Mamiya M645--What Should I Know??

[D-B-J]

I just borrowed a Mamiya m645 from a friend while my D800 is in the shop...So, what should I know? I loaded it with 400 Tri-x black and white film, it has an auto advance motor and grip, has a metering viewfinder which I think I've set up properly, and an 80 f2.8 lens and a 150 f4 lens. I'm going to try and run through a roll and send it out before I go hog-wild with it... Anything I should know about this before I start shooting? Obviously I'm used to digital, and it's a steep learning curve moving to such an old piece of kit.

Best,
Jake

 

[cgw]

There are online manuals for the camera and finder which I assume is the later plastic-bodied Super/Pro/ProTL?

Just watch your DOF. It's super shallow on these lenses wide open. For most things, you'll want f5.6/8. With corresponding shutter speeds, you may need some camera support. Have a Mamiya 645 Super kit that I like alot. Have fun. May even lead you back to film!

 

[minicoop1985]

Yup, watch your DOF. I had a 645 Super that had a bad hot shoe/pc sync. Not sure why that happened, but it did.

 

[D-B-J]

Nope! This is straight old school.
All metal/ whatever metal they made it out of. Good to know.. I was about to shoot wide open.. Haha


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[limr]

If it's like mine, you'll get all ready to shoot and the shutter won't fire and that's when you'll remember to take out the dark slide

Mamiya 80mm wide open (or close to it. I took this 10 years ago and didn't take notes )

 

[D-B-J]

If it's like mine, you'll get all ready to shoot and the shutter won't fire and that's when you'll remember to take out the dark slide

Mamiya 80mm wide open (or close to it. I took this 10 years ago and didn't take notes )

Nice! Yeah, I plan on taking notes while I shoot so I have an idea of how accurate the meter is.

And this is the older "first" 645 iteration. There's no interchangeable backs with the metal dark-slide.

mamiya m645 - Google Search

Jake

 

[limr]

If it's like mine, you'll get all ready to shoot and the shutter won't fire and that's when you'll remember to take out the dark slide

Mamiya 80mm wide open (or close to it. I took this 10 years ago and didn't take notes )

Nice! Yeah, I plan on taking notes while I shoot so I have an idea of how accurate the meter is.

And this is the older "first" 645 iteration. There's no interchangeable backs with the metal dark-slide.

mamiya m645 - Google Search

Jake

Ah, very good. No dark slide to contend with

 

[minicoop1985]

I think you'll like the glass. The 150mm 3.5 is super sharp (same thing as my AF, just manual). The 80mm has an incredible bokeh, and if you get the 1.9, is super easy to focus and makes that finder SUPER bright.

 

[D-B-J]

Just accidentally pressed the shutter and took a crap photo. Darn! I knew it would happen..


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[limr]

Just accidentally pressed the shutter and took a crap photo. Darn! I knew it would happen..


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Yup, it was definitely going to happen. It's not really shooting film without the occasional lost frame or two

 

[gsgary]

If your shooting colour over expose it a bit and have it devloped at box speed and don't forget to over expose iso200 you shoot it at 160/125 or 100

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[minicoop1985]

That's what I love about my 645:

A. it has a dark slide.

B. it has an exposure compensation dial on the right side of the finder.