RB67 for Mamiya 7/7II

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Mike"

I understand Bill what I don't know yet is, do any of the lenses fall in
to their gray market category.

Mamiya gives that impression, and for warranty work that's what I'd
expect.
Not sure if they'll refuse to work on a grey market item that's out of
warranty, or if that's even legal anymore.

I personally felt that a body is a lot more likely to fail than a lens so
I was
willing to go grey on the lens but not on a body. I did have a body fail
(rangefinder wouldn't couple to the lenses) but natcherly this happened
after
the warranty had run out.

Mamiya USA seems to have a much tighter hold (more like a legal death
grip) on
grey market imports than the 35 mm vendors like Canon USA or Nikon and we
pay
for it in higher prices on some of their products.

Bill

One reason why Mamiya America has the hold they do is that they are not
owned by Mamiya Japan
unlike Nikon, Pentax, etc. While I can not confirm this little piece of
information the guys who put MA together had to come up with 5 million. It
use to be with the 35mm companies sales carried the service department.
From what I am hearing that's changing so I wouldn't be surprised if more
companies stopped doing warrantee repairs on gray market equipment.
I hope to have more info from Mamiya tomorrow.
Mike

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems focusing.
And when you're off just a little with that camera, it really softens the
image, defeating the purpose of having it in the first place. I was
attracted to the neg size, portability, and lens quality. But the drawbacks
eventually drove me away.

"Matt Clara" wrote in message
.. .
"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Matt Clara"

Listen to what I'm saying, and then tell me if I'm crazy, or not.

I want the rangefinder for its legendary lenses, its portability, its
accurate meter, its ease of use, its ease of focus, and the fact that
it's
somewhat discreet.

We have two bodies and five lenses for this system ... the lenses are
great,
portability is great, I guess it's discreet. Love the image quality and
large
prints. But ...

The meter is accurate to a point but it's easy to get bad readings since
it's
basically heavily center weighted to the viewfinder (not the lens) and
consequently the wider lenses end up with a very narrow metering area,
so
you
have to be careful there. For landscape work I usually carry a 1 degree
spotmeter and use that to meter the tricky scenes when using this camera
and
often overrule the camera's reading.

"ease of focus" is a joke. One of the lenses won't focus at all (210
mm),
meaning it doesn't couple to the rangefinder or an optical finder, you
simply
have to measure the distance or guesstimate it. Another lens (43 mm)
focusses
thru the viewfinder but the viewfinder can't show the correct field of
view for
the lens, you need a second finder attached to the hotshoe for that. So
you
focus thru one window and frame thru another.

Even the lenses we have that act "normal" focus-wise (65, 80, 150 mm)
don't
focus very quickly for me and my eyes. I can focus my Pentax 645 much
faster
than I can this system, for example. I think it's a quirky focus system
so
maybe you can try it ahead of time with the lenses you hope to own and
see
if
it fits your needs.

even with the money made
selling the RB67 equipment, I'll still have to pony up some of my own
dough
just to get the Mamiya and a basic 80mm lens

You might find that the lenses are a lot cheaper if you buy from Hong
Kong
or
Robert White in England, since Mamiya USA has such a monopoly that there
are no
grey market items available in the US and prices are ridiculous. I
saved
almost $1,000 buying the 43 mm from Robert White for example, compared
to
the
B&H price on the same lens. I think I'd still buy the body here in the
states
just to get the warranty and ensure service. This may be the most
fragile
camera body I've ever owned, on one of them the rangefinder simply quit
working
(wouldn't focus) one day after a couple years of moderate use and zero
rough
handling and it cost several hundred bucks to get it fixed.

... if it's not a crazy move--what do you think?

The image quality is great but there are a lot of quirks with this
system.
Make sure you understand them before you dive in.

Bill

Thanks for your reply, Bill--I was hoping for some more input from others
as
well, but none seems forthcoming. Be that as it may, do you know of any
online camera stores based in Japan with the great Mamiya prices of which
you speak? Used equipment would be acceptable, too.

--
Thanks,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com

From: "Bouser"

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems focusing.
And when you're off just a little with that camera, it really softens the
image, defeating the purpose of having it in the first place. I was
attracted to the neg size, portability, and lens quality. But the drawbacks
eventually drove me away.

Ah, that clicked a dozen neurons into place and I remembered this article by
Michael (Love 'em or Hate 'em) Reichmann, who used the 7 II for a year and then
dumped it, in large part because of focus problems.

Matt, you might find it worth reading before you decide.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...hands-on.shtml

Then there's Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist David Kennerly, who did a
very nice book using the Mam 7 II with mainly (only?) the 43 mm lens ...

Bill

"Bouser" wrote:

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems focusing.
[...]

What kind of trouble, exactly? Was it hard to see the focus pair, or was
the ring stiff, what? Is it like focusing the Leica M camera? I'm curious
since I was very seriously thinking of getting one. (FWIW, I have years of
experience with the Leica M2 and M4 and have no difficulty with those.)

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Bouser"

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems
focusing.
And when you're off just a little with that camera, it really softens the
image, defeating the purpose of having it in the first place. I was
attracted to the neg size, portability, and lens quality. But the
drawbacks
eventually drove me away.

Ah, that clicked a dozen neurons into place and I remembered this article
by
Michael (Love 'em or Hate 'em) Reichmann, who used the 7 II for a year and
then
dumped it, in large part because of focus problems.

Matt, you might find it worth reading before you decide.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...hands-on.shtml

Then there's Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist David Kennerly, who
did a
very nice book using the Mam 7 II with mainly (only?) the 43 mm lens ...

Bill



Reichman's focus problem was almost exclusively with the 150mm lens--was
that your experience as well?

--
Regards,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com

In article , "Matt Clara"
wrote:

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Bouser"

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems
focusing.
And when you're off just a little with that camera, it really softens the
image, defeating the purpose of having it in the first place. I was
attracted to the neg size, portability, and lens quality. But the
drawbacks
eventually drove me away.

Ah, that clicked a dozen neurons into place and I remembered this article
by
Michael (Love 'em or Hate 'em) Reichmann, who used the 7 II for a year and
then
dumped it, in large part because of focus problems.

Matt, you might find it worth reading before you decide.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...hands-on.shtml

Then there's Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist David Kennerly, who
did a
very nice book using the Mam 7 II with mainly (only?) the 43 mm lens ...

Bill



Reichman's focus problem was almost exclusively with the 150mm lens--was
that your experience as well?

Hi there,

I have had Mamiya 7s (both versions) since they first came out, using 50,
65, 80 & 150 mm lenses. I take landscapes only, mainly with Fuji Velvia
and always on a tripod. The transparencies are fantastic. I always focus
using the lens depth of field markings (being more conservative by
2-stops) and have never have focus problems. The technique is simple and
bomb proof but it is of course not particulalry fast and the tripod is a
pain at times if I am on a multi-day backpacking trip (normal).

If you can put up with taking photos in this manner, the Mamiya 7 outfit
is brilliant. And as others have mentioned, Hong Kong or Robert White in
the UK is the best place to buy.

Should problems arise it is very easy to get support from the country of
purchase. Courier after all can take as little as 4 days to go around the
world.
Not a biggie in my opinion. I have no problems at all with the Hong Kong
shop I have been using for the past 5 years (Cameron Photo Comapny.

Good luck with the purchase.

Alan Hogg
University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.

"Alan Hogg" wrote in message
...
In article , "Matt Clara"
wrote:

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Bouser"

I had a 7II, and ditched it for the same reasons: I had problems
focusing.
And when you're off just a little with that camera, it really softens
the
image, defeating the purpose of having it in the first place. I was
attracted to the neg size, portability, and lens quality. But the
drawbacks
eventually drove me away.

Ah, that clicked a dozen neurons into place and I remembered this
article
by
Michael (Love 'em or Hate 'em) Reichmann, who used the 7 II for a year
and
then
dumped it, in large part because of focus problems.

Matt, you might find it worth reading before you decide.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...hands-on.shtml

Then there's Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist David Kennerly,
who
did a
very nice book using the Mam 7 II with mainly (only?) the 43 mm lens
....

Bill



Reichman's focus problem was almost exclusively with the 150mm lens--was
that your experience as well?

Hi there,

I have had Mamiya 7s (both versions) since they first came out, using 50,
65, 80 & 150 mm lenses. I take landscapes only, mainly with Fuji Velvia
and always on a tripod. The transparencies are fantastic. I always focus
using the lens depth of field markings (being more conservative by
2-stops) and have never have focus problems. The technique is simple and
bomb proof but it is of course not particulalry fast and the tripod is a
pain at times if I am on a multi-day backpacking trip (normal).

If you can put up with taking photos in this manner, the Mamiya 7 outfit
is brilliant. And as others have mentioned, Hong Kong or Robert White in
the UK is the best place to buy.

Should problems arise it is very easy to get support from the country of
purchase. Courier after all can take as little as 4 days to go around the
world.
Not a biggie in my opinion. I have no problems at all with the Hong Kong
shop I have been using for the past 5 years (Cameron Photo Comapny.

Good luck with the purchase.

Alan Hogg
University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.


Gotcha' Alan--thanks.

--
Regards,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com

Mamiya of America is the BIGGEST rip off around. If you want Mamiya, buy
from Robert White in the UK. 40% cheaper and great service. The will handle
all warranty issues. Mamiya of teh USA is just ripping people off. No more
and no less.



"Mike" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
...
From: "Mike"

Matt, FYI, Mamiya America will not perform warrantee service on select
equipment they deem to be gray market.

That's one reason I suggested buying the body with a US warranty but
getting
the lenses elsewhere.

I understand Bill what I don't know yet is, do any of the lenses fall in
to
their gray market category.