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Questions on Mamiya 645 lenses

A

A.K.

Guest
Hello,
1) What is the difference between old m645 55/2.8 S, 55/2.8, 55/2.8 N ?
2) Has anybody ever used CZJ Sonnar 180/2.8 in pentacon Six mount on Mamiya? 210/4 vs. CZJ 180/2.8?
3) Does 120macro (old one) work well on afd body? In an other thread Paul2660 wrote:
"1. The original manual focus, with the manual aperture ring, but auto diaphram switch, which I thought means that you can have the lens wide open for focus, then hit the switch and it will stop down for metering. But from certain descriptions, I have read that the switch just turns the lens aperture to full manual or auto (auto like how the 24 TSE works on the Canon). Do either of you know exactly how the aperture works?"
Does the lens have a diaphragm switch?

Thank you in advance.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hi AK and welcome!

1) I am not sure, other than the "N" versions of the MF lenses were the latest ones produced and supposedly had improved lens coatings over the C versions, and the C versions. (N may have also replaced heavy-metal glass in the C versions.) All of the N versions I have used and a few C version manual focus lenses all performed very well on digital for me. CA along high-contrast edges was the main negative culprit.

2) I have not, sorry.

3) Yes, and it works very well. However you do have to use stop-down metering as there is NO auto-aperture, so it is a bit less convenient than newer electronic lenses*. However, the new 120 Macro lenses are still all manual focus, so the only real advantage is auto aperture and more automated exposure. The older manual version is probably the best $300 lens you can get for the Mamiya 645...

*A side note on using older manual lenses or third-party lenses on the Mamiya or Phase AFD bodies:

The AFD body metering system allows for "Spot", "Average" (multi-segment in the new body), or "Combined A-S" which is sort of a matrix/evaluative option that switches between and/or averages the two depending on lighting values. (FWIW this A-S mode workes quite well in the AFD-2 body, getting confused only in difficult light, and has been improved to where it is really quite excellent on the new Phase/Mamiya body in all situations I've thrown at it.) HOWEVER, if you are in the A-S mode, lenses without the electrical contacts (ie all older manual lenses and third-party glass) will default to the "Spot" metering mode, so be advised. Not generally a problem if you are aware of it and change the metering pattern to average, or adjust your metering methods to accommodate spot properly, but can generate inaccurate exposures if you are unaware and using spot unknowingly.

Cheers,
 
A

A.K.

Guest
Thank you, and especially for a note on metering!

BTW, I am looking for an I-Adapter for mamiya, maybe somebody knows where to get a used one? (thread)
 
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