+1 on the ETR/ETRS serie. Is reasonably priced and really well build. Glass is amazin.
I think image quality may depend more on other factors, like film/developer that the size. Quite portable and a pleasure to use.
Also use the Horseman 980 both on tripod and handheld. Really nice camera and images.
For 6x7, GS1 or RB67 are hard to beat. I use the RB67 and it can be cumbersome, although I use it hadheld from time to time. Mamiya glass is amazing. You can throw in Mamiya Press for something unusual.
Best regards.
Have you used the Mamiya press yourself? Any insight you can give on it? Not a HUGE amount online but the price is affordable and for what I'm looking for (entry level MF with a decent negative size) it seems cool. Not an SLR, sadly, but I think I can live with that under the right circumstances
Now I'm also considering a Mamiya Press! Which I just found out about. I like quirky/weird systems and the image quality and changeable backs seem good. It's also very cheap compared to a lot of the other systems here. Because I'm just shooting as a hobby and don't need flash or ***the best*** on the market, it seems like it may be a good choice.
Bronica ETRSi. Thumb winder, plain (no meter) prism. Kodak TMY-2, XTOL. Bam!
I tend to print 8X10 and 11X14, have not printed 6X20 in years, so a 6X6 is cropped to 645. The one advantage is that with 6X6 no fancy ball head, the camera needs little adjustment on a tripod and you crop both vertical and horizontal. Down side is that with 645 you need 15 frames rather tan 12 with 6X6 or 9 with 6X7. Another disadvantage of 645 is that the format is in portrait, vertical, need to turn the camera 90 degrees for most landscapes.
If you are into half frame 35mm, then 645 is a half frame like 120. I have 6x9 Fuji's (and 6x8) and every other thing. Film cost is a factor, 15 frames vs 10. Just saying.
Because I'm into half frame 35mm, I want to go for a bigger negative in this case, since that is something I already like in 35mm.
Because I'm into half frame 35mm, I want to go for a bigger negative in this case, since that is something I already like in 35mm.
Maris - you just gave a great argument for moving up to 4x5 instead of shooting MF at all, especially since the weight of an RB system exceeds that of numerous 4x5's.
Hello!
First of all, I want to say I love this forum and the wisdom provided here -- I've been posting a decent amount of questions and was always helped substantially.
I bought a Pentax 67 as my first entry into serious MF (I've used a Holga before). The winding mechanism almost immediately broke, and the seller agreed to take it back for a full refund. I'm now wanting to do more research about which camera I should get. I've always really liked the look of the Pentax 67, and went for it on sort of an impulse, but I want to make sure to explore my options in more detail.
I mostly take 35mm and am interested in half frame for everyday photography. I want to use MF for more planned out, slow photos. I'd like to be able to carry it around in a backpack and ideally go on some short hikes, but I'm not going to be carrying it on crazy 10 mile hikes, doing street photography, or carrying it around for very long periods of time. It will mostly be used for street and nature scenes and portraits. I also don't need ultra super mega high definition sharpness. More sharpness is better, but I'm not going to be making gigantic massive prints of everything I take. I am just a hobbyist and am fine with very mild concessions in quality that you can only witness when looking at things ultra close up, for a lower cost. I expect to shoot almost entirely on a tripod.
I'm interested in 6x7 SLR ideally, but one rangefinder is also here. The camera is unlikely to get heavy use. I may shoot 4 rolls a month, on a heavy month.
I don't want to spend more than $1,000 on everything I need to get shooting (body, lens, finder, etc).
Current options I'm considering:
Pentax 67 MLU
Pros: I like the look and workflow on the one I used, good array of lenses, seems fairly available
Cons: seems prone to breaking (may just be my experience), cost
Mamiya RB67
Pros: modularity, availability, all mechanical which I like
Cons: Have heard that it is also prone to breaking randomly and suddenly, but not sure how accurate this is. Size seems inconvenient but not that big of a deal for my usage.
Fuji GX680
Pros: Really cool modularity and options, lens movements are interesting to me, I kind of like that it's a bit insane, cost is good
Cons: lots of electronics which seem hard to replace and prone to breaking at their age, gigantic size
Bronica GS-1
Pros: cost is good, I like the modular options and handles and such
Cons: from what I've researched, it's harder to find a version in really good condition because fewer were made. Build quality seems somewhat lower than rb67
Fujica GM670
Pros: lower cost, seems really easy to use, all mechanical and I haven't heard anything about them failing or being very difficult/expensive to repair
Cons: rangefinder rather than SLR. I don't like this as much for framing. Also, the fact that it is a smaller and lighter camera is weirdly a slight con for me. I like being forced into a very very slow workflow, but I realize this is a bit of a silly "con".
I am open to also trying out an even cheaper 6x6, maybe a cheap TLR, and then continuing to wait and save up. Not that interested in Hasselblad. Would consider other options like the Kiev 60, but doesn't seem to have any distinct benefits.
Any insights here are much appreciated. I am continuing to do more research, but every time I've posted here, I always heard something new! Thanks.
Well, after all that, I decided to go in on a Mamiya Press Super 23 with a 6x7 back, for $219. Definitely an underdog pick from what I've read here, but I like the idea of having a weird camera, the condition seems good with easy returns to Japan, very cheap compared to these others, and I've liked everything I saw about the camera online. Easier purchase than a lot of these other more expensive cameras!
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