Oh mama- or Mamiya...

[The_Camera_Poser]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0810/08102102mamiya_dl28.asp

I was starting to get SERIOUSLY excited about this all new, low-cost digical MF camera from Mamiya, unitl I got to the bottom line and saw the RRP. Thank you Canon- for being affordable! LOL

[nazdravanul]

16 bit and 12 stops dynamic range ... at 14999 is definitely a bargain (:.

[Alleh]

Yeah that camera is sweet. I would love to ad a MF digital to my camera options.

[robie]

What are these types of cameras used for? How do they differ from DSLR's? What is an MF Camera? Thanks.

[joetothphoto]

MF = Medium Format

They have a wide variety of uses. In the film days, they had a different size negative (larger) which equaled higher quality. I would say they saw a lot of action in the studio. In fact if you pick up a high quality glossy, a lot of the images you see are shot with MF cameras.

[robie]

MF = Medium Format

They have a wide variety of uses. In the film days, they had a different size negative (larger) which equaled higher quality. I would say they saw a lot of action in the studio. In fact if you pick up a high quality glossy, a lot of the images you see are shot with MF cameras. Oh, thanks.

[Blue Deuce]

Not to mention they have seen extensive use from NASA with Hasselblads .

[5Dmaniac]

It is most likely a real bargain compared to the yet to be released Leica S2:-) The Leica lenses alone will cost a fortune!

[DrPablo]

16 bit and 12 stops dynamic range ... at 14999 is definitely a bargain (:.I get that with a $500 medium format camera and a $2000 scanner. Except that I also get around 100-200 megapixel images and with some films up to a 14 or 15 stop dynamic range.

What are these types of cameras used for? How do they differ from DSLR's? What is an MF Camera? Thanks.Medium format cameras are very diverse. There are SLRs (like Hasselblads, like the Mamiya RB67), rangefinders, twin lens reflex cameras, panoramic cameras, and view cameras. The common thread is that their film is 60mm on one side, making formats such as 60x45, 60x60, and 60x70. I use a 60x60 camera ( a Hasselblad) and a 60x120 camera (a Noblex). By comparison, "full frame" 35mm is 36x24mm.

[Chris Walker]

mf and low-price just don't go together and if they ever do i would be scared to think what you would be get at a low-price

[Mark1]

I am highly considering getting the 645. It is way more reasonably priced.

[DocFrankenstein]

I get that with a $500 medium format camera and a $2000 scanner. Except that I also get around 100-200 megapixel images and with some films up to a 14 or 15 stop dynamic range.
Ansel Adams must be shocked. :lol:

Do you have Zone "minus one" and zone 11 or do you just simply go to zone 12?

[FelixP]

:lol:

bw!:p

[sapearl]

Ah yes, those wonderful moon 500C's and lenses still sitting at the lunar landing site. They had to leave a lot of gear behind and just take the film magazines for weight considerations back on the early mission.

Not to mention they have seen extensive use from NASA with Hasselblads .

[DrPablo]

Ansel Adams must be shocked. :lol:

Do you have Zone "minus one" and zone 11 or do you just simply go to zone 12?He wouldn't be shocked at all. The thing is it's very rare to actually be shooting in 15-stop environments in which you want to capture detail over this entire range.

The exposure:density curve on low contrast negative film goes WAY past 12 stops if you use a densitometer. The problem is that most of that is not printable with standard darkroom procedures unless you do something Adams rarely did -- extreme pull development. One photographer who is well known for this is Bruce Barnbaum, who uses very dilute developers with no agitation and he is able to pull as much as 7 stops (he gives workshops on this). So he can take a scene brightness range of 15 stops, expose for it, and pull back to an easily printable density range on the negative that corresponds to the zone system.

Drum scanning is another way to easily pull 12 stops of detail off a negative (again, low contrast film like HP5+ or TriX or Portra 160NC or Fuji Pro-S work the best for this). It's very rare for a negative to even remotely approach the density of slide film, and drum scanners can pull most any highlight detail out of even grossly overexposed negatives.

So no, nothing shocking about this claim.

The only other issue is that the highlight shoulder gets pretty flat above 12 stops, so you're not going to have much fine high contrast detail up there -- but you WILL get fine tonal gradations (which are the single most important justification for shooting large format film).

[shutterfiend]

If someone is starting from scratch I think the new Leica system might be a better alternative.

[RacEcaR]

i use a mamiya 645 and LEAF aptus 22mp DIGITAL BACK.about $20,000.

i dont like it at all, and would never purchase a digital back setup for my self.


not versitile at all. strictly a studio camera in my opinon.

[The_Camera_Poser]

$20g will get you a 5D II and a LOT of good glass......

[DocFrankenstein]

i use a mamiya 645 and LEAF aptus 22mp DIGITAL BACK.about $20,000.

i dont like it at all, and would never purchase a digital back setup for my self.


not versitile at all. strictly a studio camera in my opinon.
That's the whole point of the camera. ;)

[RacEcaR]

That's the whole point of the camera. ;)

yeh, i just really love the versatiliy of an slr and thats what i would buy for myself.plus i dont like portrait all that much at this point.

people need to understand though before lokking at MF cameras, that a MF digiback setup is a whole different animal than a dslr. its just two completely different things.it only makes nice photos at iso 50, i mean you cant even hand hold the camera unless your using strobes.

NOW a 4x5 view camera with a leaf aptus digital back on a slider adapter is somthing i realy enjoy using a lot for commercial and tabletop.

[NeutronBoy]

I have handled these cameras at a trade show and frankly I must be a neanderthal. Aside from the whopping pixel count, it felt like I was holding my old Olympus 1 megapixel 10x zoom camera. The build felt cheap and plasticy, and the viewfinder image blows. Oh yes, and then there's the price. I am going to get a 5D when I can afford it.

I don't mean to offend anyones sensibilities here. Just one (likely misguided) opinion.

[subtle]

I'll take three.