Stuart Richardson
Active member
I still have to disagree. The body of the 6008AF alone is pretty heavy, and it is an awkward shape...it generally does not fit camera bags well as it is too tall or bulky in the wrong dimensions. When you add digital backs and their batteries add more weight, especially if you will take along a film back and film as well. Certain lenses like the 40mm Schneider, 60mm, 80mm and 150mm f/4 lenses are small and not too heavy, but I was mostly using the 110/2, 180/2.8 and so on...these lenses are of course not light or small by anyone's criteria. The body with small lenses is not heavier than a big pro SLR and 2 or 3 zoom kit, but that does not mean it is fun to carry around all day. At least, it wasn't for me...
Everyone has their metrics and comparisons, but personally I am very happy that I got rid of the Hy6 and 6008 system and got the S2...my experience has improved, and so to has my work. Using that, along with something like a Mamiya 7 is a far more pleasant kit for me. If I were to travel or hike with a medium format film kit, it would be a Mamiya 7, 6 or Plaubel Makina. The SLR's are just too big and bulky to make them worth lugging around unless it is for an actual planned shoot. For most travel, I actually just use a M9 and a 35mm lens. Maybe I will bring along a 75mm too if I will be gone for a long time. Bringing more than that means dragging a lead weight around your shoulder through the endless march of airports, trains and cars that constitute travel in the 21st century. The cameras are already so good today as to print very large from even something like the 18mp M9...I know I got better image quality from the 18mp M9 than I did from the 22mp Sinar back, despite its megapixel and sensor size advantages.
But everyone's different! I know Eric is a great photographer and loves the Rollei kit (he even has some of mine!!), but while I know the Rollei is superb, my own experience led me away from it.
P.S. I am not saying to buy the S2 either! But it seems to me that spending a lot of money on a defunct or semi-defunct MFDB is a bad choice. I know I lost a huge amount of money on the Sinar back in only two years or so. I think it is best to stick to something newer, as long as it fits your budget...a 645D, S2, IQ140, H4D etc. The Hasselblad CF backs were really expensive last time I checked (many years ago!)...
Everyone has their metrics and comparisons, but personally I am very happy that I got rid of the Hy6 and 6008 system and got the S2...my experience has improved, and so to has my work. Using that, along with something like a Mamiya 7 is a far more pleasant kit for me. If I were to travel or hike with a medium format film kit, it would be a Mamiya 7, 6 or Plaubel Makina. The SLR's are just too big and bulky to make them worth lugging around unless it is for an actual planned shoot. For most travel, I actually just use a M9 and a 35mm lens. Maybe I will bring along a 75mm too if I will be gone for a long time. Bringing more than that means dragging a lead weight around your shoulder through the endless march of airports, trains and cars that constitute travel in the 21st century. The cameras are already so good today as to print very large from even something like the 18mp M9...I know I got better image quality from the 18mp M9 than I did from the 22mp Sinar back, despite its megapixel and sensor size advantages.
But everyone's different! I know Eric is a great photographer and loves the Rollei kit (he even has some of mine!!), but while I know the Rollei is superb, my own experience led me away from it.
P.S. I am not saying to buy the S2 either! But it seems to me that spending a lot of money on a defunct or semi-defunct MFDB is a bad choice. I know I lost a huge amount of money on the Sinar back in only two years or so. I think it is best to stick to something newer, as long as it fits your budget...a 645D, S2, IQ140, H4D etc. The Hasselblad CF backs were really expensive last time I checked (many years ago!)...