Medium Format Wide RFs -- Options?

[nightfly]

Just so you know the 50mm for the Mamiya 6 will cost you about the same as the body and the 75mm lens. They go for about $700-$1000. Also if you can get a the body and the 75mm for $700 I would jump on it. Bodies run more like $600 and the 75mm is more like 3-400. Unless the camera is trashed thats a really good deal. I just sold a Mamiya 6 body and 75mm lens for close to $1000 and that was about the going rate.

 

[Talisker]

They go for that in £sterling over here - somebody buy it!

 

[dazedgonebye]

I like my Koni-Omega...got it cheap and banged up and I've had a few problems.
The 60mm I bought looked pristine but the shutter was shot. Even a CLA did not bring it back. I bought "as is," so I out that money.
The lesson I keep thinking I ought to learn is that when I go to buy something cheap, I should not go so cheap that I can't count on the thing working.
I should have found a lens from someone that was actually using it and could tell me it was working.

 

[RObert Budding]

The Bronica RF645 is an excellent camera. It's a light and compact kit that is really easy to carry about. Just be aware that the normal position for holding the camera is portrait bacause of the horizontal film transport. You need to rotate the camera to shoot landscape. All the same, I really love mine. THe 65mm lens is superb (equal to 40mm on a 35mm format.) The 45mm might suit you, though, as it's wider (28mm on 35mm format).

 

[sf]

Yes, Robert had the idea.

Buy an RF645 and 45mm lens. Wide but not superwide. Like a 26mm in 35mm format. But sharp sharp sharp. And the kit is much more compact than any other manual focus 645 RF around. Except maybe for the Fujis, but forget those. 😀

 

[nksyoon]

That is a ridiculously good price for a Mamiya 6 and 75mm. I've been tracking prices on ebay for some time and they don't come close.

Clarence

KEH has bargain condition bodies for $599 - I bought mine one year ago for $665!

 

[ChrisPlatt]

The Fuji GS645S has a 60mm lens. I have seen these used for ~$300.
It's a pleasant camera to use, with modern features. Lightweight, too.

Simplify!
-Chris-

 

[Kev T]

I've a Fuji GL690 with the 100mm f3.5 standard lens and a 50mm f5.6 extreme wide (about 22mm equivalent), which I love though it is getting rather old by now. Nothing short of 5" x 4' large format can beat the comfortably large 6cm x 9cm negative size!

Kev

 

[Dougg]

Lately I've been dreaming of larger negs. I don't have a lot of money to spend and I prefer wide angle (35 and wider in 35mm format). I've taken a look at the Fuji GS645W and it seems like it might be what I'm looking for (manual advance, scale or RF focusing, cheapish, built in meter) but are there other similar cameras that I should be considering? Interchangeable lenses would be great, but to start I'd like to spend less than $600.

Andrew, the GS645W is an interesting choice, sort of an odd-ball camera that seems to have a collector following that is hiking prices.

Counter to your description, this camera has no rangefinder; it's scale by guess focus only. The lens is also on the slow side (mitigating the focus issue), as an f/5.6 in 45mm. It is very light weight and compact, however, so would be a very comfy choice to pack around. On the downside, this whole GS series has a reputation for physical delicacy. I have a GS645S, the 60mm f/4 model that does have an RF but is otherwise similar to the GS645W, and it did require calibration, lubrication, and replacement internal plastic parts to be fully functional.

There's also the Fuji GA645W and Wi, larger and heavier, a full auto everything and motorized point'n'shoot style rig with 45mm f/4. The Wi is a slight improvement on the W. It has a lovely lens that focuses to 2.3 ft. This still sells for a higher price, maybe more than you want to pay unless you can find a deal. But then a Bronica RF645 with 45mm is way up there too.