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Mamiya 645 glass with the a900 (a query)

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Shelby Lewis

Guest
So... I'm stuck.

I'm on the verge of possibly buying a 22mp MF system. Been looking at phase, hassy, leaf, you name it. I have an investor who's catalog work I shoot that is willing to invest in some gear for me in exchange for some work in return... all contracted and above the board.
There is a local gentleman who's offering me a mamy/leaf system, with a mint afdII body and a ton of glass at a great price... if I buy it as a package.

I'm waffling between buying the system or just dropping the money on an extended line of Zeiss glass (plus a few SAL lenses) for my a900 and a new computer (plus some other things).

One of the things that keeps the leaf system, as well as a few other queries I have out there, in contention is the possible use of the glass on my a900. The 120/4 macro would make a great headshot lens on the a900... but the 135/1.8 za does as well.... tough call.

So, I'm wondering if any of you have tried any of the mamiya 645 glass on the a900 yet. For that glass to pull double duty (and do it well) would be a good asset IMO.

Thanks!
Shelby
 
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Dale Allyn

New member
Shelby,

I have a Mamiya kit including the 120mm macro "D" and it's very sharp (on my AFDII / P25+, no experience on the Sony). Optically, it's very, very sharp and gives good colors, but as a portrait lens I struggle to find an "upgrade" over what I expect you're getting from the Z135mm/1.8. I own Canon gear and the 135mm f/2.0, and while Canon certainly makes files different from the a900, it is plenty sharp enough for portraits IMO. The bokeh from that particular Canon lens is very pleasing, and from what I see (on-line) the Zeiss 135mm is a stellar lens and wouldn't see much of boost with the Mamiya 120. In fact, I might expect fewer "keepers" (no AF, f/4, Bokeh past 10 meters not as nice, etc.).

I like the idea of integrating kits where practical, especially in studio, but I think that if you're using the MF glass for headshots, you might as well be using that glass in front of an MF digital back and soften the image in post (referring to skin details). You may even prefer the Mamiya 150mm for such work.

If you lived near me I'd gladly offer to let you shoot all of my Mamiya lenses and AFDII/P25+ if you'd like. You're getting great results from your sony kit, but I'll bet you'd love the MF kit too, when it fits the job or your mood. The files are stunning IMO. The most difficult thing to grasp (IMO) is that the MF backs really thrive in big light. It doesn't have to be bright or sunny, etc., just "big". Guy has moved to the P30+ to gain a stop for his work, partly because of the big appetite these backs have for light.

So, not really a direct reply to your post, but a bit of a conversation intended. :)
 
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douglasf13

New member
Shelby, I know that Hassie lenses work well on the A900, but I haven't tried Mamiya on the A900. I'm sure that they would be great, outside of some of the caveats like no AF. The A900 only uses the central sweetspot of these MF lenses, so the performance is very good.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
So... I'm stuck.

I'm on the verge of possibly buying a 22mp MF system. Been looking at phase, hassy, leaf, you name it. I have an investor who's catalog work I shoot that is willing to invest in some gear for me in exchange for some work in return... all contracted and above the board.
There is a local gentleman who's offering me a mamy/leaf system, with a mint afdII body and a ton of glass at a great price... if I buy it as a package.

I'm waffling between buying the system or just dropping the money on an extended line of Zeiss glass (plus a few SAL lenses) for my a900 and a new computer (plus some other things).

One of the things that keeps the leaf system, as well as a few other queries I have out there, in contention is the possible use of the glass on my a900. The 120/4 macro would make a great headshot lens on the a900... but the 135/1.8 za does as well.... tough call.

So, I'm wondering if any of you have tried any of the mamiya 645 glass on the a900 yet. For that glass to pull double duty (and do it well) would be a good asset IMO.

Thanks!
Shelby
Might be wrong here, but aren't the newer D AF lenses like the macro etc. sans an aperture control ring on the lens?

If I'm right, on the A900 you wouldn't be able to stop down without a manual aperture ring on the lens.

That would mean using the manual focus Mamiya lenses with aperture rings ... which I would question using on the MFD camera since the newer Mamiya Ds seem to be much better for that medium format digital application.

I sometimes get double duty from my Hasselblad Zeiss V lenses (any of them from the 500 or 200 series) on the A900 because they are all mechanical stop down with aperture rings on the lens. I cannot use the H/C lenses from the H camera either because they do not have an aperture ring on the lenses and no way to disable the leaf shutter that I know of.

The V lenses are probably the most adapted Medium Format lenses out there. I've used them on a sucession of different camera beside what thet were made for: Contax 645, a Contax N, Contax AX/RX, a Mamiya 645, A Canon 1DsMKIII, a Nikon D3, and now the Sony A900. They just keep on truckin' :thumbs:

The legendary 110/2F/FE is to die for, and is a killer portrait lens on the A900 where it fills the prime focal length space between the 85/1.4 and 135/1.8. and then there is the yummy 250/2FE ... (yes, I am an evil pusher of exotic glass :ROTFL: )

Some Sony Porn:
 
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fotografz

Well-known member
Oops The 250FE is f/4 not f/2 (I wish ... :rolleyes: )

And now I'm in big trouble for prematurely showing the A950 I'm beta testing ... :eek:
 

docrjay

New member
Is that for real? Wow! An A950. What a teaser! Does it have video/live view? hehehe....

Incidentally..on the alphamount website. The A950 specs included a 36MP sensor, 1080HD video, live view, 9FPS!
 
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robmac

Well-known member
Not an A900, but loved the Hassy 110/2 on my 1Ds2 and now use the M645 80/1.9C (just love it), 150/3.5 N (great for portraits, pastel color) and 200/2.8 APO (gorgeous and VERY sharp). Yeah it's stop-down, etc., but who cares? Also have a 120/4 macro and M645 tilt-shift bellows enroute as we speak. Have a borrowed 55/2.8 N that is very sweet - so much so am now shopping accordingly.

James Colwell, a new member here and long-tim FM Alternative member and a founding father of the local 'M645 lens loan program' is an avid M645 user on EoS bodies, including the amazing 300/2.8 APO and would be a great source to talk to as well.

The 200 APO is so close to the Leica 180/2.8 APO in performance it's not even funny. Because of the registration distance of M645 vs a DSLR, you can bolt-on any TC that strikes your fancy. My 200 APO does a great job, even WO, using a EoS 1.4x Mod 1.

HIGHLY recommend trying M645 glass on a FF DSLR - especially if also looking to have a Mamiya-based MFDB kit, For the cost of an adapter, you get great double duty (for those units w/aperture control) and the glass offers amazing IQ for miniscule $$ (relatively speaking). Accessories like TCs, tubes, TS bellows, etc., are also dirt cheap. Most units offer very nice VF 'pop' and smoooth operation (especially the C or S versions) - making manual focus a pleasure.
 
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carstenw

Active member
Ooooh, a black Alpha symbol! Very neat. How did you do that? More camera porn please. I am considering buying an A900 if my plan to buy an MFDB fails, and the first lens I would put on it would be my 110/2. What adapter did you use?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Ooooh, a black Alpha symbol! Very neat. How did you do that? More camera porn please. I am considering buying an A900 if my plan to buy an MFDB fails, and the first lens I would put on it would be my 110/2. What adapter did you use?
Fodex. Same as for the Canon, Nikon, etc.
 

Terry

New member
Actually,
What I noticed is the strap....Since you are a handstrap guy can you describe what you are using? can you quickly switch straps?
 
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fotografz

Well-known member
Actually,
What I noticed is the strap....Sine you are a handstrap guy can you describe what you are using? can you quickly switch straps?
Actually, it's one of those "bouncy" straps ... the stretchy type that absorbs the load, and is more comfortable than leather or cloth. I usually sling one A900 over my shoulder, and the other one has the hand strap, so I can have 2 cameras on me when shooting weddings.

I understand the concept of a hand strap and shoulder strap, but I haven't tried it yet. Sounds "entangling" to me.
 

robmac

Well-known member
Fodex maybe an Ebay vendor. Other options Fotodiox Pro v(but not sure they do MA yet) or Cirrius (sic?) off ebay.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Mamiya lenses you are going to need the aperture ring. All of the manual focus lenses have aperture rings. The 200 Apo around 600 is to kill for , the Macro 120 is another killer lens as well. 50mm shift lens plus a bunch more but I think there are some adapters from Mamiya to Minolta that work.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Fodex maybe an Ebay vendor. Other options Fotodiox Pro v(but not sure they do MA yet) or Cirrius (sic?) off ebay.
LOL, yeah that's the one. Fotodiox not Fodex .... to lazy to look at the adapter for the name .... me and my lousy memory.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Is that for real? Wow! An A950. What a teaser! Does it have video/live view? hehehe....

Incidentally..on the alphamount website. The A950 specs included a 36MP sensor, 1080HD video, live view, 9FPS!
... and a Partridge in a pear tree. :ROTFL:
 
S

Shelby Lewis

Guest
Is that for real? Wow! An A950. What a teaser! Does it have video/live view? hehehe....

Incidentally..on the alphamount website. The A950 specs included a 36MP sensor, 1080HD video, live view, 9FPS!
surely not... :eek:

we'd surely need a new thread... "The a950... an iso 25 to iso 50 camera" :ROTFL:
 

fotografz

Well-known member
A couple quick available light shots yesterday to demo the 110/2FE on the A900. The "Lazy Dog" shot shows that this lens focuses down pretty close, and when you do it @ f/2, DOF is narrow. What is in focus is sharp as hell. "Slum Bird House" was stopped down a tad.

Same Zeiss color & contrast to match the 85/1.4 and 135/1.8. Pretty easy to focus the 110/2 on this camera ... and of course, all the V lenses become image stabilized on the Sony.
 
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