Hasselblad 500cm vs. Mamiya 7

Ambar · Jan 19, 2012

Seems like a vote has been taken and Mamiya has won (despite my expectations!)!! Both systems seem quite wonderful and so I'm not completely sold on either.. I was inclined on getting the Hasselblad but now I believe my doubts will only be fully squashed once I get them both in my hands for a test-drive. Rollei seems like a good bet but like I said.. I'm looking forward to expanding this to more than the 80mm in the future. The Mamiya TLRs are nice but I've held one before and it seems a little clunky for my taste. The lens switch-a-roo isn't as straight forward.. I tend to switch lenses on the fly with my Nikon FM2n and I was looking for something that would work similarly.

If only a Mamiya had a child with a Hasselblad.. I'd get a SLR with no mirror slap that had a critical lens with buttery background, that thats was silent, had a hotshoe, both 6x7 and 6x6 formats, 2.8 lens...
But, as it seems we can't have it all..

Thanks ALOT for all your input! Even though I'm less decided on which one to purchase.. I'm closer to getting something that will fill the bill!!

cjbecker · Jan 19, 2012

I have the 500cm and have never used the mamiya but if the mamiya had a 2.8 lens I would sell everything for it. I would be able to use one camera for everything.

keithwms · Jan 19, 2012

Ambar said:
If only a Mamiya had a child with a Hasselblad.. I'd get a SLR with no mirror slap that had a critical lens with buttery background, that thats was silent, had a hotshoe, both 6x7 and 6x6 formats, 2.8 lens...
But, as it seems we can't have it all..

You are describing the rz!!! The rz has a 110/2.8 lens that is very sweet and very nice.

Aside: I use the 110 on my rb in fact, but it only works for near focus (portrait is ok) unless you do some further modification, and there is no shutter control. All you have to do is pull two little pins to make it mount on the rb though. Very easy.

There is MLU on the rb and rz and, as for silence, well, it's not silent when the mirror slaps, but you can do that well in advance of popping the leaf shutter lens. And the lens shutters themselves are very quiet.

I am thinking that if an rb/rz had a shutter up level, so that you an avoid the kerthunk, those systems would be eerily quiet.

Sirius Glass · Jan 19, 2012

postalman said:
I agree, it wouldn't fit on the current design. But that doesn't mean a shoe is a bad idea, it means the design is wrong

Although, to be fair to hasselblad, I'm not sure I'd want to have a flash hanging cantilevered off the side like a 6008, but it'd be great for my radio trigger. I'm just venting in frustration is all. Coldshoes are just so useful to have when you need one. (and yes, I realise the V series was invented way before radio triggers were). And my hasselblad is far too beautiful to deface by gluing a coldshoe on the side

I have a flip-flash bracket for my Nikons, that works well with the Hasselblad, not that I need the flip part, and it puts the flash high above the lens. This easily eliminates red eye and throws shadows low, back and behind the subjects. The Hasselblad has a 45 degree PME [prism].

Steve

KarnyDoc · Jan 19, 2012

postalman said:
<snip>

And my hasselblad is far too beautiful to deface by gluing a coldshoe on the side

You don't have to glue anything to the side of your Hassy; the company also made a cold shoe that slides onto the accessory rail on the left side. The item in question also pivots to allow one to position a small flash, and it's held in position with discrete click-stops.

Dieter Zakas
Accessory, NJ

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 19, 2012

The Mamiya optics are probably technically better than the Zeiss ones. They are so damned sharp it's scary. But I find I like how the Zeiss lenses draw the picture better, and they aren't exactly technically poor lenses either.

Other than that, shooting a Hasselblad is a completely different experience from shooting a Mamiya rangefinder. Completely. Different. Experience.

I would choose the Hasselblad. To me it's more versatile with exchangeable backs, number of available lenses, telephoto capability, focusing ability (especially when shooting wide open or with extension tubes), an extra stop of light on the lenses, lenses that draw in a much more interesting way, the ability to shoot using either a prism or with waist-level finder, and I loooove how it feels in my hands. That's how I feel about it.
Others that prefer absolutely everything to be razor sharp and perfect, enjoy the rangefinder style of cameras, or mind the bulk of the Hasselblad may disagree with me profoundly.

Klainmeister · Jan 19, 2012

Profoundly disagreed then!

I think ultimately it is all speculation until the OP tries both out for himself. But on that note, I realized I never, ever, have used my M7II for people pictures or street work. Time to play this weekend! 1 roll of Neopan 400 120 left....

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 19, 2012

Klainmeister said:
Profoundly disagreed then!

You certainly are entitled to that, which is lucky, or I would be forced to knock some sense into you... hahaha

Have fun shooting that last roll!

keithwms · Jan 19, 2012

If I were habitually shooting people with the 7ii/7/6/6mf in a "portraity" way (for lack of a better term), I might perhaps be inclined to adjust development for lower contrast. But for a scenic / documentary / ethnographic context, the mamiya RF lenses just rock. No question about it.

I also find that by using the timer, I can get acceptable handheld captures way down to, I dunno, 1/8 and beyond. Same with any camera, really, although the heavier ones will obviously have more inertia. [Invariably, someone jumps up and wields the term "critical sharpness" when I say that, and my response is usually: well duh, you don't shoot 1/8 handheld unless you need to or want to, in which case critical sharpness is a secondary concern. But I have gotten very nice sharp negs at 1/8 and slower. Finger impulse is far more important than most people realize.]

brucemuir · Jan 19, 2012

KarnyDoc said:
You don't have to glue anything to the side of your Hassy; the company also made a cold shoe that slides onto the accessory rail on the left side. The item in question also pivots to allow one to position a small flash, and it's held in position with discrete click-stops.

Dieter Zakas
Accessory, NJ

Dieter,
I'm glad you finally pointed this out. They also had a coldshoe that clips onto the square lens hoods.
These are useless for a heavy flash but perfect for radio triggers.

Some of the later metered prisms have shoes but and I believe some may even be hot but these models are way to modern for my experience so far.

Mark Crabtree · Jan 19, 2012

brucemuir said:
Dieter,
I'm glad you finally pointed this out. They also had a coldshoe that clips onto the square lens hoods.
These are useless for a heavy flash but perfect for radio triggers.

Some of the later metered prisms have shoes but and I believe some may even be hot but these models are way to modern for my experience so far.

They also had a nifty bubble level that would mount there. Really a nicely evolved system.

djcphoto · Jan 19, 2012

KarnyDoc said:
You don't have to glue anything to the side of your Hassy; the company also made a cold shoe that slides onto the accessory rail on the left side. The item in question also pivots to allow one to position a small flash, and it's held in position with discrete click-stops.

Dieter Zakas
Accessory, NJ

Hah! I've had the slide-on cold shoe for years, and use it all the time for my radio popper, but I never knew it pivoted! Thanks, Dieter!

Kahlil H. · Jan 22, 2012

I own a 503CX, but I've long wanted a Mamiya 7. All the technical aspects aside, these two cameras take VERY different looking pictures, as has been mentioned. For me, that's usually what it comes down to after considering two systems that have equal pros and cons (as I found with the Hasselblad and Mamiya.) I find the portraits from the Mamiyas 80mm to be quite stunning, but definitely more clinical, sharper, and perhaps harsher. Which rendering do you prefer?

KarnyDoc · Jan 24, 2012

Mark Crabtree said:
They also had a nifty bubble level that would mount there. Really a nicely evolved system.

I have both the cold shoe and the spirit bubble level. The latter was, IIRC, the first Hassy accessory I bought after I got my 500C/M that wasn't directly connected to the capture, such as a back would be.

Now, if only I could replace my Hassy so as to give those accessories and others a sense of purpose to their existence...

Dieter Zakas

Katie · Jan 24, 2012

I find the mamiya to be true to life and bitingly sharp, whereas the blad seems more dreamy.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jan 24, 2012

Ghostman · Sep 26, 2012

I have the Mamiya 7ii and a Hasselblad 500cm. I have the 80mm lenses for both. Both are completely different cameras (as everyone keeps saying). The eye level, the waist level aspects automatically command different pictures. Focusing is certainly easier on the Mamiya. For me, 6x7 also commands a completely different frame from 6x6, for me at least. In terms if balance, composition, I tend to use a completely different center and object-eye flow on the two formats.

I find them both very easy to walk around with. After having lugged an RZ67 around by hand, I nearly laughed from joy when I first held my Hasselblad. It's comparatively dainty and light. It's a pleasure to hold. It has the mirror up feature so slap is not an issue, however you do lose sight of your image once the mirror is raised.

I still have a special affinity for my Mamiya although I am beginning to learn which souls the Hasselblad prefers to see. Tight portraits and objects for the Hasselblad, scapes and scenes for my Mamiya with the 43mm lens...

The size of the frames makes a difference for me. I can work with a strip of 3 6x6 frames for scanning and storing and I can only work with strips of 2 6x7 frames for scanning and storing. For printing, I prefer a 6x7 negative.

If I had to choose one, I'd take my Mamiya. It also has a light meter that comes in handy.

vpwphoto · Oct 28, 2014

F 4 are you kidding.

I have found I have been taking a more out-of-focus photos with my Hasselblad than I should. Started wondering if a dead-eye rangefinder (read Mamiya 7) might be better for my situation.

Well no wonder the 7 is so light. f4 lenses have a lot less glass. And at f4 that makes the rangefinder focusing more dead on.

All things aside, sticking with the Hasselblad, going shopping for different screens and diopters.

The reason I post is even if the Mamiya had a f2.8 lens, would it's rangefinder focus it reliably?

Sirius Glass · Oct 28, 2014

vpwphoto said:
I have found I have been taking a more out-of-focus photos with my Hasselblad than I should. Started wondering if a dead-eye rangefinder (read Mamiya 7) might be better for my situation.

Well no wonder the 7 is so light. f4 lenses have a lot less glass. And at f4 that makes the rangefinder focusing more dead on.

All things aside, sticking with the Hasselblad, going shopping for different screens and diopters.

The reason I post is even if the Mamiya had a f2.8 lens, would it's rangefinder focus it reliably?

Check to see that the focusing screen in properly seated and the camera is aligned.

flavio81 · Oct 28, 2014

Ambar said:
If only a Mamiya had a child with a Hasselblad.. I'd get a SLR with no mirror slap that had a critical lens with buttery background,

It exists, it is called Mamiya RB67.

RalphLambrecht · Oct 28, 2014

for medium format, I use a 501c and a Mamiya 6.The Mamiya is much more portable and the lenses are excellentand so ae the Zeiss lenses for the Hasselblad of course.I prefer the Hasselblad in the studio;it seems to br build for itand therefore,I( rarely use the Hasselblad without a tripod.Being part of a large professional system,the Hsselblad is more flexibleand can do any type of photographybut theMamiya is a better travel camerawith excellent optics, hile he Hasselblad can handle anything from studio to landscapewithout problems;I'm very glad to have bothand would not be ableto decide which to keep and which to give up if I hd to;luckely I don't

analoguey · Oct 28, 2014

One more old thread revived! )

+1 to Flavio
Also the RB KLs has buttery smooth bokeh too!

Hasselblad 500cm vs. Mamiya 7

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