OP
OP
Ok so a bit like Mamiya Press/Polaroid cameras which were used for passport photos, an almost-single-purpose camera.
Talk me into /out of a Texas Leica
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I suspect there is some deliberate trolling going on, but that's OK. My own discovery of the versatility of these Texas Leicas came rather late in life, when I was starting to appreciate the need to scale down pack weight. For 35 years straight I was on an endurance plateau comfortable with a 90 lb pack in the mtns. I knew that wouldn't last forever, so I started acquiring alternative lighter gear. The Fuji 6X9 soon became my favorite mini-camera.
Even this past month, I've gotten way more priority darkroom images with that than the 4x5. Yeah, I'm itching to get out with the 8x10 too. I'm basically a format schizophrenic with too many voices in my head as it is. But when I don't want to bother figuring it all out, and am just betting on the odds, I now grab the Fuji 6X9 RF first.
Even this past month, I've gotten way more priority darkroom images with that than the 4x5. Yeah, I'm itching to get out with the 8x10 too. I'm basically a format schizophrenic with too many voices in my head as it is. But when I don't want to bother figuring it all out, and am just betting on the odds, I now grab the Fuji 6X9 RF first.
Add me to this list. I have several Linhofs, both 4x5 and 6x9. I love shooting them, but sometimes the Fuji is the better answer—if I need portability, speed, and handholding. And I rarely shoot wide open, so f5.6 is fine for my usage.
Rez, That may have been the idea for the original design, but unless you're strictly in the role of "photographer," the Press with it's grip & oversized back is awkward to carry or pack . The Fuji on the other hand, preserves, the 6x9 size, but is faster since, unlike the Press you don't have to cock the shutter separately from advancing the film. In fact they did a fine job essentially enlarging the 35mm shape, in much the same way that Pentax created the 6x7 SLR.
Personally neither 6x7 nor 4x5 are my preferred aspect ratios. So the Fuji 6x8 & 6x9 were a happy place for me. I'm sure many photographers adopted the big Fuji because they handled easily & fast & gave them a big negative.
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Yeah, that M7 43mm is a razor blade.
Years ago, I had all my Hassy stuff stolen in Spain. While I was waiting for the insurance to get straightened out once I got back, I rented an M7 system for a week and I was mighty impressed. So much so, I almost bought that in place of the Hassy... but, in the end I did not. Many times, I've reconsidered that decision given the M7 is sooo much smaller and more portable.
Yup. I have a Wisner 4x5, and one Speed Graphic each in 4x5 and 2x3, as well as a Mamiya Universal with 2x3 sheet- and rollfilm backs. I've traveled with both the Baby Speed and the Universal, but the GW690II is a much more efficient alternative if you don't need to change lenses.
Chuck if i do a quick mental calculation, I've got easily a thousand hours of carrying the big Fuji. I cut the waist belt off a Lowepro camera fanny pack and added a shoulder strap to carry it cross body, since i was already carrying a backpack. I worked as professional ski & mountain guide and carried it remote places, back country skiing, heli-skiing and climbing.
* Added a fishing photo for you as well*
I only work in black and white and the big negative (no surprise to you) yielded superb 16x20 and 20x24" prints. I've likely sold more large prints from Fuji negatives than any other system i used. As a matter of fact a photo from the very first roll paid 3x the price of the camera. IMO the Fuji 690 series had a pretty robust production from 1968-2003.
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Love these pix.
MattKing
Moderator
All the cameras designed for professional or commercial use were designed with a particular use or narrow range of uses in mind.
In some cases they were supplemented by an extensive set of accessories - usually introduced over the years - that helped widen their range of use.
And Hasselblad was a particular good example of that. When the original versions of Hasselblad SLRs were introduced, the 6x6 film size was barely adequate for many wedding and portrait uses, and rarely acceptable for commercial uses, but the camera's portability made it quite good for the burgeoning interest of more casual wedding and environmental portrait photography. The square format was also great for LP covers
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A long time family friend owned and operated a wedding and portrait and (to a certain extent) commercial photography studio called Artona Studios in Vancouver. I'll always remember attending a wedding during the 1970s when he happened to be the official photographer. He was then using a Mamiya RB67 for the formals, and a Koni-Omega for the casuals. He referred to them as his little cameras - he had recently transitioned from the cameras he had been using for years - an in-studio (8x10, 5x7, 4x5??) view camera for studio shots and a 4x5 Speed Graphic for more casual photos.
At that time, he wouldn't have considered a Hasselblad, because the negatives were too small for the qualities he needed and wanted.
And he was far from unusual.
The improvements in film that happened around then and in the years that followed, along with changes in public tastes, made camera that were previously unsuitable for some uses more suitable - those changes increased the flexibility and value of many cameras.
Of course, those same improvements in film also meant that in many cases where medium format was barely acceptable, 35mm film became appropriate, without any change in the cameras.
In some cases they were supplemented by an extensive set of accessories - usually introduced over the years - that helped widen their range of use.
And Hasselblad was a particular good example of that. When the original versions of Hasselblad SLRs were introduced, the 6x6 film size was barely adequate for many wedding and portrait uses, and rarely acceptable for commercial uses, but the camera's portability made it quite good for the burgeoning interest of more casual wedding and environmental portrait photography. The square format was also great for LP covers
.A long time family friend owned and operated a wedding and portrait and (to a certain extent) commercial photography studio called Artona Studios in Vancouver. I'll always remember attending a wedding during the 1970s when he happened to be the official photographer. He was then using a Mamiya RB67 for the formals, and a Koni-Omega for the casuals. He referred to them as his little cameras - he had recently transitioned from the cameras he had been using for years - an in-studio (8x10, 5x7, 4x5??) view camera for studio shots and a 4x5 Speed Graphic for more casual photos.
At that time, he wouldn't have considered a Hasselblad, because the negatives were too small for the qualities he needed and wanted.
And he was far from unusual.
The improvements in film that happened around then and in the years that followed, along with changes in public tastes, made camera that were previously unsuitable for some uses more suitable - those changes increased the flexibility and value of many cameras.
Of course, those same improvements in film also meant that in many cases where medium format was barely acceptable, 35mm film became appropriate, without any change in the cameras.
Fortunately I have the GL690 with 65, 100, 150, and 180, so I can change lenses. I'd love the 50, but they seem to be unobtanium. I don't use the 180 because I need to send it for CLA. The shutter fires when I remove my finger from the button, not when I press it down. The rest of the lenses are quite good--65, 100, 150 is a good spread. 50, 100, 180 would be even better. But usually I only take the 100 because the lenses are quite beefy.
The Polaroid banded Mamiya was used in many different situations. As it used peel apart film you could shoot a test shot with a negative, the negative could be enlarged and was large enough to be useful, could be used as a high quaintly test shot for expensive commercial work to check lighting and design when shooting color 4X5 and larger film. I know a few police departments used it to document a crime scene, within limitations as it is not a macro camera.
I am nearly 100% sure that the Mamiya Press/Polaroid is just a configuration of a standard Mamiya Universal.
The Mamiya Universal had an interchangeable adapter system that allowed you to use Graflex rollfilm and sheet film backs, Mamiya rollfilm and sheet film backs, and Polaroid backs. That's why it was called "Universal". So it was hardly a single-purpose camera.
I have one with the G back and have used it with various Graflex RH backs as well as standard 2x3 sheet film holders and a Graflok ground glass back.
Unfortunately, to achieve this, Mamiya removed the back bellows that were present in the prior Super 23 model. The Super 23 didn't have back adapters - you had to order the camera for either Graflex or Mamiya backs "hardwired" into it. BUT, that back bellows was really nice for doing basic field camera corrections.
The point is that Mamiya envisioned the "Press" family as being an all around pro camera in a wide variety of settings. When I worked in my early days as an assistant, we used a Super 23 for portraits, weddings, news, insurance claim photography, and outdoor shots.
Unfortunately, the Mamiya Press optics were never stellar. I have the last generation 100mm f/3.5 in a Seiko shutter which was as good as they ever got. For weddings, portraits, newspaper placement and so forth, it was more than good enough. If you shot at 6x9 (rather than 6x7 or 6x6 - both of which were possible with the Graflex RH backs), the big negative made up for some of shortcomings of the optics. But it was no Zeiss less, or for that matter, even as good as the GW690's 90mm EBC Fujinon.
I keep my Universal around because of my history with the Super 23. I do still shoot with it occasionally for fun...
Most of the press lens line up would not work a polaroid body as they would not cover the larger size of the peel apart negative. Lens made for the polaroid boy will work on the standard press/universal if you made or found viewfinder, someone told me that Mamiya made a set of viewfinders, never seen one. I have the 55, 65 100 3.5, and 150, the only lens that I do find to be as sharp as other MF lens is the 150, while feels the 150 is first rate. I have enlarged up with 16X20 no issues with resolution. But, saying that, the Konica Omega Rapid System lens are better, which is why the Air Force picked the Rapid over the Press.
Not to deflect from the topic, but I have to say that I usually pick up my Blad. The Mamiya is technically a better camera: great and accurate spot meter, quiet to shoot, super easy to load, smaller, as you say, etc. But the Blad has a lot more soul. I've been trying to work up the courage to sell the Mamiya, but no luck so far....
Having owned most of the "majors" at one point or another, I have to say, the only cameras I've ever owned that screamed "more soul" were Leicas. There is something just mystically great about those bodies and Leica glass. (OK, so that's not quite true. The Argus C3 had a soul too
I love my 'Blad but I find it clinical and unforgiving of missteps.
Congratulations
I have not been so fortunate
I have not been so fortunate
The Polaroid 600 SE branded version of the Mamiya was basically a Mamiya Universal, but it used a different bayonet for the lens mount, so you can't interchange the lenses - just a bit of marketing lock-in, since Polaroid tended to subsidize cameras in order to sell film. The Polaroid lenses have 4 claws in the bayonet and the Mamiya lenses have 3, so it is possible to tell them apart if you look closely. I am not sure if you could remove the Polaroid back from the 600 SE and mount a Mamiya adapter frame and a roll film back - probably. There was a Polaroid back for the Mamiya Universal, which I do not have.
A few years ago, I went to see the Aretha Franklin concert movie "Amazing Grace" when it was finally completed, edited, and released (Highly recommended). I happened to notice that the stills photographer at the concert was using a Mamiya Super 23 - they are very recognizable. He also had an incredible amazing early-70s flared suit. I have the camera but will never look that stylish (or take a close-up still of Aretha Franklin in full gospel concert voice, for that matter).
Interesting, I never realized the different lens mounts existed. The back of it looks like it might have an adapter release mechanism that would take Graflex or Mamiya back adapters, but its hard to tell from just the pictures.
OP
OP
So I decided not to buy one in the end - there are more interesting alternatives.
Thank you all for your input!
Thank you all for your input!
I must disagree. The 75 mm f/5.6 and 100 mm f/2.8 are nothing but excellent, the latter can compete or even surpase the Fujinon 90 mm. The 50 mm f/6.3 is a very sharp and distorsion free Biogon design but extremely prone to flares even with the hood on.
My main problem with Mamiya Super 23 was the poor rangefinder and viewfinder. The rangefinder is not accurate enough for 6x9 and the viewfinder has developed too much haze with time. Also the abscence of any interlocks in the body (except the coupled rangefinder) resulted in an uncomfortable handheld use for me. The body is pretty much just a metallic box, like LF bodies.
On the other hand, Fuji GW690 is very well built and straightfoward to use (at least II and III versions). You are shooting after having it a couple of seconds in you hands
OP
OP
As a layman, do I understand correctly that these cameras made up for the, say, ok-ish lenses by having that huge 6x9 format?
I don't think you do understand it correctly.
Most lenses by the main lens/camera manufacturers — Mamiya, Fuji, Nikon, Canon, Bronica, etc. — are of excellent quality. Most, if well used — i.e., used by someone who not only understands the qualities of the lens but also how a change of format changes how you think about the image you're making — will give you a photo that, if the image itself is worth it, could hang on the wall of a museum.
In fact, most lenses have produced such photographs.
Next to that, you a a few very high level lenses, with prices to match.
Think about it this way. Most cars by the main car manufacturers — Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, VW, Mercedes, Ford, etc. — are of excellent quality. Meaning that, if well used and taken care of, they will take you quite comfortably where you want to go and last you years, even though they may have different features. Next to that there are Ferraris, Jags and Bugattis, but you don't need a Ferrari, Jag or Bugatti to have a great and enjoyable ride, and do what you need to do with your car.
Of course, you have different formats — hatchback, coupe, sedan, SUV, pick-up, etc. Each has its own particularities, each fits with your own needs. So saying a 6x9 is just a bigger 35mm makes as much sense as saying a Ford pick-up truck is just a bigger Hyundai hatchback, just because you have more room.
With lenses as with cars, you do have a few duds. They are generally easy to avoid. The lens on the GW690 certainly isn't one.
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Great post, Alex!
Many years ago, I went to a show of Ansel Adams's teenage photography taken with a Brownie. I was blown away.
And then there are great photographs taken with a Holga....Michael Kenna even has a book of them.
Many years ago, I went to a show of Ansel Adams's teenage photography taken with a Brownie. I was blown away.
And then there are great photographs taken with a Holga....Michael Kenna even has a book of them.
Nicely phrases Alex! Thank you.
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