MFRF

[montresor]

Leaning toward the (tragically discontinued) Bronica RF645, but want to make sure I've researched the whole range of medium format rangefinders before I plunk down the big bucks. So far I'm aware of Fuji 645S, 67 and 69, the alarmingly expensive Mamiya 6 & 7, the Plaubel Makinas -- am I missing any other MFRFs I might want to look at?

 

[Alpha]

Depends on what you need in your camera. The Graflex XL and Mamiya Press are both 6x9 rangefinders, albeit much older.

 

[montresor]

Looking for something not more than 5-6 years old. Semi-newish is the goal here.

That does not, by the way, in any way disqualify my abiding interest in either of those cameras you mentioned there!

 

[Alpha]

The glass on the Graflex is superb. You're in a tought spot. I think the Bronica is way overpriced, I wish the Fuji 645 had a meter, and the bigger ones are more than I want to spend.

 

[montresor]

I'd heard the Graflex was manufactured by Mamiya, or at least designed by them. The prices I see are not bad at all, and I do like the option of 6x7 or 6x9 backs that come with the Graflex and the Universal.

All in all, an expensive avocation.

 

[newrmdmike]

i am looking at getting a mamiya 6-7 maybe . . .

max, what are your thoughts on that? i haven't heard many good things about the bronica.

 

[Alpha]

I'd heard the Graflex was manufactured by Mamiya, or at least designed by them. The prices I see are not bad at all, and I do like the option of 6x7 or 6x9 backs that come with the Graflex and the Universal.

All in all, an expensive avocation.

Mamiya did not make the XL. Graflex already had such a large hold on the rest of the photography market that when Mamiya released the first Press in 1962, they built it to accept Graflex film backs. In fact, the RB will accept some of them, too.

 

[Paul Ron]

The Graflex XL is a wonderful camera and has some amazing lenses. Nice system. The film back is an RB67 back so there are plenty around to choose from. That camera was a favorite of the wedding shooters. I recently worked on one and let me tell you with a very minimal CLA service it's as good as new. Oh did I mention you can also use sheet film like a LF camera.

The Mamiya 6 or 7 are not cheap these days and are still in high demand on the used market.

 

[Alpha]

The Graflex XL is a wonderful camera and has some amazing lenses. Nice system. The film back is an RB67 back so there are plenty around to choose from. That camera was a favorite of the wedding shooters. I recently worked on one and let me tell you with a very minimal CLA service it's as good as new. Oh did I mention you can also use sheet film like a LF camera.

The Mamiya 6 or 7 are not cheap these days and are still in high demand on the used market.

The film back is not an RB67 back. It's the other way around. The Graflok back on the XL natively accepts 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 (6x9) Graflex roll film backs (the RH series). It will accept RB67 backs because Mamiya built the Press series to accept the RH backs, and when they finally released the RB67, wanted to keep everything standard. You can use RB67 backs on the XL. You cannot use XL backs on the RB.