I don't know why people don't talk about this more often! I shoot with an electronically busted RZ and use a K/L lens which id very similar to the Z line in coatings and build quality, plus the kit cost me a 1/3 or the price
One culprit of using K/L lenses on the RZ67 is with long exposures. Two remote cables are needed - one has to be inserted into the lens body to open the lens leaf shutter after the shutter release button is pressed to lift the mirror up (M.UP insert), the other cable in the "B" insert closes the lens' leaf shutter after a given time. Tricky part is when the cable controlling the lens leaf shutter is removed - you have to remind yourself to triple-check (!) that the tiny screw-in M.UP thread on the lens body is fully immersed with the red ring NOT being visible around it. If this element remains protruded (meaning the red ring is visible!), the whole leaf shutter mechanism will be messed up in future exposures - the lens shutter will remain closed and you get unexposed frames!
I had the honour to own an Rb67 Pro SD for a period of time earlier in the year. It was my first ever real-deal medium format and I had done so much research on its pros and cons of it. Let me tell you, people, this camera is UNPARALLELED. Using this camera and looking at the images it creates is nothing short of enchanting. If there is even a small desire that you would want to buy this camera do it, you won't regret it. I had even taken it with me around my city and let me tell you the back/neck pain was worth it, not only for the muscles but for the pictures too! I will say that I (very sadly) had to pass the tank on for a 645 Pro TL, but I know that in the future I will be owning another RB, it's just a camera that can't be matched, dare I say even by the RZ.
Same here, 3 years ago, think it was time when film was becoming more trendy and this chunky best appeared. Just made me appreciate photography more :).
To anyone reading, please consider the range of air temperature that you will be shooting in before investing in both of these cameras. I have personally had trouble with the film backs locking up in not terribly cold circumstances (5-2 degrees centigrade), it's common knowledge that film cameras are at disadvantage in the cold but I've found the Rb and Rz are especially bad in these conditions if you live in a cold climate plan on this camera as a summer rig. -NK
Ive been working as an advertising photographer since 1988. I have 2 RB67's that I bought back then. I have never had a problem with them operating in very cold weather (below zero c). I still have them and they both still work as well as when I first bought them. They were already 10 years old when I bought them. I had multiple backs including a 645 back for them and never had a problem.
if the rotating back of the rb is a bit sticky, u can easily disassemble the rotating mechanism. give it a good clean and a little amount of grease. it makes the feeling of this cam much more pleasing
Wow, this took me back! I had a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II back in the late 90s (when I was probably the same age as you), and I absolutely loved it. The richness of colour and tone you could get out of Fujichrome Asita, Velvia and Provia was just outstanding. I still haven't come across anything in the digital world that can match it (at least, not at a price the standard consumer can afford). Glad to see you enjoying these amazing cameras!
4:24 there are some cases in which refined is great. Hasselblad, and Leica are both infamous for this. I personally don’t feel that way with Mamiya but maybe that’s because I have a lot of experience with the RB 67. I personally like the look and feel of the RB over the RZ by far.
Thanks Willem for the video. A great comparison between the RB/RZ. I had thought about getting a RB or RZ. However, for field use, I find that the Mamiya C330 and Bronica SQ-A works great for me. I have a 4x5 with 6x9 rollback which works if I need a larger neg.
For field use, it's hard to contemplate a less useful and more unappealing camera than the RB/RZ. It's a studio camera. That's what it was design to do, and it does it fairly well. Shooting it handheld like our pal here, make about as much sense as doing the same with an 11x14 Deardoff view camera.
Seeing you one handle these in the video cracked me up. They are heavy! And then walking around without a hand grip or a strap made me nervous to watch! LOL. I'm an old photographer and shot the RB67 for many, many years. Studio portraits and formals at weddings. They did a great job. Incredible quality. You had to check to make sure the bayonet back holder screws weren't loose or you'd get a light leak, especially when rotating the back. You also would take the back off and fire a strobe thru the lens to make sure the sync was working correctly. You get used to the clunk, whirrrr chunk sound and when the whirrr didn't sound right you checked your lens sync! You also had to make sure you didn't have the film winder lever set to not engage or you'd shoot multiple exposures on 1 frame until you realized it when you hadn't had to change the film in what felt like too long. (Not good at a wedding!). I have a permanently bent pink finger thanks to a tripod head not being locked down and the RB crushing my finger as it flipped down. Good memories but I prefer today's technology, weight, and autofocus! Thanks for the video Willem. It's nice to see these are still appreciated.
In the moment you talk about that these cameras were made for studio use, you with your work and style show how nice it is to brake the classic rules and show the people how nice the world looks through a medium size film camera. Great
I had the RB67 Pro S. Bought it in 1979 (yeah, I'm an old guy) . Sold it. I was stupid. I wish I would get one back. I had the 127mm. Arguably the 127 is preferable to the 90. Keep your RB. If you should want to sell, please remember me. ;)
Thanks Willem! I went with the RB67 because it makes up for me not using my kettle bells. =P Really though I love it, though I've found that there is a bit of voodoo that goes on where scenes look magical in the pop up finder but the photo ends up being the morning after, "what was I thinking?" I was all set to go back to street photography like I did years ago, even bought a new Ricoh GRiii, then I chanced across your videos and here I am lugging around a medium format cinder block. I do enjoy your walk around and road trip videos and I like the idea that photography can be (relatively) simple and enjoyable...not counting the one challenge you can't buy your way around, composition.
My RZ67 is prob 25 years old and still works fine. The battery "worry" is really not at all an issue. Just have an extra battery in your camera bag. I'd rather use the RZ and only have to deal with one lever vs two levers. And I used my RZ for years when I traveled extensively for my jobs. I did buy a prism and a grip and carried it everywhere. But I also did my travel jobs with a Sinar P2 4x5 so I became very used to bigger gear kits. Now I only shoot film for myself and for my jobs only digital.
nice, thorough breakdown, thanks man but I gotta ask, is it just me or the video is badly rendered or sth. Got a lot of crazy artefacts popping up throughout the entire video
I enjoyed your comparison. However, for some reason I have yet to hear any You Tube review of the RZ 67 mention that it has a mechanical 1/400th shutter speed for use if the battery dies during a shoot. The mechanical backup shutter is mentioned in the Mamiya RZ 67 manual. Regarding electronics reliability: I recently unpacked my RZ 67 after 2 decades of storage and it is still fully functional, as is my Minolta X-700. My mechanical Ricoh KR Super II - fully functional prior to storage- was not so durable as the shutter no longer functions.
It would be great if you take the same photos in both cameras. with similar lenses and take portrait shots so we can see the real difference of the lenses..we will wait for that video....good luck.
I thought about upgrading my RB to an RZ just for the f/2.8 lens but feel like a lot of people with RZs eventually have trouble with the electric components. The f/3.8 aperture isn’t the lowest but I can’t complain. The shutter sound in itself is worth the price.
I bought my RB in 2017 and was thinking about selling it this year, this video is making me doubt myself again lol, I really want a 6x6 body, a lot better for traveling. But man, in the studio nothing comes close to the these beasts.
I really enjoy your videos especially the photo walks. They got me hyped up to shoot more myself. Would it be possible to do a video on the Fuji GW670/690 or a comparison with the Mamiya 7? Would be very interesting. Thanks for the great content!!
My RB back was also hard to rotate, so just recently I cleaned and lubricated the rails inside but without dismantling it. Took me 5 min and it’s a night and day difference
The KL lenses fit on the rb and in my opinion are optically just as sound as the RZ lenses for a fraction of the price just something to note. That 3.5 aperture on the KL lenses make a big difference with the brightness of the ground glass also
I know I’m a biiit late, lol, but the RB67 back should turn pretty easily, aside from the end stops where you will feel a bit of resistance. Take it to basicly any reputable camera shop and ask if they can lube it. My local shop was able to lube it in 5 minutes, and didn’t even charge for it. Turns very smoothly now, much better than when I got it. Worth doing even if you only use that feature once in a blue moon IMO.
The 6x7 is a great format for quality if you can't afford the 4x5's and larger. Briefly, I owned a Rapid Omega 6x7 Rangefinder. Didn't know enough to keep it at the time, but traded it for a Gossen Luna Pro Flash Meter. I wish I had kept it and done more with it.
Remember those RB67s are quite a few years old (introduced in the 1970s) and will need their light seals replaced. Also the rotating back will require cleaning, perhaps that is why the rotating back seems stiff. Some rubbing alcohol in the rotating part and then working it for a bit will loosen it up. A spot of sewing machine oil will help. I must stress that one should NOT over lubricate any of the mechanics. I have had my RB67 since the late 1970s and still works flawlessly. Being mechanically simple one can easily do all the maintenance and repair. Enjoy the camera, it is practically indestructible.
Thanks for the comparison video. For years, I have been shooting with two RB67 bodies, six backs, and six lenses. Since I prefer battery-free mechanical cameras, I have never considered the RZ cameras. After watching your video, I still see no reason to consider them.
my fellow Japanese friend has 2 RZ 67 and it freaks me out since Im not a guy that likes electronic shutter would prefer mechanical cameras since they last reallllllly long.....except for the Mamiya 645 that uses electronic shutter and I love it. cheers...I would rather pickup the RB67 instead of RZ67 I wonder if my photography schoool still has it in Shibuya....
Wow the interior you showed at 1:06 is not so different to the original Kodak Box Brownie, and other very early cameras. Just goes to show that technology can remain virtually the same if the principle is sound. I had a Mamiya once, good camera. I should put down my current Nikon and Sony and go back to film again. Your enthusiasm for the film medium is obvious and inspiring.
the only major advantage I feel the RZ has is with the lenses and being able to stop down to f2.8. The lowest any RB lens can go is f3.8 which doesn't seem like a crazy difference, but once your shoot medium format once at f2.8 they feel worlds apart 🙏🏼
I have the RB67 and I love it. Metal construction and no electronics is a win win for me. Yes, it's big and heavy, but if I need something smaller and lighter, the M645 is my camera of choice. Again, metal construction and in this case, minimal electronics, to power the shutter.
Hey Willem, great video as always, I need to make a decision could you help ? So… the RZ I’m out .. financially. So… my dilemma is the RB or the 645 ? And which 645 ? I love both but really struggling to decide .. I hope this isn’t to boring a question for you. Any advice would be appreciated. Keep shooting and keep up the great work. Tom.
Hey willem, ¿miss shooting in jersey or ny? i´ve been following the channel ever since you dropped out of school. I´m starting to feel like you wanna go back to the old channel days, i really want you to shoot portraits again. i like u more than joe greer lol. saludos amigo
I had a RZ67. Emphasis on HAD. I just did not have good vibes carrying around a 7 pound (lens included) hunk of camera around. So what did I do? Got myself an awesome 645 super. Loved it so much I got a 645 pro too! SO much easier to lug around and the images aren't that much more notable when looking at them side by side. Save your self! Go 645!!!!! By the way Willem, your cameras look like they need a bath, BAD.
@@iz5135 They are the same quality....same lenses and the body just controls the aperture and f-stop. The Pro is newer so if you have an issue, it's a little easier to find parts or someone who can fix it for you. Photos from either camera ROCK.
Its a box. Just like some, more professional, video-cameras. There is the cheap digital back. There are people who need modular accessories or cheap lens. Total price for 8x6 prints have to be lesser than a new $usd+1500 camera for less serious youtube cafe-racer (maybe lens-converters or plastic toy lomo russian or 35mm lens use crop on digital-back). Others will pay more. I guess rB.
If it's full package second-hand at the shop, professional dust cleaning for body, sensor digital-back, second-hand lens, ... Upon purchase... Once mounted, never remove or pay for another round of cleaning. Typical waist-level foldable thingy, replace all camera.sss... pirate accessories at next shop... Cafe-racer poseur... Minimum spend for poseurs...
Video silent zoom(yikes), without electronics(body), ... Maybe Russians can supply zooms for medium-format other than shenyang(35mm mirror) and seagull TLR...
A couple of points to note: The RB Pro SD was contemporary to the RZ, the RZ was intended to replace the RB but demand for the fully mechanical camera was such that Mamiya continued production of the RB. The K/L glass for the RB is optically identical to the Z glass for the RZ, being introduced at the same time , it just has the addition of the shutter selection ring on the RB version. Finally, the RB will shoot 6x8 with the 6x8 motorised back, the RZ will not as it has a smaller opening at the back of the camera. Although the RZ has a 6x6 back option but the RB does not. I chose the RB Pro SD back in the day purely based on its mechanics and I love it. Once the electronics fail on the RZ it is just an expensive paperweight. Both systems are capable of amazing images and still blow digital cameras out of the water.
I am choosing between the Hasselblad 500 C/M and the RB67. I do architectural and landscape photography, and occasional portraiture. One concern about the RB67 is serviceability. Does anyone know of a reputable place to get RB67's serviced when they need it? I'd hate to invest in a Mamiya only to find it difficult to get serviced. Any recommendations? Hasselblad, there are tons of places that can service them. I just have not heard of many that service Mamiyas.
i dont know why but th RB constantly jammed when i used it, completely put me off medium format until i tried the zenza bronica. Anyone else have that problem with the RB?
You need to buy a serviced cameras. All RB67 you buy second hand today need a proper service to be back in spec. Once that’s done you’ll have an incredible machine
