Medium format system with the best lenses?

Colin Corneau · Oct 27, 2015

I defy anyone to look at a well made print and say if it was a Mamiya, Hasselblad or Bronica lens that produced it. Other than specialty rigs, perhaps, like the SWC.

You can't tell. So stop it...find a rig that works for what you shoot (which is different than what someone else shoots) and learn from your own experience. Only you can walk down your own road, photographically.

Sirius Glass · Oct 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
I defy anyone to look at a well made print and say if it was a Mamiya, Hasselblad or Bronica lens that produced it. Other than specialty rigs, perhaps, like the SWC.

You can't tell. So stop it...find a rig that works for what you shoot (which is different than what someone else shoots) and learn from your own experience. Only you can walk down your own road, photographically.

Killjoy. An attitude like that could kill all discussions and pissing contests on the internet.

nwilkins · Oct 27, 2015

you aren't going to notice much (if any) difference in lens quality between the big names so I wouldn't let it influence your choice too much. I have used a Hasselblad, which is virtually indistinguishable from my RB67 KL lenses, which are no better or worse than my Fuji GW670ii. Camera size/handling, negative size, focusing method (rangefinder, SLR) etc are all more important factors in choosing which MF camera will work best for you.

DannL. · Oct 27, 2015

I just finished up a roll of ISO 100 on a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, and I would say it's lens rivals any other lens in the Brownie line, with one exception; that being the Twin 20 lens, which is simply amazing . . . for a Brownie. 6x6 all the way.

mweintraub · Oct 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
I defy anyone to look at a well made print and say if it was a Mamiya, Hasselblad or Bronica lens that produced it. Other than specialty rigs, perhaps, like the SWC.

You can't tell. So stop it...find a rig that works for what you shoot (which is different than what someone else shoots) and learn from your own experience. Only you can walk down your own road, photographically.

*slow clap*

GarageBoy · Oct 27, 2015

I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

In 35mm, people were converting the contax n 85 1.4 to canon because it was that unique

RobC · Oct 27, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

In 35mm, people were converting the contax n 85 1.4 to canon because it was that unique

I would worry about being able to pick a subject, compose it and photograph it rather some misguided belief that having the dogs bollux of lenses hanging off your camera will do it all for you.

DannL. · Oct 27, 2015

Colin Corneau said:
. . . Only you can walk down your own road, photographically.

How do you get all those other people off the road, so "you" can walk down it?

Ooops . . . Back to lenses.

Ko.Fe. · Oct 27, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

In 35mm, people were converting the contax n 85 1.4 to canon because it was that unique

Never hear of Jupiter-9? Also popular among those who can't afford 85L.

Honestly, "best lens" in any format is gearheads oriented talk. Not so related to how final image would be accepted by viewers on print or how I have to work it out to get this image.
In canon you are referring to I would take any AF 85 lens over any old and new MF lens.

From photographer POV in MF I would say Hassy 80mm lens-shutter block. Nothing very special in the image, to be honest, but how it is build and how it is build for photographer to fiddle it.
Because from gearhead POV MF is MF for me.

houstonphotographics · Oct 27, 2015

+1 what RobC just said and has been saying...

Kyle M. · Oct 27, 2015

I'm pretty happy with my RB67's 90mm C lens wide open, obviously there's a very narrow DOF but it's plenty sharp.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kylemichaels90/21913663068/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kylemichaels90/21478817104/in/dateposted-public/

Sirius Glass · Oct 27, 2015

A better question is: Which medium format photographic systems have the best lenses? That would narrow the field.

Theo Sulphate · Oct 27, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

Yes: the Carl Zeiss 100/3.5 Planar CF lens for Hasselblad. I believe it is the very best lens in the Hasselblad V system and the MTF curves show it.

RobC said:
I would worry about being able to pick a subject, compose it and photograph it rather some misguided belief that having the dogs bollux of lenses hanging off your camera will do it all for you.

Agree completely.

@RobC: why so many jams? I've used four flavors of Hasselblads and many lenses for over 20 years without a single jam. As long as the lens and body are cocked when mounting or unmounting lenses, there should be no problem.

ParkerSmithPhoto · Oct 27, 2015

I personally own both Mamiya RZ and Bronica SQ and I don't feel there's any significant difference in the print quality. Perhaps if I shot identical subjects with both cameras and printed them I might find some minor differences, but I suspect not.

Honestly, I would find the system that feels the best to you in terms of mechanical vs. electronic shutter (I like electronic), placement of controls (I like shutter dial on the side a la Bronica), etc. All of the modern lens glass is multi-coated, computer-designed, top quality. Don't worry about it. I mean, look at all of the amazing photographs that were made long before computer-designed glass came along. Just pick one and have fun!

MDR · Oct 27, 2015

The sharpest MF lenses are those made for the Mamiya 7 but that doesn't make them the best lenses for every subject. For flattering portraits they suck. The older Zeiss Planar and Sonnars for the 500c and Rolleiflex and the Pentax 67 optics are better suited for that type of photography. The overall nicest system imo is the Rollei SL66 Zeiss lenses and more versatile than Hasselblads. Mamiyas are sometimes just too sharp although Herb Ritts and Annie Leibovitz did great portrait work with them.

rowghani · Oct 27, 2015

Hey man I've been through mamiya rz, mamiya 6, blads, but my personal favourite are the MF fujis and in particular the gs645 and the gf670 which lets you shoot both in 6x6 and 6x7. They are fixed lens thought but I never need anything but a 50ish. I love the rending on these lenses but the mamiya 6 lens is really nice too. Don't be afraid to just buy a system try it out and grab something else if you're not satisfied. You can't lose much money on this stuff if you resell them. All the best. Btw I have a mamiya 6 set for sale if you're interested.

Alan Gales · Oct 27, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

In 35mm, people were converting the contax n 85 1.4 to canon because it was that unique

There is the 180mm SF or soft focus lens for the RZ67 and the 150mm SF lens for the RB67. The 150 can be used on the RZ. They are unique and some people love them, especially for portraits. On the other hand there is a learning curve to using them and some people just don't like soft focus.

ColColt · Oct 27, 2015

All opinions so, I'll give mine since I've worked with it since the early 80's with zero problems despite countless photos at the studio and at least 20 weddings. Throw in a 75 f 4.5 or 2.8 lens, a 165 LS lens and you're good.

P6x7 by David Fincher, on Flickr

6x7Back by David Fincher, on Flickr

TooManyShots · Oct 27, 2015

Not Hasselblad since they don't make formats larger than 6x6. What if you want a larger format like 6x7 or 6x9???

Colin Corneau · Oct 27, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Killjoy. An attitude like that could kill all discussions and pissing contests on the internet.

We can only hope!

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 27, 2015

It would be better if you had long personal experience in photography and could quantify and qualify what constitutes "best", how and why — the reasoning, rather than desirability at an unfunctional subjective level. As the question stands, what is "best" for one (or a group of photographers) could well be totally unsuitable or undesirable to another group — that is the nature of everything in life. Yes, it is very, very subjective. If you can spend 20-30 years with one system and earn a living from it (as I did with Canon), I would still not say the lenses are the "best" (of any), only that they are very good tools proven over the years that do the job effectively. Same again with a Pentax 67 system. Good stuff in deed, but other systems could "probably" outperform even the best SMC Pentax 67 lenses. Personally I couldn't give a shit about photographers postulating about how "best" and "good" one system is over the other. I see weaknesses and holes in their thinking left, right and centre.

MattKing · Oct 27, 2015

GarageBoy said:
I was just wondering if there were any lenses that were the "killer app" for their system. I.e. - the lens that makes buying a separate body just to use it worth while.

In 35mm, people were converting the contax n 85 1.4 to canon because it was that unique

I'd be willing to bet that in a blind testing, a large percentage of people would be unable to pick out the results from a Contax N 85 f/1.4 amongst the results from other, competing fast 85mm short telephotos.

The differences between good quality lenses aren't very large, and almost all medium format system lenses are good quality.

Sirius Glass · Oct 27, 2015

TooManyShots said:
Not Hasselblad since they don't make formats larger than 6x6. What if you want a larger format like 6x7 or 6x9???

It is called 4"x5", 5"x7" and 8"x10"

TooManyShots · Oct 27, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
It is called 4"x5", 5"x7" and 8"x10"

The subject is about medium format system though.....

Alan Gales · Oct 28, 2015

Excellent article pertaining to magic bullets!

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/chasing-magic-bullet.html

Medium format system with the best lenses?

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