Finally Did it! Got me some MF Gear : RZ+DL28

[Doug Peterson]

It's a pity that Capture Integration didn't include the 150mm A lens in their test that Steve linked in this thread, but I guess that they were only focusing on lenses that can still be bought new.

[on lenses which were on our shelf]

[JeffT]

Still in the process of receiving all this, but I had to tell somebody  .  I picked up a RZ67ProII+110 f/2.8 and AFD3/Dl28 with both 80mm and 55mm.  I will need a telephoto for the afd, probably the 150 (d or not d?) . And and curious about the RZ, what lens would be a good studio portait lens? Is 110 too short? Of course I need this magic plate to put the aptus on the RZ... I know Leaf and Mamiya make one, which one would better?

Since I never shot an RZ, nor had MF back, I will most likely be over my head for some time. Hopefully, all the time reading this forum will come in useful.

Mark

As far as the AFD to RZ adapter goes, when I was looking, and searched throughout the forums, some people had no problems with the Mamiya adapter while others did. Synching seemed to be an issue if trying to use the electronic contacts of the Mamiya adapter. Many who had the Mamiya adapter ended up covering the contacts with tape and using a synch cord anyway. If you can find a Leaf adapter used, that would be the way to go.

Already lots of good lens advise. My favorite RZ lenses are 110, 140, 150, 180.

Congrats

[Steve Hendrix]

Congrats on your new kit!

Re. the M645 short teles...remember that all versions of the 120 f4 macro are manual focus (even the "AF" ones). So if that's not a deal killer, consider the manual focus 150mm f2.8 A lens as well. For 20% of the cost of a 150mm f2.8 D lens (check e.g. KEH right now...they're unbelievably undervalued if you ask me), this thoroughly outperforms the 150mm f3.5 (any version) and is just as fast as the D lens. Although not labelled as an APO, it was a relatively late design (early 1990s) for the M645 system and it does have some type of ULD glass, with a very low degree of aberration. (The same applies to the 120mm macro: not labelled ULD or APO, just A; but regarded as delivering APO-like performance in practice). In fact I would not be surprised if the 150mm D lens is not the same optical formula as the A lens, just wrapped in AF mechanics; but I would have to research this a little harder to be sure.

It's a pity that Capture Integration didn't include the 150mm A lens in their test that Steve linked in this thread, but I guess that they were only focusing on lenses that can still be bought new.

Yes, but, probably more importantly, there's a finite amount of time that can be dedicated to tests, comparisons, etc. The simplest test can be incredibly time consuming to do right. We have an extensive list of tests we would love to do, and by necessity, we place limits on the amount of products we select for tests. Especially with lenses, there are so many options, so yeah, we do have to be have some limiting factors.

That being said, exactly, for manual focus, the 150mm/2.8 A lens is a good call.


Steve Hendrix

[gotspeed]

Thanks guys for all the great info rolling in! Got to absorb it all.

[gotspeed]

Ouch... that is a lot.

Well, you definitely don't want the electronic adapter.  You should get this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/6050...dapter_Kit.html , the product number is the same as the Leaf adapter, so I'm assuming they're identical, whether you get it from Leaf or Mamiya.  

Holy hell, it's $1,600.  I remember a few months ago it was way cheaper.  And a year ago, I could've sworn it was $500 or something.  Maybe I'm dreaming.  What are you medium format companies smoking?  The RZ used to be the CHEAP and excellent camera to use a digital back with, now a simple adapter costs as much as a Canon 7D.  A$$holes.

I'd look on eBay.

[gotspeed]

Well at least it won't bankrupt one to have them all..

As far as the AFD to RZ adapter goes, when I was looking, and searched throughout the forums, some people had no problems with the Mamiya adapter while others did. Synching seemed to be an issue if trying to use the electronic contacts of the Mamiya adapter. Many who had the Mamiya adapter ended up covering the contacts with tape and using a synch cord anyway. If you can find a Leaf adapter used, that would be the way to go.

Already lots of good lens advise. My favorite RZ lenses are 110, 140, 150, 180.

Congrats

[gotspeed]

Thanks for the welcome Darius!

Sounds like there's at leat 3 versions one for the D , and others for non-D rz67.

Don't Know if this is still relevant, but the Mamiya adaptor, which was made for the ZD had contacts on it, which if used with the Leaf backs meant the battery in the RZ drained VERY quickly, but it did allow you to use the metered prism I believe. The work-around was to slightly rotate the adaptor plate when you weren't shooting so the contacts weren't touching.

Welcome to the family!

[gotspeed]

Thanks Ben for the offer to assist. I found a someone catatalog with these part#.  The first one must be for the D. and it sounds like DL28 and DM 28 should be using the same one. Would they have all the pieces?  Is peartree in London?

212-107 Mamiya DM to RZ Pro IID requires separate focusing screen
903-542 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM22, DM33 Student
903-545 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM28, DM40903-551 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM56

I know that Peartree Rental have the adaptor for RZ to AFD in their second hand stock right now. They also have the etched RZ focusing screen for the 44x33mm chip size.

Give me a shout on my work address and i'm sure we can help.

ben.norton@peartreephoto.com

[gotspeed]

Thanks Frank, that seems to confirm everyone seems to love these lenses on the RZ and they are afordable. Before I buy too much expensive stuff I should  get a feel for what I really like/need on the afd, so I'll stick with the cheaper ones for starters.

For the AFD look at the 105-210 I love that lens, or indeed the 150mm
For the RZ magic comes from 110, 140, 180

[Mr. Rib]

You may consider selling your Rz Pro II and going for Pro IID. HX701 adapter may be bought on ebay $600-700 new. If you get lucky with the body, you may wind up with a newer RZ Pro IID body and an adapter which doesn't need sync cables for the same price as Pro II with adapter plate.

[gotspeed]

Now you got me interested in that 105-210, it's availale used. If the 150 3.5 is not all that hot wide open, and this zoom is constant 4.5, would it make sense to get the zoom? How good are mamiya zooms vs a prime? Is there are penalty in optics vs prime, like in 35mm world? It seems big lens too, but you get flexibility.

For the AFD look at the 105-210 I love that lens, or indeed the 150mm
For the RZ magic comes from 110, 140, 180

[gotspeed]

I just noticed  the big difference in price of the adapters makes the cheaper body a mute point.  . If i had known it.... The other way to make sense out of the situation now is to find it for less than new price of the HX701.

You may consider selling your Rz Pro II and going for Pro IID. HX701 adapter may be bought on ebay $600-700 new. If you get lucky with the body, you may wind up with a newer RZ Pro IID body and an adapter which doesn't need sync cables for the same price as Pro II with adapter plate.

[BenNorton]

Thanks Ben for the offer to assist. I found a someone catatalog with these part#.  The first one must be for the D. and it sounds like DL28 and DM 28 should be using the same one. Would they have all the pieces?  Is peartree in London?

212-107 Mamiya DM to RZ Pro IID requires separate focusing screen
903-542 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM22, DM33 Student
903-545 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM28, DM40903-551 Mamiya RZ, RZ Pro II Adapter Kit for DM56

All you need to attach the AFD fit Digi back to your RZ is the focusing screen showing the crop of the sensor, the adaptor plate to go from the four pin attachment down to the AFD mount and the small flash sync cable from the lens to the digi back that transfers the 'shot signal'.

Peartree have all three in stock ready to go. Oh, and yes... they're based in London England.

[gotspeed]

It's here, It's here , the DL28 that is.   Adorama had the rz67 adapter cheaper than BH, so I got it there. Still it was like buying two proii bodies.  I don't think you can go wrong with a system where for 1k you can buy a boat load of lenses.


Mark

[klane]

Mark what adapter kit did you buy from adorama? I might have one in stock, that I can sell to you pretty cheap if its the right mount....

[gotspeed]

This is what I ordered.

903-545 Mamiya RZ
http://www.adorama.com/Als/ProductPage/MYDL28RZ67AK.html

Mark what adapter kit did you buy from adorama? I might have one in stock, that I can sell to you pretty cheap if its the right mount....

[Frank Doorhof]

On the AFD the 150 is also very nice and good wide open if you get the focus right that is
But most lenses are very nice wide open, that is what struck me comparing them to L glass from Canon, the difference between wide open and closed down 1-2 stops is not as huge as with my Canon lenses (some lenses excluded which are great wide open).

I sold the 150 because I found out I loved the 105-210 much more and used it almost exclusively on the 645AFD.
It can be bought on ebay for a good price most of the times.

On the adaptor plate, I bought one about a year or maybe more ago and paid app 650 euros for it.
How can one see if it's the electronic plate ?
I do need cables but I'm using a RZ67ProII (non D)

[gotspeed]

So I call up my one of my many model friends and ask her if she would like to help me test my new camera. She of course agreed. Here's my first shot.

Ok, i don't want to get sued, it's not mine, it just thought it might be a tiney bit funny. But if some one objects to it I will remove it. but i did copy it with the camera..

[gotspeed]

Might just have to try them both (150/105-210).  I can't help with identifying adaptors not having seen one in real life.

Looking through the leaf installation guide for the RZ, the show at least two cables, one is "camera control" any bodyknow what that is? So there's 3 jacks, including the camera control, one for flash and one for the shutter sync to the rz most likely.

On the AFD the 150 is also very nice and good wide open if you get the focus right that is
But most lenses are very nice wide open, that is what struck me comparing them to L glass from Canon, the difference between wide open and closed down 1-2 stops is not as huge as with my Canon lenses (some lenses excluded which are great wide open).

I sold the 150 because I found out I loved the 105-210 much more and used it almost exclusively on the 645AFD.
It can be bought on ebay for a good price most of the times.

On the adaptor plate, I bought one about a year or maybe more ago and paid app 650 euros for it.
How can one see if it's the electronic plate ?
I do need cables but I'm using a RZ67ProII (non D)

[gotspeed]

My first impression of the Mamiya body and a digiback, since this is really the first time  Things happen at a lot slower pace, and seems to me it has a pretty noticable kick, compared to the dslrs when the shutter fires. But not really surprised by that, just have to get used to it.  I won't bore you with all the other things as you have been rehashing them forever.  It's kind of heavy and the grip isn't all that large.

The leaf back has a pretty slick interface with the touch screen.  I see why you have been crying for better lcds for previewing images though.  

Also, this might finally be the reason for that mac pro i've been delaying for ever. The Leaf Capture is still in Beta for Windows. So far I got some weird errors popping up "missing disk" or something like that. And on my  windows 32 bit Lightroom, after playing with an imported DNG files for a couple of minutes, the dreaded inverted out of memory/grey background showed up. Usually I get that after an hour or two with canon files before I restart.  I guess first step could be get windows 7 64 and see if that helps but I hate to wipe out this machine and start over. And this box doesn't seem to be able to connect to LC either, not that it really matters but not fun.  I was thinking of either using  9-6 pin adapter and using one a laptop with 1394a, but i have a feeling it might not work.