JayC
5 kids,3 dogs,only 1 wife
Would you choose a Mamiya 6 with a 50mm and 75mm, or would you choose a Hasselblad 501cm with an 80mm cfe and a 150mm cfi lens? Why?
Thanks
Thanks
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Hassie. Close-ups.
kmallick
Well-known
This has been discussed in some fashion in the past. It all boils down to the type of shooting your prefer - SLR vs rangefinder. Both are exceptional machines and optics have their own flavor - sharpness of the Mamiyas vs the Zeiss signature on the Hassys. But I strongly feel that the choice is quite personal and linked to whether you like the handling of a SLR vs a rangefinder. I prefer the mamiya 6 myself for my type of photography, compact and light.
While in reality I don't think it is like this, handling of a Hasselblad would seem big and clunky compared to a Mamiya 6. That said, is that something that won't be an issue for you? Would you enjoy using a MF SLR type camera?
I am with Benjamin, Hasselblad, to slow down and think about my shooting, and close-ups.
I am with Benjamin, Hasselblad, to slow down and think about my shooting, and close-ups.
ruby.monkey
Veteran
The Mamiya. I already own a 6x6 SLR with 80mm Planar and 180mm Tele-Xenar, so the Hassy's role is covered (by something rather more civilised 
).
).Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Agree that it is intensely personal. I had a Mamiya 7 and I could never make peace with the slowness of the lenses or the close-focus limitations. But for a landscape shooter or an environmental portraitist, I would think it would be heaven. I use my Hassies indoors with strobes. And sometimes with extension tubes. But this is not the only way to use them, it is only how I use them. They are a system camera and quite customizable.
to the OP: what are you looking for? A travel camera? A "jack-of-all-trades" camera? A studio camera? Product photography? Your answer to this question will determine your choice, I think.
to the OP: what are you looking for? A travel camera? A "jack-of-all-trades" camera? A studio camera? Product photography? Your answer to this question will determine your choice, I think.
hans voralberg
Veteran
Apart from the comments above the Mamiya kit you're looking at there is wide oriented, while the Hassy is tele oriented What do you shoot more?
What do you shoot more?
JayC
5 kids,3 dogs,only 1 wife
I have a lot of history with both types of systems, never being satisfied. I started with a Hasselblad, then was drawn away by a Mamiya 7, then drawn back by another Hasselblad, then swayed by another Mamiya 7. Recently, I purchased the Mamiya 6 because I thought that the rf style and the square negative were what I had wanted all along. It gives me something fro each type of system.
The Mamiya 6 was to be my "travel" camera. But why not travel with my Leica? The lenses are smaller and faster and can be more useful in more situations. I wouldn't be tempted to want to travel with a Hasselblad.
The Mamiya 6 was to be my "travel" camera. But why not travel with my Leica? The lenses are smaller and faster and can be more useful in more situations. I wouldn't be tempted to want to travel with a Hasselblad.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
I think the RFF standard answer is: get both. It seems clear from your history that neither the Hassie nor the Mamiya completely fits the bill.
My answer to this when I was on my honeymoon (decades ago) in Japan was to take an M6 and a Fuji 6x4.5 rangefinder. I had the larger negative when I wanted it, but was not limited to a small number of images per roll.
If travel is your goal, then I think the Mamiya is the way to go. Or, for much less money, you could get a Fuji 6x7 or 6x9 RF -- I think there is one in the classifieds now.
My answer to this when I was on my honeymoon (decades ago) in Japan was to take an M6 and a Fuji 6x4.5 rangefinder. I had the larger negative when I wanted it, but was not limited to a small number of images per roll.
If travel is your goal, then I think the Mamiya is the way to go. Or, for much less money, you could get a Fuji 6x7 or 6x9 RF -- I think there is one in the classifieds now.
Sounds like you know the answer to your question.
Stick with the Leica.
Stick with the Leica.
KenR
Well-known
The Mamiya 6 is a superb travel camera- light, with a reasonably accurate meter. The 50 and the 75 are great lenses - but slow. If you need closeups or longer lenses than the heavier Haselblad is for you. Try them both out before you commit to a system.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Every once in a while I take a look at KEH to see whether a medium format digital back has come down in price from the stratosphere enough to slap on the back of a V series Hasselblad. Still waiting. Actually, I did see something recently, but when I went in and looked at the specs, it seemed like I was probably fine with the D3.
I wish there was a "Hack-Your-Mamiya" site that gave instructions for opening up the lenses another stop and focusing them three feet closer. But I think the "tidy package" design concept probably would be skuppered then.
I wish there was a "Hack-Your-Mamiya" site that gave instructions for opening up the lenses another stop and focusing them three feet closer. But I think the "tidy package" design concept probably would be skuppered then.
I had a 6 once, but the close focus limitation was a problem for me. I had a Hassy once, but the bigness and clunkiness was a problem for me.
Now have a Contax 645 which is even bigger than the Hassy, and a Fuji GA645zi. And so it goes...
Now have a Contax 645 which is even bigger than the Hassy, and a Fuji GA645zi. And so it goes...
brian steinberger
Established
Mamiya 6. I've used both cameras and now am in love with MF rangefinders. The Hasselblad is gonna be better for tele and close ups but the Mamiya is light, quicker to shoot and I believe the lenses are just a tad sharper. The best part is you don't always need a tripod.