rowghani
Established
how much do these go for? heard they used to have 135mm lenses? are they not available anymore? 100 seems an odd length for your 'long' option.
bronica rf645 100mm lens
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Canyongazer
Canyongazer
As I understand it, the RF base of this camera was found to be too short for accurate focus with the 135.
jim_jm
Well-known
Yep, the RF645 was originally introduced with 65/135 framelines and the 135 lens was available. Whether it was because of user feedback, or Tamron realized there was a problem with focus accuracy, they soon changed the framelines to 65/100 and replaced the 135 lens with the 100mm.
Unfortunately, there are still some bodies out there with 135 framelines, and I haven't yet seen a definitive method to determine whether mine has 100 or 135 framelines, other than take some test shots to determine if the results match the VF framing. No serial# cutoff for this change, and no other external indicators, although it's a sure bet if you have a later serial# body it will have the 65/100 framelines.
Unfortunately, there are still some bodies out there with 135 framelines, and I haven't yet seen a definitive method to determine whether mine has 100 or 135 framelines, other than take some test shots to determine if the results match the VF framing. No serial# cutoff for this change, and no other external indicators, although it's a sure bet if you have a later serial# body it will have the 65/100 framelines.
mfogiel
Veteran
I think I paid around 400 USD for mine some time ago. The lens is excellent and similar in rendering to the 65mm, but size wise it is almost 3 times as long, has a very tiny hood, else it would intrude heavily into the VF, plus I advise you to check if you actually have 100mm frames on your camera, as the early models were fitted with 135mm frames. You can fix this in London, not sure about the States.
Here's a grab shot:
MF20142515 by marek fogiel, on Flickr
Here's a grab shot:
MF20142515 by marek fogiel, on FlickrSpanik
Well-known
From what I picked up on the net (maybe even this site) if the camera serial number starts with 0 it is for the 135, if it strats with 1 it is for the 100. But you could have the framelines changed to 100 on simple demand. All this was long before Bronica became part of Tamron.
As you say 100 is a silly length, nice for portraits maybe but not much use as a "tele". They are not that common but much easier to find (and pay for) than a 135. If you have a 135 you need to have the rangefinder adjusted for it.
As you say 100 is a silly length, nice for portraits maybe but not much use as a "tele". They are not that common but much easier to find (and pay for) than a 135. If you have a 135 you need to have the rangefinder adjusted for it.
SteveM
Established
I've heard the same as Spanik above. The serial number on my RF645 begins with 100 and the frameline is for the 100 mm lens. Haven't seen one for a long time, but they used to go for several hundred dollars. There was a crazy period when they were well over $1k, but no longer.
Steve
Steve
shawn
Veteran
The 100mm framelines are L shaped at top right and bottom left. The 135mm framelines are L shaped only at top right.
65mm
100mm
135mm
Shawn
65mm
100mm
135mm
Shawn
rowghani
Established
hey guys i might be able to get my hands on a 135mm and my camera has the framelines for it but whats this about the base being too short? does that mean its not going to work properly?? what a joke.
jim_jm
Well-known
It just means your focusing accuracy may not be great, especially when shooting wide-open.
That's one advantage of rangefinders with a larger base length like the Leica M3 or Contaxes - ability to focus accurately with longer / faster lenses.
That's one advantage of rangefinders with a larger base length like the Leica M3 or Contaxes - ability to focus accurately with longer / faster lenses.
It was a matter of manufacturing tolerances, as I've been told. If the sum of the slight errors mostly canceled out, then the 135 worked fine. If they stacked up at one extreme or the other, then there would be focus errors at wider apertures. The UK importer offered a matching service at one time, a good solution. So some unmodified original camera-lens combinations will be fine wide open, and the rest will need to be stopped down somewhat.
Ultimately, Tamron chose to recall all 135mm lenses and issue 100mm lenses in exchange, also replacing the camera frameline mask at no charge. Not all owners availed themselves of this exchange service, so that accounts for the few 00 serial bodies still with 135mm framelines, and the vanishing few 135mm lenses not turned in. All 100 serial bodies will have 100mm framelines, as will most 000 serials too as they have been modified.
I have both types of RF645, having gotten an unmodified older one in hopes of eventually finding the 135 lens, never did.
Ultimately, Tamron chose to recall all 135mm lenses and issue 100mm lenses in exchange, also replacing the camera frameline mask at no charge. Not all owners availed themselves of this exchange service, so that accounts for the few 00 serial bodies still with 135mm framelines, and the vanishing few 135mm lenses not turned in. All 100 serial bodies will have 100mm framelines, as will most 000 serials too as they have been modified.
I have both types of RF645, having gotten an unmodified older one in hopes of eventually finding the 135 lens, never did.
