First Test Results from Bronica RF645

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BCF

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Hi,

Just thought I'd post my impressions of the first roll of film I put through the camera for test purposes.

I ran 8 frames with the 45mm lens at varying apertures, and a similar 8 with the 65mm lens (just got the 100mm lens this morning and will be testing it this afternoon!).

I am truly astounded by the results of the cameras metering - despite it being centre weighted. I was equally flabbergasted by the sharpness of the colour negs, despite doing outside shots with film intended for portraiture and hand-held in overcast conditions. I can't wait for the return of the Acros B&W film. 😀

They are by far streets ahead of the results I got from my ETRSi ( - maybe I had a bad set of lenses there?). 😕

No complaints from me. When I start using it properly I'll post some images here on the forum.

Barry
 
Barry,

Welcome to the RF645 club! We all have had similar feelings when viewing the first roll of prints from this camera. You will also love the 100, if anything it is shaper than the 65 and 45mm, with great bokeh. And it is funny how accurate the meter is for a non-ttl, center weighted device.
 
Try shooting some chromes with it. The first time you see properly exposed medium format slides on a light table you will be blown away.

Bob
 
rpsawin said:
Try shooting some chromes with it. The first time you see properly exposed medium format slides on a light table you will be blown away.

Bob
Click to expand...

Totally true! Don't remind me! I might be tempted to buy a MF camera again if I look at my old 6x6 slides. 🙂
 
Bob,

You are soooo right re 'chromes', or as we over this side of the pond call them 'trannies'.

I did quite a few Velvia rolls with my old ETRSi - BUT ....... you truly appreciate them when you see a 5"x4" chrome/trannie on your lightbox. Big enough to be a space/time portal to take you back to where you were when you took it.

Thanks for the welcome too.

Barry
 
Hi George,

Before I invested my money in the Bronnie, I read your review, amongst others, and was very greatful that I did. I found it detailed, yet clear to follow so thank you.

Barry
 
You're going to continue loving the Bronica. I have owned/used a long list of medium format cameras, and none compare to the Bronica in terms of lens sharpness and usability.

Only recently, we had a meeting here in SEattle and half the members were RF645 users. To see 3 (or was it 4) RF645s in one place was quite a sight.
 
So, George, have you started looking for the 135 & a suitable external finder yet?

:angel:

More seriously I think I can understand your feelings a bit more of late than I used to. You see, I've wanted a Canon T90 since it came out in 1986. Couldn't even think about affording it, even recently, until a reseller posted one at a silly low BIN because they considered the DOF preview seriously busted (it turned out to be, literally, a 5 minute fix - that long only because of the number of screws involved. Reading a single page of the freely available Service manual tells all you'd need to know...)

But the scariest part is that it has turned out to be better than 20 years of desire made it out to be ... 😱 As it's an SLR I won't babble about it here & there are plently of wedsites for that camera anyway. Suffice to say you have an excellent system. Good luck & good light with it.

William
 
Welcome to RF645 ownership, Barry! Lovely camera system, and such a benefit for us that it made it to market at all given (at the time) impending collapse of MF. I don't know why I keep buying 35 gear; well, maybe that's just an outlet for Gear Acquisition Syndrome... as there really isn't anything to be added to the RF645 system. 🙂
 
Thanks guys.

Only two more items on my 'want list' - the RF-20 flashgun (just missed one here in the UK last week :bang: ) and a 135mm lens (again, just missed out on one here in the UK on EBay when it went for GBP 560 :bang: - about $1000)

I'm off to Amsterdam in 3 weeks and will be taking the RF645 with me to do some street photography there. Body, 3 lenses, film, B&W filters, and my Sekonic L-508, all pack away very nicely in my Lowepro shoulder bag so should be a breeze to carry around with me. I'll post some pics upon my return.
 
I've been pretty happy using the 45mm lens without its finder. I usually end with a little more on film than I saw through the finder, so that's OK.
 
I too use the 45 without its external viewfinder, and wish the 45 frames could have been integrated from the start into the built-in range/viewfinder. That reminds me of one "missing" product I'd wish for; a 35mm lens, but that's not going to happen now. 🙁
 
shutterflower said:
You're going to continue loving the Bronica. I have owned/used a long list of medium format cameras, and none compare to the Bronica in terms of lens sharpness and usability.

Only recently, we had a meeting here in SEattle and half the members were RF645 users. To see 3 (or was it 4) RF645s in one place was quite a sight.
Click to expand...

Shutterflower/George: It's incredibly refreshing to see a succinct review. Sure, you are possibly biased toward the Bronica, but that didn't keep you from being somewhat objective and to-the-point. Nice job; VERY interesting...made me WANT to try one out.

Laurence
 
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