When I was in high school I shot with the yearbook's Mamiya 1000 DTL, and my wife got a DSX 500 for a college graduation present (I used it a lot more than she did!).
The cameras handled well and were unusual in having both spot and averaging metering. The glass seemed good (I still have 50/2 and 35/3.5 lenses). They weren't very durable, though. Rick --- Glen Tortorella <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Adam, > > I see you mention your Mamiya, but I forgot to ask: > have you ever > tried Mamiya's 35mm cameras? Overall, what do you > think of them? > The ZM, which I believe was their last 35mm, looks > interesting. I > gather it might be tough to find one in nice > condition, as black > camera bodies tend to get pretty scuffed up. > > Glen > > On Sep 1, 2007, at 10:13 AM, Adam Maas wrote: > > > The handling of the 645N and 645NII are superb > (Better than my > > Mamiya's, > > Although I do like the Mamiya 645AFDII even more), > the original 645 is > > IMHO compromised by the use of the ME Super > 2-button interface (I'm > > not > > a big fan) but still handles well overall. Build > is plastic-covered > > metal, which is the norm for 645-format SLR's. > > > > 645's are the weight of a pro 35mm SLR, and only > somewhat bulkier. > > They're very handholdable, I regularly handhold > down to 1/60th with my > > old M645, and have tried the 645 Super at 1/30th > (roll is still in the > > camera, so we'll see). The Pentax 645's are every > bit as > > handholdable as > > my Mamiya's. > > > > You aren't into tripod-only territory with either > of the Pentax MF > > SLR's. Only the Mamiya RB & RZ's are truly > tripod-bound (Although it's > > probably a good idea with a Bronica GS as well) > > > > -Adam > > > > Glen Tortorella wrote: > >> Thank you for your thoughts, Adam. Medium format > is an intriguing > >> option. I will continue to ponder the matter. > How do you like > >> handling the 645 (i.e. the "feel" of it)? Is it > more of a "tripod > >> only" type of camera, or may one take good > hand-held shots with it? > >> Does the design include any plastic (like the top > plate on my Super > >> Program) or is it all metal? > >> > >> Regards, > >> Glen > >> > >> On Aug 31, 2007, at 8:59 PM, Adam Maas wrote: > >> > >>> Glen Tortorella wrote: > >>>> Hi all, > >>>> > >>>> I went to a somewhat "local" camera shop today > to buy film. In one > >>>> of the used cases sat a Pentax 645. It looked > like it was in nice > >>>> shape, and it came with a lens...I am not sure > which one, though. > >>>> Anyway, they are asking $560 for it. I have > had at least some > >>>> interest in the medium format domain ever since > I saw my friend's > >>>> Hasselblad back in 1997. Since it seems like > an expensive > >>>> pursuit, I > >>>> have held out on buying a medium format setup. > Any comments, > >>>> folks? > >>>> I know little about this type of photography, > and I would > >>>> appreciate > >>>> any comments--either about the features of the > 645 itself, or about > >>>> medium format photography (i.e. associated > issues and "things to > >>>> keep > >>>> in mind"). > >>>> > >>>> Thanks, > >>>> Glen > >>>> > >>> Nice kit, a bit pricey, unless it's an N or > NII(AF body). > >>> > >>> I'm a fan of the 645 format. It's big enough to > get a really > >>> noticable > >>> quality boost over 35mm, but the camera's aren't > any heavier than a > >>> 35mm > >>> pro AF body like an F5 or EOS 1v. > >>> > >>> I actually just picked up a Mamiya 645 Super kit > today, for $800cdn > >>> off > >>> a friend. Got the 45/2.8, 80/2.8, 150/3.5, the > body, AE prism N, > >>> Winder > >>> N, a standard prism, 2 backs and 3 inserts > (2x120, 1x220). Quite a > >>> good > >>> price, and it replaces my older M645 which is > back in the shop (I > >>> also > >>> own a 55/2.8 N and another 80/2.8 along with a > prism for my older > >>> 645). > >>> > >>> The Pentax units have several features built-in > that are > >>> accessories on > >>> the Mamiya and Bronica 645's (Metering prisms, > winders, backs). > >>> This is > >>> generally a plus for the metering and winding, > but the individual > >>> backs > >>> are a bonus (that's one reason I upgraded to a > Super from my M645, > >>> some > >>> Mamiya bodies, including the M645, have > integrated backs like the > >>> P645, > >>> the others being increased reliability and the > price was right). > >>> > >>> -Adam > >>> > >>> -- > >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > >>> [email protected] > >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > http://www.photo.net/photos/RickW ____________________________________________________________________________________ Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games. http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
