View Full Version : medium format rangefinder with built-in light meter? 6x7 or 6x9 negative?
cstorm
03-15-2010, 12:59 AM
I was unaware of the meter reading issues on such cameras. I am used to my 35mm cameras where in I always go by what the give me, with mostly positive results. I have a good sekonic light meter, I guess I just have to get used to using it and taking those few extra seconds.
therefore, i guess, any ideas on cheaper used mf cameras? As a struggling artist (who is obviously still learning) 2K used isnt really an option. i guess i just like the concept of a camera which functions seemingly like a larger version of a 35mm camera. I always was at odds with bulky hasselblads when I used them when i was in school. I'm a bigger guy, so I can handle heavier cameras, but the hasselblad/mamiya boxy slrs always proved to cumbersome. But I just gotta have that bigger negative.
Thoughts on the Pentax 67? I know its an SLR but it seems much more managable, and somewhat cheaper.
André E.C.
03-15-2010, 02:18 AM
Use that Sekonic and get a Fuji, there you have!
Rol_Lei Nut
03-15-2010, 02:54 AM
Thoughts on the Pentax 67? I know its an SLR but it seems much more managable, and somewhat cheaper.
The Pentax 6x7 is (much) cheaper. But it *is* big and heavy!
Possible cheap & light alternatives:
Mokba 3 or 4: A Zeiss Super Ikonta copy. (6x9 folder). Has front element focusing and as a folder is prone to alignment problems. No meter of course. One I had actually gave very sharp results, until I dropped it.... :-(
Iskra: A very tough 6x6 folder, with unit-focusing lens (forgot the exact term now, but good!). Most have seen heavy (professional) use. Many have broken frame counters, replaced by a hole drilled through the back for manual advancement (look at the numbers on the paper backing). One model even has a biuilt-in selenium meter.
Nice camera!
cbphoto
03-15-2010, 10:22 AM
therefore, i guess, any ideas on cheaper used mf cameras? As a struggling artist (who is obviously still learning) 2K used isnt really an option. i guess i just like the concept of a camera which functions seemingly like a larger version of a 35mm camera. .
The answer is still Fuji! :)
KEH as a GW670II for $725 right now. You will not find a comparable camera in that price range.
Bryan Murray
03-15-2010, 11:37 AM
The answer is still Fuji! :)
KEH as a GW670II for $725 right now. You will not find a comparable camera in that price range.
yes i have that camera and i love it! Nippon photo clinic did tell be to be careful though as parts are getting harder to find. But i haven't had any problems and it's easy to carry around the city. i use a pentax spot meter and it's a great combo.
DanielStone
03-15-2010, 02:55 PM
OP(or anyone else interested)
I have a GW670III for sale. comes with shoulder case.
see here
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php/product/20963/cat/1/limit/recent
so far had some offers, but no biters yet.
-Dan
cbphoto
03-15-2010, 03:04 PM
That's a very good deal, Dan.
sanking
03-15-2010, 03:53 PM
I have owned and used Fuji 6X9 rangefinders with no meter as well as Mamiya 7II with built-in meter and Voigtlander Bessa III with built-in meter. My background is mainly view camera and I know how to use both incident and spot meters. However, when it comes to medium format I find a built in meter to be a great convenience over a camera that does not have one and there is no question but that not having a built-in meter has cost me some important shots over the years.
All things considered I much prefer the 6X9 cm format of the Fuji 69 cameras to 6X7 format, but given the choice of a camera with a built-in meter, or one with no meter, the meter trumps format for me.
Sandy King
michael9793
03-19-2010, 08:50 PM
Mamiya 7 then??
I own a Mamaya 7II, it makes as much noise as my Leica M7 and about as heavy. 6x7 is a great format too. As far as comparison, I own a Pentax 6x7 which is outstanding, but heavy and loud :mad: and that is with mirror lock up.
Trask
03-21-2010, 12:14 PM
I've got a Plaubel 67W and it works fine -- bought it from Frank Marshman at Camera Wiz repair in Harrisonburg, VA. He'd just finished putting it back in top working order. He did tell me that the main problem are the wires and connections that run from the body to the lens via the folding struts. The key to long Plaubel life is to never push the lens release button and let the lens drop out until it snaps to a stop; always set lens focus at infinity before collapsing the lens, and always advance the film relatively slowly and evenly, as that same motion is being transmitted to the lens to cock the shutter. It's not a Nikon F, I'm not in "Blow Up" and I can't bang-bang-bang one shot after another with the Plaubel. It IS a great travel camera, so compact when collapsed, built in meter (I usually use an incident meter with my meterless cameras, but it's nice to just carry the camera by itself), great lens. Get one.
Tim Gray
03-21-2010, 12:39 PM
The new Fuji folder or a Mamiya 7 appeal to me the most. Not that I'm likely to get either. Maybe the Fuji folder some day if I find one for a good price.
Allen Friday
03-21-2010, 12:42 PM
I have the Mamiya 7 II and the Fuji III. Both are great cameras. I do shoot the Mamiya much more than the Fuji however. It is more portable and has the built in meter. But mainly because of the interchangeable lenses. For travel, the camera is terrific. I can fit one body and three lenses in a small shoulder bag.
I guess I've never had a problem with the internal meter on the Mamiya. I tested it with my film/developer combination and adjusted to get the correct exposure.
The Fuji is a great camera, and I shoot it when I want the 6x9 ratio. Great lens. Yes, it is big, but not overly bothersome.
They are both good, so weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each to decide which would be best for our shooting style.
sanking
03-22-2010, 10:23 AM
I have the Mamiya 7 II and the Fuji III. Both are great cameras. I do shoot the Mamiya much more than the Fuji however. It is more portable and has the built in meter. But mainly because of the interchangeable lenses. For travel, the camera is terrific. I can fit one body and three lenses in a small shoulder bag.
I guess I've never had a problem with the internal meter on the Mamiya. I tested it with my film/developer combination and adjusted to get the correct exposure.
The Fuji is a great camera, and I shoot it when I want the 6x9 ratio. Great lens. Yes, it is big, but not overly bothersome.
They are both good, so weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each to decide which would be best for our shooting style.
There is nothing wrong with the meter on the Mamiya 7II. You just have to learn how to use it. The metering area is a fixed size in the center of the field of view and its relative size changes with focal length of the lens. The meter functions like a center spot meter with wide angle lenses but with the 80mm and 150mm lens the meter covers a much wider field of view. Once you understand this it is easy to adjust for the use of a specific lens with a given scene.
If you want a modern folding MF camera I would strongly recommend the Fuji 667 (Voigtlander Bessa III) over the Plaubel Makina with 80mm lens. The PM is way over priced in my opinion as the price on ebay ($2000-$2500) for a used model, which would be 15 years old or so, is about the same as a new Bessa III. This makes zero sense in my book. On the other hand I would sure like to have the PM with 55mm lens, but that one goes for over $3000.
Sandy King