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Author Topic: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33  (Read 4480 times)

MattBeardsley

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Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« on: February 01, 2011, 06:43:23 am »

Hello LL,

I've been shooting a Mamiya RZ33 for a few days...  It's been fun!  The big, all-manual camera (the body is an RZ67 Pro IID) is a throwback, the Mamiya DM33 is all modern.  The combination is pretty crazy.  Also, I've shared reviews from my blog in the past and am happy to have scaled it up to a more respectable Web-based magazine, including the Mamiya introduction.  Thanks for taking a look... any corrections you guys see?

http://photoartsmonthly.com/blog/2011/01/31/introduction-the-mamiya-rz33/

Have a great day,
Matt
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Matt Beardsley, Oakland, CA
The Artist:  http://mattbeardsleyphoto.com
The Nerd:  http://photoartsmonthly.com

JV

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2011, 12:02:13 pm »

Nothing but praise for Phase One for trying keep the RZ67 legacy alive but the fact that the price is the same as the H4D-40 illustrates once more in my opinion how unrealistic the pricing of Phase One has become...
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TMARK

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2011, 01:05:25 pm »

JV, I don't think the comparison between an RZ33 and the H4D-40 is apt.  They are very different cameras.  The H is a smaller sensored AF electronic camera designed to compete with the D3X while the RZ is an RZ, with spectacular lenses, and bellows focusing, etc.  Don't get me wrong, the H4D is fantastic.  ISO 800 is nice, really usable.  TrueFocus really works.  Phocus is OK.  The RZ is a differnet experience, more like using 6x7 or 6x6 SLR than a 645 AF cam chasing the Nikon and Canon.

I would also point out to those shooting fashion, beauty and portraits that the fantastic 100 2.2 H lens, used or new, costs more than the entire RZ lens line, purchased used.  So the price point analysis is a little off once you consider accessories, like lenses and lens hoods etc.

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yaya

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2011, 02:01:10 pm »

Nothing but praise for Phase One for trying keep the RZ67 legacy alive but the fact that the price is the same as the H4D-40 illustrates once more in my opinion how unrealistic the pricing of Phase One has become...

Besides being one of my favourite cameras and on top of what TMARK has already pointed out, the RZ33 offers quite a lot of value for the price:

1. large 48X36 sensor
2. Revolving adapter, turn the back just like a film magazine, no cables required
3. The DM33 back can be used on a range of other cameras from Mamiya AFD/ ADFII/ AFDIII and 645DF (and the equivalent Phase One models) to RB and almost ANY view camera including wide-angle platforms with movements
4. All the above is true whether you shoot tethered or to a CF card as the back uses its own standard camcorder battery
5. You can shoot tethered to either Capture One DB/ PRO or to Leaf Capture and enjoy some of the new features including Capture Pilot on iPad/ iPhone/ iPod touch
6. Sustained capture rate of 1 f/ps either tethered or to card
7. Files that are compatible with most raw processors inc. LR, ACR, Aperture and....Phocus...

Yair
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Frank Doorhof

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2011, 03:01:54 pm »

Here another rz lover.
It's simply unbeatable in performance and experience. Love working with it.
Although the crop is rather big :)
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JV

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2011, 11:17:30 pm »

The RZ67 is without any doubt an excellent camera (I never owned one but I did own an RB67) and the Leaf Aptus II-7 an excellent digital back.  That being said, the basic design of the camera is almost 30 years old and the H4D-40 is a modern camera with AF, metering, an brilliant set of lenses and true innovations like True Focus.  I am not questioning any above the above-mentioned characteristics of camera and back but pricing the RZ33 the same as the H4D-40 continues to feel awkward and unrealistic to me. 
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MattBeardsley

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2011, 02:18:23 am »

I agree that it's really interesting to compare the similarly priced RZ33 and H4D-40... I've spent time with both and can certainly say they offer a very different experience from one another.  I've loved the RZ, though it comes with a certain deliberate way of working that isn't for everyone!  The digital output, so far, has been stunning!  I like that so many lenses are so easily available for the RZ, and that photographers have the option to tether to Capture One or process (uncompressed files) in Lightroom.  Hasseblad has taken so much of the complexity out of MF shooting, and autofocus is certainly nice... and then there's the awesome 28mm f4!
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Matt Beardsley, Oakland, CA
The Artist:  http://mattbeardsleyphoto.com
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yaya

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2011, 03:20:14 am »

The RZ67 is without any doubt an excellent camera (I never owned one but I did own an RB67) and the Leaf Aptus II-7 an excellent digital back.  That being said, the basic design of the camera is almost 30 years old and the H4D-40 is a modern camera with AF, metering, an brilliant set of lenses and true innovations like True Focus.  I am not questioning any above the above-mentioned characteristics of camera and back but pricing the RZ33 the same as the H4D-40 continues to feel awkward and unrealistic to me. 

30 years or not (all current 645 cameras are 10+) it still offers many things that don't exist on more modern platforms. It's not for everyone of course and it lacks any wide angle capability. As a studio camera for still-life and portraits I can't think of anything that 645 cameras have got that it doesn't (other than AF)...should have also mentioned good, fast Live View...
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MattBeardsley

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Re: Enjoying the Mamiya RZ33
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2011, 02:01:01 pm »

This might be a little off topic, but I've been using a 30-day demo of Capture One 6.1 with the Mamiya RZ33.  I used it going through school, but have been all-Lightroom for a few years now.  Capture One is great, especially with the big medium format files.  I love the iPad viewer (shooting tethered, images w/ optional histograms, can be viewed on iPads/iPhones as they're imported).

Does anyone have a strong preference between Lightroom or Capture One in terms of image quality?  (RZ33 files can be worked in Lightroom, but only when shot without compression).

~Matt
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Matt Beardsley, Oakland, CA
The Artist:  http://mattbeardsleyphoto.com
The Nerd:  http://photoartsmonthly.com
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