Mamiya 645E, how strong?

I searched this forum and others quite a bit but I'm still not sure...

One of the things people mention often about 645E is that it is made of plastic and they are not rugged. But, I hear mixed information about this "plastic" body claim and comparison is not that clear to me. I am wondering if someone here can streighten me out.

Plastic claim:
I read somewhere, the earlier 645 bodies had metal inside and leather on outside. Newer bodies have less metal for light weight and strong ABS plastic outside. It is not all plastic. Is this right?

Then, comparing with newer bodies, such as Pro and Pro-TL, is E any different in terms of constructions? Are there more plastic and less metal?

I am already aware, back is not removable and prism is also fixed on E.

Less strong claim:
I read 645E is less durable. Is this comparison made against older mostly-metal body or rest of the newer bodies like Pro and Pro-TL? Is this perception based on actual durability or just a feel based on plastic body?

Thank you!

The 645E is probably about 200 grams lighter than a similarly equipped (prism finder) 645 Pro.

The 645E is not designed to take a power winder, so it probably doesn't have the extra reinforced gearing that was incorporated into the 645 Pro (to deal with a potential weakness in the 645 Super).

As the 645E has a non-interchangeable prism, and doesn't take interchangeable backs, any damage or wear in those two parts cannot be fixed by a simple replacement. On the other hand, for the 645E there are no potential problems with the means of connecting those interchangeable parts.

The 645E was originally priced very favourably, and wasn't targeted toward the professional who would use it heavily. I doubt that it is as robust as a 645 Pro, but it is quite robust.

Most 645Es are quite young. Certainly, they are a lot younger than a 645 Super.

I have been considering replacing the 645 Super that serves as my backup body with a 645E.

I think the question of how much metal is in the body isn't a reliable measure of durability. All of the Mamiya 645s are made of strong and durable materials, because the plastic parts are strong as well.

Matt

Matt,

Thank you for your insights. My current analog body is Nikon N80 and I appreciate very much lighter bodies when I have a choice. I just needed to get a sense of how far Mamiya went to produce an inexpensive model such as 645E. I just saw, 645E kit was sold at somewhere around $700US when new. That got me little concerned that it may have gone too far.

I have used 645E's for many years and wouldn't worry about the quality of construction. By the way, the metering and viewfinder are excellent.

Jon

The difference in weight of the 645E is also due to the lack of a pentaprism, with the less expensive pentamirror.

wiltw said:

The difference in weight of the 645E is also due to the lack of a pentaprism, with the less expensive pentamirror.

Click to expand...

Aha! I often wondered though... what's the difference in actual use? I have Nikon D60 that has mirror and D200 that has prism. I really don't notice any difference, although I never made any concerted effort to find the difference...

The viewfinder is clear and bright with large image. Also built in adjustment of -5 to +5 diopters.

Jon