Should I get an Mamiya 7 to go along with my M8?

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aniMal

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Got to put the question to everyone in this room - should I get a 7 to assist my M8?

I have been using a set of Mamiya RZ67 alongside with my other gear - and I just love to have that quality. It fills in digital work nicely, and I have started some projects on 120 film that I will keep working on for a prolonged time.

But; the RZ is of course huge and bulky. I love all the possibilities with them, but could do without. Also I can get a 43 mm on the 7 in the long term, there is nothing like that with the RZ.

How is the Mamiya 7 compared to RZ? I am thinking in terms of build quality and image quality mainly... Is the 7 II that much better, or is it the same when I mostly use a hand held light meter anyway?
 
It is... But, I think I will go for a system camera - so that I can bring a full set of M + medium format on trips or jobs...

6X9 is alluring though - even better resolution than 6X7.
 
Some of the biggest reasons I purchased the 7 II are
1. it's metered & meters very accurately (this is huge for me)
2. light & portable like a 35mm
3. it shoots fast almost like a MF 35 mm but you get amazingly sharp results.

The bad news is

If you are manually setting the exposure you loose all of the stops in between the stops (stepless shutter) so shooting chromes is more difficult.

If you use anything wider than the 65mm you have to be fluent with the zone system of metering (spot meter)

And you're going to have to give up that shallow DOF you have with your RB67. No 2.8 lenses for the Mamiya 7, but somehow I don't mind (actually when I want paper thin DOF I just use my Rollie 2.8)

hoping this helps -Ian
 
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I bought a used Mamyia 7 and the 65 mm lens on an impulse about three years ago and have been more than happy with it. I shoot it long with a Bronica GS (not quite the weight, size of the RZ, but close enough). As countless others have attested to; you will have no complaints about the 7’s image quality. While its build quality does not inspire the confidence of a Lieca, the camera seems to hold up well enough. I’ve hiked and traveled with it quite a bit and never had a problem. For me at least, it allows me to shoot 67 at times when the Bronica kit is too much to carry or don’t have the time to set up a tripod.
 
this may sound like a stupid response, but ....
why do you believe that i might be able to tell you what you should do?
Click to expand...

I dont believe that you can! Nor can others having a 7, but I can still get a lot of useful info... Then make my own decision of course!

Sounds great if the meter is very accurate. I have no real doubts about build and image quality -so it seems I will sell some other gear to get one.

What is most alluring overall, is the ratio of size/weight and image quality.
 
metering is OK, but for me, shooting mono and using coloured filters, the lack of half stops in manual is real nuisance (if I use an orange and dial in +2 stops compensation in AE mode, I cannot add any more plus compensation...so have to reduce the ISO setting to allow the exposure comp dial to be at +1 or zero...then you remove the filter, forget you have changed the ISO and are in trouble). It is not bad with AEL and I am sure I will get a system nailed that works for me before long.

Image quality is simply peerless. The lenses are tack sharp from wide open, have great coverage and at 1-2 stops down are quite literally without competition. Without that mirror you will get super sharp images handheld with no trouble. My RF645 is darned sharp and possibly as sharp, but the Mamiya 7 has the larger neg. In terms of handling, the RF645 is way ahead however, IMO. faster, better metering, better exposure compensation, better ergonomics, auto light shield for faster lens changes etc.

I suspect that at larger print sizes you will find your Mamiya 7 sharper than the RZ. I owned an RZ but shot mainly portraits so cannot really compare like with like. The negs from my Mamiya 7 absolutely blow me away. However, I am not yet able to sell my RF645, which is such a great camera in use. The Mamiya 7 is also almost silent. Quieter than a Leica M.
 
I should have added that i carry a Leica M and Mamiya 7 here in Kabul. They work well together. the Mamiya 7 provides a fairly epic leap in resolution and tonality if that is what you desire. It is not always desirable, but when I intend to print big and want lots of detail, the mamiya is there. when I want greater fluidity, fewer film changes and more grain, enter the Leica.

I have the 50, 65,80 and 150. All are spectacular. I use the 50 without the finder, using the inside edge of the finder and allow a touch more to be recorded on film. This made the 50 much more usable for me. The 65 is the pick of the bunch for me, good framelines and a great all round lens.
 
Hmm... I really would be happy if the image quality/sharpness is even better than with the RZ!

On the downside, I do not like non-TTL metering - I would probably not use it too much. It should be easy to set half-stops on the aperture ring though?

Really interesting pictures from Kabul there - do you do any kind of assigments from Afghanistan? Should not be many people in the world carrying 6X7 film into places like that - I sure would like to see your images in actual print & exhibited...
 
aniMal,

The Mamiya 7 does not have half stops on some of the lenses. Sounds ridiculous, but true! I think the metering will be entirely manageable because it reads from a very small area in the vicinity of the patch. Mine is smack on the patch and so I can use it like a partial meter fairly accurately. now I just need to learn the relationship between what the camera meters and the results on film so I am tuned in. The stepless shutter allows for variations in speed between apetures, so for this level of exposure flexibility, using AE or AEL is a must. I am working with the latter and will sort my results from there.

I dont do assignments here, but try to get out once a fortnight for a few hours...and you are right, there are not too many 6x7s here although I know of one more Mamiya 7II in Kabul! right now I am trying to get the time to take more shots, but with it being just past mid summer, the light is harsh and the air dusty. In a couple of months conditions will be bettter! If I get enough images I am happy with I will try to aim for an exhibition, possibly 12-18 months from now. The problem now is time...and security.
 
I can imagine time & security being an issue, regardless of what kind of work you do there...

Most lenses with only full stops can easily be set in between - surely this is possible with the 7 too?

Anyway - seems like I will have to way a little longer before getting one, but it is now definitely a goal.
 
This is brutal,
Last week I was at home drooling over a Mamiya 7II. Now all week in Mexico one of the photographers with me is using the 7II and I went through a book he made using strictly the Mamiya.
Now here we are talking about it.
 
aniMal said:
I can imagine time & security being an issue, regardless of what kind of work you do there...

Most lenses with only full stops can easily be set in between - surely this is possible with the 7 too?

Anyway - seems like I will have to way a little longer before getting one, but it is now definitely a goal.
Click to expand...

AniMAL,

It is possible and i will give it a go - I have to say it is not something I have ever had to do before! Looking at the aperture blades they do move nicely and proportionately between stops.

If you do get one, wait to see the astonishing image quality...
 
I expect this may be an unhelpful response revealing more about my own weakness for equipment than "the answer"
but anyways...

After upgrading to the Canon 5D a while ago, but also using Leica M film bodies, I bought the M8 earlier this year. I still love it and the 5D now only comes out for certain professional assignments.

The I just got an M7. It i a lovely camera. Very portable and the 43mm lens is a beauty. The lenses seem razor sharp to me - like some of the best leicas but MF. For outdoor stuff, when you don't want to be fixed to a tripod, I expect it is the best MF kit you can buy.

But then the bug having caught me I recntly also got an Rz67. I have not had it enough to common on the quality (though I am sure it is fine), but I ove using it. I got it for studio work, for those times I want to be on a tripod and set things up carefully and weight is not such an issue, for the bellows focussing, interchangeable and revolving backs and fact you can focus closer, better for still lifes and certain kinds of portraits.

I love all three. I have far too many cameras (I like buying and using different ones) but the M8, M7 and RZ67 would be my favourite 3. The M8 can go everywhere. The M7 is as potable as a DSLR but invariably has better quality. And the RZ67 is a beautiful piece of machinery for certain types of more planned work.

I'm off to Italy for the weekend and I will take just the M8 and the M7, the RZ too much for that. But next time I go there for a longer stay I will take the Rz instead of the M7 and a tripod.


So my advice would be to get it to get the M7, it is a great camera. But keep hold of the RZ too if you can
 
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