Is there a downside to a Mamiya 7?

[PhotoMat]

...
IMHO (!) the Mamiya 7 is good for street photography, not so good for landscapes.

I have to vehemently disagree with this opinion. The Mamiya 7 is a wonderful camera for landscapes and travel. Probably 80% of my landscape work shot on film is with a Mamiya 7II. (And yes, I can shoot with a polarizing or graduated ND filters.)

The following images are reposts from another thread.

 

[Rob-F]

GREAT shots, all! It is said that the M7 is not as mechanically robust as one might wish, for field use; not as reliable as the Fuji, for instance. I often have thought about getting one, though . . .

 

[Markus]

The biggest downside of the Mamiya 7 (II) is the body itself. Its innerts are made of diecast metal (dont'know exactly which one) and covered with plastic. The plastic is only fair made. I think daily use will very soon make the camera look like used for several years. The Mamiya 7 is definitely a professional tool and people who bought this camera know how to take care of it, so Mamiya didn't develop a body like the EOS-1 Series.
Sometimes I whish Mamiya would have made the Mamiya 7 like the Contax G-bodys: Diecast innerts and a metal surface. So the Mamiya 7 would be a camera with highest IQ and a durable body, since the lenses are made of metal.
Spending 3000$ instead of 2000$ and getting a durable body which would make the system even more a long-term investment and a long-term tool for me. The question for me is, what problems will appear in long-term use and what reparations will they cause? And could a more durable body prevent problems?

Besides this, I treat the camera like a raw egg.

I have an article from a magazine showing the diecast-chassis of the Mamiya 7 II, but I think showing it here could violate the copyright. It is similar to the Contax G2 chassis, but the rangefinder-module is set on top.

 

[RObert Budding]

The Mamiya 7 has a magnesium alloy frame underneath the plastic grips. It's strong, durable, and light (thanks to the use of plastics).

 

[Bob Michaels]

My 8+ year old Mamiya 7 has been the epitome of reliability as it has never needed any service in spite of many years of reasonably hard use. Even the rangefinder has remained perfectly aligned. While I do not abuse cameras, I certainly do not baby them.

I am not one to evaluate camera reliability based on magazine sketches of the structure or articles. I just use them. While one person's experience with one camera is a bit of a limited database, I think this is one tough camera.

The lens line-up certainly has not been a negative for me. Every focal length I can use is represented. They appear optically stellar while remaining a reasonable size. Every lens design is a series of compromises. Sure everyone would like a lens that is a stop faster so long as it was no larger, no more expensive and optically as good. But that is not reality. I think Mamiya hit the sweet spot for the vast majority of users with the lenses that are available.

 

[bwcolor]

I started with the M7 and then the M7II and other than slow lenses and limited close focusing, it is a wonderful camera. Of course, fast lenses would require added weight and bulk, so this seems to be a good trade-off. That said, I rarely use them. Now that everyone has reminded me of the virtues of these cameras, I'll remedy this disuse problem. Thanks... and some really wonderful images here.