Mamiya m645?

One of the points to take care of is the lug on the prism that can bend and then it doesn't engage well with the lens. I have one ProTL body where the mirror lock-up broke after a few years. Other than the usual foam seals there isn't much that can go wrong. The lugs for the strap are not easy to find.

Some prisms don't behave as you would expect, the AE on my 645J for instance that doesn't do manual metering but that's normal.

With the more modern ones the rubber coating is often peeling.
 
I used a Mamiya M645 until I changed to digital. I used, and still have a 645E that was a backup camera.

Wonderful quality products that, because of materials used, was closer in size and weight to most 35mm cameras, so I used it for both tripod photos and pj photographs.

Hope this helps you.
 
I used one as my medium format camera for about twenty years, it was 100% reliable but eventually I changed to a Bronica SQ-Ai. The reason was that I got fed up with using the prism finder, which is quite heavy. Of course you can use the 645 with a WLF but then taking portraits can be tricky ;). I do prefer the Bronica's 6x6 format but miss the smaller size and instant return mirror.
 
CamB said:
Tell me more! I have been unsuccessful with mine. I can disassemble fine from the back, but from the front I can get the name ring off but get stuck trying to remove what I think will be the whole front lens block (is there a retaining screw?).

I can remove the lenses one by one from the front, but I want to disassemble properly to clean up a sticky aperture.
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That's how the front group comes off. Just grab the 'barrel' and spin it off. The ring I get to come off by using a rubber drain stopper. Press and turn.

I made the mistake of taking the helical apart on one with sand in the threads, to clean and relube it. But I couldn't get it back together right. I messed up and jammed the rings tight.

I found a replacement with separated glass that I used for parts to put the two back together into one.

So be careful...
 
I might take a pic and start a new thread asking for help - I can see traces of something that looks a little like glue where I think it should be undo-ing, but I don't want to force anything.

I'm not hugely worried as I have bought another (staying on-topic - the 80/2.8 is really cheap as well as being good!).
 
Spanik said:
IIRC there is only a shift lens, no tilt, the 50/4. And it is a pain to use. I prefer my 45/3.5 Arsat for having far better ergonomics. You won't hear it often but yes, a sovjet lens having better ergonomics and just as good optics. Mechanicaly it is not as good but I really don't care because the Mamiya 50/4 shift is such a pain.
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The Mamiya bellows have full - view camera like - movements. I use the bellows with my 35mm slur cameras, and of course with my M645, while I had it (since it's 1976 introduction until 2011 when it was stolen.) My favorite lenses were the 35mm - similar to a 21mm on 135 film, and the 110mm. When using the prism (I had the PD, and still have the non-metered one) the 110 has exactly the same magnification as did my unaided eye. So I could easily shoot two-eyed using that lens. I also had both the f/2.8 and f/1.9 80mm lenses, and the 45mm f/2.8. I used the 45 quite a bit, but didn't love it then. Now that they are all gone, I really miss all my lenses!

The bellows still gets regular use, with a 135mm Schneider enlarging lens. It does a great job on copy jobs with a Nikon dslr attached to the other end.
 
End of the story: I fell in love with the camera, but there were condition issues with it and the lenses. They hadn't been abused, but they need to spend some time in a camera repair shop to get brought back into good order. Instead I sprang for a m645 1000S because the faster shutter speed and mirror lock up on the body will be useful to me. I also found a nice 80 mm f2.8 lens to pair with the body so I'm a happy camper.

I didn't expect to like the camera so much--or the images my loaner produced. My little weekend fling turned into quite the romance.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
 
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