645 Question

[Donald Qualls]

Yep, there's a good reason why the first additional lens I bought for my RB67 was a 250 -- other than the price being attractive. It's exactly the same magnification ratio as a 135mm compared to 50mm on a 35mm camera -- long enough to matter, but not heavy enough to always stay home. Not sure I'd take that camera to the zoo, though. Hard to get it under forty pounds with lenses and backs and including tripod. Which is the main reason I'm still trying to find money for an M645.

 

[flavio81]

Congrats on your M645 outfit!

 

[Will645]

I haven’t used the Mamiya, but I ended up selling it for three reasons: annoying ‘blackout’ if not looking dead center through the viewfinder, can’t change film backs mid roll, the shutter slap and advance is sharp and loud - forget any kind of stealthy photography.

 

[yurihuta]

Just a passerby here.

The P645n seems an interesting option, there is one in a local auction and I will bid for it. Although I msy not want to spend ad much as to win it.
Interesting modern features in comparison to the Fuji 6x9, which is my current MF camera.
And I guess one neefs more than one MF camera!

Yes to your more than one MF camera! Think of the Pentax 645N as a half frame - the Fuji 6x9 cameras are really lovely, simple and lovely.

 

[R.Gould]

Yes, I can't manage with just 1 MF camera, there are so many, I have 645's 66, folders slr's and TLR's

 

[Prest_400]

Yes to your more than one MF camera! Think of the Pentax 645N as a half frame - the Fuji 6x9 cameras are really lovely, simple and lovely.

Well I lost that auction, of course someone sniped last minute. More budget to film, paper and developing!
I have a Rolleicord V that would benefit of a CLA, if anything. And the occasional listing and auction browsing

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, I can't manage with just 1 MF camera, there are so many, I have 645's 66, folders slr's and TLR's

Time to come home. Buy a Hasselblad and you will never buy another camera again. Enjoy life with a real camera.

 

[R.Gould]

Time to come home. Buy a Hasselblad and you will never buy another camera again. Enjoy life with a real camera.

I had a hassleblad once, had it for 3 months, had more trouble with it than anything else |I have ever used, never again, worst camera I ever used, this was around 30 years ago, put me right off MF for a while, untill I tried a Rolleiflerx, now that is a real camera

 

[Sirius Glass]

I had a hassleblad once, had it for 3 months, had more trouble with it than anything else |I have ever used, never again, worst camera I ever used, this was around 30 years ago, put me right off MF for a while, untill I tried a Rolleiflerx, now that is a real camera

Well with any camera you buy you will need to RTFM.

 

[Andrew Patteson]

I have a Rolleicord V that would benefit of a CLA, if anything.

I'd recommend Photrio/APUG's very own Dan Daniel, who is a TLR maestro.

 

[R.Gould]

Well with any camera you buy you will need to RTFM.

In the first 12 months it spent 9 months with Hassleblad with them trying to fix it, and I studied the instructions, in the end they refunded my money, they could not repair it, and if Hassleblad could not repair their own camera,well, to me that says something, but with Bronica, ETRSi, SQ,Rolleiflef and for the short time I have had it the Mamiya none have spent a day in repair shops, all have been super reliable, so hassleblad? worst camera I ever bought bar none

 

[Jeremy Mudd]

I think everyone's experiences are their own experiences and are valid. Stating that a Hasselblad was the worst camera one ever purchased, based on a personal experience, is a valid statement

Where I think things get anecdotal is when someone has their individual experience and then paints an entire line of cameras as being crap or bad - all based on their tiny sample size.

There's a real butthead on the Mamiya 645 Facebook group that every time someone talks about purchasing a 645 Pro/TL he rants about them being cheap and plastic, and that they all have mirror stop issues. Because he owned one, one time, that had a problem. Sure. Right buddy. Keep charging at those windmills.

 

[R.Gould]

I agree, I had a bad experience with a hassleblad, and I personally would not have another, not saying they are all bad, most probably good, others will have had bad Rollei's,Bronica's Ect, , but for me they have been good, I would not say yea or nay about any camera I personally have never used, and I read good and bad about many cameras but, if I see one I like, and can afford one I will buy one, you get good and bad, sadly I bought a Hassleblad 30 years, ago, looking forward to using it, and it was bad,

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Where I think things get anecdotal is when someone has their individual experience and then paints an entire line of cameras as being crap or bad - all based on their tiny sample size.

Of course the same mantra applies to claims of "best ever" etc.

 

[Jeremy Mudd]

Of course the same mantra applies to claims of "best ever" etc.

Agreed.

 

[Sirius Glass]

In the first 12 months it spent 9 months with Hassleblad with them trying to fix it, and I studied the instructions, in the end they refunded my money, they could not repair it, and if Hassleblad could not repair their own camera,well, to me that says something, but with Bronica, ETRSi, SQ,Rolleiflef and for the short time I have had it the Mamiya none have spent a day in repair shops, all have been super reliable, so hassleblad? worst camera I ever bought bar none

Stick to the 503 CX, 503 CW or the CM and stay away from the 200 and 2000 series.

 

[R.Gould]

Stick to the 503 CX, 503 CW or the CM and stay away from the 200 and 2000 series.

Hassleblad's are very nice cameras, I have no doubt, but so are Mamiya's, Bronica's, Rollei's and I love my Microcord, so I think I will stick with what I have, thank you, better the devil you know, and these have served me well over the past 30 years or so, and as I have to import everything I need for Photography, and everything over £135GBP costs me 5% more, I am sticking, I mean, I have about 20 MF cameras, everything from 645 to 69, I have enough, if I want to keep my other half happy

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hassleblad's are very nice cameras, I have no doubt, but so are Mamiya's, Bronica's, Rollei's and I love my Microcord, so I think I will stick with what I have, thank you, better the devil you know, and these have served me well over the past 30 years or so, and as I have to import everything I need for Photography, and everything over £135GBP costs me 5% more, I am sticking, I mean, I have about 20 MF cameras, everything from 645 to 69, I have enough, if I want to keep my other half happy

Or buy your cameras and lenses while you are out of the country and customs will never notice that you have newer cameras. <<wink>> <<wink>>

 

[R.Gould]

Or buy your cameras and lenses while you are out of the country and customs will never notice that you have newer cameras. <<wink>> <<wink>>

As the rules stand that would be worse, I would have to pay tax in the UK, which is now non refundable, and then tax over here, Better to buy on line, keep my spending below the magic £135, which with he price of lenses for the most part is easy, that way I save both ways, exports from the UK, are tax free, then below 135 is tax free over here, so if there are, say a camera and lens I want, I get one, then a few days later, if it is from the same place, get the lens, for instance I bought a Dynax (maxxum) 800si body last friday, then a 24 to 105 lens today, and by waiting I got the lens cheaper, down £20 on a black Friday sale,so I savedall around, same thing for film, I get 20 rolls this week and 20 rolls next, so no tax paid,

 

[flavio81]

I had a hassleblad once, had it for 3 months, had more trouble with it than anything else |I have ever used, never again, worst camera I ever used, this was around 30 years ago, put me right off MF for a while, untill I tried a Rolleiflerx, now that is a real camera

Wow I could hear Sirius Glass' scream from here, thousands of miles away.

Have you tried the Rolleiflex SL66? Amazing machine.

 

[Kyle M.]

I have never owned but have handled the Pentax 645, to me the viewfinder seems a bit dim. As for the Mamiya I have owned two 645 1000S' and a 645 Super. My super had the AE finder and power winder along with the 55mm. My 1000S' both only had the un-metered prism finder and 80mm 2.8's. I'm personally not a huge fan of the 645 format but if I was going to buy one again I'd go for the 645 Super, Pro, or Pro TL with the AE finder and winder grip. If I could afford it I'd possibly go for one of the autofocus versions, but then again I've heard they focus kind of slow. I'm not sure how true this is and I very rarely if ever need fast focus, so it probably wouldn't affect me. There's nothing wrong with a 645, 645J, or 1000S with a prism finder. It's just that the Super, Pro, and Pro TL have backs that are actually interchangeable mid roll whereas the earlier 645's and Pentax don't. Also the Super, Pro, and Pro TL are newer and theoretically less likely to have electronic issues. I'm not sure what the repair market is like for the 645's these days, Mamiya or Pentax. There's also the 645E with the already built in metered prism if you don't need interchangeable finders, I imagine most people don't, I never did I just happened to find a deal on my 645 Super.

 

[R.Gould]

Wow I could hear Sirius Glass' scream from here, thousands of miles away.

Have you tried the Rolleiflex SL66? Amazing machine.

No, never tried that one, but I do love using Tlr's, I have 4 a Rolleiflex,2 Rolleicords and my personal favourite an English Microcord, along with my Bronica's and my new (To me) Mamiya 645M 1000s,

 

[flavio81]

and my personal favourite an English Microcord,

Thanks for this valuable information. I'll research.

 

[R.Gould]

The microcord was made by M.P.P. in the fifties, and was a copy of the Rpllieflef/Rolleicord, there were features of both, the first version was not good, it had the English made Episolon shutter, but the Microcord 2 was a vast improvement, and used the German Prontor shutter, It was made as the Rollei, together with most German cameras, very expensive due to import duties being very high on German imports, and was a runaway success, until the about 1958, when it dropped the Microcord and made the Microflex, which was pure Rolleiflex when Import duty was reduced on German imports, the company had problems selling the Microflex, Micro Precision products, was still making cameras, LF, until I believe the 80's, it has one of the best Tesser lens copies made, the Ross Xpress lens,
Richard