How can I get into MFD for minimal money with my RZ67 Pro II?

[williaty]

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve worked in the industry long enough to understand that, when applying the phrase “minimal money” to MFD, there are still many zeros to the left of the decimal point in the price.

I currently have a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II (not the D model) that I would like to use with a digital back. I am interested in this *solely* because I like working with this camera and I’d like to work recreationally (meaning when I can’t bill the consumables to a client) with it without having to pay for film and processing. Frankly, I can get the file quality I need out of my Nikon DSLR setup, I just don’t like working with 35mm DSLRs very much. I love working with the RZ, however, and that’s the ONLY reason I want a digital back for it.

Here are my priorities/needs:
a) Must work with Mac OS X 10.10 and 10.11!
b) Must work with the RZ67 Pro II (not D) and bonus points if adapters are available to let it work with the Hassy 500-type cameras as well.
c) HUGE bonus points if it can shoot untethered as I’d like to do some outdoors stuff with it.
d) Preferably decent long exposure performance (say performance up to 30 seconds is very good, up to 60 seconds tolerable).
e) Physically larger sensor even at a lower resolution would be preferred so wide lenses stay wide
f) Resolution is NOT important as I don’t think there’s any MFDB made that wouldn’t meet my needs in this respect.


1) What would be the best fit (for me) digital back for less than $2,500 (current cost of a D810)?
2) Can I get any sort of worthwhile digital back for less than $1,500 (just curiosity)?

 

[segedi]

Good news:
It is possible to use the non-D RZ67 with an adapter and a cable that goes from the back to the lens.
You don't have to be tethered, so it can be mobile (as much as the RZ67 can be!)

Bad news:
I think you'll be a bit disappointed with the high ISO performance of all but the latest releases. All but the latest use CCD which doesn't offer the same high ISO performance as CMOS.
Again, CCD isn't the best IMO for long exposure either.
With your budget, only much older backs would seem to fit and I don't think you'd be too happy with the specs.
For example, a Phase One P20+ sensor is only 36.9x36.9mm. The ISO tops out at 800 - and anything over the base, 50, would probably be disappointing as well.

 

[dougpeterson]

I think your only hope of getting close would be a refurb or used p40+. This is the least expensive back capable of ISO3200 (using sensor+ which reduces resolution using pixel binning). This back doesn't have a large sensor.

We have a p45+ in our refurb inventory: https://digitaltransitions.com/products/used-digital-backs/ however this is not a good fit since it is only rated up to ISO800. If we did have a p40+ it would likely be more than your budget.

Nothing I'm aware of meets all your requirements today.

 

[williaty]

OK, lets totally throw out the high-ISO performance. If I give that up, does that open any options for me?

 

[jerome_m]

e) Physically larger sensor even at a lower resolution would be preferred so wide lenses stay wide

RZ67 lenses will not stay wide with any digital back. They have at least a x2 crop factor compared to the 6x7 frame size of your RZ67.

 

[med]

I think the best value for sensor size vs cost would be the 22 MP backs (Phase P25, Leaf Aptus 22, etc). They can be had within your budget and have a 36x44mm sensor size (approximately 1.1 crop of 6x4.5). You can forget high ISO performance but I think they meet your other needs (non-tethered operation), although I can't speak to adaptability on the RZ system at all.

Edit: I think I recently saw an early Aptus 22 (in H mount) for close to $1500 in the for sale forum. I also just reread your post and am not sure about the long exposure capability of the 22 MP Leaf backs... they may be limited in that regard.

 

[Oren Grad]

There's another consideration. The older 22MP 36x48mm backs, which is where I would be looking given your requirements, can sometimes be had at attractive prices now. But by all accounts repair charges have not declined proportionately, if at all, so that you could easily be looking at a cost higher than what you paid for the back if something non-trivial goes wrong. Are you prepared to write off your investment if the back fails?

 

[Shineofleo]

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve worked in the industry long enough to understand that, when applying the phrase “minimal money” to MFD, there are still many zeros to the left of the decimal point in the price.

I currently have a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II (not the D model) that I would like to use with a digital back. I am interested in this *solely* because I like working with this camera and I’d like to work recreationally (meaning when I can’t bill the consumables to a client) with it without having to pay for film and processing. Frankly, I can get the file quality I need out of my Nikon DSLR setup, I just don’t like working with 35mm DSLRs very much. I love working with the RZ, however, and that’s the ONLY reason I want a digital back for it.

Here are my priorities/needs:
a) Must work with Mac OS X 10.10 and 10.11!
b) Must work with the RZ67 Pro II (not D) and bonus points if adapters are available to let it work with the Hassy 500-type cameras as well.
c) HUGE bonus points if it can shoot untethered as I’d like to do some outdoors stuff with it.
d) Preferably decent long exposure performance (say performance up to 30 seconds is very good, up to 60 seconds tolerable).
e) Physically larger sensor even at a lower resolution would be preferred so wide lenses stay wide
f) Resolution is NOT important as I don’t think there’s any MFDB made that wouldn’t meet my needs in this respect.


1) What would be the best fit (for me) digital back for less than $2,500 (current cost of a D810)?
2) Can I get any sort of worthwhile digital back for less than $1,500 (just curiosity)?

I was in the same situation months ago. Yes it is much fun to shoot with old camera + DB!

However, if you want decent long exposure performance (30s), it simply shuts the options off... The cheaper/older generation of DB has bad performance on high ISO and long exposure.

 

[Hulyss Bowman]

I think the best value for sensor size vs cost would be the 22 MP backs (Phase P25, Leaf Aptus 22, etc). They can be had within your budget and have a 36x44mm sensor size (approximately 1.1 crop of 6x4.5). You can forget high ISO performance but I think they meet your other needs (non-tethered operation), although I can't speak to adaptability on the RZ system at all.

Edit: I think I recently saw an early Aptus 22 (in H mount) for close to $1500 in the for sale forum. I also just reread your post and am not sure about the long exposure capability of the 22 MP Leaf backs... they may be limited in that regard.

Yes this is the way to go imho. A DM22 back is kind of a big sensor compared to modern crops and yield a wonderful rendering. I think he should go that way till he can gather enough money to buy a new system OR a Pentax 645Z.

 

[torger]

A Hasselblad CF-22 also known as Ixpress 132c could fit your bill, but they're hard to find. The 22 megapixel Kodak KAF-22000 39x47mm. An advantage of this back is that you can change mounts between V and M as there's an adapter built in. 32 seconds max exposure, supports CF cards.

I don't remember how the 32 sec quality is, but you should expect to lose at least one stop DR at max exposure time. On my Aptus I think I lost about two stops DR at 32 seconds.

Forget wide angle, sensors are just too small compared to film.

If you could find a Dicomed Bigshot and actually get it to work you have a 6x6 16 megapixel sensor, but ever since there has not been any large sensors in medium format, 645 almost-fullframe is the largest.