Going digital with RB67

[Michal_Kat]

I'm an amateur shooter that want's to learn, improve skills and shoot better. I started digital with D1H, D70, D200 and then A7II. All of them came and go. This year started for me without camera. I decided to buy Mamiya RB67 with 127mm lens and later Canon RP with EF28mm and EF 85mm. I'm loving canon for speed (focus on 3 year old), ease of use and overall digital convenience. However I absolutely love what RB67 can do with Portra 160/400. I'm completely happy with scans from my lab - even though they are 4,7 MPx I often feel they have more details in them then my 26MPx from Canon RP.
Now comes the question. How can I go digital with RB67 or other MF body/lens/DB combination to recreate what I'm getting from Mamiya? Take a look at the photos attached. I'm mostly doing family/friends portraits.
My understanding is that I should get a digital back. My budget allows me to get either P21+/P25+ for Hasselblad V (and I now I can get it to work with RB67) or (I have a good deal) P645DF with P21+ and 80mm.
Is it worth going digital in your opinion? I have feeling that film, dev and scanning is costing me too much.

Appreciate your opinion, feedback and help.

[KenTanaka]

Hello Michal!  Sounds like you've caught the dreaded shutter bug.  It's harder to recover from than COVID-19!  My condolences to your family.

Seriously, I know where you're at.  In fact I'm just in the process of selling several boxes of Mamiya RZ67 gear from by bout with that version of medium format may years ago.  Although it is a platform that can be made to work digitally it's not a very practical place for digital adaptation.  Rather klunky and jerry-rigged, and the results, at least for me, never justified the expense and efforts.

Honestly, if you enjoy the Mamiya RB/RZ shooting experience why not just continue using it with film?  It's a lovely landscape/studio platform.

For the best, most flexible, and most portable digital medium format adaptation to a legacy classic film platform I highly recommend Hasselblad's CFV-50C or, even better, their new CFV II-50C.  This is a 50 mp medium format digital back that will mate to any classic V-series Hasselblad camera body and lens.  The CFV II-50C also can be used with their new XD platform with the 907x digital camera.  You may be able to find good used CFV-50C backs at reasonable prices, as well as Hasselblad 500-series bodies and lenses.

Enjoy your journey.  And, again, my condolences to your family.   
 

[BobShaw]

Is it worth going digital in your opinion? I have feeling that film, dev and scanning is costing me too much.

No is the short answer.
Keep your RB for film if you wish and get a digital camera which will be much cheaper and better.
The RB67 or RZ67 gives you a negative 72mm wide. The best that you can hope for with a back is only 50mm wide, so the widest lens that the camera has, which is only 50mm, will be be even less wide.

The P21 backs are ancient (and were not real good new), plus the huge cost of adapter plates, syncing flash, and batteries that last no time at all.
Been there and went for an H3DII-39 which was pretty good at the time, but still old now.

[Conner999]

I'd echo Bobs' thoughts.

A back could be done, but if me, a more cost & time (making work, troubleshooting, etc)-effective option might be a Hassy H3DII-39 kit or H4D-40 kit with an 80mm. They're inexpensive, give you True Focus, have leaf-shutters and have good AF (645DF not known for best AF out there).  The older (1/800 sync) HC/D lenses are also pretty inexpensive used and are stellar. The 40MP back is easily good to ISO400 with no NR needed.

Another option would be a Fuji GF. The R version is on sale now and Fuji is also known for its frequent sales. You can also use non-Fuji lenses (35mm or MF) on the Fuji via adapters. Fuji film emulations are also very good if desired. The Fuji (and Hassy X1D_) will give you ISO ability previously unheard-off in MF.

We use the H5D-40 and GFX50S and while neither sadly give you the 'negative' size of the RB, neither have so much as hiccuped, share the HC lenses and give stellar results.

Let us know what you decide.

[Joe Towner]

Ah, a case of 'KerKLUNK disease'.  Can a digital back be attached, yes. Is it worth it, no.

Try digitizing your negatives with your Canon camera.  You can adapt the RB/RZ lenses to EF pretty easy, Fotodiox makes an adapter, to determine if your lenses look as good with a digital sensor compared to the film they were designed for.  Bob is right in that you're comparing a much larger negative in the RB than what you'd get in a digital setup - even the 36x48mm ccd chips.

Plus, you're keeping the film process alive by shooting & developing.

[Michal_Kat]

Thanks all for your time and feedback. It's really much appreciated.
You convinced me. RB67 will stay analog with perhaps good scanner to keep her company.
As for the digital I will keep my RP and even add some glass to the system.
Later will go for X1D or 907x.

Thanks again.