ALPA: Tech lenses better than a Mamiya 7?

[DanielStone]

Anybody here have experience shooting film with both the Mamiya 7II system + Alpa SW/SWA/TC + tech cam lenses?

Again, talking shooting FILM here... I'd really prefer 6x9, but after owning (2) Fuji rangefinders(6x7), I like having interchangeable lenses...

BIG cost differential obviously between these two systems, but is the quality of the images onto film any better from the Alpa/Tech cam lenses vs. the Mamiya 7's?

The lenses I'm looking @ for each system would be as follows:

Mamiya 7II:
1. 43mm
2. 65mm
3. 80mm
4. 150mm
5. 210mm

ALPA(probably the SWA body)
1. 38mm S.K. XL(non-apo, film era lens)
2. 58mm S.K. XL(non-apo, film era lens)
3. 80mm S.K. XL(non-apo, film era lens, more for 4x5 actually)
4. 150mm APO-Symmar(film era lens for 4x5 use)

Now with the ALPA system, if finding things USED(like the body+grips, viewfinder w/ masks)/film backs(I'd like at least 2, the 6x8 Mamiya motorized backs), I'm looking at ~$6k or so... And after getting lenses mounted by ALPA into helical mounts(only they can "do it, right? I'd need to send the lenses away to get mounted?) + cost of lenses, I'm approaching $10k... Eegads!!!

With the M7II kit w/ the above lenses, I'm looking @ $4-5k on the used market, maybe even less. Possibly with (2) bodies(gotta have a backup !) if I'm lucky...

Movements have been great to have(coming from using an 8x10), especially rise/fall to correct perspective...

No where near having the money ready, but who's not into cool gear, especially here ?

-Dan

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Are you shooting Technical Pan or TMAX 100? If not, I wouldn't care about the lens!

Mamiya 7 is renown for many excellent lenses, they are probably some of the best lenses. I'd doubt if Alpa lenses are better, my guess would be that Mamiya is far superior, but that impression is entirely based on the very impressive test results I have seen on Mamiya lenses. On the other hand, those tests were my at Hasselblad factory, on Hasselblad's MTF bench by Hasselblad's engineers.

Best regards
Erik Kaffehr

[TMARK]

I can't give you a comparison to the Alpa lenses, but the M7 lenses are the most remarkable leneses I've ever used.  The look of the lenses is really special.  With B&W film, especially TMAX, the tones are amazing.  I would say teh M7 lenses are in between RZ and Hasselblad V lenses:  They are smooth and sharp like the RZ lenses but have some bite like the Hasselblad Zeiss lenses.  I like them better than either RZ or Blad lenses.

[Anders_HK]

Have shot SK 58 SA XL, SK 72 SA XL, Rod 150 Sironar-N on 4x5 and Mamiya II 43, 80, plus really did not like Mamiya 645 system and had %^%#### with ZD.

This is no brainer, go with Mamiya 7, among loveliest cameras I have used. Great metering once you learn how it functions and very precise rangefinder framing. I have to say, is perhaps best product Mamiya has made.

Do read up Ken Rockwell for more tech info on Mamiya 7.

Best regards,
Anders

[Graham Welland]

I was a Mamiya 7II shooter with 43, 65 & 80mm lenses. I'm now currently an Alpa digital and film shooter (44x66mm), although its probably 99% digital vs film.

In my experience, if I were just shooting film, I'd go with the rangefinder advantages of the Mamiya vs the hyper focal or zone focus of the potentially sharper SK glass. The Mamiya lenses are truly excellent and other than the laughable hyper focal settings on the lenses they really are about as good as film glass gets. IMHO. Nail focus with the Alpa and potentially the image quality will be better but unless you intend to shoot using the ground glass this isn't likely to be better than zone focusing.

I'd buy the Mamiya 7 system if it were me. However, if we were talking digital capture it would be a completely different discussion!

I agree with Anders in that the Mamiya 6 & 7 are probably the finest film cameras I've ever used. (Ditto my Fuji G617 too btw)

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Note that the original question was about film era lenses on the Alpa.

Best regards
Erik

I was a Mamiya 7II shooter with 43, 65 & 80mm lenses. I'm now currently an Alpa digital and film shooter (44x66mm), although its probably 99% digital vs film.

In my experience, if I were just shooting film, I'd go with the rangefinder advantages of the Mamiya vs the hyper focal or zone focus of the potentially sharper SK glass. The Mamiya lenses are truly excellent and other than the laughable hyper focal settings on the lenses they really are about as good as film glass gets. IMHO. Nail focus with the Alpa and potentially the image quality will be better but unless you intend to shoot using the ground glass this isn't likely to be better than zone focusing.

I'd buy the Mamiya 7 system if it were me. However, if we were talking digital capture it would be a completely different discussion!

I agree with Anders in that the Mamiya 6 & 7 are probably the finest film cameras I've ever used. (Ditto my Fuji G617 too btw)

[Graham Welland]

And?

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

When you talk about Alpa I assume that you mean newly designed lenses made for digital that are quit different from the older lenses?

Best regards
Erik

And?