slightly OT: MF SLRs - Best Bang for Buck?

[mike rosenlof]

After using Mamiya TLRs since the early 80s, and a decent bit of large format since then also, I picked up a Hasselblad a few years ago.

I had to reach the back of the lens cocking lever once on the first roll of film I shot, and never since then. It's been solid for me. Not cheap. Nice lenses. I'm mostly using the 80 120Macro 150 lenses. I also have the 50 and 250 in the older C wrapping.

Best bang for the buck? Probably not Hasselblad. You really need to pick your format first. Mamiay RBs are awfully cheap these days, and Pentax 6x7 too. But I've got the blad and I'm sticking with it. If I'm doing medium format I prefer to do 6x6.

 

[ssmc]

The Pentax 645 was stuck in my head as a "dream camera" in the late 80s and onward, but I was never able to justify a new one to myself. I finally grabbed a 645N a while back, with 3 manual-focus lenses (75/2.8, 55/2.8 and 150/3.5) and an extra insert, due to the extremely favorable exchange rate at the time, and that all goodies were in LN- or EX+ condition - by far the worst case of GAS in a long, long time. I think I got the lot for about $900. This seems like a good deal for a late body and 3 lenses, though an equivalent setup with AF lenses would be quite a bit pricier. The big, bright VF makes manual focusing a snap, though apparently the earlier non-N version is nowhere near as nice (but those bodies are also much less expensive)

Mine came without the special strap lugs, which proved to be an expensive PITA to obtain.