Mamiya 6 for portraiture....

[sleepyhead]

Here's one of my own pictures taken with the 75mm lens.

 

[bensyverson]

I like that the 6 and 7 require you to back up a bit and include more of the context. You still get plenty of negative real estate for the face...

The only time the close focus limitations of my 7 bother me is when I'm sitting across from a friend in a train car, restaurant booth, etc. Basically anytime backing up is not an option. A small tradeoff for the insane quality of the 6 or 7...

 

[Pablito]

Looking at Alec Soth's photos on that site, I would guess he's used the 50mm and 75mm in about equal proportion.

Check out this guy's work on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotowillem/

Lot's of very impressive street portraiture with the Mamiya 6 and the 50mm lens. I really admire his work.

Notice too that he moves back and forth between the Mamiya 6 (RANGEFINDER) and the Maimya C330(and other) TLR's. I do not think you could tell the difference between the photos taken with the RF and 50mm lens and the TLR with the 55mm lens. Shows to go 'ya, IMO, that the photographer is what counts and that much of the preaching about the superiority of RF is just talk. Disclaimer: I use the Mamiya 6 AND the Leica...(AND SLR's)