I have the RF645

[sf]

When I was in Paris and England this Christmas, I used the RF645 for about 20 rolls of 120. The portrait orientation was not a problem, but I did end up turning it for shooting horizontal shots when using the 45mm (I intend to crop them into panoramics). But, having used horizontal framing cameras since the beginning, and having done mostly portraits for years, I am extremely used to shooting in that position. I think that the vertical frame will actually reduce how often I turn the camera, and will prove to be a blessing more than anything.

The portrait style frame is nice because it saves lots of space in the camera's design, and because it is great if you shoot people. But, if only for a while, it will also add some variety to my work, since my other cameras have all been horizontal, and the vertical frame has given me reason to rethink lots of shots.

The small size of the RF645, how compact it is, how unobtrusive it can be compared with pretty much anything in the MF market, and even much in the 35mm market, was a blessing on my trip - not to metion it fits into small carrying cases intended for small 35mm camera outfits. You have all seen Doug's shot of the RF645 and the 35mm RF and how it is nearly the same size in terms of width and depth. It fits in a case that I could not use for my D70 even - super nice.

And I'll post the pics as soon as Ivey Imaging gets my stuff done - turning it in tomorrow to be processed. THen I will scan and post.

[RObert Budding]

it really is an amazingly compact kit. I evicted my Contax IIIa from a Domke bag and now use that for the RF645. It is fantastic that a modern MF camera kit can be so small.

Nice quiet shutter, too.

Robert

[sf]

These are from my Euro-trip. There are more to come. I will post them here for now, and then in the gallery, mostly because they are part of my little review thingy.

[sf]

more pics. I may post one more set of 5

[sf]

just these last pics. For now . . . .

all the color is NPZ800 (shot at 800). The black and white is Delta 3200, HP5, or PanF. The Delta was shot at 1600.

Nearly all of my shots were taken with the 45mm lens. I only used the 65mm for one roll . . . mostly because I wanted the DOF and the ability to get the shot when things were tight. And since I have worked with 80mm on MF since my first days, and the wide angle thing seemed appropriate for my trip.

NICE lens. Very sharp corner to corner. Focus is dead on.

Every one of my shots was taken through a cheapy UV filter that I always keep on all my lenses except when shooting portraits for $$$$.


The camera performed well. Didn't need any battery changes. Handled low light work well. Was easy to work with vertical or horizontal, and easy to mount on the a tripod. Changing film in hte field was much easier with Fuji films - I had one roll of E-6 slide off the spindle and wind improperly thanks to it not catching well initially during loading. The focus was pretty stiff on both lenses initially, but that stiffness has softened considerably. I did leave the exposure lock on once, and shot a few frames at the wrong setting. The 8 second limit on exposure was annoying a couple times, and the 500th limit was also irritating when I wanted the wide aperture while shooting with fast film during the day. But good planning solved that on following outings.

What I most enjoy about the RF645, in terms of its benefits in the field, is how easy it is to focus accurately. Really nice, bright, clear focusing patches.

[Doug]

Well, you sure put the camera through its paces, with an incredible variety of subject and type of location! Looks like you had a blast...

[sf]

uh oh, more pics. I think I will do these and one more set tomorrow.

All of these pics are from 20 rolls of Provia 400F, NPZ800, Delta 3200, PanF, and HP5. I said all the color was from NPZ only, I lied. I meant that and Provia.

Everything was scanned on my nasty Epson 3170 with Photoshop.

[lubitel]

congrats on your camera, the pics look great! I love that photo of the cross.

I am playing around with a borrowed Super Ikonta right now. Cant wait to see the results.

Kind of a side question, Is it possible to do multiple exposures with bronica?

[Doug]

Yes, the RF645 has a multiple-exposure buttion on the back that lets the electronic leaf shutter recock and enable the shutter release without transporting the film. I think I used it once accidentally...

[smudwhisk]

Originally Posted by sircarl

Hi beethamd,

Thanks for the tip, but for the complete outfit -- RF645 body, 65mm, and 45mm -- Robert White is still cheaper (GBP 763.75, as opposed to Mifsuds price of GBP 798 -- both including VAT).

Too bad that 100mm lens isn't more readily available. But like you, I'd rather not lose any sleep over it!

Mifsuds are cheaper at the moment since Robert White is now selling it at £700 + VAT, which is £822.50 according to my maths (or the calculator on the pc!) while Mifsuds remains the same.

[sf]

If anyone sees any 100mms around, for this camera, PLEASE let me know. I want one - highly. Have looked everywhere and found none.

also, another note, I will be sending my RF645 body in to Tamron here in the states to have the strange creaking sound looked at. They will likely replace the body, according to the nice lady at the office in New York. I was pleased when I told her about hte problem upon using it for the first time, and that i wanted to take it with me to Europe before turning it over. She said, yeah, take it with you and use it, and then return it for another body when you get back!

The creaking sound, as i have describe already, comes from the VF when I focus. I assume it is, well obviously it is, energy releasing from some unpleasant friction inside the viewfinder.

Camera worked well on the trip though. I actually did alot of scale focusing on the trip and things worked out well. I used the 45mm largely for the DOF power it has, and shot using hyperfocus guessing. Most all of my shots were at small apertures since I have my little tripod with me most of hte time.

[sircarl]

An update on my purchase last month of an RF645 with both the 65mm and 100mm lens on the US eBay site. I finally got to the States a couple of weeks ago to pick it up, and everything seems fine, except for one small detail. The camera body's viewfinder is NOT calibrated for the 100mm lens! It's the older model with the 135mm framelines. Boy, was I stupid. (Note my earlier post above, where I confidently said, "I'm assuming that someone selling an RF645 along with a 100mm lens has a camera body calibrated for that lens, otherwise why would they own the lens in the first place?") Before I placed my bid I even asked about this, and the seller replied he assumed the body and his 100mm lens were compatible, though he hadn't used the camera very much. Yet the brochure and other materials he sent me along with the camera make it clear they aren't. I now will have to send the body to Tamron here in the UK to get it modified for the 100mm (which, thankfully, the seller is reimbursing me for). Just another cautionary tale about eBay purchases.

[35mmdelux]

Thanks for the very insightful review. I'm about to pony up for one. My MF is a H'blad - love it but at that cost don't always want to take it on the street or in inclement weather. FWIW the Brony & 65mm is great for all around. Personally I wouldn't get the 100mm, but then I have a 120mm Makro-Planar Zeiss. My goal would just be street camera w/ 65mm.

Portraits, sure go-ahead w/ the 65mm - try something new. I run portraits all the time w/ my 65mm Distagon. Thanks again. Paul

[Doug]

Carl, sounds like your seller was not being very honest in communication, and indeed felt some guilt over it! Hopefully Tamron there will check out the camera for proper function beyond just the RF mask. One of my two bodies is set for 135mm also, and I'm looking for that lens to fit it.

Paul, I think the Bronica 100mm is useful as a "long normal" as the 65mm is a somewhat "wide normal". The 100mm gives about the same view as the normal 40 and 42mm lenses for the Pen F... and only a little longer than the 58mm considered normal on some older SLRs.

I find the slightly wide-normal useful more often, so the 40mm on my CLE and 65mm on RF645 are mostly just right. KEH's recent price drop to $165 triggered my purchase today of another 65mm for my second body. That's just too good to pass up, and will cut down on lens swapping between bodies. I figure also if in future I sell one RF645 it'd be much easier if the normal lens goes with.

[f/stopblues]

Hey George, nice photos by the way! This is the first I've looked through this thread. Do you happen to know what the close focus distance is like for the lenses you have? The med. format I'm shooting with currently seems rather restrictive when trying to get in there close for portaits on a 150mm (GS-1). This camera keeps tempting me and I wonder if that's an issue like mine and the Mamiya RF's.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by f/stopblues

Do you happen to know what the close focus distance is like for the lenses you have?

Chris, the 45 and 65mm lenses focus down to 1m. The 100mm is marked down to 1.8m only, but will actually focus down to 1.2m. This last 0.6m zone is marked as cautionary, where exact focus may be more difficult.

[sf]

Chris :

The Bronica does certainly have close focus issues. It will not allow you to get any closer than 1m (which is generally just fine in my experience), but it will not be like something with bellows focus . . .the cambo, for instance. But, there really is nothing MF handheld that allows close focus . . . not sure about the Plaubel Makina or the Pentax 67. I mean I can't think of anything. An RZ67 is kind of hand holdable, but it is unpleasant.

All of my portrait work has been with cameras shooting at 1m minimum focusing distances, and I have never had a problem getting tight shots (but that WAS with an 80mm lens). The 65 is super sharp and very flat, so cropping is easy. Generally, I dislike shooting tightly framed portraits, because I need cropping flexability most of the time. I find a sharp/low grain film, a good shop, and crop down when necessary.

I plan on shooting my next set of a model with my RF645 and the 65mm lens.

[Doug]

One of the things I like about the Fuji GA645Wi is that its 45mm lens will get in to 0.7m and this can be useful.

Of course being an SLR, the Pentax 6x7 can use extension tubes or bellows, and the system includes two macro lenses. Still the normal 105mm f/2.4 focuses to that same 1m as the RF645! However, the 55mm closes up to 0.35m and the new Aspheric 75mm f/2.8 to 0.4m

[sf]

Update on the RF645 :

Tamron guy in New York says that he listed to it (the funny creaking in the VF - why I sent it in) and to some other bodies, and noticed the sound in two other bodies - but that it is coming from the "main spring" whatever that means, and that he would change out anything that could be adding to the sound.

Now, I just hope that they don't mess something up and send it back with more serious issues . . .

It is apparently in the post as I write this, heading back my way. I can't wait.

Even though I didn't have a warranty (at all, as far as they know), there is no charge for anything.

Nice.

[Doug]

That's fast service, and hopefully good service too!

[sf]

Home to stay.

There are no more noises coming from the viewfinder, everything is pristine and aligned and smooth. I mean, it was all that before, but now it is also without the odd creaking.

Perfect. This will be a great day.

[RObert Budding]

Glad to hear that your sevice experience was excellent, too.

[sircarl]

I also just had a good service experience, from Tamron/Bronica here in the UK (now under the wing of a company called Intro 2020). I asked them to modify an older-version RF645 camera body I recently bought on eBay so it would show framelines for the 100mm lens, which they did. But I also asked if they knew where I could find a +1 diopter for the camera, which I haven't been able to get anywhere. Lo and behold, they had one and sent it back with the camera! (With my aging eyes, it has made a big difference.) Unlike shutterflower, unfortunately, I got charged for all this, but the eBay seller reimbursed me for most of it so I can't complain.

[sf]

I am getting around to re-scanning all my work with the Dimage Scan Multi Pro - much MUCH better than the 3170 I had been using.

Here is two shots

- the best street shot I got that day - perhaps at all. The eye contact was MEAN from this guy - perfect for my interests. London.

-a shot of the tower that I particularly like - handheld at a VERY slow shutterspeed - perhaps braced against something. The 'stars' are actually dust particles that I decided to leave in the scan - because it kind of looks like stars = maybe a little too contrasty, but oh well.

Just goes to show that the RF645 can be a great street camera too.

[sf]

I have placed a more recent, more complete review of the RF645 on my website at the following URL :

http://www.shutterflower.com/RF645%20review.htm