Help! Mamiya RZ67 Pro vs. Bronica GS-1? Other advice?
Dan VanDyke
Hi all:
I'm a first time medium format buyer and I shoot mostly weddings (about 25
per year). So far Ive used 35 mm, but I've decided to move up to medium
format.
I think I've narrowed my choices down to either the Bronica GS-1 or the
Mamiya RZ 67 Pro. Can anyone give me any tips for or against either of
these? Right now I'm leaning toward buying the Bronica GS-1 used from KEH
Camera Brokers.
Also any other advice for a first time buyer/user would be much
appreciated. Thanks in advance.
"Learn from the mistakes of others; you don't live long enough to make
them all yourself."
John Sparks
>I'm a first time medium format buyer and I shoot mostly weddings (about 25
>per year). So far Ive used 35 mm, but I've decided to move up to medium
>format.
>I think I've narrowed my choices down to either the Bronica GS-1 or the
>Mamiya RZ 67 Pro. Can anyone give me any tips for or against either of
>these? Right now I'm leaning toward buying the Bronica GS-1 used from KEH
>Camera Brokers.
I went through a similar decision recently and ended up with a Bronica
GS-1. However, I don't do weddings and handheld work isn't a primary
mode of operation for me. The GS-1 works ok handheld if you have big
hands, but the Mamiya RZ 67 is quite a challenge to use handheld (though
I have a friend that often uses is RB-67 that way) and both will be a
real drag to carry around for the length of time involved in covering a
wedding and reception. For weddings, I'd strongly recommend against a
6x7 camera and toward a 6x6 or possibly even a 645 camera. Most prints
end up in albums with a max size of 8x10 or 10x10 and for these sizes,
you won't be able to tell 6x7 from 645. Even for an occasional 20x24
from color print film, 645 or 6x6 will produce fine results. The smaller
cameras will give you lower film costs and much greater ease of use.
Since you will be working handheld for everything except possibly the
formals and maybe some available light work during the ceremony, you
really want a camera that works easily and quickly handheld. You
probably also want something that does well with fill flash outdoors
which means leaf shutters. Although I'm not a big fan of square format
in general (when I've used it instead of allowing multiple croppings
from negatives, I ended up with rolls and rolls of film that couldn't be
cropped anything other than square, but that may just be me), the
advantages of being able to work quickly without having to switch from
horizontals to verticals and switch flash bracket orientation to keep
the flash over the lens is a huge advantage for 6x6. Also the fact that
most wedding albums pages are set up for 10"x10" (which lets you use
8x10 horizontal, 8x10 vertical or 10x10 prints) is another advantage for
6x6.
This really narrows the choices down to Bronica or Hasselblad (or Rollie
if you have gobs of money). I'm personally not a big fan of Hasselblad
ergonomics and prices, but it is easy to rent just about anything for
Hasselblad. Bronica is enough less expensive (especially used) that you
can own everything you need including backups and would be my personal
choice.
If you really want a smaller camera and lower film costs, I think
Bronica is the best choice for 645 for weddings because of the leaf
shutters. There are some leaf lenses available for Mamiya and Pentax,
but they aren't as easy to use and really offset the cost advantages the
focal plane shutters have otherwise.
John Sparks