Click above to watch the video
I’ve been wanting to make a video using the Mamiya 645 for some time, and, so here it is.
If like me, you indulge in film photography and you’ve considered giving medium format a try, this is a relatively cheap, solid option. Firstly construction is great and you’ll certainly feel like you’ll own a camera that will last for many years, let’s face it, they already have lasted for a very long time!
My particular Mamiya is a 1000s model, which has a maximum shutter speed of….yes you guessed it - 1000 of a second. It also has an aperture priority mode, though you’ll need the prism viewfinder for that as the camera will need it to meter correctly. In all honesty I much prefer using the waist level finder. The bright view you’ll see looking down into it, is what using this style of camera is all about in my opinion.
Loading film and general use is a breeze, to be fair much like many medium format cameras, and this camera is a great way to start your medium format journey.
You’ll get 15 shots from a roll of 120 film, which is a reasonable return. You’ll of course get less if you opt for a different size such as 6x6, 6x7 etc.
I won’t right to much here as you can watch the video to see the camera in use, but please have a look through the images below…A relatively small sample of pictures taken with this true gem! A final thought on cost…I can’t remember how much I paid for it, but this model is generally selling on eBay for approx £350 for body, 1 lens and either view finder, and by today’s standards it’s a steal. So before you drop thousands of pounds on a digital set up, consider this, even factoring in the cost of film and development it’ll take you a long time to be up there comparably with a digital equivalent!
