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Have you considered a Koni-Omega Rapid?
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Matt what is the weight of the Super with a prism and 80mm? I have a 1000s and find it really heavy, just weighed it (prism, no grip, 80mm f1.9) and it was 4.5 lbs. With the grip it was 5lbs. OP, weight is something to consider, you seem, based on your gallery, to be doing some concert shooting, think the lighter might be a key variable to consider. The Super looks light and nimble....
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I have a Fuji 645Zi and it is a wonderful camera and I use it often, but it isn't a great general purpose camera being a pretty automated pseudo-rangefinder. Personally, I'd go with either the Mamiya of whatever vintage you like or a Pentax 645. Both great cameras, but different. The Pentax is less of a system camera, but it is super solid given that very little is changable. It is also has a very gentle shutter/mirror coupled with a solid grip making handholding easy. The downside is that it is bigger with the non-removable grip. I'd get it at KEH because they are low cost and have a great return policy. Ads in apug are great too. There is zero reason to buy from ebay. You can play with it for a few days and return it if you decide it isn't for you.
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 Originally Posted by hoffy
Have you considered a Koni-Omega Rapid?
The Koni omega rapid is a massively good professional camera which will deflect bullets.
If you subscribe to the "heavier is better" school of photography, it is ideal. Not as flexible as the Mamiya universal though.
Cha-clunk goes the winding mechanism.
David
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Brendan,
I'm a beginner in MF also. I just picked up a real nice Mamiya 645 1000s a few weeks ago. It is working out great for me. It came w/ the 80mm lens, and I just got the 150mm in the mail, like new. The camera has all the functions of a 35mm SLR, just in different locations. That is taking a little getting used to. I do like the handling of the Mamiya.
I would have maybe gone the Bronica ETRs route, but there was none available when I was ready to buy. Many were priced out of my range. Overall I am very pleased with the Mamiya, it will do the job.
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 Originally Posted by zsas
Matt what is the weight of the Super with a prism and 80mm? I have a 1000s and find it really heavy, just weighed it (prism, no grip, 80mm f1.9) and it was 4.5 lbs. With the grip it was 5lbs. OP, weight is something to consider, you seem, based on your gallery, to be doing some concert shooting, think the lighter might be a key variable to consider. The Super looks light and nimble....
zsas:
It is a bit hard to answer your question, because the various Mamiya manuals all seem to give weights for different configurations.
Anyways, when it comes to the 645 Pro with body, roll film holder, AE Prism Finder FE401 and 80mm f/2.8N lens the dimensions are reported as 124mm (W) x135 mm (H) x 170mm (D) and the weight is reported as 1,545g. (~3.3 pounds).
Looking at the dimensions and weight for the Super (just the body and roll film holder given), it looks like it is about 90 gm lighter and very slightly smaller.
Matt
“Photography is a complex and fluid medium, and its many factors are not applied in simple sequence. Rather, the process may be likened to the art of the juggler in keeping many balls in the air at one time!”
Ansel Adams, from the introduction to The Negative - The New Ansel Adams Photography Series / Book 2
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If you are considered a Mamiya I would seriously consider the Pentax 645N or Nii as well. These are tough, top notch medium format cameras with a line of excellent lenses. Someone said they weren't "system" cameras but I would challenge that statement. Some of the finest images I have ever printed, color or black & white, have come from this camera. Some of the lenses available are considered to be top of the line. The A 35mm wide angle is one of the best medium format wide angle lenses available, if not the best. The FA 120mm macro lens is absolutely stunning and is as sharp as any lens I have ever used, as is the FA 150. Likewise, the 45-85 and 80-160mm zooms are so good and flexible that you will find it very hard to find their equal in the medium format world. It is an SLR camera so what you see in the viewfinder is what you will see in your negative. And that viewfinder! Man is that thing gorgeous to look through. If you have not looked through the viewfinder of any medium format SLR, and particularly the multi-coated viewfinder on the 645Nii, you have not experienced true bliss. Ergonomically and operationally it is perfect. It is very easy to handle and the controls are all where they need to be. And the camera is so simple to operate a caveman could...oopps, that has already been done. But really, put the shutter dial on the green A, the aperture dial on the green A, and you are shooting full auto mode. Move the aperture dial off the green A and now you are in Aperture Priority. Put the aperture dial back on the green A and move the shutter speed dial to a shutter speed, now you are in Shutter Priority. Finally, take both off their green A and now you are in manual. I could seriously go on and on about this great camera but I better stop here.
Ok, everyone loves their cameras, obviously I really enjoy mine. The reality is that most of the cameras mentioned so far will capture beautiful images. Images that are far better than even the best that 35mm can provide. But I could not let this thread go on without telling you about my favorite camera.
Good luck with your choice and happy shooting!
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 Originally Posted by BrendanCarlson
Hello fellow APUG'ers,
I am looking into getting a MF Camera, I have a budget of $400 for a body, preferably with a lens, which MF Camera would you suggest to get started that would fall in this price range?
How about a Rollicord.
“The contemplation of things as they are, without error or confusion, without substitution or imposture, is in itself a nobler thing than a whole harvest of invention”
Francis Bacon
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 Originally Posted by MattKing
zsas:
It is a bit hard to answer your question, because the various Mamiya manuals all seem to give weights for different configurations.
Anyways, when it comes to the 645 Pro with body, roll film holder, AE Prism Finder FE401 and 80mm f/2.8N lens the dimensions are reported as 124mm (W) x135 mm (H) x 170mm (D) and the weight is reported as 1,545g. (~3.3 pounds).
Looking at the dimensions and weight for the Super (just the body and roll film holder given), it looks like it is about 90 gm lighter and very slightly smaller.
Just plopped my 645 Super+80/2.8+plain prism+back on the kitchen scales= 3lbs 7oz. It's a very compact, modular system. M645 Super/Pro/ProTL ergonomics are helped greatly with a drive grip--which adds just shy of a lb. I'd skip the old heavy metal Mamiya 645. The Bronica ETRS(i) and Pentax 645 are also worth a look. Nostalgia aside, affordable TLRs are all getting very long in the tooth and can get spendy with repairs. Get the newest kit you can afford.
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My 645Nii, one FA 75mm normal prime, film back w/120 film, 6 AA batteries, 2 RRS QR Tripod plates, on the postal scale. 3 pounds and 14 ounces, approximately 1,758 grams. Not too bad.
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