Re: Mamiya

Elton N. Kaufmann - Cycloid Fathom Group (cycloid@cycloid-fathom.com)
Thu, 25 Dec 1997 00:45:55 -0600

I have owned a 645-1000s and now own a 645 Super which resembles the Pro in
most respects. If you like the 6 x 4.5cm format and insist on an SLR,
these are good cameras for the price. But remember, the price is
relatively low and you may find that these machines feel a little "clunky"
- I have had some small accessory parts simply break in normal use. For
example, the cable release socket has pulled out of the plastic case.

I also own a Hasselblad and the quality of construction is clearly
superior to Mamiya and you pay for it.

I have now moved to a Mamiya 6MF rangefinder which I have come to like for
location work. I find the body shape more convenient to hand hold than the
Hassy or the 645. If you only work on tripods, it doesn't matter of
course. I like the 6 x 6cm format not just for the larger neg but so I
need not rotate the camera 90 degrees for vertical versus horizontal
compositions. (The Hassy 6x6 of course has the same advantage.) The
variety of lenses for the SLR's is greater and if you need that, the
rangefinder will not satisfy you. Also, if you tend to switch films a lot
mid roll, the interchangeable back of the 645-Pro and similar SLRs is a must.

I'd be interested if anyone favors 6x7 or 6x9 formats for location work -
they seem somewhat bulky to me. A camera is such a personal thing, if I
were in the market for a new one now, I'd rent a prospective choice for a
week and do a lot shooting under different conditions before committing to
the purchase.
Happy Holidays,
EltonK

At 04:01 AM 12/24/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello everyone!
> I am looking into buying a medium format camera. I have been looking
>into several diferent companies and I came acroos the Mamiya 645 pro series.
>Does any one have any experience with this camera? Or can anyone make any
>recomendations? Thank you in advance for any information you could provide me
>with!
>
>
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