A perfect camera

[slumry]

RZ67 cameras must be perfect since no one has anything to say about them. I do know that those who use RZ67 cameras are basically better photographers than those that use RB67 cameras. Is it the camera or the nature of those who choose to use RZ67 cameras?

 

[k.hendrik]

" I do know that those who use RZ67 cameras are basically better photographers than those that use RB67 cameras. Is it the camera or the nature of those who choose to use RZ67 cameras?"
"Nature" of course; we can make pictures with an empty glass of milk, two sheets of paper, a dark night and half a spoon of imagination "nurture" is for losers with a brand hysteria.... My RZ is a tool to achieve higher goals.
I personally love to use a big black cloth during my RZ67 shooting sessions
Let those pics come through.

 

[Mlatterich]

I think we all have sore muscles from lifting this thing and have difficulty typing. I will post some photos once I have my darkroom set up.

Martin

RZ67, 75mm shift, 90mm, 180mm

 

[Lukas Werth]

Just joined this group, because I own a RZ since some time. I actually got it because I wanted to have a smaller, faster camera than my usual 8x10 with still good neg quality, and I decided for an RZ rather than an RB or a Mamiya 7 because I could get much easier a shift lens on Ebay...I don't regret it; the camera with this lens is a little bit smaller than a one-family house and quite convenient to operate.
So, to the point...I don't know about better or worse photographers, and I can't see the RZ as a perfect camera, but I like it.

 

[slumry]

I didn't really mean to suggest it was perfect; I was just trying to drum up some discussion by being provocative. There seems to be a perpetual debate with the RZ in relation to other cameras as in Hassy vs. RZ or RB vs. RZ or 7II vs. RZ. I have both the 7II and the RZ and find that the 7II does have sharper optics and will do almost everything I need except for close-up work. The 7II must be the worst close-focusing camera there is. The RZ with the bellows focus is great for portraits and close up work. I got the RZ over a Hassy because even though the Hassy could be made to do close focus it did not seem to want to do it easily.

 

[Lukas Werth]

Well, even though this is an RZ group, could you tell something about the practical difference between the sharpness of the lenses of the 7II and the RZ?

Regarding close focus; doing portraits is one reason I got the RZ, but I still have to concentrate on them. So far, it's mainly been scenery/landscape. I use the camera with its simple waist-level viewfinder, 95% of the exposures from a tripod. So far all monochrome.

I wonder whether it might be useful to find another viewfinder with an integrated lightmeter. What do you think?

 

[slumry]

I don’t think there is a huge difference between RZ and 7II optics except 7II seems a bit better, but both are exceptional. I don’t use the RZ for landscape very much and only use the 7II for landscape. I have a 65mm 7II lens that I would swear gives me similar results to my 4x5 camera. I also use the 7II 35 mm adapter, which for some reason give me good results; perhaps, because it forces me to compose differently. All my RZ work is on a tripod which means that I have time to use a meter and don’t need an on camera meter. I use the waist-level viewfinder and thought I would upgrade but have not found a good reason to yet. I am now using strobes on my RZ for portraits and like the combination.

 

[TareqPhoto]

I am looking to buy a prism viewfinder for my RZ, because in many situations i rise the tripod to a level where i need a ladder to look at that WLF, but i am trying to keep it at lower level so i can look at that finder from my position and no need to jump, but i would like to try if that 45/90 finders will help.

I also have Mamiya 7II, but still doesn't work, hope to send it one day for repair [i can't nowadays for reasons], and i chose this camera to be my outdoor/travel camera over RZ, but honestly speaking, all my shots of RZ are spot on, the focus with this RZ is amazing out of this world, opposite to my Hasselblad 501CM which i always not sure if the focus is there or dead or off.

About weight, i mostly use tripod outdoors for the things i shoot [landscapes, architectures,....etc], so i will not have that problem for using RZ, my Shen Hao 4x5 is lighter than my RZ by miles, so i shouldn't make the weight as an issue in cameras if i know how to use it and can do the job for me.