Mamiya 7 lenses.. 43 or 50 to start a kit?

[brian steinberger]

I know there have been previous threads on this discussion but it hasn't helped me come to a conclusion. I've sold some things and have some money to drop on a Mamiya 7II system that I've been dying to get for years.

I would like to keep to just a 3 lens kit. The 150 is a definate. I just can't decide whether to go with a 43-65-150 kit or 50-80-150, or even a 43-80-150 kit. First instinct was to get the 50 because I normally don't like super wide angle lenses, but I have always enjoyed the 20mm focal length in 35mm. The 43 is like the "dream" lens of system and one of the greatest lenses known to medium format.

I'm looking to other M7 users to give me some suggestions. The separate viewfinders don't bother me. So getting the 50 over the 43 because you don't NEED the separate finder is not an issue to me.

BTW.. I'll be shooting mostly color landscapes with this camera.

Thanks!

 

[david b]

When I had my M7II kit, I had the 50mm and loved it. What is really nice about it, is that you don't have to use external view finder. You can just look to the very edge of the internal view finder and be fine.

Apparently the 43mm is the same design as the Hasselblad SWC / Zeiss 38mm biogon lens, which I am a huge fan of.

 

[sanking]

This is a very personal decision and will depend on your vision more than anything else. When I first bought my Mamiya 7 outfit I purchased the 43mm, 65mm, 85mm and 150mm. I used this outfit two or three times and decided that the 43mm was wider than I wanted. So I sold it and and bought a 50mm which I prefer.

There is more distance between the 43mm and 65mm so this combination appears to make more sense, but I seem to personally operate more in the 50-65-80 zone.

Sandy King

I know there have been previous threads on this discussion but it hasn't helped me come to a conclusion. I've sold some things and have some money to drop on a Mamiya 7II system that I've been dying to get for years.

I would like to keep to just a 3 lens kit. The 150 is a definate. I just can't decide whether to go with a 43-65-150 kit or 50-80-150, or even a 43-80-150 kit. First instinct was to get the 50 because I normally don't like super wide angle lenses, but I have always enjoyed the 20mm focal length in 35mm. The 43 is like the "dream" lens of system and one of the greatest lenses known to medium format.

I'm looking to other M7 users to give me some suggestions. The separate viewfinders don't bother me. So getting the 50 over the 43 because you don't NEED the separate finder is not an issue to me.

BTW.. I'll be shooting mostly color landscapes with this camera.

Thanks!

 

[brian steinberger]

The more I research and think about my personal preference to focal length, I think I agree with David & Sandy, that the 50 may be a better choice as well. I looked at a few photos on flickr.com taken with both the 43 and 50 and although there were a lot of great photos taken with the 43, many of them seemed forced, with a lot of open dead space.

Another thought I forgot to mention in my thread opening was that a used Mamiya 7 or 7II is cheaper if you purchase them with the 80. So more than likely I will be getting a 7 or 7II with the 80. The distance between 43 and 80 is too great, almost allows the need for the 65 to fill the gap, but the 65 and 80 are too close, no need for both unless you have a large budget.

So much to think about!

Keep the opinions coming!

 

[david b]

Like my Hasselblad kit, I have a 50-80-150 kit and it's great.

Although I now have a 905 SWC and 60mm CFI for the kit.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

I have a Mamiya 7II with 43,65, and 80mm lenses. This really does come down to being a personal choice based on you perceived needs and vision. I love the 43, but I don't shoot many landscapes with it, but do more street, and urban photos. I think it is very important to use every square millimeter of film and not have any empty or wasted space especially around the edges, and that is perhaps a bit more difficult to do with the 43 than the 50mm lens. The 43 is such a stunning lens though that a little extra work is more than worth the effort in my opinion. I don't think you can go wrong with either lens, they are both wonderful.

I think what I would do if I were in your place is to buy the camera with an 80mm lens and use that for a while. The 80 is a really versatile focal length. Use that until you have a strong need for something else, by then you should have a better understanding of what to get. Deciding what lenses to buy can be a very difficult intellectual exercise made much easier by real life experience. Good luck.

Richard Wasserman

 

[Pinholemaster]

I own a Mamiya 7II system with their 43, 50, 65, 80 and 150 mm lenses.

My favorite two lenses are the 65 and 43 mm. If I only had one lens, I'd use the 65 mm.

Be careful getting a 150 mm lens. I got a dog that would not focus properly. I went round and round with Mamiya. I took me over a year to prove to them that the lens was defective. They finally replaced it, but I would accept the new lens until I thoroughly tested it. So be forewarned, test the 150 mm.

But frankly, if you are doing landscapes, you don't need the 150 mm. The image area in the viewfinder to too small to truly know what you are getting. It's not a great portrait lens 'cause you can't get close. A head shot with the 150 sees from the middle of the chest to the top of the head, with plenty of air above the head.

The camera viewfinder is perfectly made for the 65 mm lens. Both the 43 and 50 require separate viewfinders for framing.

Good luck with whatever you get. Don't cut yourself on the Mamiya 7's optics. Grin.

 

[JosBurke]

For my Mamiya 7 II the choice lens for me was the 65 mm........the 80 is great but the 65 is the perfect (for me) mild wide.....I had a 50 also but for handheld use the 65 was my favorite--I guess it depends on your intended use....I'll say this though...I used the 65 mm for family images, my children, etc...not landscape or related and I think the 50 was perfect for that but being the typical camera nut I always wanted a 43 as I think the Mamiya is a fabulous camera and the glass is second to none !!

 

[MikeSeb]

I have the M7 (not ii) with the 50-80-150 set and I couldn't be more pleased. I like wide, but I find even the 50 too wide a lot of the time. I probably use the 80 more than half the time, with the remaining time distributed 3:2 between the 50 and 150. I don't use the 150 as much as I expected; when I bought it I had not thought through the implications of its 2-meter near focusing minimum distance. It's not a "portrait" lens the way a 150 would be for any other medium-format system in which you can focus down to a meter or so.

I agree that it makes more sense to go 50-80-150 if you are looking to "span" the focal length range of the system; it doesn't make sense to me to have both the 50 and 65. I didn't want to mess with the auxiliary viewfinder for the 43; I never use the 50's finder and don't miss it.

What a stunningly sharp, portable camera system. Lenses are second to none; I think they're even better than most of the lenses for my Contax 645 system.

Only thing that could make the M7 better is if it focused closer, and the lenses were a stop faster.

 

[bwakel]

It's a tricky decision. I use the 50, 80 and 150 but really wish I had the 65 as I often need something between the 50 and 80 but I don't want the heft of yet another lens! The 43 offers a lot of opportunities as an additional lens if you've got the 50 but if you haven't then I'd recommend the 50 as it's probably more applicable to a greater number of scenes. If you're only buying three lenses then the 50, 80 and 150 are probably the ones I'd recommend but 50, 65, 150 or 50, 65, 80 would be equally valid choices for me. I use the 150 infrequently and most of the images I've produced with it have been less interesting than those I've produced with the 50 and 80.

Anyway, those are my personal experiences.

Barry

 

[Russ Young]

I've been shooting a 7 for about a dozen years now. What a great camera! It's not just the lenses- the body is an important contribution to the marvelous system. The body came with the stock 80mm lens; I next acquired a 150 and then a 65.

You have to consider what subject matter and what aesthetic treatment is in your mind. That, more than anything, dictates the lens.

I shoot cemeteries, descansos, landscapes, portraits. For me - and your mileage will vary - the 80 has proven to be the work horse. Next the 150 - which I find perfect for landscape and portraits. The 65 rarely comes out of the case. I can say with certainty that there is no 50 or 43 in my future. For that breadth, I use a Horseman 6x12 with a 65 mm lens.

Think about what you shoot and then choose the lens.

regards,
Russ

 

[Paul Jenkin]

The last MF camera I had before my current Bronica set up was an M7 with 80mm and 150mm lenses. Absolutely loved the camera unless a tripod was required at which point you find that you can't open the back without taking it off the tripod plate. You can buy a widget that sits between the camera and the tripod plate but it never felt truly 'solid'. However, I digress....

I had a friend that had the 43mm and 50mm lenses and was amenable to letting me borrow either (or both) as and when I wanted. They are both superb lenses. However, given the difference in the angle of view (a few degrees) compared to the additional cost of the 43mm + w/a finder, I'd go with the 50mm every time. Both would be a luxury but, for what it's worth, the 50mm would be my choice to partner an 80mm and 150mm lens set up.

 

[rpsawin]

I spent this weekend in the Columbia Basin shooting landscapes with my M7II. I have the 43, 65, 80 & 150. I found I used the 43 alot. It was perfect for capturing the expansive skys, lakes and coulees. I've not used the 50 but for my $$$ the 43 is a wonderful lens.

Best regards,

Bob

 

[coriana6jp]

I have been using a 7II as my back up camera to my LF gear when I hike. I have the 43, 65, 80 & 150mm lenses. I tried the 50mm for a while and it never got any use. I either went for the 65mm or straight to the 43mm. Ended up selling the 50mm, and nevered looked back. I find the 65mm and the 43mm are my most used lens, followed by the 80mm and finally the 150mm. Contrary to some comments, I have never found the 150mm difficult to focus, but the external finder has come in very handy.

Hope it helps.

Gary

 

[cameragearforyou]

I have had all the lenses over the years. ended up 43-80-150. the 43 does take some skill but once you master it you will know.

 

[doc4x5]

Everyone has given you THEIR own personal preferences, valid for them, perhaps not for you. The best advice given, I'll repeat, is to get the camera with one lens, the 80, which is wider than you might think. It will be cheaper in the end, and use it for a while. Perhaps you know whether you're a "wide" person for your "normal" lens. If so, maybe the 65 is a better choice. Compare your experience in other formats as a guide.

When I shot 35mm film I liked an 85, with my 4x5 I use a 210, I'd be happy if they made a 90 or 100 for the M7II. I have the 50/80/150. I made the decision between the 43 and 50 because most of the images I saw that were made with the 43 looked WIDE ANGLE to me, some looked too wide angle. The best argument for the 43 over the 50 is that you can crop the 43, you cannot widen the 50. However, I have been quite happy with the 50, my choice, not necessarily yours.

Good luck.

Eric

 

[degodan9]

43mm lens

I personally own the M7 with the 43 lens and I enjoy it. To say the least, though its optics are nearly perfect as the hype suggests, it is an EXTREMELY wide lens. I tapped out my extra money on the system, though I only payed $1000 for the lens in mint condition on Ebay, and 900 for the body on KEH.com.

I'm rambling now, so long story short, looking back I would rather go for the 50mm. I was shooting mostly 28mm in 35 before I moved up, and the change is still one that I am getting used to. The 50mm lens is also hailed as a near perfect lens with the 43. I guess it all depends on what your eye is used to shooting. My eventual decision was rather than spending another 1000 minimum on the 50mm, just get a 4x5 system with a comparable 90mm lens for about 1500. Good luck, I hope this was helpful.

 

[2WK]

I'm in the same boat. I have been using the 80mm for about a year, and am looking for another len(s). I have switched from wanting the 43mm to now, the 50mm. I think the 50 will be plenty wide for me, and then next will be the 150. What a fantastic camera!

Some shots with the 80mm here on my blog.