Apples vs Oranges: Summicron 35 v4 or Mamiya 6 (maybe 7)

Apples vs Oranges: Summicron 35 v4 or Mamiya 6 (maybe 7)

  • Summicron

    Votes: 21 18.8%

  • Mamiya

    Votes: 65 58.0%

  • Orapplenges

    Votes: 26 23.2%
  • Total voters
    112
As was said earlier - you already have a fantastic 35mm lens - 35/1.2, so I see no need for a cron. As far as Mamiya - sounds cool, but If you want a Med. format camera ( and looks like you already have a few) I'd go for an SLR type, since you already have a Fuji 645 and TLRs. But really - best advice came from everyone who said - take that money and TRAVEL! You already have more than enough gear to get great photos - I know - I've seen your photos!
 
If you intend to shoot indoors...1600 with f2...is what you need. A lens with f4 is too slow. IMHO f4 lenses are for outdoor sunlight. If you intend to stay with Leica & film go with the 35mm v4 as you will not be disappointed. An M with that lens is pocket size.
 
thanks to you all. I found a nice Mamiya 6 Kit including the 50mm and 150mm lenses which should be here by next tuesday for about 1000€. a hell lotta cash for me, more than I ever payed at once for camera gear (a bit more than I would have payed for the 'cron, but still less than a lot of people paid for their cron 😀 ), but I sold a lot of the gear I do not use to afford it and will continue trying to reduce the gear that's left down to what I 'need' for use (a 35mm rangefinder kit and a medium format rangefinder kit) and the few things that I don't use much but have enough emotional value for me not to part with them.
the fuji gs645s might be off for sale too when I have the mamiya, but I'm not sure about that yet. it's a very decent, compact and lightweight medium format camera... then again, as some of you noted, it's also the price of a flight to, i.e., iceland and back home. we'll see.
 
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Ljós said:
Simon,

to throw another wrench in you works 🙂 : For the money you can get yourself a NICE Rolleiflex. Quieter than both Leica and Mamiya. Real classy. Wonderful results.

Not what you were asking for, but think about: it will be a completely different experience. You will literally (because of waistlevel viewing) get a different angle on things. And the long term value and joy that comes with a Rolleiflex is hard to match.

Just sayin' 🙂
Click to expand...

+1

Had a Mamiya 6 (great camera) but I really prefer my Rolleiflex. Waist-level is great, accessories are awesome (close-up). It's just a joy.

Not that the Mamiya is bad. I loved it while I had it. But I prefer the images & handling of the Rolleiflex, its images have a 3D quality my Mamiya never showed.
 
From what you have pictured in the past and your shooting style, I can guarantee that you will absolutely love the mamiya 6.
 
morback said:
+1

Had a Mamiya 6 (great camera) but I really prefer my Rolleiflex. Waist-level is great, accessories are awesome (close-up). It's just a joy.

Not that the Mamiya is bad. I loved it while I had it. But I prefer the images & handling of the Rolleiflex, its images have a 3D quality my Mamiya never showed.
Click to expand...

Ahh the cult of Rollei. Unless you get the GX, or the 2.8F, you need a meter. I am not very good at guessing exposure, and the Sunny 16 rule doesn't always work for me.

Part of the appeal of the Mamiya 6, is that it has a meter and AE. And it has the ability to change lenses.

Rollei's are like Leica M's in my opinion, part of the joy is just holding it and fondling it. That's ok, get your cool-old-camera-joy on. But for me, it's easier to take street pictures or candid's with a RF - the Mamiya 6. I had a C220 TLR, and I got some nice pictures. but TLR's slow me down, and I even mounted a Voigtlander VC II meter on the bracket shoe

3924926634_da04eaf5bf.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrisney/3924926634/sizes/m/


dialing it in, and adjusting ... too much time, my original subject moved on, missed her, agggggh. tedious.


Mamiya 6 with AE, and I know some complain about the meter, and the 50mm wide angle, much more versatility than a TLR.

Rollei's are like old bathtub 356 Porsches, ... very cool, but at only 90HP, a BMW 320i can dust them 😉 Just my .02
 
Yesterday, while going about my usual photowalk in Tokyo's Shibuya, I spotted a guy with a gigantic Fuji 6x9 RF . My M2 looked decidedly anaemic.

Now I want my own MF! Lucky Camera (http://www.lucky-camera.com/main2.html) in Shinjuku has a few on display in their shop including TLRs, Makinas, a Bronica and Mamiyas.
 
Steve Bellayr said:
If you intend to shoot indoors...1600 with f2...is what you need. A lens with f4 is too slow. IMHO f4 lenses are for outdoor sunlight. If you intend to stay with Leica & film go with the 35mm v4 as you will not be disappointed. An M with that lens is pocket size.
Click to expand...

No, the 6s are fine indoors and in bad lighting conditions.
 
Definitely the Mamiya 6 - Summicrons are a dime a dozen, Mamiya 6's don't seem to be that common in Europe.

+ perfect rf/viewfinder
+ compact, easy to carry
+ great ergonomics
+ 6x6 beats 35mm any day
+ really, really, really sharp lens (only tried 75mm myself)

It is perfectly capable of low light use:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&z=t&w=22377923@N00&q=cammam6&m=tags

many of these were taken in available darkness - and the flare resistance of the lens comes in very useful here, since light sources in the frame don't wash everything else out. This makes up to a good extent for the relatively slow maximum aperture, but it is surprising what can be done with f3.5

- bokeh slightly harsh (probably not a problem for the kind of photos you take, it's not a big deal anyway)


Compared to Rollei: better handling, lens doesn't flare at the slightest hint of light sources, sharper, flash shoe etc. But I think the Rollei still has the best all round balance of sharpness/beautiful oof areas of any lens I've used (if only it didn't flare..). Best bet is both!
 
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I think it depends on whether you can process 120 or 220 film yourself. There are fewer and fewer options for commercial processing of medium format film. The same is true for 35 mm, but less so.
So unless you are a do-it-yourselfer, get the 35 mm lens.
 
I've had the 35mm v4 cron, 35mm pre-asph lux, 35mm asph cron.
Also a Mamiya 7.

The Mamiya 7 was a bit big. Also a bit slow (f3.5). From what I've read about the Mamiya 6 I think I'd have been happier with the collapsible 6 rather than the 7. The 7's negatives were nice but if you want to print or scan you need more special equipment. And to develop you DIY(and get moon bends in the film) or pay big $$$ to send it to a lab.
In the end I sold the Mamiya 7 and never looked back.

My long journey of Leica lenses is now on the v4 cron. Small, fast, sweet. The famous bokeh starts at f4 moreso than f2. And better from beyond 1 meter. But even at f2 and close it's still fine. Also the digital Ms are getting faster so the f2 doesn't hold you back as much.

I like my pre-asph lux but it only focus to 0.9 meters which is tricky indoors. Also it flares where the v4 cron doesn't.

In short, the v4 cron is the most versatile. Sell your other 2 35mm lenses and buy the v4 cron. Forget the Mamiya.
 
SimonSawSunlight said:
thanks to you all. I found a nice Mamiya 6 Kit including the 50mm and 150mm lenses which should be here by next tuesday for about 1000€. a hell lotta cash for me, more than I ever payed at once for camera gear (a bit more than I would have payed for the 'cron, but still less than a lot of people paid for their cron 😀 ), but I sold a lot of the gear I do not use to afford it and will continue trying to reduce the gear that's left down to what I 'need' for use (a 35mm rangefinder kit and a medium format rangefinder kit) and the few things that I don't use much but have enough emotional value for me not to part with them.
the fuji gs645s might be off for sale too when I have the mamiya, but I'm not sure about that yet. it's a very decent, compact and lightweight medium format camera... then again, as some of you noted, it's also the price of a flight to, i.e., iceland and back home. we'll see.
Click to expand...


Hi Simon,
I was just curious to know how you are going with the Mamiya 6
 
It all depends on what you want to use it for, surely?

If you want to shoot low light light weight street, the mamiya wont get a look in, but if you want to shoot detailed encironmental portraits or landscapes, the bigger neg is compelling to say the least. I am not sure how such a poll can aid you when you have no stated intention or end state. Its a tool, but what do you want it for?
 
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