Can anyone help with any info about medium format. I am thinking about buying a medium format camera to shoot mainly landscapes in black and white. I have been looking at the Bronica ETRSI, the MAMIYA 645 and the Pentax 645. I will need one with a meter in the camera. Any help would be grateful.
P/S this is may second attempt so if this appears twice please forgive me.
medium format camera
Welcome to the forum!
I have used all three of the cameras you mention, so here goes.
If you want everything built in to the camera, the Pentax has that. A superb design with very high quality optics, but film inserts as opposed to interchangeable backs. This was my final choice on ergonomic grounds.
The Mamiya and Bronica both have interchangeable backs and some people find this an advantage. I think the Bronica has the edge in terms of both quality and handling. However, it's more or less essential to use the lever wind grip with the camera. It is also the only one of the three that does not have an instant return mirror. The viewfinder goes black until you wind on.
Talking of ergonomics, it's worth noting that the Pentax and Bronica controls for focusing and aperture work in the same direction as Pentax and Nikon 35mm cameras. The mamiya works in the opposite direction. This may not seem at first to be a big deal, but it causes operational confusion if all your cameras don't work the same way round. If you need to work instinctively, as in wedding photography, then it matters a lot.
In any event, all these camera will produce stunning quality. I would suggest handling all three before you make a final choice.
Hope that helps!
I have used all three of the cameras you mention, so here goes.
If you want everything built in to the camera, the Pentax has that. A superb design with very high quality optics, but film inserts as opposed to interchangeable backs. This was my final choice on ergonomic grounds.
The Mamiya and Bronica both have interchangeable backs and some people find this an advantage. I think the Bronica has the edge in terms of both quality and handling. However, it's more or less essential to use the lever wind grip with the camera. It is also the only one of the three that does not have an instant return mirror. The viewfinder goes black until you wind on.
Talking of ergonomics, it's worth noting that the Pentax and Bronica controls for focusing and aperture work in the same direction as Pentax and Nikon 35mm cameras. The mamiya works in the opposite direction. This may not seem at first to be a big deal, but it causes operational confusion if all your cameras don't work the same way round. If you need to work instinctively, as in wedding photography, then it matters a lot.
In any event, all these camera will produce stunning quality. I would suggest handling all three before you make a final choice.
Hope that helps!
Best regards
John
John
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sunsworth
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Welcome Mark, I'm going to play devil's advocate <grin>
Do you really, really, really need in camera metering? If you think you could manage without metering then all sorts of posibilities open up.
I have a Mamiya RB67 that takes 10 images on a roll of 120 film. The negative size is nearly twice that of the 6x4.5 cameras you are thinking of and the quality of the camera and lenses is fantastic.
An external meter doesn't need to cost a lot.
Do you really, really, really need in camera metering? If you think you could manage without metering then all sorts of posibilities open up.
I have a Mamiya RB67 that takes 10 images on a roll of 120 film. The negative size is nearly twice that of the 6x4.5 cameras you are thinking of and the quality of the camera and lenses is fantastic.
An external meter doesn't need to cost a lot.
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mark dyson
- Photographer
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medium format camera
Thanks for the information, on a personal choice i would have picked the Bronica with the AE11 prism and the hand grip. I have not handled the Pentax as yet but i will put that right soon, if i where going for a digital it would be the Pentax k10d on build quality alone so the Pentax may change my mind. On the subject of metering, yes i do need metering, as you have not seen my photos taken with an unmetered Zorki, they where ok with a metered Fed, only trouble was when you rewound the exposed film the screw on the returning shaft unscrewed and fell off and you had to get the film out in a changing bag.
Thanks
Thanks
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Alan Duckworth
- Committee Member
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Bronica ETRS
I have a Bronica ETRS, and have always found it to be a superb piece of equipment. I have two backs (120) a 75mm lens and a 200mm lens. I have one or two other bits of sundry equipment as well. I have always found it to be the 'Rolls Royce' of all the cameras I have used. The focussing screen is magically clear. I always use a Euro-Master light meter. Correctly focussed the lenses are absolutely pin sharp. The only down side was that after a full day in the field, you would have a distinct list to port.(They are heavy). Hope that the foregoing is of some assistance. Happy snapping, Alan.