Delicate Mamiya 7 uqestion.

[sc_rufctr]

Hi all, I'm considering buying a Mamiya 7. There is a complete kit for sale locally for a good price.

I don't mean this to be negative but...

How well built is this camera?
How does it feel in your hands?

The reason I ask is because during my research I came across some articles online that complain about the build quality of this camera.
I would prefer to hear from people who have actually owned and used this camera rather than rely on an online review to make a decision.
That in hand feel is important to me although picture quality is also very important.
I don't expect it to be perfect but it would be nice if it felt like a quality camera.

I mainly shoot black and white with my M3 but I would also like to try color with the Mamiya.

I used to own a Pentax 67 years ago but couldn't get into it mainly because of its size and bulk.
Also, my children were young at the time and I didn't have the extra time to make a decent effort with the 67.

So, How does the Mamiya compare to a 67?

Please feel free to give me your honest assessment of this camera.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I have shot with a Mamiya 7 for about six years. I shoot it the same way as I do a 35mm rangefinder. That is I carry it in my hand with no strap, no bag. It works just like a 35mm RF to me just a big bigger.

I use my equipment. I don't intentionally abuse it but I treat it as a tool, a replaceable tool if need be. Now it would be an expensive replacement but it still is only a tool. My Mamiya 7 has never required any service. Since the local pro camera repairman is also a personal friend, I never hesitate to take something to him. My Mamiya 7 has just been rock solid.

I have never actually shot with a Pentax 67. I have held one and concluded it was not the camera I would want to carry in my hand for hours. The Mamiya 7 is.

 

[Krzys]

I've seen enough broken ones on ebay and shot/owned a broken one to know that I personally would not travel with one for an extended period of time.

I would shoot with it locally though.

The 80mm and 65mm lenses are amazing.

 

[coelacanth]

I use Mamiya 7. I've also used my friend's Pentax 67.

I think a lot of people feel Mamiya 7 is cheaply made or feels cheap in your hands because of plastic exterior. The camera is extremely well built, doesn't feel cheap, and even though I bought it used, everything is working smoothly with no problem so far.

It's a LOT lighter than Pentax, and for actual use, extremely easy-to-use focusing and 35mm RF like handling really shine. It's still a modern camera with electronic shutter and AE functions. When it breaks, it breaks, and it's probably less likely to be fixable after several more decades, unlike Leica or Hassy 500CM. But it is a tool to shoot photo. For that purpose, Mamiya 7 works beautifully and I'm extremely happy with the results I've got so far. Because of how the grip is shaped, I think both large and small hand (like me) users will be happy for all day shoot out. But again, it's a camera driven by battery. I've used my Leica M in misty rain (with some protection between shoots) for several days with no hesitation, but I won't do the same with Mamiya 7 or any battery driven cameras.

It probably comes down to SLR vs RF choice in the end. If you want/need SLR, of course Pentax 67 will win you. But if you see RF to be highly beneficial for your use and can live with its limitations, Mamiya 7 is one damn good 6x7 camera, and I have absolutely no complain about its built quality or handling.

 

[john_s]

It depends on how you treat them. I don't think any camera responds well to dropping, being crushed etc. I have used a Mamiya 7 for several years without a problem. It has gone on long trips. But I have handled it gently. The finish can get tatty, compared to, for example, a pro Nikon. The electrical contacts between lens and body need to be gently cleaned sometimes.

 

[Krzys]

If the plastic base plate cracks then the camera will leak light. High chance that it will break if you drop the camera. Also watch out for the shutter curtain switch and the film advance lever breaking under stress.

Otherwise its sturdy 🙂

 

[Finder]

I have the camera's older brothers, the Mamiya 6 and 6MF. I have taken these cameras through the Japanese Alps at 3,000m, around Tibet, and on a 1,200km hike. I don't know why folks are babying these cameras. They are very durable--the 6 is supposed to have a dodgy winder, but I have not had a problem.

 

[coelacanth]

And let me say this again, this camera is friggin fast to shoot thanks to compact and short focusing throw. You can shoot 6x7 as fast as 35mm RF with AE, that's quite remarkable.

And also thanks to super quiet lens shutter, it's next to silent to shoot. Pentax 67 is one gorgeous camera, but oh boy that camera is heavy, and it's got the shutter sound that goes well with its badboyness. 😉

Candid hipshot, Tri-X@1600 in Rodinal, printed on Ilford MGIV Fb.

 

[sc_rufctr]

Thanks Sug. That's a great shot! >>> I'm feeling more drawn to a medium format camera after seeing that...

The Mamiya appeals because it's a relatively small rangefinder.
My Pentax was great but it felt gigantic compared to my Leica M3.

 

[davidpg]

I made the transition from a Leica M3 as my main camera to a Mamiya 7II almost two years ago. For my purposes (mostly landscape photography), the Mamiya is a wonderful camera, and the image quality from the large negative and excellent lenses trumps any draw backs. That said, it doesn't feel anything like a Leica in terms of build quality, but, as others have said, the underlying ruggedness is probably greater than the outside feel would suggest. I tend to treat all cameras gently, and I haven't had any trouble with the Mamiya.

I can tell a story about an abused 7II, though. I have a second body that was part of a deal for a lens. (Basically, the camera was given to me.) The owner had dropped it into the Bering Sea! Apparently, it was quickly retrieved and washed with fresh water and alcohol. Externally, it looked very good, and the owner said that it worked "about half the time". Though I managed to get the shutter to fire sometimes, it was clearly not usable. I sent it to Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works, who replaced the top circuit board and a part of the advance mechanism. It now seems to work fine, though I haven't used it much. So far as I know, the lens that was on the body when it got dunked was a total loss.

Overall, I think that the build quality is quite good. I don't hesitate to travel with it, but I wouldn't use it under conditions where it was likely to be subjected to falls or other shocks.

David

 

[coelacanth]

Peter,

What's great about Mamiya 7 is that I have no need of switching my brain from shooting my Leica M to Mamiya 7. (other than remembering the power switch which is actually a shutter release safety switch)

A couple more shots:

Same technique as the one above. Pre-focused to off direction roughly same distane to the actual subject, non-eye-level shooting, Tri-X@1600 in Rodinal, printed on Ilford MGIV Fb.

Pentax 67 vs Mamiya 7 lol, Tri-X@1600 in Rodinal, printed on Ilford MGIV Fb.

 

[MT4]

I have mamiya 7ii and think that it is an extreamly reliable and solid camera within the resonable limits applied to every camera. This camera provides the best results I personally ever had.
Michael

 

[Gary E]

I have the camera's older brothers, the Mamiya 6 and 6MF. I have taken these cameras through the Japanese Alps at 3,000m, around Tibet, and on a 1,200km hike. I don't know why folks are babying these cameras. They are very durable--the 6 is supposed to have a dodgy winder, but I have not had a problem.

Ditto, except for the Japanese Alps and Tibet part. I'm currently traveling through Asia now and have not encountered any issues. Where I've been has been hot, humid and then some. I don't baby my 6MF but at the same time don't wind the advance like I'm shooting the Indy 500. The Mamiya cameras are rugged enough, and the lenses are phenomenal enough to forgive any shortcomings the body may present.

 

[sc_rufctr]

Thanks for your inputs gents especially "Sug" for posting those great pics.
I'm definitely getting one soon.

I'll post my first pics when I do. 😀

(Just wish Leica would make a similar system... An M style body with 4 or 5 different lenses???)

 

[Johnmcd]

I love the handling. In fact of all the cameras I have used it's hard to beat - and that's after owning one for a few weeks only. It certainly feels solid enough especially the lens and lens attachment point.

The VF is a joy to use and has the brightest patch I've ever used. Focusing is very fast and definite as a result.

And of course, very quiet shutter. After using a SLR or even my R-D1, it is nearly an anti-climax it's so quiet.

It's like my R-D1, I've stopped worrying about whether it might break I just look forward to using it and if it breaks? There's more where that came from and they are still available new.

John