the best" - I never even

researched the options. I found the Hasselblads to be OK for

fashion work (although I never liked the square format and

everything was cropped), but for my other work they were a pain -

max 1 sec shutter speed, mirror cut off with long lenses, filter

sizes all over the place, multiple exposures meant taking the

magazine off (!), putting a level on the glass meant taking the

magazine off just to get the prism off, and just try shooting a

vertical with their 645 backs - any finder, I dare you! - all in all, it

wasn't a great sytem for me. Even the small things bugged me

like having no place to put a removed dark slide and the endless

jams (although easily fixed).

 

I switched systems in '92 and never looked back - the format

suited me better (the rotating backs are a dream), the timed

exposures to 8 seconds was better, the easy multiple exposures

and all 77mm filter sizes made every working day less stressed.

The lens quality is excellent and reliability has been flawless.

 

I handhold on occasion - it's not that bad - have shot aerials

(172s and R22 helicopters) and do a lot from bucket trucks.

There is no doubt that the Hasselblad is the better handholding

camera of the two - however, if that's your thing the Hasselblad

wouldn't be my 1st choice for that, there are many better and

faster handling 645s.

 

Anyway - that's my 2 (maybe 4 - sorry) cents worth. I would rent

first and use the cameras in a variety of situations and see what

suits your needs. Hasselblads are used and loved by loads of

photographers and could be right for you, for me they weren't

right and added to my stress rather than relieving it!

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

John Bellenis - www.johnbellenis.com

[desmond_kidman]

Steve Free and John Bellenis gave you great, rational answers.

 

I have both systems. I do travel work with LOTS of walking, a body, 5 lenses, and accessories on my back. And I do studio work. I can certainly hand hold the RZ, although the 503 is more comfortable. Since 80 percent of my work is on tripod, the RZII gets all of the workload. If I shot 80 percent handheld, and it was a choice between only these 2, I would use mostly the 503, but I would have conflict over this as the RZ, in my opinion, has better glass.

 

You'll go wrong with neither, but it's interesting that folks go from Hass to RZ, but I read few posts of folks going the other way.

[dermot_conlan3]

I am one of the ones that went the OTHER way . I used the RZ/RZ11 for about five years and slowly moved to a Hasselblad 501cm .(I also have a 645) Reasons were many but I shoot outdoors and I tired of hauling the RZ. Nothing bad to say about the lenses and you can't beat the rotating back, except you don't have to rotate with the Blad. I always advise to rent first otherwise this medium format thing can become a huge money pit.

 

What do you propose to do with your image's? If it's for publication AD's don't care if it was shot with a Blad,RZ,RB or a P645 if the work is good enough.. Seems to me your 35mm is perfect for street work, rent a different MF system each weekend for the coming month and try to decide from there...you'll save money in the long run.