Which modern MF RF?

I think when you are talking about MF, you aren't going to meet all your criteria anyway. They aren't that inexpensive and they aren't that compact. Wanting meter reduces your options even further. Personally, that would be the first thing I would give up. I know they are handy. I like built in meters too. But you can easily live without them.

I have expressed my opinion before about 645. It is for sure bigger than 35mm, but not that much compared to 6x7 or 6x9. Actually, I am more fond of 6x7 than 6x9. With 6x7 you need about a 65mm lens or so to get to your 28mm lens equivalent. However, if compactness is more important than other considerations, 645 isn't that bad a choice.

I like my Super Press 23 a lot, but it isn't compact by any means. Keep looking at your options and see what you are willing to give up or compromise on. You will like MF, from a big Super Press to a small folder. Good luck.
 
I have an old Fujica GS645W camera. It doesn't fold, as the WA 45mm lens is compact already. It has a built in meter and the whole camera is about the size of a 35mm slr. It seems to fit the OP's wants. It's downsides are: slow lens, and loud shutter sound (clack!).
 
Thanks all, plenty of food for thought. My Agfa obsession is making me wonder about a Super Isolette, the heart says Mamiya 7, and the head says something from Fuji.
Decisions, Decisions 🙂
 
Terao said:
Thanks all, plenty of food for thought. My Agfa obsession is making me wonder about a Super Isolette, the heart says Mamiya 7, and the head says something from Fuji.
Decisions, Decisions 🙂
Click to expand...

What does the pocket say? 😉
 
Frank's GS645W is a fine choice, and has a sharp lens.. It is a bit slow at f/5.6, and scale focus, but so light and compact it's a great one for having with you. The less-wide version with 60mm f/4 is the GS645S, and it shares the light weight and compact size. And loud shutter clack!

The next Fuji 645 generation is the auto-everything GA series, starting with the same 60mm f/4... and a faster 45mm f/4 on the GA645Wi, which I have and like a lot. No shutter clack either! This one might serve your needs. These were followed by the zoom model GA645Zi whose lens trades off that zoom convenience with slower aperture.

If you like the 40 and 28 fields of view in 35mm cameras, then that's pretty much what you get in 645 with 45 and 60/65mm lenses. One of the greatest IMO is the Bronica RF645 and its interchangeable 45 and 65mm lenses. Note both of these are f/4.0 max aperture; it's f/4.5 for the 100mm and 135mm, both hard to find. To add to George's comment, the meter is next to the viewfinder and has a matrix pattern, very reliable in my experience. This is a quiet camera, and probably the most advanced of the MF RF rigs.

I have a Fuji GW670III also, but this is a different matter of scale, much larger and not so easy to just have over your shoulder when out and about on the street.
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That Bronica sure looks good. And slim too! I often wondered about it, especailly the vertical frame format. Something about it just seems so appealing. Think the reason I ended up going for a Mamiya 7ii was the bigger 6x7 final image.

Also, isn't it good to see at least one thread in this section with a bit of action!?!? 120 film isn't as much a talking point of late it seems.
 
Have to admit most of my MF shooting in the past few months has been getting familiar with a new-to-me Pentax 645 system. Though versatile, this is not the discreet easy to carry setup the Bronica RF is, by a long shot.
 
Decision/purchase made:

Mamiya 7ii 🙂

Decided I didn't want the 43mm lens (too wide) so didn't go for the one in the classifieds here.

So the next question is which lense(s) - I'll start a new thread so the discussion is easy to find for future reference...
 
I'm not sure my bank account will - bought a Coolscan 8000ED as well! All to be funded from some gear disposal - Coolscan 4000ED plus slide feeder, couple of lenses (probably the 35mm Nokton and maybe my 12mm Heliar), and the hardtop from my Miata...
 
Well done, the 8000ED is great and the 7ii even better! I've been loving my 65mm lense. It's pretty much the best universal for me, where as the 80mm is slinghtly too tight for most of my work. I'd love the 50mm but money and the reality that I'll have to move to digital properly in the not so distant future keeps the gear lust at bay.

One last thing... I love looking at those big cut trannies on the light table. Simply beautiful!
 
Good purchase!

Let me recall which MF cameras I tried in recent years...

1) fuji ga645zi (loved it)
2) fuji ga645w (also loved it)
3) fuji gx680ii (very fun, awesome build, but funky battery system, and it's heavy as hell so why not just jump to 4x5? Actually, I did jump to 4x5 and 5x7 at this point and didn't look back)
4) fondled some hassies in a store (very, very nice, but can't afford all the lenses and peripherals I want, so it's not for me)
5) tried a pentax 67 (whoa scary mirror sound, not very ergonomic, seems to be a tripod camera - not for me)
6) mamiya rb67 pro sd (damn thing is too heavy, but wait! I love the 6x8 photos and the lenses are practically free. This thing will last 'til the day I die. Kept it.)
7) Horseman VH (finally, what I was looking for, a mini MF view/field camera. But it hasn't completely displaced the rb as yet.)
8) mamiya 6 (finally! nirvana! sold the fuji rangefinders! I want another one!)
 
It sure is good that individual experiences and preferences differ widely, as that encourages a wide variety of gear on the market and makes these discussions more interesting. 😀

The GX and RB sure seem like tripod cameras to me, while the P67 is clearly designed for convenient hand-held use, and is very ergonomic. I too enjoy the GA645Wi but the Mamiya 6 is a non-starter for me due to the square format.

But the Mamiya 7II is entirely admirable, and I wish Terao... and everyone else... best wishes for enjoying their choice of gear.
 
Doug, I agree- after the gx and the rb, the p67 is definitely handholdable 😉 But I quickly gravitated toward the mamiya RFs. The p67 struck me a tripod camera only because I was quite sure that I'd need MLU to get sharp exposures longer than 1/125, and I was used to doing 1/15 quite routinely with rangefinders.

I still miss all of these cameras though, I just couldn't justify keeping them all.

Bottom line, try 'em all out, your mileage will definitely vary!
 
The whole leaf shutter thing appealed to me. Being a rangefinder guy I like to travel light and have as much aversion to tripods as cats do to water. Tripod was essential for the old Mamiya 645, I'm hoping that the 7ii is going to be handholdable at reasonably low speeds. Never one to pussyfoot around if it arrives in time its going in the deep end doing some band photography on Friday evening with whatever ISO1600 rollfilm I can lay my hands on (why oh why oh WHY don't Fuij do Neopan 1600 in rolls?)
 
Good lord, hadn't realised how completely huge the Coolscan 8000ED is. Has to be 3x the volume of the Coolscan 4000ED 😱
Fortunately not as heavy as it looks...
 
They do make Neopan 1600 in rolls, at least I've used it not long ago. Do B&H have it? I don't think 15th of a second is out of the question with the 7ii, especially if you're used to using it on a Leica or something similar.
I'm yet to scan any of my 67 trannies for print but I can't wait.

What lens did you end up getting?

T
 
TJV said:
They do make Neopan 1600 in rolls, at least I've used it not long ago. Do B&H have it? I don't think 15th of a second is out of the question with the 7ii, especially if you're used to using it on a Leica or something similar.
I'm yet to scan any of my 67 trannies for print but I can't wait.

What lens did you end up getting?

T
Click to expand...

Can't find it @ B&H or on Fuji's website 🙁
Ended up getting the 80mm lens, just got the first test roll back and am about to scan 😀
 
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