I need a **medium format** "Portrait" camera...Help Please

[gregarpp]

I used the 127mm and 150mm 180mm mamiya lenses on my RZ67
For portraits.
Nice camera, but too heavy.
Hasselblad is half the size with a 6x6 negative.

My first hassy kit was $400
500C with a 80mm lens. (waistlevel finder)

 

[bmattock]

Mamiya and Pentax 645 cameras are nice...
But... I like to shoot portraits verticle. This means you have to hold a 645 camera sideways.
That is why I bought and sold Pentax and mamya 645 systems.

The RB series can be bought cheap... the backs revolve. Parts and repairs are easy to find.

Hey, I just learned something. I have always had 6x6 in SLR / TLR, 6x9 in RF, never 645. I just assumed (bad idea) that the 6x4.5 would be vertical in orientation. Whoops. Disregard my earlier stupid comment about that. Yes, tilting a bid MF camera over all the time would be a drag. I guess I'd rather keep shooting 6x6 and crop! Oh, plus my 5x chimney viewer is better than a prism anyway. But it sounds like a tank main gun being loaded when it goes off.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[dgray]

There are indications that Pentax will make a medium format digital camera body for their 645 lenses, presumably the autofocus system. If so, this would add a whole new dimension, making this a living system again, giving you another option (if $10,000 backs are in your league!), or more likely raising the interest and resale value of the kit if/when the body is released. Having said that, the Pentax 6x7, 67, or 67II systems are, like all MF systems, going for a song, give you HUGE negs, handle just like a 35mm slr, and are readily available. Gorgeous portraits are what this system was practically made for.

 

[triplefinger]

I have one of the new kiev 88 CM cameras from kievcamera.com and got a couple pentacon 6 lenses off ebay. they are fantastic & sharp and at a good price...
pentaconsix.com has lens tests etc.

good luck!

 

[Doug]

yeah that GA645 is nice but I dont think I need another rangefinder and I dont think it does portraits very well...

You are in the rangefinder forum, friend... And why do you think the GA645 would not do portraits very well?

There are many kinds of portraits, but often that word implies tight head'n'shoulders framing. If that's what you want, then you need a lens longer than normal. But full-length portraits or environmental portraits may well call for wide angle lenses. Of course RF cameras are well suited for this. It's all in what you want to do...

 

[jonasv]

uhm, a 645 camera is vertically orientated as far as I know. I would definitely go with a Pentax or Mamiya 645. Or a Bronica ETR series.

 

[JonasYip]

uhm, a 645 camera is vertically orientated as far as I know. I would definitely go with a Pentax or Mamiya 645. Or a Bronica ETR series.

I believe 645 rangefinders tend to be vertical, as the film travels horizontally, while 645 SLRs tend to be horizontal, as the film travels vertically.

As for the original question: I'd go with an RZ/RB for the rotating back and large 6x7 neg...

 

[oftheherd]

Don't be afraid of MF rangefinders. Be afraid of MF first if you must. They are bigger than 35mm of course. If you can get over that, you are half way home. In my experience, you quickly get used to the size and weight.

My personal belief about 645 is that it just isn't that much bigger than 35mm when 6x7 is available, and 6x7 is not that much bigger or heavier than most 645. The trouble with 6x6 is that you usually end up using only a 645 portion of the negative. Now that said, when I got my Yashica MAT 124 G many years ago I loved it until I got a 6x7. I now have a rolleiflex and it only gets taken out if I force myself to do it since I have it. I just prefer the 6x7 negative. Telephoto aux lenses are available for Yashica and rolleiflex TLRs. You might want to consider that route.

I don't think you will be sorry with any of the 6x7 cameras mentioned above. My 6x7 is a Mamiya Super Press 23. I have used it as a portrait camera. It has moving parallax correction in the viewfinder. I have used the normal 100mm lens for portraits, but the 150 is better. I find it quite 35mm like in use, but that may be just me. I don't see many people using the Mamiya RB/RZ series as easily. Maybe only because I never used one personally that I feel that way.

However, no matter what any of us say, bmattock is correct in that you have to make the choice and live with it. If you are so focused on the Kowa, perhaps you should go for it. Personal satisfaction will go a long way towards making you happy and that will only help you with photo taking. If you aren't happy, you aren't going to use the camera as much.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[oftheherd]

The more I have thought about this I think an aux telephoto lens for your Yashica would be a good route for you unless you just have your heart set on the Kowa. That option will save you a lot of money if portraiture is all you want to do. Actually, I have used the Yashica MAT 124 G for portraiture as is, without an aux lens. Back off just a bit and let the bigger negative do the rest.

However, I don't understand your problem with not having a prism. With a TLR, the image is reversed, but not upside down. That does take a little getting used to, but you can train your eyes/brain to do that. Is it the reversed image that is bothering you? If so, and you can't train yourself around it, another system is your only option.

It almost sounds like you are suffering from GAS. Long time members of the RFF forum have heard of that and discuss it from time to time, but no one seems to have any first hand experience with it. 😀 :bang:

 

[remrf]

The Mamiya 645 is a great camera and can be picked up for a lot less than you might think. I just put together a system with four lenses, finder, three film inserts, 2x extender and left hand grip for about $500.00 from ebay. I'll be shooting some portraits in the next few weeks and I have a wedding scheduled for April. With the left hand contoured grip I have no problem getting vertical framing. The camera is easy to use and has a nice feel in the hand. I would not put any faith in the add on lenses for the 6x6 tlr cameras. They are just not sharp enough .

 

[varjag]

If you intend to use the rig as studio/portrait setup, it makes sense to invest in the largest format you can afford or handle. 6x7 sounds like a good start 🙂

 

[RJBender]

I like 6x6, but I find it is not the ideal portrait format. 6x4.5 works well, as does 6x7 or 6x9 if shot sideways. 6x4.5 has the advantage of being vertical already. In that format, the world's your oyster. I'd look at the Pentax MF SLRs, but there are others. I shoot Bronica, but that's 6x6 and the only prism available is yucky, very dim.

Of course, there are those who retrofit a prism to a 6x6 TLR, you can always go that route if the only problem you find with your TLR is the prism finder. Mamiya TLR's had factory porro-prisms availble, they tend to go cheaper these days. Beware that a lot of them are shot-out and worn-out ex-pro wedding rigs, though.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

If the film spools are vertical, such as with the Fuji or Bronica rangefinders, then the 45mm side will be at the top of the frame. Mamiya 645's film spools are horizontal and the 60mm side is at the top.

R.J.

 

[bmattock]

If the film spools are vertical, such as with the Fuji or Bronica rangefinders, then the 45mm side will be at the top of the frame. Mamiya 645's film spools are horizontal and the 60mm side is at the top.

R.J.

Yes, you're right of course. I caught that later in the thread and owned up to it - I was wrong.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[JeffGreene]

Paramender

Paramender

If you are thinking Mamiya or even staying with Yashica you might consider the use of a paramender. It automatically corrects the parallax issue TLR's suffer from in doing portraits and other close-up work. A Mamiya 330f with a 135 was the portrait choice in the day, and Mamiya glass is quite sharp. Just my two cents. Good luck with whatever you select.

 

[danielnorton]

Mamiya TLR

Mamiya TLR

begin shameless plug :angel:


I actually have a mamiya tlr system for sale HERE The 135 and the porro finder (allows eye level viewing) as well as 2 bodies are still available. If you want to put together a kit, I can give you a price break

end shameless plug

If you want to move away from tlrs or 6x6 format, I am with the pentax 6x7 crowd. Though I use a Mamiya 645 pro tl for most of my work, If you don't need the speed of interchangeable backs and a motor drive, the pentax is a great portrait camera.

best

Daniel

 

[BrianShaw]

I ended up buying almost every medium format camera possible..
All to find something I liked... I ended up with Hasselblad.

Me too. And, even though it isn't a rangefinder camera, it's my favorite camera for most applications. I use 80 and 150 mm lenses for portraiture. Personally, I like WL finder because it provides more "contact" with the subject. There are some decent deals out there, but some of the lower-priced offerings have been well-used in professional environments.

 

[Gman]

Anyone out there used a Tele Rollei? Beautiful 135mm Sonnar lens that is great for portraits. Unfortunately, I haven't used it too much lately being hooked on the portability of 35 RF.
Rollei is a great camera but it's tough to stick one in your coat pocket or drop one in a backpack like a Leica or Bessa.