Is a Mamiya 645 Super Any Good ?

[ianbarber]

I am wanting to move up from 35mm to MF on a tight budget having just forked out for an Epson V800 scanner.

From trawling eBay, the cheapest option which looks as though it will suite my needs is the Mamiya 645 Super.

Has anyone got one / used one and if so, whats your view ?

 

[stevelmx5]

I've used a 645 Super and M645J and I personally prefer the 645J (and I've just bought one again). The supper gives you the flexibility of interchangeable backs so you can swap film 'mid-roll' as well as instant backs but I personally prefer the handling and simplicity of the J. You can't go wrong with any of the Mamiya kit though as they all shoot the same glass so the difference is more personal preference.

 

[stevelmx5]

This is my Flickr album from the 645 Pro (pretty much the same as the Super)

https://flickr.com/photos/8476499@N02/sets/72157646938347298

This is my album from the M645J

https://flickr.com/photos/8476499@N02/sets/72157641950751945

 

[ianbarber]

Thanks for the reply. Does the Super feel robust and are their any problems I should be looking out for

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•


In the old days, I used to have one with 3 or 4 lens
for publishing work; the 3:4 ratio was prefect.

 

[stevelmx5]

Thanks for the reply. Does the Super feel robust and are their any problems I should be looking out for

The Pro I had felt much more plasticky than the 645J but it's definitely robust. There are more 'moving parts' with the removable back so check for cracks as well as possibly needing new light seals which are easy enough to fit. Other than that I never had any issues with them.

Not sure if you're looking to use a wlf or prism but the prism on the Super/Pro are larger than the 645J so that's something to test yourself too.

 

[Kei]

The super supposedly has reliability issues. The older M645 series and the newer Pro series is better. Personally, I only have experience with a 645 1000S, 645J and 645 AFD. Both the older bodies have been very reliable. The much newer AFD not so great as the first one I got had a shutter fault.

My 1000s gallery and my AFD gallery.

 

[Cuchulainn]

I'll add my obligatory "don't forget the pentax 645 models" comment here! Quite cheap, nice lenses and I like the handling a lot. The 645N even has decent autofocus.

 

[Phil V]

Thanks for the reply. Does the Super feel robust and are their any problems I should be looking out for

The *NCB's in house photographer used one (I met him and discussed this a long time ago - I was shooting Bronica at the time)

*for the young - that's the National Coal Board, and their staff photographer was responsible for everything from VIP visits to accident investigation photography underground, so he trusted that build in a more challenging environment than Ian is likely to experience.