Mamiya 645 Camera

[Hans Tucker]

Any Astrophotographers from the film era still around?

I have been looking at Takahashi schematics and one item that features a lot is the Mamiya 645 Camera. I notice Takahashi also has a few adapters for this particular camera

Were these the ducks guts back in the film era...the choice of season professionals...albeit an expensive choice?

Why? or was this just big in the Japanese market?

[Larryp]

Not familiar with that camera, Hans. I did a lot of film work with a Nikon F2.
The F2 had interchangeable focusing screens for different applications, including an astronomy screen. It also had interchangeable viewfinders, one of which was a waist level finder with 5x magnification.
The focusing screen and waist level finder made it ideal for astro-photography.:)

[alocky]

I've still got a complete RB67 and lenses -this is the 'proper' Mamiya medium format, and 120 roll is easy enough to get hold of. I think the 645 was popular mainly because you got more shots per roll than the 6x7, the camera was a lot easier to handle and the 'semi' medium format neg still gave ridiculous levels of enlargement compared to 35mm. I suspect any pros from that era would tell you the Hasselblad was the ducks nuts, though. I think the 645 is the largest neg that would fit in the fully corrected area of the FSQ - although I seem to remember seeing adapters for the pentax 6x7 in the catalogue as well. Pity there's no adapter for the RB - I'd love to stick that on the back of the FSQ.
cheers,
Andrew.

[raymo]

I had a Mamiya 645 for quite a while back in the 80s. It was popular
everywhere, not just in Japan. It was popular for several reasons;
firstly, there was a large range of lenses, bellows,filters, and other
accessories readily available,
secondly, the lenses were superb,
thirdly, whilst not quite up to the build quality of the Hasselblad,
it was still beautifully made, and vastly cheaper than the Hass;
and WOW I still remember those pin sharp prints.
raymo

[Kunama]

I still have a Mamiya 645Pro system (only used as a paperweight these days).
They are/were a superb camera, being more portable that the RB/RZ and a much larger format compared to 35mm.

My favourite camera of all that I have owned, especially with Fuji Velvia. (15 frames per roll of 120)

They are a component camera with the body, finder, lens, back and winder as separate components. I did not use it for astro but would love to see the results.

[Octane]

The 645 is on my to-get list. Love my RZ67 Professional II. :)

H

[Kunama]

The RZ was such a nice camera to use, albeit a little heavy.
Those were the days H,
C'est le vie .....

excuse the phone picture

[Octane]

Awesome!

Easter time last year, I went walking around Sydney/The Rocks/Circular Quay with Omaroo/Chris.

He had his two little Leica's with him and I had the RZ67 nursed like a baby. I had so many people come up to me and talk to me about my camera. It's a real conversation starter.

But, yes, carrying that around for a day, it really hurts. :)

H

[clive milne]

Not all of them.... the one I had was compromised by coma.
I never did bother adapting the 645 to prime focus of my ota... I ended up making a camera body that used 4x5" tech pan sheet film... the process of taking an image included focusing using a knife edge, wrapping myself (and the focal plane in) a black sleeping bag to keep out stray light as the negative was placed in the camera.... manual guiding with an illuminated reticule for what seemed like an eternity (f9) then developing the negatives in trays in the garage before dawn... it was challenging but rewarding. Each successful image was like climbing k2.

[jamesrees]

I used to have a brace of 645s and placed one on the car roof - you guessed it. I drove off. The camera hit the bitumen and continued to work for many years thereafter. A great pro camera.

[jamesrees]

We also had an RZ and a couple of RB 67s. These were fantastic for fashion work. Kind of a gold standard in their day.