Bronica RF 645 question.

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Saw a reasonable priced Bronica RF 645 and did some research about this RF. I stumbled over a photo of the opened back and I noticed that the 6x4.5 format is in "portrait" orientation (long side up).
What impact does this have on handling the camera? With my 35mm cameras I do mostly landscape oriented photos. For a landscape photo I have to turn the Bronica 90 Degrees, right?. So I always have to use the Bronica in "portrait orientation" where the camera is not so easy to handle as in "landscape orientation" ?
Is there anyone here who can tell me something about how the handling of the camera is? Or am I completely wrong here?
 
The default portrait orientation is a small price to pay for owning an RF645 IMO ... they are a magnificent camera.

Because the RF645 basically handles like a 35mm rangefinder (it really does) this has never been a problem for me Tom ... I'm sure other owners can echo this feeling! 🙂
 
+1 for what Keith said. The majority of my shots are in portrait mode anyway, so the Bronica makes life easy. However, turning the camera for landscape is no big deal.
 
Gid said:
+1 for what Keith said. The majority of my shots are in portrait mode anyway, so the Bronica makes life easy. However, turning the camera for landscape is no big deal.
Click to expand...

The turning itself may not be the problem. But with my M8 I find it difficult to focus in portrait mode sometimes. So when it's difficult, I focus in landscape mode and then turn the camera. This is not a big problem because portrait orientation is not what I use most.

Is focussing a problem when holding the camera in portrait orientation?
 
I would never attempt to focus a rangefinder when holding it in portrait orientation ... way too difficult!

I focus first then rotate the camera.
 
Bronica rf 645 question

Bronica rf 645 question

I have had this camera for two years now. It took me a couple of rolls to get use to turning it to shot like I shoot my M7 in its normal horizontal position. You have to focus with the camera in the "portait" position and then turn it 90 degrees. A small hassel, but I got used to it and can now do it with little problem. I am basically a street photographer here in NY City. In fact I will be using it today at the Greek Parade on 5th. Ave. But I have also found that there is a whole new world out there of verticals, i.e. "potrait" pictures.
 
Walter Leporati said:
I have had this camera for two years now. It took me a couple of rolls to get use to turning it to shot like I shoot my M7 in its normal horizontal position. You have to focus with the camera in the "portait" position and then turn it 90 degrees. A small hassel, but I got used to it and can now do it with little problem. I am basically a street photographer here in NY City. In fact I will be using it today at the Greek Parade on 5th. Ave. But I have also found that there is a whole new world out there of verticals, i.e. "potrait" pictures.
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Thanks for the info. But what happenend to your post-counter in the forum? 4,294,967,295 😱
 
I had one - it really is a nice camera (the only exception being the limited/awkward lineup of lenses). That being said, If I did 90% of my shots in landscape orientation I would probably pass - twisting the camera around for almost every shot would get really old very fast. It is too bad that they didn't make it a 6x6.
 
I own 2 bodies, and use mainly the landscape mode- again, a small price to pay for the rest of the magnificient camera system.
I think you have to focus in the portrait mode (as the double image moves side-to-side in that orientation) and i seem to have more vertical lines to focus with in that mode.
 
My most rewarding images have been taken either with the RF645--or with my RB67 or old Super Speed Graphic with the backs rotated to portrait format. Portrait format really grows on you after looking at the torrent of zillions of "standard" orientation photos most people are taking, and especially after looking at over-photoshopped digital images until you want to throw up. Leaf through Outdoor Photographer magazine some time if you want to immerse yourself in overblown, oversaturated, totally unrealistic color landscape images.

The RF645 with a 65mm is far and away my favorite MF carry camera. If you have one, treasure it. However, on trips when I don't mind humping some heavier stuff, the RB67 Pro-S (with the back turned vertical, of course) wins.
 
I've found that most of my shots with 135 are landscaped format and most with the Bronica RF are portrait. However, for those Broni landscape shots, the excellent grip makes rotating 90 deg no big deal. I feel much more steady with it in landscape than 135 in portrait.
 
tom.w.bn said:
The turning itself may not be the problem. But with my M8 I find it difficult to focus in portrait mode sometimes. So when it's difficult, I focus in landscape mode and then turn the camera. This is not a big problem because portrait orientation is not what I use most.

Is focussing a problem when holding the camera in portrait orientation?
Click to expand...

As others have said focusing in portrait and then turning is the way to go. The portrait orientation does grow on you.

If the camera is available for a good price its probably worth buying to try it out. I doubt you'd lose anything if you wanted to move it on. It is a very nice camera.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Thank you all. Thought over the weekend about it and made the decision on monday to do it, but camera was already gone :-(

I wanted to do 2 things: try my first MF camera and doing bw film development. So I will probably start with development on my 35mm camera first.
 
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