Autofocus MF - Pentax, Contax vs Mamiya 645 - seeking opinions

[rmann]

I am looking to get an autofocus MF camera - would anyone using either the Pentax 645, Contax 645 or the Mamiya 645 care to offer their opinions - features you really like, or dislike about the camera body. This would not be the only camera I would be using, just my tired eyes are asking for some help.

I would like to have at least a wide and a normal lens - maybe adding a short telephoto in the future - so the lens offerings of any of these would seem to be OK for what I am looking for.

Thanks-

 

[ChrisHensel]

I have used the Pentax 645 camera system for many many years, starting with the out-of-production manual focus body. I picked up two AF bodies when they became available. The only AF lens I have is the 150mm 2.8. Great great lens. I am able to focus faster manually with the normal and wide lenses, so I never bothered to replace those lenses. The Pentax is by far the less expensive of the three. I love the Pentax system and can recommend it. I have no experience with the Mamiya and Contax 534 systems.

 

[Markok765]

The one thing i like about the Mamiya 645 is that it prints the exp info on the bottom of the film.

 

[antonidze]

Both the Pentax 645n and 645n II imprint exposure information as well.

Here's a good comparison of the three cameras:

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/645nii.shtml

I use the manual focus version of the 645 and even with its awkward chiclet interface it's my favorite camera -- although I'm planning on upgrading to the 645n II very soon. The digital version of the 645 is supposed to available next spring (if rumors are correct - we should know more in September at Photokina).

 

[Gay Larson]

I have a Pentax 645 AF and although I love it and find the auto focus works great, I think the fact that you can not change the back in the middle of the film is a drawback.

 

[winger]

I have a Pentax 645 AF and although I love it and find the auto focus works great, I think the fact that you can not change the back in the middle of the film is a drawback.

Same here, though I love the camera. I rarely use autofocus, but it does work well when I have (except when I had fried the circuit with an off-brand flash - something to watch for). Since it makes 16 frames on a roll of 120, I usually can finish out a roll without thinking about the fact that I can't change mid-roll. But being able to use a polaroid back would have been nice. Having the info on the edge of the frame has also been handy for exposure tests.
I have relatively small hands, but it fits comfortably. I can use it hand-held, but I feel better with a tripod if I'm using the 120mm lens (my normal is the 75mm).