medium format rangefinder

[ecalpemos]

I posted just a couple of days ago about views on the fuji rangefinders, well I didn't buy one but I did buy a mamiya 7 11, wicked beast, will go out and use it tommorrow and post some shots when they are scanned.

Andy

 

[David Brown]

Congrats. I own a Fuji and I'm still just a bit envious.

 

[sanking]

Congrats. I own a Fuji and I'm still just a bit envious.

I love the MF rangefinders. At this time I own a Fuji GA645Zi (not technically a rangefinder I guess) , a Fuji GW690III, and a couple of Mamiya 7II. They are all much more portable than MF SLR, and sharper also IMO, especially when using them hand held at slow shutter speeds, or for that matter at slow shutter speeds on a tripod where mirror bounce of the SLR can really detract from sharpness. For really slow shutter speeds the Mamiya 7 is the best of the lot as the shutter release is very, very smooth, and almost silent.

Just wish there was an auto-focus, auto-exposure Fuji 690 with a 45-150 zoom. That would be as close to perfect as it gets.


Sandy

 

[ecalpemos]

Thank you both. I sold a hasselblad 203 fe to get the mamiya, and thought that it would be harder to part with the hassy but it was not so hard, the quality of the hassy glass was really nice but it just did not suit my shooting style. For the stuuf I get paid to do I use a canon dslr and when I can get away with it a leica which I much prefer, but it tends to be the canon which I have to admit to simply not enjoying using as much. I like aperture rings on lenses, I don't like buttons and wheels to turn and I like film over zeros and ones. The moment I snapped the lens on the mamiya it felt somewhat like a giant, mutated leica. The rangefinger felt nice, quick to focus and clear and the shutter was if anything quieter than a leica althought there is not too much in it. The camera begged to be used, and used it shall be today. Got a good deal too, 1200 dollars with 80, boxed and essentially unused, if I were to fingerprint it it would be clean.

Andy

 

[timeUnit]

I sold my M7 last year, to finance my Hasselblad habit... to each his own!

Have fun!

 

[Woolliscroft]

Well done. The Mammy 7II is a real gem. All you need now is more lenses and lots of film. Enjoy.

David.

 

[Andrew Moxom]

I enjoy the mamiya 6 MF AND a hassy system. I will never part with either set up voluntarily! Truly the best of all worlds.

 

[craigclu]

I've had Fuji's, Koni-Omega, Bronica 645RF and Mamiya 7 rigs and they all have provided their own good features but all were capable of gratifying results. I've kept the Mamiya and Bronica and really couldn't ask for better fast handling image grabbers in these formats. I especially like the Bronica for candids/people shots as the vertical format works so well in this duty. I appreciate the light tripods they require so they tend to be with me while the SLR's stay at home more and more. The Mamiya is famous for its top notch optics but I've done some side by side tests and found the Bronica to be in the same league but gives up some slight large enlargement performance from the smaller negative. I used to knock myself out with fill flash/metering decisions as I'm sensitive to avoiding the look of too much artificial light. The Bronica has earned my trust by simply kicking it into the programmed mode for use with its small, dedicated flash as controlled fill.

 

[crabby]

I still use my Koni Rapid. Unbelievably sharp, especially with the 60mm lens. Easy to hold; large, contrasty viewfinder/rangefinder; silent operation; built like a rock.

They are literally giving these cameras away on eBay.