Mamiya 7 / 7 II and close focusing

[boatclub]

O.K., so here's the thing: I keep reading everywhere bad reviews about the Mamiya 7 supposedly lack of close focusing. I am planning to buy this camera soon cause I was highly impressed by its mesmerizing quality and I love the square format.
But, the main thing I'm going to shoot is portraits, so... close focusing means a lot to me.

I was very disappointing to read all of these reviews.
I'm wondering if it's really that bad.
if it is, can you recommend my a rangefinder camera that can reach the Mamiya 7 stunning quality but also have close focusing ability?

Thanks a lot and sorry for my English.

[newsgrunt]

Just as well because Mamiya 7's are 6x7 not 6x6. You'll be hard pressed to find a mf rangefinder with close focus capabilities, presuming you mean very tight portraits. If you like square and need close focusing, you'd be better off with Hasselblad imo. Good luck in your search.

[bwcolor]

Wrong camera for the job. The camera is fast, small and the lenses are really sharp, but a tightly cropped portrait requires exactly that...cropping.

[boatclub]

what a disappointment! and to think i was saving for this camera for such a long time... -sigh- well, no time to waste.

so... any suggestions? i'd like to shoot tight, sharp & very focused portraits.

[Maarteun]

Just get an Bronica SQ-a, cheaper than a hasselblad. Quality is pretty much the same, but I'm sure a lot of people won't agree with me on that. And if you like you can get a AE prism with a grip, which makes it comfortable to work with.

[yarinkel]

Hi boatclub,

If you love the square format, you'll be looking at a Mamiya 6, not a Mamiya 7.

The longest lens for a Mamiya 6 system is the 150mm f/4.5, which amounts roughly to a 75mm in the 35mm format. It focuses closest at 1.8m (6 feet), which makes it more a head and shoulder system than for very close head shots.

For that purpose, have a look at hasselblad 500 series. It focuses closer than the Mamiya 6 and 7 and the lenses are longer (and have a wonderful rendition), or check a Mamiya RB67, which focuses even closer (but it is not a square format).

[boatclub]

thanks everyone! you're being really helpful.
still, though - how would you rate the mamiya 7 (with a 80mm lens) in terms of shooting not-really-close-focused portraits? cause from the photos that i've seen it looks pretty damn good, but i start to feel like i'm very clueless...

[bwcolor]

I think that degree to which it is discussed in film forums should answer that one for you. It is a wonderful camera, especially if you want 6x6 (Mamiya 6) or 6x7 in a smaller format body style. The viewfinder is bright and contrasty.. slightly improved on the 7II vs 7. Both are wonderful cameras.

[Turtle]

great for environmental portraits but not close up work. You need a SLR type camera for that.

[nksyoon]

This is about as close as you get with a Mamiya 6 and 75mm lens:

[emraphoto]

And a lovely, lovely endorsement of the mamiya's!

They are wonderful machines. LOVE mine buy not a classic portrait camera by a long shot. How about one of the fujis?

[degruyl]

Originally Posted by boatclub

thanks everyone! you're being really helpful.
still, though - how would you rate the mamiya 7 (with a 80mm lens) in terms of shooting not-really-close-focused portraits? cause from the photos that i've seen it looks pretty damn good, but i start to feel like i'm very clueless...

The Mamiya 7 and 80 mm lens are both terrific, but not for close up.

The 80 mm lens is roughly the same as a 50 mm on 35mm film. In other words, it is a normal. The 150 is a short telephoto lens. Neither lens is very fast, so you can't play games with limited depth of field.

I love this camera. Well, I love the pictures from it. I have my peeves with the camera. I would not, however, use it if I were taking portraits as my main use.

[Maarteun]

Originally Posted by degruyl

The Mamiya 7 and 80 mm lens are both terrific, but not for close up.

The 80 mm lens is roughly the same as a 50 mm on 35mm film. In other words, it is a normal. The 150 is a short telephoto lens. Neither lens is very fast, so you can't play games with limited depth of field.

It's closer to a 35mm than a 50mm (bassicly it's a 40mm but because of the 4:5 aspect you get more information on the vertical axis, making it closer to a 35mm, but I guess that's debatable), And because the lenses are not very fast doesn't mean you can't play 'games' with limited depth of field, of course you can. Next to the sharpness, that's pretty much the entire point of shooting on a larger film surface.

Problem with a RF for close portraits is that you can't check the focus after recomposing your picutre. If you focus on the eyes and you recompose your shot the focus will be off, especially when you are so close to your subject. Moving back a bit can compensate, but you'd end up guessing.

[siberia37]

Originally Posted by degruyl

The Mamiya 7 and 80 mm lens are both terrific, but not for close up.

The 80 mm lens is roughly the same as a 50 mm on 35mm film. In other words, it is a normal. The 150 is a short telephoto lens. Neither lens is very fast, so you can't play games with limited depth of field.

I love this camera. Well, I love the pictures from it. I have my peeves with the camera. I would not, however, use it if I were taking portraits as my main use.

Actually according to the Online DOF calcualtor you would need a 50mm 2.8 lens on 35mm to roughly equal the DOF of 6x7 with an 80mm at 4.5, focusing at 6 feet. So it's DOF is about equal to the fast DSLR prime lens offerings.

[katgut@earthlink.net]

The big question is whether or not you need tight head shots. If so, don't get the Mamiya. I have an M6 and have lots of great portraits, but they're not tight.

[boatclub]

Originally Posted by katgut@earthlink.net

The big question is whether or not you need tight head shots. If so, don't get the Mamiya. I have an M6 and have lots of great portraits, but they're not tight.

hi, would you like to send me some of these portraits, if it's possible?