Anyone else use their Mamiya 7 as a 6x6

[Tadhgo]

Just wondering if anyone else uses their Mamiya 7 as a square format camera by cropping to 6x6.
I cant find a 6x7 mask for my enlarger so I have been printing my negatives using a 6x6 mask.
I find I like my images better when I crop them to 6x6.
Anyone else do this?

 

[mrisney]

I have been a longtime Mamiya 6 user, I have 2 as a matter of fact.
I prefer square, my first medium format camera was a 500CM, and the Mamiya rangefinders are about as part of my photography for the last 5 years as my Silvertone archtop is to my music.

Something about all the art photography books I have gazed through, 6x6 format resonates with me as something serious, artistic.

Anyways, the 7 has the 43mm, and that is the one lens that I think about, quite a bit.
So rather than the flippant responses that you may get in this thread, undoubtedly along the lines "Why don't you just get a Mamiya 6, if you are printing square ..."

I will say, I like your approach, as you get the iconic format of the square, and you have access to that amazing 43mm 😉

 

[Tadhgo]

I have always found it hard to compose with a 6x6 camera. With the 6x7 negative I can take my time to compose a 6x6 shot, if that makes sense.

 

[GaryLH]

6x7 was never my favorite aspect ratio. I don't own the Mmiya 7, but I do own gf670 which I always shoot in 6x6. In medium format 6x6 and 6x9 are the aspect ratios I tend to use. 6x6 for general work and 6x9 for landscape.

Gary