Lenses for the Mamiya 7

SuzanneR · Dec 22, 2005

The hubby keeps asking me what I want for Christmas, and I feel there's very little that I need or want.

EXCEPT, maybe getting a couple more lenses for my Mamiya 7. Since the lenses are so expensive, I've only used the 80mm that came with the camera. I've gotten very accustomed to the 80mm, and am pretty comfortable with what I can do with it. There's something to be said for sticking with one lens, and really learning its sweet spots.

At any rate, I've been using this camera more than the others for personal work, and I'd like to get some opinions on the 43mm, the 65mm and the 150mm. I think the 65mm may be too similar to the 80mm. We can only buy one lens for now, so I'd like to hear what each lens can really do well, before I decide which one, if any.

I shoot mostly portraits, and my kids playing This camera is especially nice when they are in a wonderful landscape, especially the woods near our house! I have a still life project that I'm developing, and would like to start shooting in the new year. So... Mamiya 7 users, tell me about the different lenses, and how you use them

TIA

colrehogan · Dec 22, 2005

Well, the only lenses I have are the 50 & 150. I traded in the 80 mm that came with the kit when I bought it. I just didn't like that particular focal length. The 150 will give you a nice portrait lens (I don't shoot people that often, but I've used it in this capacity a few times).

I decided on the 50 mm for the same reason that you don't want the 65 mm. It was too close to the 80 mm. I thought that the 43 was too wide for me. I keep the 50 mm on the camera most of the time for general landscapes and such. HTH.

In fact, my avatar shows me using the 7II with the 150 mm lens on it (that probably was the last time I used it for portraits). I was on the Gulf Coast of FL at the time.

Pinholemaster · Dec 22, 2005

Suzanne

I've got 7II cameras and all the rangefinder coupled lenses. I love the system.

My favorite lens is the 65-mm. Why, 'cause you use the whole viewfinder and it has a wonderful social distance from the subject. I've made many full-length portraits with this lens for the New York Time Magazine. I use it more than the 80-mm. Probably more than all the other lenses I own in the system.

The 43-mm is a fabulous wide-angle, but remember, it and the 50-mm have separate viewfinders that attach to the hotshoe. This means you focus with the camera and then frame with the viewfinder, so it is slower to use especially if kids are moving around.

Finally the 150-mm. I have a good lens now, but be careful when buying this lens. My first one had a defect in how it coupled with the rangefinder. I went round and round with Mamiya for a year before they replaced it. I've heard others never getting this lens to be sharp for them forcing them to sell it in frustration. It is very important you pre-test this lens whether buying new or used to make sure you have a good lens. My first 150-mm would focus on the moon at 50 meters on the lens scale. Not good.

Also, the 150-mm doesn't focus very close. This is a problem with many rangefinder systems. So you can't really fill the frame with just a face, more like mid-chest up.

With that said, all the optics of this system are wonderful.

Before I forget, the 50-mm is a good jump from the 80-mm. I use it for interiors when I don't need to be as wide as the 43-mm. You can't go wrong with this lens.

Aggie · Dec 22, 2005

I have the 43, 80, and 150 lenses. I thought that gave me a good range. I love my 43mm lens. I do mostly landscapes. The 150mm I have has had no problems. I find it nice when I want to capture a tighter shot. The 80 I use as the normal lens, and I find it is a bit on the wide angle side. I want to get the 65mm to augment the sytem. I know it is close to the 80mm but it would be just that bit wider angle that I would like on some shots, without going all the way to the 43mm. Stay away from the 210mm. I was talking to one of the Mamiya reps at a conf. and he told me the lens is not good. I'll take Mamiya's word on that one.

I also have the close up set. It works great. You are not going to be doing extreme macro work with it, but you can get within 18 inches of the subject. With the size negative you have, it is not a problem after the fact to crop for a more macro feel.

I LOVE MY MAMIYA!!!!

To me that is my small format camera. If it could give me 4x5 negatives, I would use it exclusively.

david b · Dec 22, 2005

I once owned this camera and loved the 65mm for it. I thought it was the perfect "one lens" system.

SuzanneR · Dec 22, 2005

As always, APUG is a treasure of great information. Thank you for the informative responses.

Aggie, I'm intrigued by the close-up adaptor you mentioned. It looks like it would give me some variety to the 80mm I currently use, without separating me from too much money!

Anyway, still trying to decide. I tend to just use one lens at any given time, but it'd be nice to have a few more options in the camera bag!

Kimberly Anderson · Dec 22, 2005

Suzanne,

I have my entire Mamiya 7II system for sale. It is incredible, but I don't shoot it anymore, so it is redundant.

The sale of all of that gear will help fund my 7x17 I'm looking to get soon.

If you are curious about the pieces I have for sale, you can look at them here:

http://www.tawayama.com/gear/forsale.html

Sorry for the gratuitous advertising...I haven't put them up in the APUG for sale listings yet.

gwatson · Dec 22, 2005

I think the Mamiya is the best camera set I own. The 65mm lens is fantastic and easy and quick to focus, but as you say, similar to the 80mm, especially at the cost. The 150mm is the sharpest lens I have ever used. It does have drawbacks however: personally, I find it tough to focus in portraiture due to the small viewfinder, particularly when using large apertures. A moving target, wide open is a challenge! If I were to shoot (close up) my little one playing in the woods, I wouldn't use the 150mm. (But maybe I'm just crap a focussing a RF. A bit of practice and it would be fine, I'm sure.) You also can't focus close (1.8 m, I think) - the close-up lens sounds interesting though for macro/still life work. With a 6x7 neg, you can afford to lose a little resolution. Having said that, it's still a fantastic lens.

In short, the two lenses I have for the Mamiya 7 are hard to beat.

Geoff

papagene · Dec 22, 2005

Suzanne
A friend of mine now uses the Mamiya 7 system. But in the past she used the Fuji GSW690 with the 65mm lens, so I imagine that her main lens is the 65mm on the Mamiya.
Her name is Sheron Rupp and here is a link to some of her images:
www.eventjar.com/artist/R/sheron_rupp.html
Click on Google search for images
For the type of photos you take, I think the 65mm would suit your style much better than the 43mm.
good luck with your decision.

gene

Baxter Bradford · Dec 23, 2005

Thanks for posting this thread Suzanne and all who have contributed. I have found it very informative.

I have just bought a Mamiya 7 with the 80mm lens. Inevitably, more lenses are envisaged and it is good to hear first hand experiences of the lenses in use. First impressions are how well it handles and versatile I expect it to be. I am not sure I understand the metering yet, but will have to learn since I do not want to always have my spotmeter with me!

The focusing/small viewfinder area issue with the 150mm Geoff was something I had wondered about for taking pictures of my fast moving children, but am sure it is fine with scenic work. The other point I have not resolved is the 65mm versus 50mm.

The 50mm obviously gives better separation from the 80mm, but on average, will probably see more sky included for scenic pictures than with the 65mm, the effect being even more exacerbated with the 43mm. With tranny film, this plays into the achilles heel of the camera system due to the necessity of placing ND grads accurately without TTL viewing, indeed with the further remoteness using the 50mm Hotshoe viewfinder. Has anyone any experience of using ND grads with the 50mm or indeed the camera in general to allay my concerns?

I see that Lee make plates with lines on for the front of their holders for RF cameras, shame there isn't the equivalent to go inside the viewfinder(s)!

SuzanneR · Dec 23, 2005

Gene- thanks for the link to Sheron's work. I love it! Makes me want to try color. There is a real grace to her people in the very ordinariness of their lives... good stuff.

Baxter, I can't help with the ND grad filters, as I'm not a color landscape shooter, but it does seem to be a problem inherent with an RF system. My only advice in that regard is the old tried and true method of trial and error.

I've had my Mamiya for about a year and a half, and it took me awhile to really get used to the focussing, and the framing. But I was just so pleased with the negatives, that I kept at it. I used it a lot this past summer and fall, and hope to get a lot of prints done this winter! With all that said, I'm glad I stuck with one lens for so long, as a result, I'm now very comfortable with the camera, and I feel ready to add some extra lenses.

I decided to get the 150mm for the moment, and the close up attachment, which may come in handy for these still lifes I have in my head, that I'd like to commit to film!! The 65mm, I decided, could wait since it's so close to the 80mm. When we are feeling a bit more flush with cash, that'll be the next lens, though! It looks like an excellent focal length for the Mamiya7, and, I expect, for just about any medium format RF camera. The other two wide angles, the 50mm and 43mm, I think may be too cumbersome for my type of shooting with the second hot shoe view finder.

Thanks for all the informative answers.

Shane Knight · Dec 23, 2005

Hello Suzanne,

I have the 50, 65, 80, and 150. They are all amazing lenses. If I had to get rid of one -- it would take more than this thread and a least a week of crying to think about it.

The 150 is a wonderful lens (this is probably the most used.) As you probably know, there is an optional view finder for this lense. It is just my opinion, but you really don't need it. It doesn't magnify the image much more than your rangefinder does. You might want to get more feed back regarding the use of the finder.

I usually shoot landscape and rack the lense to infinity, so therefore I don't use the finder anymore.

Good luck -- you going to love the 150mm.

Shane Knight

David Henderson · Dec 23, 2005

Responding to Baxter Bradfords points

1. I have the 50/80/150 and have had for years. Of these my favourite by far is the 50. Its a very personal thing but the angle of view suits me greatly and I like the separate viewfinder which I keep in my pocket and use as a spotter for photographs.

2. Best of luck on the metering system. I don't use it because I'm still unconvinced that with colour slides its going to be accurate enough. I spotmeter every shot. If you're going to use the metering though , suggest you get from Mamiya or download from the US website/user forum the metering pattern overlaid on the coverage of each of the lenses in pdf form. A small part of the data used to calculate exposure on the 150mm for example comes from outside the frame; whereas with the 50mm the metering pattern is much more like a spot.

3. The nd grad issue is frustrating since contrasty film (in my case) and contrasty lenses don't necessarily combine to make exposure easy. I tried a number of routes to position rectangular grads without any real success. A number of these will be archived on photo.net, some of them a while ago. I gave up and bought a Heliopan 2 stop soft screw-in. This is clearly less useful than a rectangular system but it does work quickly and easily - at least you always know where the grad line is. In fact the grad line is soft to the point that I've never noticed any unnatural darkening ofhilltops/trees etc. I'd say it provides a decent alternative to a very soft-edge Nd grad such as a Hi Tech; but that it won't help much when you really need a hard edge. Its also glass and therefore less prone to scratches.

blansky · Dec 23, 2005

I've always found the standard lenses were the most useless to me. They always seemed to short or too long. When I bought the Mamiya 7II bought a 65 and a 150.

Every system I've owned that had the standard lens, I never ended up using it. The 150 is a great lens for portraits and the 65 is great for lifestyle and scenics.

Have fun with your new lens.

Michael

Baxter Bradford · Dec 23, 2005

Thankyou David, that was most helpful.

I'll investigate those threads and get the pdfs. I am used to carrying lots of gear for my 4x5, but was hoping for a more minimalist approach for this camera. I should have known better!

Gary Rowlands · Dec 23, 2005

A good friend of mine uses the Mamiya 7 extensively and has great results with it.

www.thelightandtheland.com

Bruce owns the 50/80/150 & 210 lenses. He uses the 80mm extensively and the 150mm, but for his big trips he had to buy a 210mm for its occasional use.

For his last trip to Cambodia he paired it with a 35mm Bessa and a 40mm lens. His pics from this were great until he scanned his first 6x7 from the trip and it blew the 35mm out of the water. We were disappointed that at the web size any difference in quality could be noticed, but there is no mistaking the improvement in even a 400 wide pixel image comparison.

I also have a Mamiya 7 and now have a 65mm and an 80mm lens. I've just sold a 150mm as I didn't like the very small composing area and I wanted the cash for other equipment. I have no problem doing landscapes with hard edge graduated Lee filters by guessing where the transition needs to be.

SuzanneR · Dec 23, 2005

Michael, I have to agree about normal lenses. I often find their angle of view a bit boring. I think that's why I've started to get a little frustrated with just the one lens I have. I find that I like three lenses per camera. A wide lens, normal, and a short telephoto. But, I use the normal lens the least, and I bet once I get the 65mm, I'll probably primarily use that and the 150mm the most!

Shane, I checked out your website... great cowboys and horses! Were the panoramics made with the Mamiya? And Gary... thanks for the link! Some gorgeous landscapes!

SuzanneR · Jan 1, 2006

I want to thank everyone again, for all the great information. Now that it's New Year's Eve, my 150mm from KEH arrived, and the hubby, in fact, threw in the close up adaptor kit!!! YAY!! So far, the 150 looks to be working with the rangefinder. I'll run a roll of film through it tomorrow to check the focus, etc.

As for the close up adaptor on the 80mm, I figured out how to get the contraption on the camera, but, I'm not sure how to set the lens to focus... Anyone, with any insight? There doesn't seem to be an instruction manual for this thing on the Mamiya website.

Again, thanks in advance, and happy new year!!!

colrehogan · Jan 1, 2006

Suzanne, I used to have one of those with a manual. However, when I traded in the 80 mm, it went with it as it's the only lens it could be used with and I really don't recall as I only messed with it maybe once.

Happy New Year to you too!

grahamp · Jan 1, 2006

If it is the same as the device for the M6 - a closeup lens and a large 'windshield' to correct the viewfinder - the focus makes little difference. It is mostly down to camera position, since you are magnification limited. It's what, a +2 or +3 diopter?

Helen B · Jan 1, 2006

Suzanne,

You set the lens at 1 m.

Happy New Year,
Helen

SuzanneR · Jan 1, 2006

Thank you Helen... just what I was looking for!

doc4x5 · Jan 1, 2006

I have the M7II system with the 50-80-150. I agree that it's a terrific idea to get to know one lens, it really doesn't matter which. I too got really familiar with the 80 for the same reason, I could not afford more lenses. I chose the 50 for two reasons, there was a really lovely one available used for a good price and also because I found the 43 a bit too wide, too specialized. I did not think I'd use it all that often. I now use the 50 a lot, as much or more than the 80, and the 150 gets a surprising amount of use though I think it would get more if I were to get the finder for it. I never like composing in that little frame within the finder. I think the Mamiya lenses are the sharpest I have ever used, and I use a 4x5 as well as a Hasselblad. I'd recommend asking yourself what kind of a photographer you are. Some see wide angle, some short tele. Then get a lens which will allow you to use your vision and get used to it. I really think the M7 lenses are cheap on the used market, considering their quality. I'd avoid the 210, it's impossible to focus. I agree the 65 is a bit close to the 80, though if you're a "wide" person, consider selling the 80 and getting the 43-65 combo.

Lenses for the Mamiya 7

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