Mamiya 7 & 43mm lens, good in urban environment?

Any thoughts on this set up for use in a city like Shanghai? I have always shot closer to more normal field of view but am intrigued at the possibilities that a wide angle lens might offer. But I dont normally "see" in this frame of mind so am unsure if it would be successful. Comments anyone?

RattyMouse said:

Any thoughts on this set up for use in a city like Shanghai? I have always shot closer to more normal field of view but am intrigued at the possibilities that a wide angle lens might offer. But I dont normally "see" in this frame of mind so am unsure if it would be successful. Comments anyone?

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That's a lot of money to spend just to see if you'll click with that wider perspective. You've been doing such an awesome job with the GA645 up to this point and I think the cameras are going to feel quite different one being AF and tall portrait format, and the other purely manual focus, 6x7 landscape format, and such. Personally I've always struggled with the wider angles, being most comfortable and having my best work falling into the 50mm to 90mm range in 35mm camera terms (normal to short-tele I guess you'd say). This has upset me as I have the awesome and venerable 28mm and 21mm lenses for my Contax G2 kit but for some reason just cannot get results I'm really happy with using those two lenses. But then something strange happened. I got myself the Rolleiwide TLR. It's perspective is closest to the 28mm perspective in 35mm camera terms and I simply LOVE it and have really made some gorgeous images with it. Is the the square format? The different handling of a TLR in this perspective? Hard to say but something wide in 28mm terms finally works for me. Having many other Rolleiflexes including the Tele- I had a feeling it would as some of my best work is using TLRs but it goes to show how sometimes the camera and the handling can make the difference. Any chance you can borrower a Mamiya and a 43mm lens and shoot a few rolls first to see how it goes?

A super wide needs to be used carefully, or the wide angle distortion will be bothersome to look at.
I don't know what the 35mm camera equivalent lens would be.
I used a 24mm lens on a 35mm camera, and I always had to be careful not to tilt the camera. And I would not use this lens unless I had to. It was too wide for normal use.
Is it possible to rent that lens rather than buying it? Then you can see if you really want to buy it.

I think the 50mm or the 65mm would be better. Then you won't need the use of the clunky 43mm viewfinder. Then again, I often hike with it in my pocket and previsualize before the camera or lens even see daylight. It's pretty damn wide, but very flat. Also a slow lens, so get used to 400 speed film.

All lenses are phenomenal.

rich815 said:

That's a lot of money to spend just to see if you'll click with that wider perspective. You've been doing such an awesome job with the GA645 up to this point and I think the cameras are going to feel quite different one being AF and tall portrait format, and the other purely manual focus, 6x7 landscape format, and such.

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Thanks for your reply. I think perhaps a GA645Wi would be nice for me. I hate the portrait orientation of the GA series of cameras but the Wi version might make it tolerable. Perhaps sell my GA645, get the Wi and GF670 (for my big negative, manual focus needs). Maybe that is the solution?

ac12 said:

A super wide needs to be used carefully, or the wide angle distortion will be bothersome to look at.
I don't know what the 35mm camera equivalent lens would be.
I used a 24mm lens on a 35mm camera, and I always had to be careful not to tilt the camera. And I would not use this lens unless I had to. It was too wide for normal use.
Is it possible to rent that lens rather than buying it? Then you can see if you really want to buy it.

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Nope, cant rent here. That's why I tread cautiously.

RattyMouse said:

Perhaps sell my GA645, get the Wi and GF670 (for my big negative, manual focus needs). Maybe that is the solution?

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Just FYI: I have the GW690III and the GA645. Not exactly the same as comparing those two you mention above but close. They handle very differently.

ac12 said:

A super wide needs to be used carefully, or the wide angle distortion will be bothersome to look at.
I don't know what the 35mm camera equivalent lens would be.
I used a 24mm lens on a 35mm camera, and I always had to be careful not to tilt the camera. And I would not use this lens unless I had to. It was too wide for normal use.
Is it possible to rent that lens rather than buying it? Then you can see if you really want to buy it.

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The Mamiya 43mm is almost a perfect lens, if you have a straight line going across your image, that line is perfectly straight all the way through, the 35mm equivalent is roughly 21mm. It's an amazing lens, the most sharp 120 lens ever made, there are posts out there I've read on how to LESSEN the sharpness because it's so sharp. It's beautiful, and I love mine, many of my grand canyon shots are used with it, and that one of the cross on the hill (it's only square for reasons of some headlight fog I got from a passing car on a 10 minute exposure).

My only warning is make sure to buy one WITH THE VIEWFINDER ... I did not, it's such a pain, and they are SO expensive, it's just dumb, I'm desperate for a viewfinder for mine.

EDIT: I love all 3 lenses I have, the 43mm, 65mm, and 150mm, but if you want an "all purpose" lens, go with the 65mm, I tend to use that one a lot.

Yes I know that the viewfinder is needed for the 43mm lens. The price I was quoted (without haggling; i am here in China where you can haggle off 15-20%) is $2200 for a Mamiya 7, 43mm lens with finder, and 80mm lens. All in mint condition.

I just dont know if I will enjoy the 43mm lens as much as I think I will. I often find 28mm (135 equivalent), not wide enough.

RattyMouse said:

Yes I know that the viewfinder is needed for the 43mm lens. The price I was quoted (without haggling; i am here in China where you can haggle off 15-20%) is $2200 for a Mamiya 7, 43mm lens with finder, and 80mm lens. All in mint condition.

I just dont know if I will enjoy the 43mm lens as much as I think I will. I often find 28mm (135 equivalent), not wide enough.

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if 28mm isn't wide enough then you will probably enjoy the 43mm, look at some of my images, I shoot with the Mamiya 7 a lot, so there's a good chance of finding many image examples, almost all the "snowpocalypse" images are 43mm as I recall.

The Mamiya 7 and 43mm lens are my favourite combination. I got everywhere with it and shoot a lot of urban scenery with it. If my house was on fire and I could grab one camera and lens, that would be it. Yes, I would let my Leicas burn

The pentax 6x7 has a very decent 45mm, with the added benefit if being a reflex, which helps to keep all lines vertical. But this is provably not as sharp and lightweight as the Mamiya 7.

Using wide angles definitely takes some getting used to. I find that for architecture they're an asset, so I generally have one. On square they work pretty good.