Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: narikin on February 01, 2010, 05:52:14 pm

Title: mamiya 645AF - which zoom at ~100mm?
Post by: narikin on February 01, 2010, 05:52:14 pm

if I were to be shooting in the 90-100mm range, which Mamiya zoom should I be buying - the 75-150mm or the 55-110mm?

any ideas which has the better reputation for sharpness on a digital back?

the 75-150 is much pricier in the marketplace, so presumably is better, or rarer?
but is there really that much difference?

Title: mamiya 645AF - which zoom at ~100mm?
Post by: Jack Flesher on February 01, 2010, 06:01:03 pm

Quote from: narikin

if I were to be shooting in the 90-100mm range, which Mamiya zoom should I be buying - the 75-150mm or the 55-110mm?

any ideas which has the better reputation for sharpness on a digital back?

the 75-150 is about 6x the price in the marketplace, so presumably its a lot better, but... is there really that much difference?

The 75-150 is a D lens and is significantly better than the 55-110 at the wider apertures.  If you are stopping down a lot, then the 55-100 is quite good and a relative bargain.  The 75-150 also renders a bit more contrast if that matters to you  My 75-150 is quite usable at f5.6, where the 55-110 I had needed to be stopped down to f8 or more to get consistently good results.

PS: There is a lot more variability in the 55-110 zoom too, so be prepared to trial a few copies to find a good one.

Title: mamiya 645AF - which zoom at ~100mm?
Post by: Jozef Zajaz on February 02, 2010, 02:56:41 am

Quote from: narikin

if I were to be shooting in the 90-100mm range, which Mamiya zoom should I be buying - the 75-150mm or the 55-110mm?

any ideas which has the better reputation for sharpness on a digital back?

the 75-150 is much pricier in the marketplace, so presumably is better, or rarer?
but is there really that much difference?

If you can afford it get the 75-150 excellent lens even wide open.

Cheaper alternative if you dont mind manual focus is the 120mm macro. It is f/4 and razor sharp wide open and pretty cheap used.

Title: mamiya 645AF - which zoom at ~100mm?
Post by: Snook on February 02, 2010, 06:38:57 am

55-110 stinks at anything below f8 and is slow as a dog. Also does not focus close at all.
Worst lens I have used.
Use primes if possible. Have never tried the 75 150 but supposedly good. But still slow.
Snook

Title: mamiya 645AF - which zoom at ~100mm?
Post by: pindman on February 02, 2010, 02:45:55 pm

Don't forget the 105-210, which is about as sharp as my 75-150.   Less expensive than the 75-150.   55-110 got sold on ebay as the quality was too poor to use.

Paul

Quote from: Snook

55-110 stinks at anything below f8 and is slow as a dog. Also does not focus close at all.
Worst lens I have used.
Use primes if possible. Have never tried the 75 150 but supposedly good. But still slow.
Snook