best camera for large scale prints

[stella_weinert]

I currently use my Pentax 645 to take "urban landscape" shots with

people

in them.

They're not grab shots as I usually talk to the people first,

but I handhold & use a wide angle lens. I'd like to get a bigger

camera so I

can make larger prints

without loss of quality (20X30 or bigger).

Any suggestions as to a camera with a larger than 645 neg that can be

reliably

be handheld? I'm considering Pentax 67, Mamiya 7 & am wondering about

Fuji

6X9 rangefinder.

Anyone with experience using these or any other suggestions?

Thanks, Stella Weinert

[wayne_crider4]

Not hat I shoot it, but I've heard enough raves about the Mamiya 7 to suspect

that it wold probably be the better choice. No big mirror to slap and sharp

sharp lenses. It must be more handholdable than a RZ or Pentax 67. As

concerns the Fuji 69's, very nice cameras, and very sharp lenses, but the non-

interchangeable lenses and non metered bodies would make them a last

choice for me with your subject matter.

[jay_de_fehr]

I think that all of the cameras you mention are fine, capable cameras. The Fuji has the format advantage, the Mamiya arguably has the best optics, the Pentax has the interchangeable lens advantage over the Fuji and the affordability advantage over the Mamiya. The rangefinders are a joy to shoot handheld, while the big P67 can be challenging (keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who shoots his RB67 handheld). If price was not a consideration, I would choose the M7, and if it was I'd choose the Fuji. Best of luck with whichever of these fine sytems you decide upon.

[everitt]

If you handhold your shots, the mirror and shutter vibrations of a Pentax 67

will prevent you from getting sharp pics at slower shutter speeds (1/60 for

example) where the rangefinders would excel. If you tame the P67 on a

strudy tripod, it will give you very sharp images at any speed with the 55mm

lens for example, but that combination would probably be far too cumbersome

for what you want to do. I would go for the rangefinders.

[Aoresteen]

Other than 5x7 Speed Graphic or Linhof 5x7 Technica I'd give the Mamiya 7 a try for all the resons already mentioned.

 

OTH, why not try a 4x5 with a 125 or 135mm lens?

[john_wire]

Medium cost, medium weight, various focal length lens..... RB67.

 

Low cost, lightweight, single normal lens, folding rangefinder.... Iskra 2.

 

I handhold the RB with a 180 but it does get cumbersome after awhile. The Iskra is a pleasure to "walk about" with and a quick "shooter" compared to the RB. Your body strength will determine the RB comfort level.

 

I believe you will be surprised at Iskra 20X20 plus enlargements. I've cropped a 6x6 to get a 20X30 that is impressive.

 

However........ I wonder how a 4X5 negative would look?

[r._odinal]

Hmmm.... I'm actually surprised that this hasn't been mentioned yet, but I would think you'd be able to get nice 20x30" prints with a 6x4.5 negative. I've never shot that format, but I've done a lot of 6x6 and 6x7, and even after some cropping of the 6x6's I consistently get nice looking 16x20's. So I'd be pretty sure that 20x30 is do-able. I typically use an SLR with a tripod, but I also shoot a Mamiya 6 handheld. I can recommend that camera for being very easy to carry around and handhold, and having nice optics (the 50mm is typically on mine). I never tried the Mamiya 7, but I hear pro's and con's for both these rangefinders. I love the 6.

[johnmarkpainter]

Stella,

 

Why don't you just try a monopod or lightweight tripod and see if it makes a difference?

What film are you using?

 

Bigger film usually helps, but maybe you just need faster shutter speeds or a tripod.

 

A Mamiya 7 and a Wide lens is going to cost you.

 

jmp

[kornelius_j._fleischer]

The biggest I have ever done handheld successfully was Linhof Super Technika 4 x 5. The lenses were coupled with the rangefinder, so focusing was quick and accurate. The resulting image quality was stunning.

 

If you consider this too big and heavy, you may want to check out a twin eye Rolleiflex.

[bob_cook]

I have or have had all three of your candidates. I vote for the Fuji 6x9. Great

image quality plus easy handling. The lack of a meter is a small point to me - I

use mine with an old Weston Master V with the incident dome in place. Of

course I'm shooting B&W negative film, so I do have a little exposure latitude.

[b_kosoff]

When it comes to image quality the bigger the neg the better. The Mamiya 7

will give good results at 20x30, not great. That is about an 11x enlargement.

Even if the image is sharp. the grain will deteriorate your gradations. The 6x9

of the fuji would yield a better result. I would stay away from the pentax 6x7

as the mirror slap and focal shutter are a serious detriment.

[david_henderson]

The Mamiya 7 will give much sharper results handheld at 1/15

or 1/30 than a SLR. If you typically shoot at 1/125 or faster you

wouldn't see a whole lot of difference between the rangefinder

and an SLR in my view. But this still leaves you with the not

inconsiderable benefit of the larger neg.

 

I'd agree with the poster above who indicates good, not great

prints at 20" x 30"- if you're using analogue printing. If the

number of big prints you want to make is small you could

consider a relatively expensive route like drum scan/LightJet .

From a 67 neg these should give you excellent print quality and

sharpness, and even from a 645 neg they should be very good

from a good lab.

 

Whilst I'd consider the Mamiya 7 to be the ultimate

portable/handholdable 67 camera you'll no doubt be aware of

the idiosyncracies associated with rangefinders. Like the fact

you can't see dof TTL; like the fact that using a grad is much

more difficult.; like the fact the lenses don't close-focus.

However the nature of work you describe makes me think that it

might be in line with a rangefinder's strengths rather than its

weaknesses.

 

So in essence. if you're shooting at fast speeds , want only a few

big prints and are prepared to pay for top quality digital custom

prints for these, you can probably get what you want from your

current camera.

 

If on the other hand you're shooting at slow speeds, or want a lot

of very big prints produced relatively economically , or just want

as good as it's possible to have then I'd suggest you need a

bigger neg and that the Mamiya 7 would be a good candidate.

[derek_stanton2]

Hi, Stella.

 

The advantages/disadvantages of the Mamiya 7 have been appropriately explained. I

have a few questions that might help the decision process.

 

Do you shoot color or black+white? I would think that that choice would determine

just how large you could print "without loss of quality." I always imagine B+W can be

printed at almost any size, because the grain becomes a component of the image. As

opposed to color, when grain usually 'defeats' the image.

 

Also, you must be aware that depth of field issues become more considerable with

the step up in format size. What lens do you use with the P645? If you're used to a

35mm perspective (on a 35mm camera), the Pentax 67 system has the (relatively) new

75mm 2.8. I just bought it. It's fast, fairly lightweight, and the focus snap is

wonderful. With any kind of SLR, a brighter viewfinder/fast lens is certainly an

advantage. With the rangefinders, viewfinder brightness isn't an issue, but you should

be aware that the lenses those cameras use are generally much slower (4.5 for wide

angles?). So, even though you gain a stop or two because there isn't mirror slap, you

lose it in the glass. This may not be important, as you'd probably be shooting in

daylight, and lowlight capability isn't so important. If so, then the mirror slap of the

Pentax 67 shouldn't be such an issue either. As well, with the Pentax, you'd be able to

use its lenses on your 645 (I'm not sure if this depends on the 645 model, though).

 

If possible, you might want to try to rent a Pentax 67 to use for a weekend.

Developing a few rolls will tell you if the P67's 'limitations' apply to your usage. And,

you'll know if the camera is too big/unwieldy for your comfort. The rangefinders are

certainly much better in that respect. I had a Mamiya 6, and it was remarkably

compact and light.

[david_goldfarb]

I do shoot handheld with a Linhof Tech V 4x5", and it's feasible, but you might ask whether for your style a big press camera will get in the way or as Bruce Davidson has written, it will add a degree of formality to the occasion that will work in your favor. The bigger camera will attract more attention and questions, and you will have to decide whether you can use that to your advantage or you would rather have a more "transparent" kind of tool.

 

From the possibilities you mention, I would go with the Mamiya 7. The lenses are outstanding, rangefinders are great for street photography (quick to focus, good in low light), no mirror slap to worry about so you can shoot with lower speeds, and not as bulky as a Fuji 6x9.

[jose_chang]

Fuji is nice because of the 6x9 format, Mamiya 6x7 is nice because it is lighter, and Pentax 67 is great because of the SLR but heavier.

 

Really every camera is very unique to each of its own and there are no perfect camera for everything. You may want to rent to see which you like the best.

 

I have done printing with 6x7 format. Without crop, the 6x7 can give you a very nice 20x25 on a RA-4 printing. If you want a 20x30, then you need to crop a 6x7 or a 6x8 will do it.

[james_b_cooper]

John,

Interested in buying Iskra. I also heard that the 75/3.5 Industar lens is very sharp. Did you ever had problems with film transport mechanism, as I have heard about it happening to often on the Iskra. Did you experience excessive flair ? Thanks, in advance.