First roll through M645

[DylanCraver]

Have just purchased my first medium format camera, a Mamiya M645 1000s w/ 80mm f/1.9 (the lens basically sold me on the system). Here are the best shots that came from the test roll (Portra 400). The camera came with a metered prism, but I found it pretty difficult to focus and frame through there and will most likely get a WLF soon (most of the shots from the roll were out of focus). Anyway it is a really exciting and fun camera; just wondering what you guys think about my first shots. I've got a lot more experimenting to do with this baby...

 

[BMbikerider]

I always had a lot of respect for Mamiya MF lenses and these are as good as I have ever seen. If you are into wide angles, try to get a hold of a 35mm which is approximately an equivalent of 22mm on a 35mm camera. They are superb (But heavy)

 

[DylanCraver]

I always had a lot of respect for Mamiya MF lenses and these are as good as I have ever seen. If you are into wide angles, try to get a hold of a 35mm which is approximately an equivalent of 22mm on a 35mm camera. They are superb (But heavy)

I am looking into getting a wide angle soon, maybe in the next month or two (my bank account's a little drained from this recent purchase!), and will keep an eye out for the 35mm. The camera store nearby has the 45mm f/2.8 that I have been wanting to take a look at, perhaps they have the 35mm as well.

 

[BMbikerider]

45mm is close to a 28mm in 35mm format. A good lens but not so inspiring as the 35.

 

[Ian Grant]

The 45mm lenses are superb even the older ones, I never felt a need for wider.

Ian

 

[Roger Cole]

I have the winder and the 55m lens (and the 80 2.8 and 150 3.5, all N.) The winder I think makes the camera handle much better, but I certainly don't need it for shooting. It's mostly the grip and better placed shutter release that I like. But then while I like WLFs for square images I'm sure I'd hate one on my 645 and have no problems with the AE prism. YMMV of course.

I do want to get one of those 1.9s.

 

[MattKing]

Persevere with the prism finder, unless you are willing to restrict yourself to landscape (as compared to portrait) oriented scenes.

The posted shots look good though.

 

[DylanCraver]

Persevere with the prism finder, unless you are willing to restrict yourself to landscape (as compared to portrait) oriented scenes.

The posted shots look good though.

I am learning to appreciate it more, and will save me the trouble of having to buy a light meter as well. I have found myself every once in a while metering and then taking off the prism and just looking through the ground glass (for particularly hard to focus night shots, landscapes, etc).

A wide angle should definitely be in my future sights though, as I often shot a 28mm lens on my 35mm SLR (far more than my 50mm lens). Does anyone have any personal favorites and why (or does anyone have one they're looking to part with? ) I really do love this 80mm, but I've got caught in a couple situations where I just couldn't take a photo due to it being not wide enough. Curious about the 35mm lens discussed earlier in the thread, but does it have significant distortion? Maybe the 45mm would be a better suited choice.

This camera is super exciting! Thanks all!