Mamiya choosing medium format film - help

[Ken R]

Thank you guys for sharing your wonderful experience guys,

The Fuji GX 680 III is a beast , maybe too big for what im looking for
i never really knew you could get cameras this big for medium format

After reading your posts, and having a think.
I think it makes sense for me to go for either:

Mamiya 645 Pro TL
or
Mamiya RZ67, this the biggest size i can go for a camera


What im looking for is great bokeh so a 2.8 would be good eough?, Are the Mamiya RZ67 lenes bigger so can achieve more bokeh?
what i like about these cameras is the film back so i can have two film stock e.g colour and b&W swap them out.

As for the pentax 6x7, i like the waist level view finder, and the pentax 6x7 doest have that?
Also not sure how the lenses compare with the Mamiya, im looking for big bokeh.

i dont know much about lens for both of these cameras looking forward to your feedback

I had the pentax 90mm f2.8 and had really soft background blur, looked awesome. I used it a lot wide open and ta the point of focus it was sharp. The 165mm had a softer, dreamier look, great for portraits but not for landscapes. I used the waist level finder a lot but generally preferred the prism.

[Sheldon N]

What im looking for is great bokeh so a 2.8 would be good eough?, Are the Mamiya RZ67 lenes bigger so can achieve more bokeh?

I'm of the mindset that if you are going to shoot film you should shoot the biggest format size you can.

Don't underestimate the format size difference between 6x7 vs 645. It's about a crop factor of 1.23. That applies to depth of field too, so the RZ67 will use longer lenses and have shallower depth of field for a given aperture. So a 80mm f/2.8 lens on 645 is about the same as a 100mm f/3.4 lens on the RZ67.  So a 110mm f/2.8 on the RZ will be both slightly longer and have shallower depth of field than the 80mm f/2.8 on the 645.  To compare the RZ67 to a regular full frame 35mm camera, the 110mm f/2.8 is roughly equivalent to a 50mm f/1.4 lens for field of view and depth of field.

Or to simplify... the Mamiya RZ67 is going to give you better results than the 645. Sharper, more resolution, and more bokeh.

[KingRoach]

Have you considered the Mamiya AF series?

Built in metered prism (not interchangeable) but very robust body build in exchange. Interchangeable backs (film or digital) and accepts all of Mamiya's medium format lenses, whether AF or the legacy manual focus ones.

I have two bodies, one Mamiya 645 AF, and one Mamiya 645 AFD II. I am selling the 645AF with two lenses without a film back at a good price. I can answer any questions about this system if you have any.

Just let me know.

[Martin Ranger]

I'm of the mindset that if you are going to shoot film you should shoot the biggest format size you can.

Don't underestimate the format size difference between 6x7 vs 645. [...]
Or to simplify... the Mamiya RZ67 is going to give you better results than the 645. Sharper, more resolution, and more bokeh.

I would agree with both Eric and Sheldon. If you don't mind a slower MF experience and want as much of an "MF film look" as you can get, go for the largest format you can. Personally I would still consider the GX680 over the Mamiya. It is larger than the RZ, but neither of them is small and light enough (in my opinion) to be used as a walk-around camera or not to require a monopod at the very least. The additional size of the Fuji then buys you tilt and shift with any lens you get for it. This is surprisingly useful for portraits! You can also get the truly outstanding 180mm 3.2 lens. Some people prefer the ergonomics of the RZ, though.

The only advantage of a 645 is that you can use it more like you would use a 35mm camera.

The third alternative is a TLR. They are relatively light, work excellently as walk-around cameras. They won't have the resolution of the RZ, but you still get the MF look with much less weight. Are they better than a 645? Who knows. Personally I prefer shooting with my Mamiya C220 over the Pentax 645, which honestly surprised me, but this is very much a matter of taste.

[Sheldon N]

Rule out a walk around camera? Confined to a tripod? Just go all in and get yourself an 8x10 film camera!

My Kodak 2D 8x10 is lighter than a Fuji GX680 or than my multi-lens RZ67 kit was. I don't have a darkroom but I can develop film in the laundry room sink and scan it on my flatbed, and I don't think I paid any more for it than I did my RZ kit.

[boogotti]

I'm of the mindset that if you are going to shoot film you should shoot the biggest format size you can.

Don't underestimate the format size difference between 6x7 vs 645. It's about a crop factor of 1.23. That applies to depth of field too, so the RZ67 will use longer lenses and have shallower depth of field for a given aperture. So a 80mm f/2.8 lens on 645 is about the same as a 100mm f/3.4 lens on the RZ67.  So a 110mm f/2.8 on the RZ will be both slightly longer and have shallower depth of field than the 80mm f/2.8 on the 645.  To compare the RZ67 to a regular full frame 35mm camera, the 110mm f/2.8 is roughly equivalent to a 50mm f/1.4 lens for field of view and depth of field.

Or to simplify... the Mamiya RZ67 is going to give you better results than the 645. Sharper, more resolution, and more bokeh.

If you don't mind a slower MF experience and want as much of an "MF film look" as you can get, go for the largest format you can. .

The only advantage of a 645 is that you can use it more like you would use a 35mm camera.

The third alternative is a TLR. They are relatively light, work excellently as walk-around cameras. They won't have the resolution of the RZ, but you still get the MF look with much less weight. Are they better than a 645? Who knows. Personally I prefer shooting with my Mamiya C220 over the Pentax 645, which honestly surprised me, but this is very much a matter of taste.

The RZ67 is the right / biggest size which im happy with.

I have decided RZ67 it is with 110mm F2.8

Just wanted to ask is it worth getting the RZ67 Pro II? Or would the RZ67 Pro I be ok?

Any advice buying one? anything to look out for?

thank you guys help me decide

[KingRoach]

I own both the Fuji GX680 II with a few lenses (including the MASSIVE GX 100-200mm zoom lens), and also, as stated above, two Mamiya AF bodies.

Indeed they are completely different systems that are not comparable. They do completely different things, aside from the obvious 'they both take pictures'. The Mamiya will give you medium format size negatives instead of digital files, and that's about it. The look and feel of medium format and film will be there if you're so eager. The Fujifilm, however, will give you a superb photographic experience as you have tilt and shift in all axes with every lens. Much bigger negative size (almost double), and so much movement. Indeed the drawback is size and weight but again, it is a different kind of experience and is not designed to be carried around (despite the fact that they made a neck strap for it).

Just a few days ago I was taking photos of my first sushi, and I used both my Canon and Mamiya ZD digital back. The Mamiya images were superior to the Canon despite using an L lens, but by the end of the day my thought was "I should have used the Fujifilm GX680 for this shoot. I would have got the shot and look that I was after".

I owned the Mamiya RZ67 system for a while without having used it at all. Only took one polaroid shot and I didn't do a good job at it anyway. It was a long time ago, and I did not even know how long polaroids take to process. That being said, I grabbed it, played with it, messed around with it, attached and detached the many accessories that came with it, and then I shifted it to someone else, and I do not think it is a light weight option. If the Fuji's weight is the ONLY option making you choose the RZ over it, then screw the difference and get a Fujifilm because the RZ's lesser weight will not do you any good. It is still not a carry-around camera.

Alternatively, if you insist on carrying whatever camera around then go for the 645 format (there are also 645 rangefinders, very lightweight, did you consider those?)

The difference between RZ67 and Pro II, I think, is that the latter supports digital backs by default. Some say the older RB is better but only because it is mechanical not electronic, so you don't worry about a flat battery depriving you of shutter speeds, and also it is built stronger and heavier.

[JV]

I was just looking on B&H and I noticed that the RZ67 has been discontinued:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/347706-REG/Mamiya_212_210_RZ_Professional_Pro_II.html

Does anybody know when that happened?  The last time I looked it will still being sold...

[Sheldon N]

Just wanted to ask is it worth getting the RZ67 Pro II? Or would the RZ67 Pro I be ok?

Pro II has the fine focus knob, which I liked. The other difference is you get half stop shutter speed adjustments, a handy thing. They are cheap so go for the Pro II.

You should be able to get Pro II body/110mm lens/waist level finder/120 film back for around $500-600 on ebay with a little patience.

[melchiorpavone]

hi,
im looking to get into medium format film, and looking at the Mamiya camera range.
Would be used for portraits and general stuff.. im not two worried about speed of setting up. Please note i dont know much about theses cameras just what i have read on the web so if you guys can advise from you experience would be greatly appreciated.

would really like to mount the fastest lens, is that the 110mm f2.8 or Mamiya SEKOR C 80mm f1.9?


mamiya RB67
Pro
i like the fact the no batteries,
Con:
But would like to mount a 110 mm f/2.8 lens, from what i understand you cant? is that correct?

mamiya RZ67
Pro:
can mount 110 mm f/2.8 lens lens
con:
Batteries
shutter @ 400 max?

mamiya 645 Pro Tl
i dont know much about this camera so please can you help

Pro:
can mount 110 mm f/2.8 lens
shutter 1/1000
con:
Batteries
smaller film back not 6x7 (is that correct?)

i think im leaning towards mamiya RZ67, because bigger 6x7 film, can mount 110 mm f/2.8 fast lens.
Can the mamiya 645 Pro Tl mount the 110 mm f/2.8 fast lens? and can do 6x7?

Hasselblad.