Recommendations for a 6x7 Camera

apconan

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I'm looking for a MF camera that can shoot in 6x7, is relatively cheap [mamiya RB67 price point looks good to me], but is also lighter. I've read that the RB67 is upwards of 6 pounds... I want a MF camera that will replace my 35mm as my everyday walking around camera. Any recommendations? Mamiya 6/7 are out of price range for now... I also know about the Pentax 67, which is a maybe.
 

Darkroom317

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The RB67 actually isn't that bad to carry around. You might want to look into folders. However, I don't really know of any.
 

jeroldharter

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There are a lot of threads on this.

You could go with a Fuji Rangefinder, fixed lens, light, good quality.

Mamiya RB/RZ, good lenses, large, heavy.

Pentax 67, no interchangeable backs, but good lenses, very good price, Pentax 67II has excellent TTL metering (but more costly than regular 67 MLU.
Also, has a focal plane shutter which some consider a liablility but I have had no problems.

Mamiya 7, light, good optics, most expensive.

So for your stated goal, I would get the Pentax 67, (67II if you can afford it) with 45, 90, 165 lenses or perhaps the macro lens.

I have a Pentax 67 and 67II. I can carry a body with lens, a second lens, several rolls of film and incidentals in a small insulated soft sided lunch box.
 

k_jupiter

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Walkabout 6x7? Probably a Pentax is your only good answer. Fuji made a couple of rangefinder folders in the early 90s but... hard to get at a reasonable price in good shape.

I use a rb67 but it's limited as a walkabout...

Try readjusting your thinking to 6x6 and start looking at a C220 with 65mm lens, or a Yashicamat/Rollie TLR.

tim in san jose
 

Steve Smith

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Chazzy

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If you want a 6x7 rangefinder, like the Mamiya 7, but at a lower price, the Koni-Omega and Rapid Omega cameras are a bargain. They're very fast to shoot, the construction is rugged and the optics are great too. But I can't tell you how the weight compares to a Mamiya RB67.
 

dougjgreen

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I can - they're lighter, but not all that much lighter. They weigh about double what a Mamiya 7 weighs. But, you can get a working one with 90mm lens for $150-200. And you'll need a hand-held meter.
 

Tomf2468

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Pentax 67 is the most 35mm like of the options. Very nice system, not light weight, but lighter than the medium format studio cameras. You might consider trying an inexpensive 6x6 or 6x9 folder first. If you can shoot without a built in meter, I've found my inexpensive used Moskva 5 a great and fun and LIGHT little camera. It won't replace my Pentax67 (no interchangeable lenses, smaller choice of shutter speeds), but I am using it a LOT in "walk around" situations.
 

geoferrell

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You might check out the Mamiya Universal which can use 6x7, 6x9 and 6x6 along with 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 polaroid film full frame with certain lenses.
 

mikebarger

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The Koni Omega's get very little respect here; maybe because of their low cost. These are great camera's if you want to get into big negatives (6x7).

I've got one I carry in my truck under the seat all the time.

Mike
 

thebanana

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Fuji GW670, either the II or the III models. Or if you prefer a wider lens, the GSW II or III.
 

2F/2F

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Why is it that you need 6x7? I would say that if walking around is your main use for the camera, and you need something with a low price tag, a 6x4.5 or 6x6 camera would serve you best. A Bronica SQ, for example (Hassy clone), or Pentax, Mamiya, or Bronica 645s.

I have two Mamiya Press bodies (one Universal and one Super 23), and they are more obtrusive than a waist level RB/RZ, though they are great cameras. They are also not small or light.

The Fuji Rfs are cool, though not the choice if you want a system camera.

If you need 6x7, I would think about a Pentax 67 and a WLF. They are simple to use. It is basically a big 35, with all the drawbacks and advantages of such. Its main benefits on the street are the D of F scales, the lack of bells and whistles like an RB/RZ, and its shape that lets it hang against your body with the lens oriented forward, unlike the RB/RZ.

Be aware that the Pentax 67 shot from eye level needs the fastest shutter speeds for the sharpest shots. That is why I suggested the WLF.

Also, if flash is a consideration, the Pentax can only synch at '30 or slower, while the RB/RZ can synch at all speeds.

The best of both worlds would be a 2x3 Speed Graphic. They are light, compact, versatile, well made, and inexpensive. 6x6, 6x7, or 6x9 capable, focal plane or leaf shutter, ground glass or viewfinder focusing, etc. No D of F scales, though. You can rig your own, however, or use charts.
 

gerryyaum

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The RB67 is a good camera but NOT a camera you can carry around like a 35mm. If you can imagine carrying around a car battery in your camera bag then thats what you can expect lugging around a RB67(I have tried it before in South East Asia heat).

I would recomend the Mamiya 7 a nice light camera that is made for travelling and has good optics (it will cost you more but it is worth it).

Gerry
www.gerryyaum.com
 

2F/2F

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I agree, but I'd consider the 105mm lens instead of the 90. It is faster by half a stop (and one of the fastest lenses in ANY medium format system). This can help when a faster shutter speed is required, and is most helpful if you want to shoot in any sort of low light that will require shooting wide open.

I'm not trying to start an f/2.8 vs. f/2.4 argument similar to an f/1.4 vs. f/1.2 argument; just mentioning the lens in case you might shoot in low light. With a 125 film, shooting at '250, you are at f/2.8 in the shade, even on a bright and sunny day.


I agree, but the OP is aware of the Mamiya 7, and has stated that it is out of range price wise.
 
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apconan

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Thanks for all the replies, except for the person who said I have to go to 6x6. There is a reason people make threads with specific topics...

It is looking like saving for a mamiya 7 might be my best option, although the koni-omega seems good too. I just really like the slightly off-square proportion of 6x7.
 

2F/2F

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"Thanks for all the replies, except for the person who said I have to go to 6x6. There is a reason people make threads with specific topics..."

Nobody said that you have to go 6x6. A simple thank you would suffice. Now I am sorry for writing anything at all.
 

jovo

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apconan said:
Thanks for all the replies, except for the person who said I have to go to 6x6. There is a reason people make threads with specific topics...
Click to expand...

Your response is rather hostile to a well meant suggestion. Keep in mind that a square negative can be easily cropped to a rectangle, and no futzing with the tripod (if you use one) is necessary to achieve that outcome. I have a P67, and a Mamiya C330, and I love them both. The Mamiya is a much lighter kit, and I choose it immediately if weight and compactness is requisite.

Please check your attitude at the door. Consider all responses as considerate, in their individual ways, of your inquiry. If you've decided to be a scold, you're tenure here will not last long in terms of friendly offerings.
 

k_jupiter

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Right on John. I too suggested they look at a C220 or the like and I demand the same rights as 2F/2F to be insulted!

Rolls eyes.

I now suggest this guy get a rb67 because that is the format he insists upon and the price is what he can afford. Then when he realizes after several months that he needs shoulder surgery to correct for the weight of that camera, he will know he was penny foolish.

I too prefer my C220 for my walkabout camera. The rb is sometimes shot handheld, but the results are far superior when it perches on a tripod.

tim in san jose
 

rootberry

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My problem is that I want every camera..

I don't want to hijack, but I am in the same boat. How hand holdable is the 7ii? I really really want a camera with a meter in it, never had one before!
 

2F/2F

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If it makes you feel any better, Tim, I was being insulted on your behalf!

I agree about Mamiya C, and I should have mentioned it as well.

I wish there was a simple way to rig the C cameras to shoot 6x4.5, though.

What Tim and I are saying (I think) is that 6x6 or 6x4.5 gives many "better" options for what the OP describes doing with the camera. (A replacement for 35mm as an every day shooter, right?) 6x4.5 holds up plenty well all the way to 16x20 in my opinion. Will the OP be making larger than 16x20 prints of his/her every day walking around stuff? If so, maybe he/she does need 6x7. If not, I think it would be sensible to at least consider other options for medium format frame sizes.
 
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gerryyaum

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2F/2F said:
I agree, but the OP is aware of the Mamiya 7, and has stated that it is out of range price wise.
Click to expand...


Yes I understand that, but the difference in price with film cameras falling on ebay is not that big a deal. The pentax 67 and the other cameras mentioned are all pretty darn heavy...I recommend saving a bit longer and getting a Mamiya 7. The prices on ebay are about $800-1000 different on newish 7s and RBs, in my opinion it is worth it.

The first time you carry that heavy RB camera (or other heavy camera mentioned) a long distance I think the OP might decide he made the wrong choice. You get what you pay for.

Another camera to consider if we are changing neg sizes would be the Mamiya 6(6x6). One problem with the 6 and probably the 7 is that eventually the film advance breaks down (has happened to me 3 times with 3 different Mamiya 6 cameras).

Thanks Gerry
 

gerryyaum

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rootberry said:
My problem is that I want every camera..

I don't want to hijack, but I am in the same boat. How hand holdable is the 7ii? I really really want a camera with a meter in it, never had one before!
Click to expand...

come to my basement, they are all there, alphabetically.
 
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