I mostly do landscape photography and have come a long way from using analog systems (including Pentax 67II, Hasselblad V, Mamiya 6 and 7, as well as 4"x5") to various digital systems (currently including Sony A7RIII, Fuji GFX and ALPA SWA with a Phase One IQ3 100).
I have been using Phase One backs on an ALPA since 2007 as my core system and have always been very impressed with the technical image quality. I didn't mind the relatively complicated and slow workflow, including lens cast corrections for every single image up to this day...
Things started to get really interesting as soon as the IQ3 100 got the firmware upgrade with the electronic shutter in September 2016.
I have always been searching for great lenses, so the possibility to adapt various older, analog lenses (Pentax 645 and 67, Mamiya 645) to my ALPA as a base, triggered GAS
.
After reading great things about the Mamiya RZ lenses online, the APO tele lenses in particular, I have tested and invested in a lot of RZ gear, which can be had for crazy low prizes on Ebay: RZ 67 II D with adapter plate for my IQ3 100, plenty of lenses and accessories. However, as with almost all older lenses, which means for mostly gone analog systems, sample variation seems to be a common problem: The IQ3 100 as a test platform reveals it all: Decentered lenses and skewed image planes in particular.
I put the lenses that I kept into two categories: Great and good!
Great: 4,5/50mm ULD, 4,5/140mm Macro (for closeups), 3,5/150mm, 4,5/210mm APO, 4,5/250mm APO and 5,6/350mm APO.
Good: 4/75mm (haven't used the shift lens) and 2,8/110mm
The others I tested didn't convince (possibly due to sample variation, I might have gotten some that performed lower than average): 4/65mm and 3,5/90mm.
In general, I did buy up to three copies of each lens on Ebay (always the last produced versions!), tested it until I got a really good sample, sent the worst back and sold the other good copies on the used market myself.
As a side note I have had only the best experiences with Japanese shops on Ebay, never have been let down: Descriptions were very accurate, shipping was always very fast and after returning some of the lenses as mentioned, the refund always was transferred within a few days. Their English isn't always perfect, but mine isn't either....
Beware though that the RZ 67 system can really only be used on a sturdy tripod and that precise focusing is absolutely mandatory to take advantage of the amazing resolution, which can be achieved under optimal atmospheric conditions. Focusing on the screen (through the viewfinder or with the aid of the standard focusing hood) will not be precise enough, you have to use the 100% magnification on the screen of the IQ3 100.
I currently use my four lenses from the 150mm up to the 350mm APO to complete my ALPA in the tele range. However it's simpy not possible to lug the whole system around in a back pack for long distances (I carry it in a f-stop Shinn).
If you really like a hybrid system, film backs for the RZ 67 are actually cheap as well, you can find them like new on Ebay.
So, if you are aware of the limitations (bulk, weight, slow workflow) and are willing to deal with that, I can certainly recommend the RZ 67 Pro IID together with a IQ3 100.
Good luck!
Jost
