Getting back to MF without going overboard?

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JeffGreene

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Graham:
I realize you seem to have your heart set on a RB67, but you might also consider Mamiya 330 series TLR which are dirt cheap these days. They are the only replaceable lens TLR. I have one and can speak from personal experience with respect to the sharpness of the glass.

Respectfully,

Jeff
 
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Graham_Martin

Graham_Martin

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Thanks Jeff. I have found an RB67 Pro SD and it's on its way. If it doesn't work out I will re-sell it and take a look at the TLR cameras. I only paid $350 for the camera, 127 K/L lens, one back and a metered chimney finder. Taking a quick look at KEH, it looks like I would pay about the same for an equivalent C330. However, it is certainly worth keeping it at the back of my mind just in case.
 

Wishy

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I think the Mamiya 6 only has 3 lenses. As far as I've been told it's a great camera.

I have a Mamiya 6 with the 3 lenses. Its a good lightweight setup. I'm very hapy with the lens quality, and generally its fairly well built.
I still find my composition is slightly better on an SLR though, think its down to parallax and the harder to judge depth of field.

But as has been mentioned, they're not cheap cameras (Nor is the 50mm lens), so it wouldn't be my recommendation if you want to avoid going overboard.

I shoot architecture so I guess our usage will be similar. If you're not doing near / critical focus then a TLR sounds a good option if you want to keep costs down.
I'll throw a suggestion for a mamiya C220 or C330 into the mix. They go for very reasonable prices and there is a good range of lenses. They're also pretty easy to keep running if you're handy with a repairs. (The mechanisms are all simple, and they're fairly large scale by camera standards). My main problem with my C220 has been the lenses tend to suffer with flare rather badly - a hood is essential IMHO and they're less common than the cameras themselves

FWIW this is my little medium format collection:
Rollei SL66, 50+80mm. Best camera when I can lug it, and there is decent light (1/250th minimum handhold speed). Cost inline with hasselblad.
Mamiya 6, 50+75+150, This is my travel camera (Holidays, day out by train). Expensive for what it is, but you'd struggle to find anything better if you want 6x6 and want to keep the weight down and not attract too much attension
Mamiya C220, 65mm, 80mm. Well built, but the lenses are older and coatings are poorer (IMHO), Still plenty sharp. Tend to use this somewhere I don't want to take the above cameras - Eg the beach where I might get sand into it, iffy housing estates.
 

Uncle Bill

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Why not a Rollei TLR if you want minimalist?

No lens lust to worry about and easy compact kit.

Second this bit of advice, I got into medium format courtesy my Rolleiflex, I now own a Rolleicord and later this year I will be be getting a Mamiya C220F kit for my birthday and Xmas.
 

djacobox372

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I have to take issue with one thing the TS said: that he won't see a significant quality improvement over his D3 (at 8x10).

I own a D3 as well and 6x7 medium format blows it out of the water. Even without any cropping at 8x10 the gradients are noticeably smoother, but once you start cropping the difference is huge. 6x7 film has at least twice the resolution as a D3 (or 4 times the megapixels if you calculate that way).
 

Sirius Glass

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I realize that I may not see a huge difference in quality on an 8 x 10 from a MF versus my Nikon D3.

Please send me whatever you are taking or smoking! My drugs do not work this well. :laugh:

To have any digi-snapper have better quality than 35mm film would require either violating many laws of physics or some really righteous weed! :blink:

arwcw
 

JeffGreene

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I sold my Mamiya 6 with the 50 two years ago. I regret it to this day. :sad:
 

keithwms

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I have two :D (Not boasting, just saying it's one of the few camera bodies of which I could actually justify having two, based on usage. The other is the rb)

For travel / documentary / scenic (but not portraiture or other bokeh photography) I recommend the 6 very highly. I do sometimes envy the 7 and the 43mm though....

Anyway, for a modest (re)entry into MF, the rb is a great choice.
 

Klainmeister

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I have two :D (Not boasting, just saying it's one of the few camera bodies of which I could actually justify having two, based on usage. The other is the rb)

For travel / documentary / scenic (but not portraiture or other bokeh photography) I recommend the 6 very highly. I do sometimes envy the 7 and the 43mm though....

Anyway, for a modest (re)entry into MF, the rb is a great choice.

I have the M7II withe 4 lenses (43, 80, 150, 210) and can swear by all. The 43mm is amazing and fun to use. It feels like shooting a 4x5 because of the foreground abilities and extreme DOF. Highly recommended if you can find one for cheap.
 

Klainmeister

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Shut up! I don't need any more temptation! 6es are good, 6es are good... 50 is wide enough, 50 is wide enough :wink:

Look at my gallery. The "Special Ruin" shot was taken with the 43mm with the closest focus at 2ft and farthest at 30 or so. Perfectly sharp all around. :D
 

keithwms

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Very nice! One of my favourite shots, (there was a url link here which no longer exists) was taken with the 50 :wink: Also perfectly sharp all 'round. Being new to MF at the time, I was completely stunned to find that even if I cropped all the way down to a 35mm frame size, the image quality holds up very well. And that was shot to infrared film, not exactly the smoothest grain...

I also do find the square aspect ratio very special, it definitely influences the way I compose.

Besides that, the collapsibility of the 6es is a big bonus for me, I travel very easily with two bodies in a small bag.
 

Sirius Glass

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I have the M7II withe 4 lenses (43, 80, 150, 210) and can swear by all. The 43mm is amazing and fun to use. It feels like shooting a 4x5 because of the foreground abilities and extreme DOF. Highly recommended if you can find one for cheap.

More "not boasting"
Hasselblad 503 CX
CF 50mm lens Wide but sometimes not wide enough
CF 80mm lens
CF 150mm lens
CF 250mm lens
Hasselblad 903 SWC CF 38mm lens Wide enough and rectilinearly correct
And I don't need no stinkin' Rotating Back!

Not boasting, just a sermon. :whistling:

Steve
 

Klainmeister

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Very nice! One of my favourite shots, (there was a url link here which no longer exists) was taken with the 50 :wink: Also perfectly sharp all 'round. Being new to MF at the time, I was completely stunned to find that even if I cropped all the way down to a 35mm frame size, the image quality holds up very well. And that was shot to infrared film, not exactly the smoothest grain...

I also do find the square aspect ratio very special, it definitely influences the way I compose.

Besides that, the collapsibility of the 6es is a big bonus for me, I travel very easily with two bodies in a small bag.

The collapsible aspect is very desirable, but I also prefer a system with the least moving parts in terms of ruggedness--I'm really rough on gear. That being said, I would still prefer the M6 body although I am the opposite, the 6x6 really messes with my head....probably because I shot 6x9 for years.

Sirius Glass: That's some serious glass! I'm guessing that setup cost more or less the same as the M7? Well, maybe less, seeing as though the M7 lenses are insanely expensive. I'd actually love to use a Blad one day, I've shot almost everything but.
 

keithwms

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That being said, I would still prefer the M6 body although I am the opposite, the 6x6 really messes with my head....probably because I shot 6x9 for years.

I somehow never got along with 6x9. I had a wonderful little view camera- horseman VH, that I adored, but couldn't come to terms with the ratio. In fact, I wound up using my rb backs on it most of the time.

Anyway back to the topic at hand- any of these camera systems would be wonderful for the O.P, but few fit the criterion of not going "overboard" on a "limited budget" so...

I'd say a bronica or rb system may fit the bill perfectly and bring many years of enjoyment.
 
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