Menu
What's new
The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Mamiya 645 or Hasselblad on Mirex for Sony 850?

kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
I am assembling a Sony-based setup for shooting instruments for a friend, who makes stringed instruments. Yesterday I used the 850 + the Zeiss 24-70/2.8 on tripod to shoot an expensive cello... these are hard to light (I will post examples later).

My inquiry today: considering shooting distance (under 2 metres with a 40–50mm lens), is there a clear advantage to either one of these excellent lens makers' offerings?

I am looking at the Hasselblad 40/4 or 50/4, or the Mamiya 45/2.8; the Mirex requires that I choose one or the other.

I want to be able to tilt the lens mainly (and in a close-focus, product environment with controlled lighting), and the shift will be nice for panoramas—but the table-top capacity is the most important aspect.

I am inclining to the Mamiya, only for the one-stop faster aperture for focussing.

One final question: after using the C1Pro 'focus mask' when processing yesterday's images (and being amazed at how well it works), is there any way to allow the Sony to be tethered to the MacBook Pro via this software??? I will cross post this in the image processing forum, too.

Cheers, and TIA
 
H

H3dtogo

New member
Hi, what would you like to be better with MF lenses from 20+ years old than with that great dedicated digital corrected superlens you have got. I often use Russian and DDR lenses onmy 850 but not for the sharpness. I really like these old film lenses for the way they produce that great soft look. For sharp pictures i use my Sony/minolta lenses.
 
R

robmac

Well-known member
Kit

I use M645 glass (80/1.9 C & N, 80M, 120/4M, 150/2.8A, 200 APO) on my Canon and LOVE them. I've played with a friends Mirex using M645 - very well-built kit. I've also used Hassy on Canon and my pref was M645 - they have a tonality and lower contrast I prefer.

In the 45-55 mm range in M645, the 45 is nice/ok, but the 55/2.8 ( C model for lower contrast, slighty better tonality or N model for slightly more contrast and better flare resistance) is a barn-burner.

For better input on use on Mirex, etc., hit up the FM Alt Glass section, in particular a friend of mine by the name of - Jim Colwell (jcolwell). He and I both use M645 on Canon (me soon to be Nikon) and he's a big-time user of the Mirex.

Let me know if I can help any further.

R
 
T

tetsrfun

Guest
Another option is the Hasselblad 50mm f/2.8, either the F or FE. The 50mm 2.8 is build like a tank and is heavy, tipping my scales at 1.254 kg. The 'blad 40mm f/4 CFE weighs 928 gms. If you have the Mirex, then you are aware that it is difficult to tighten the screw that controls the degree of tilt because of it's small size and position. The 50mm f/2.8 emphasizes this problem. A small additional torque with fine nose pliers solves the problem but it isn't an elegant solution. When I get around to it, I will find something with a longer stem and larger knob.

Two snaps; the 50 2.8 and the 40 f/4 on a Nikon D300.

Steve
 
kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
robmac: thank you; that is very helpful, and I will follow up on jcolwell (I am sure I know him from FM). I will look for one of these right away (55/2.8 C). Thanks for all replies, KL
 
H

H3dtogo

New member
kit laughlin said:
H3dtogo: the 24-70/2.8 is a good lens, but it does not tilt.
Click to expand...
Sorry Kit, my mistake. I used both mamiya 45 and 55mm manual lenses on a russian TS adapter and they were great on my 5DMk2. Especially taken in account the absurd low price i paid for these lenses they, really perform great. An other important thing to me was the weight and bulk of the Hasselblad lenses: these are big and weigh a ton ( wich make the set up more difficult to master).
 
kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
I am in the middle of a frustrating exchange with KEH: they have the lens I want; price is right—but their site is a disaster, from a user's perspective.

Enter a helpful email assistant from KEH full of apologies for the site (and suggesting that phoning in an order, or doing it by email is so much more efficient than using the on-line system—speaking as though I (of course) should have known that....); the same disconnect is being experienced. After confirming the lens I want, and offering a number of payment options, emails back and forth—silence.

I wait; we'll get there one day!
 
Last edited:
J

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
I'd be interested in knowing how stable the Mirex is, so please do post when you have it! I have a rigid Mamiya 645 adapter for the 850, mainly because it was cheaper to adapt the 120/4 than any alternative, even cheaper than a Pentax M42 100/4 - and the Mamiya doesn't fall short optically in any way. If the 55N is as good as the 55AF... I'd consider one of those. The other lenses I wanted to be able to use are the APO 200/2.8 and 500/5.6; both of those are very good as well.
 
J

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
I got one from Cirrus Adapters. Although I bought it from their web store, not via ebay. Their adapter works and is sturdy, but otherwise not all that great. It doesn't have a proper lens lock for instance, but a locking screw, and the VF vignettes slightly on the top, somewhat reminiscent of the Hassy 500C. It's awfully expensive for what you get. But it does work and is well machined.
 
J

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Yeah, the Mirex looks really nice... Just wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much on what for me is a pretty marginal need.
 
ondebanks

ondebanks

Member
Kit,

The M645 55mm 'N' is stellar corner to corner on a FF DSLR at f5.6 (and at f4 over nearly all of the field). It is also very light and compact, and very close focusing for its focal length (magnification M=0.18 at minimum focus, better than any other M645 lens, bar the 80mm and 120mm macros obviously). Sounds like it will really suit your table-top application.

Ray
 
kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Thanks Ray. I have ordered the lens (I think it's the same one; the listing at KEH describes it as "MS06 55 F2.8 A N/L LS W/CAPS". Not sure what the "L" means.

And the Mirex is ordered, too.

Another question, if I may: is the "35 F3.5 N (77) WITH CAPS MEDIUM FORMAT SLR MANUAL FOCUS SUPER WIDE ANGLE LENS" the widest that Mamiya made? And what is its reputation like for sharpness? There's a Bargain one at KEH right now, and I am sure there will be others. KL
 
kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
@ Jan: you email Markus Michelberger (Mirex <[email protected]>); he speaks English in an interesting way, and he will get back to you.

@ robmac: thank you so much; I didn't think to look on FM, and I will check that out. I will get the N variant. Cheers, KL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top