The main issue with 645 leaf shutter lenses is they are often a bit slower then similar focal length lenses aimed at focal plane cameras. The ones for the Bronica aren't very big [I'm ignoring the two zooms that are very big]. They all use the same shutter so they tend not to get that big. It's not like LF that a company could decide to make a small lens and mount it in a #0 or a big lens and mount it in a #3. All use a smallish shutter with all that implies.
Multiple shutters are a benefit. You don't have a body shutter giving up and shutting you down for the day. Bodies are cheaper.
On todays used market prices are all low. Aren't they?
I have the Pentax 645N. I really like it - it feels like a 35mm on serious steroids. It fits my hand very well, so I'd suggest trying out both the Pentax and Mamiya to see which fits you better. I've never used a Mamiya, but I think the difference between the two will come down to what you're most comfortable with.
I have a P645N with 45, 75, 150 manual focus lenses and 120 AF macro. I love the handling, find the viewfinder very bright and easy to focus, the meter is very accurate and the lenses sharp. I find it much easier to focus than the Hasselblad, and the 75 focuses very close thus allowing tight framing without accessories. The manual focus lenses are a bargain (mine were between $100 and $200 each) if you don't need the AF and you still get the AF indicator light. The "FA" named lenses are auto focus and the ones designated "A" are manual.
The body has 2 tripod mounts - one for horizontal and the other for portrait so the tripod head does not need to move if you use quick release plates. The P645 use AA batteries compared to the expensive 2CR5 in Contax. The NII has only 4 features not on the N and for me not significant - the N is much less expensive. As mentioned in a previous post, the data imprinting is useful. Downside is the slightly noisy winder and non-removable film back. I have seen a Hasselblad to P645 adapter for about $125 from China but have not tried it.
The 645 was my first foray in the Medium Format, it was also the beginning of the end I had been shooting 35mm for years and I wanted to go big, so I looked at Medium Format. After hours of research and reading I chose the Mamiya 645-1000s. I chose this camera because, 1.Cost, 2. Reliability, 3. Availability if part(lenses, prisms, & film holders) and 4. Picture quality. I still shoot with the camera 10 years later. I have purchased many more cameras (Mamiya TLR, RB67-ProS, & 4X5), but I still love the 645. It strikes a almost perfect balance between size, speed, portability, & image quality. It actually weighs about what my 35mm kit weighs but the image quality is far superior. I think a move to 645 would be a wise decision, I really don't know about the AF thing but to each their own, you can step into a Mamiya 1000s or e kit for a song, I think it would be a great way to get your feet wet, and I will guarantee you will love the image quality. Just my thoughts.
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- ya gotta hear it to believe it. In a workshop I took, mine got nicknamed "Thumper" because you could hear it across a meadow. And the batteries are a plus - much easier to remember and find.
I was at a local camera store today (Vistek) and they actually had a used Contax sitting there. I asked to look at it, and the salesperson was very much against me purchasing it. He tried to sell the new Mamiya (of course, why wouldn't he!). There's a difference in price of maybe, hmmm...$4000??? (assuming the 80 lens)
He said that if something goes wrong with the contax body I am scr*wed because service will take forever, etc.
I actually tried to buy a pentax setup on evil bay but unfortunately could not (yet) b/c the seller did not price out the shipping rate to Canada.
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Go with a nice Mamiya ProTL that can still be fixed. Or you can get a decent 645AF or AFD on ebay for about half the price of new. The Super/Pro/TL are still good cameras and work plenty well. Personally I would stay clear of the 645e because I don't like the thought of not being able to remove the viewfinder and not being able to remove the film back. For me those two things combined kill the thoughts, as I would rather use a 1000s so that I can change between prism and waistlevel finder as desired. The Super/Pro/TL are nice because if you ever get a client that requires digital, you can rent a back (Megavision is up to 39MP color or monochrome I think).
Did I mention that one of the many accessories I have is a 90 degree rotating mechanism that when it is mounted on the tripod and the camera is mounted on it, it rotates the camera from horizontal to a vertical position on the lens axis? Very handy to have, you can do it faster than I can describe it.
The Rollei 6000 system have a back 645 that you can use landscape and vertical just rotating it, I have two backs of these and if you load them with a 220 size roll you have 32 frames to shoot. One of the better things a 645 format has is that is propotional to the photo paper sizes, so if you print full frame you fill all the sheet.
I had been shooting 35mm for years and I wanted to go big, so I looked at Medium Format. After hours of research and reading I chose the Mamiya 645-1000s. I chose this camera because, 1.Cost, 2. Reliability, 3. Availability if part(lenses, prisms, & film holders) and 4. Picture quality. I still shoot with the camera 10 years later. I have purchased many more cameras (Mamiya TLR, RB67-ProS, & 4X5), but I still love the 645. It strikes a almost perfect balance between size, speed, portability, & image quality. It actually weighs about what my 35mm kit weighs but the image quality is far superior. I think a move to 645 would be a wise decision, I really don't know about the AF thing but to each their own, you can step into a Mamiya 1000s or e kit for a song, I think it would be a great way to get your feet wet, and I will guarantee you will love the image quality. Just my thoughts.
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