MAMIYA M645 From

REPORT ON THE MAMIYA M645 from Mamiya M645: 15 on 120 in a Compact SLR JANUARY 1976 BELL &HOWELL/MAMIYA COMPANY Since the "semi-120" format is vantage of this "oddball" size is the M645's most evident distin that its negative area is 2.7X guishing feature, let's discuss it a larger than 35mm , providing bet git. This format dates back to (at ter picture quality, and, at the modern least) the 20 's, and was arrived at same time, it's smaller than 6 x 7cm by simply halving the original 6 x or 2 'j,, -in. square, resulting in a 9cm (2'j" x 3'j,,-in.) format ob smaller, more portable camera. tained with 120 roll film . Perhaps When you consider tha the 2'j" x the most notable camera to es 2 '14 format is most often cropped pouse these film dimensions was in printing, 4.5 x 6cm offers a the Dresden-produced Ermanox, comparably large usable nega a "candid camera" of the 20's, tive area in a more compact while the format's latest expo package, and you have the added nents (prior to the M645) were benefit of more shots per roll (15 newest cameras, lenses & important accessories both folding roll-film cameras instead of 12 per roll of 120 film). with coupled rangefinders, the Among the disadvantages of this Zeiss Super Ikonta A and Konica format: there's presently no slide- MAMIYA M645: 15 ON 120 IN A COMPACT SLR Mamiya M645: What's New 80mm f/2.8 Mamiya·Sekor C lens MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFI At a Glance ~~","""--- has three·lug bayonet mount CATIONS: Mamiya M645 me dium-Iormat 120 roll-film single lens reflex camera. Body No. J 10715. LENS: Interchangeable 80mm 1/2.8 Mamiya-Sekor C with apertures to 1/22, locusing to 2'/. ft. (0.7m). SHUTTER: Verti Auxiliary shutter·release button cal-travel electronically con trolled cloth local-plane with Battery·check button speeds 01 8 to 1/500 sec. plus B; X sync at 1/60, FP at all speeds; Film-winding crank advances special speed setting lor cou one frame per turn pling through-lens meter prism. VIEWING: Interchangeable prism or waist-level finder with central microprism, line-focus ing collar and lull locusing Fres nel screen. OTHER FEATURES: Multiple-exposure provIsion, mirror-lockup lever, shutter-re lease buttons at Iront bottom and lront top, X-sync hot shoe, film identilication clip, depth-ol-lield preview button, accepts 58 mm accessories, 120 and 220 film holders. PRICE: Camera body, Sh utter·speed dia I incorporates $445; waist-level linder, $65; meter· coupling setting, speeds are prism linder with case, $160; electronically timed 80mm 1/2.8 normal lens with X·sync hot shoe and cover hood, $190; deluxe grip holder, $40; pistol grip, $45. 55mm 1/2.8 Mamiya/Sekor C lens in bayonet mount lor Ma miya M645. FEATURES: Aper ture to 1/22, locusing to 1 31. ft . (0.55m), accepts 58mm acces sories. PRICE: $250 with hood and case. Lens-removal button 150mm 1/ 4 Mamiya/ Sekor C lens in bayonet mount lor Mamiya M645. FEATURES: Aperture to Primary shutter-release f/32, locusing to 5 It. (1.5m), accepts 58mm accessories. button with locking collar PRICE: $240 with case. In introducing the M645, the Mamiya Camera Co. has taken the bold step of reviving the an cient 4.5 x 6cm (1 % x 2 '/4 -in.) format and placing it in a very contemporary electronic-shut Multiple·exposure knob Mirror-lockup lever tered helicoid-focusing "system" SLR . If you're wondering why they decided to slice the 2'j,, competitive 2'j,, -square SLR mar Pearl IV, both last manufactured mounting service available for square format this time, the an ket (conSisting of such stalwarts in the late 50 's. this size; and, unlike 2'j,, -square swer is obvious. As capable a as Hasselblad, Rollei, Bronica In Japan this size is known as 6 cameras, you have to hold the machine as the RB67 is , it's a and Kowa) , Mamiya conceived x 4.5cm, and the name M645 has camera vertically or horizontally relatively large, heavy (5 lb. 15 the M645 as a scaled-down been derived from this designa depending on the composition of oz.) camera that's more at home but still medium-format field tion. According to Mamiya, the your intended picture. atop a tripod in a studio than camera, a kind of mini-Hassel actual picture area measures Let's see how, and if, Mamiya hanging around your neck at a blad to complement the well 56mm x 42mm (56.3 x 41.9mm capitalized on the advantages of grab-shooting session. And so, established RB67 without com according to our measurements this format and how they got cleverly sidestepping the fiercely peting with it directly. in MODERN 'S laboratory). The ad- around its inherent disadvantages. Body for body, the M645 is the difference is so slight, most zontal position. However, when finder distortion (for a large-for just a tad smaller than the Hassel people probably won 't notice it. you hold the camera vertically mat camera) is partially due to a blad. The basic body, without the Shutter noise and shock are your gripping arm is unavoidably relatively low finder magnifica winding knob or other protruding also present in moderate bent into a somewhat uncomfort tion, which we measured to be parts, measures 3 Y2 in . (9cm) amounts-about average for a able position , and inevitably, approximately 0.B2X life-size high, 4 Y2 in. (11.5cm) long and 3% camera of this type. As you press steadiness suffers if you hold it with the BOmm lens focused at in. (9.5 cm) wide. It's slightly the shutter release you hear a that way for long. Then, there's infinity. The percentage of the on shorter than the Hasselblad but fairly high-pitched metallic noise; the pistol grip, which is worse. film image observable in the otherwide almost identical. Its then, as the mirror comes back finder was measured at about 94 shape is also boxy, but the Ma after the exposure, you hear a percent vertically and 93 percent miya's rear section is hinged; so low-pitched " clunk. " Obviously, horizontally, which is certainly there are no interchangeable film the former sound originates adequate but not quite as good as magazines, just two types of re mostly from the shutter mecha the M645's predecessor, the movable film inserts. nism, while the low sound is RB67 , which shows 97 percent of In our judgment, the chunky produced by the mirror. You can the recorded image in both di size and shape are not partic prove this to your satisfaction by mensions. Nevertheless, when ularly good for shooting fast locking up the mirror with a 90 ° compared with most 35mm moving subjects hand-held. In counterclockwise turn of the mir SLR 's, the M645's performance fact, when we tried the camera ror-lockup lever (on the right is quite good, especially consid hand side of the camera body). If ering that it's a medium-format your fire the camera with the camera. Of course, one unavoid mirror locked up, both the able difficulty with rectangular "clunk" and its resulting shock format roll-film SLR's like the are absent. It is also evident that M645 arises when you fit the most of the shock comes when waist-level finder hood and then the mirror returns to the viewing Shooting verticals isn't Deluxe attempt to take vertical pictures. position after the exposure has Grip Holder's forte, but it oilers The focusing image will then be already been made. The best very good horizontal stability. upside-down. Our conclusion is proof of this were the uniformly that, unless you have a pressing sharp pictures we were able to need to use a waist-level finder, shoot hand-held at shutter you're better off " permanently" speeds as low as 1/ 30 sec. mounting the prism finder. Holding M645 requires a bit of We judge these shooting char To interchange lenses on the practice. Tripping shutter with acteristics to be essential in an M645, you push inward on a right index finger is easiest for " action camera" and , on the small , squarish chrome-plated those used to 35's. whole, we conclude that the ba button on the left side of the sic design of the M645 is quite camera's front plate. You then for the first time, some editors acceptably executed and very turn the lens barrel counterclock didn't feel too comfortable with it. well-conceived. But we've got to wise approximately 60 ° and lift Fortunately, once we got used to admit that some of our editors still out the lens. Three large lugs it, we found the camera's shape demanded some sort of auxiliary retain the lens in its 68mm-diame to be rather well-thought-out. grip to simplify hand-holding. ter mount. With the lens removed The M645 has two shutter As luck would have it, two grips you can observe the action of the release buttons, and you can use were available at test time. First, mirror, which swings back either for horizontal shoeting; there's a side-mounted grip slightly as it flips up to allow more you press the bottom button with which looks exactly like the Ma Too much wrist twisting's re room for deep-set rear lens ele your left index finger and the top miya grip for the RB67.

Load more