It's medium format! Great lens! Super sharp pictures even when you enlarge them to 20x24 Manual, but still easy to use.

Rapid winder has to be cocked twice No interchangable backs

I have shot many weddings with 35mm Canon camera. I just shot my first one with my new Mamiya 645E. The diference is undescribable! These are by far my best wedding photos to date. I already threw away my 35mm (JK, I'm using it only for back up now). It's all manual so you have to make sure you have everything set correctly, which makes you a better photographer. The camera might come in a cheap plastic body, but the results are what count. And they are awsome results.

Customer Service

Calumet has great service

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya 645 Pro (Rental) Canon 35mm (Doesn't compare)

-Easy to use -Nice feel and lightweight -Looks apart from the other cameras

-Using the crank, looking into purchasing the Rapid Wind Grip.

Great MF camera! I have shot several weddings/model shoots and the photos are crisp and clear. I use the 80mm portrait lens 90% of the time and use my 150mm the rest. I recommend this camera to anyone. Price very affordable right now, I'll probably pickup another for a backup. My purchase of this camera was a good decision. My love for photography is appreciated by the Mamiya 645e.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

I have Hasselblad, Nikon F100, Minolta 3xi, Pentak k1000, & Minolta 5000

- mirror lock-up - good selection of lenses and accessories - good construction - eye level view finder - built in meter

- noninterchangable viewfinders - view finder display will only read down to 1 second.

I highly recommend this camera. The price is very good, one can buy this camera new for the same price or less than some other used MF cameras. The Rapid winder grip is a must, not so much for the two stroke winding but for the improved handling and greater access to the cable release socket. With so many features and a great price, it's hard to go wrong! I've since picked up the 45f2.8 and the 210f4 lenses to go along with the standard 80 f2.8.

Customer Service

never needed

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya C330 & bronica etr

-easy to use -good weigth and size -lens easy to focus and great cuality optics, -Its functions are quite enough for every kind of work; scenary, modeling, portrait, etc.

-the battery model is hard to find at the camera shops, and if you leave the battery inside the camera for a few days it gets discharged. -The on/off button is very small and sometimes it is hard to manipulate. I suggest to make it bigger.

This is an excellent camera, with a great lens (80 mm 2.8, and a great price. It is easy to use, the prism finder is very good, with a clear vision, and the posibility to use manual or automatic settings is good. The lens is just magnific, I love its optics and easenees to focus.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

Canon Eos A2, Minolta x300s, Nikon FM2, and lately Canon Eos Elan 7

A great camera if you don't intend using it outdoors when it's cold.

See above.

I am now on my third example of this camera, and none of them have worked properly once the temperature gets to around freezing. With the first one, the shutter stuck open when pressed, and would not close until pressed again - great for actions shots! The second was fine on landscape shots, but on portrait format in cold weather I only got half an image. The third (current)one suffers from the same problem as the first (though the temperature needs to go lower for it to happen), and also has started to suffer from the film wind handle spinning and not advancing the film, reported by some other reviewers. This again seems to be temperature-related. Numerous returns to the UK servicing agent have all produced "fault not found" reports.

Customer Service

"Fault not found" on five occasions - need I say more?

Similar Products Used:

Mamaiya 1000S (wish I'd never traded it in!)

-Simplified layout and controls -Mirror lockup! -Lenses -Price -Value

-Metering idiosynchracies -Shutter release can be touchy

This is a very capable outdoor camera, when taking landscape, macro, and detail photos. It is less capable as a wildlife camera for obvious reasons (why use it for wildlife anyway?) It has everything needed to take first rate pictures with beautiful detail. The metering can be a bit quirky, and offers less information than even the most basic 35mm SLRs, however. I suggest learning to live with its limitations, or buy an accessory light meter. Overall, I love this camera, especially for the price. I like to compare this camera in Mamiya's lineup as its Canon ftb (sorry to those who don't remember this camera). Not the most feature laden body, but has everything many professional photographers will ever need. Its simplicity is part of its charm. Way to go Mamiya!!

Customer Service

-Mamiya USA website is great. Never needed warranty repairs.

Similar Products Used:

-Pentax 67 -Older Mamiya 645 bodies

Price of house and lenses. I also like diopter.

The need for batteries, all the plastic, and that the film mag. is integrated. I was a fraid to take the camera on a skiing trip in -30 C - I was afraid that the plastic would break (maybe it would not have)

The camera has a "plastic fantastic" feeling too it, but it does everything it is asked. The mirror seems to jump, so I have taken all my serious shots with the mirror locked up - but this is a problem with MF in general. My choice was between a Hasselblad 500 c/m and this camera. I bought this because I could not justify the extra price - and because the lenses cost less. The first camera I got, was in bad condition - the diopter was spinning, and so was the film. The camera I have now works like a charm.

Customer Service

Good

Similar Products Used:

None, only 35 mm equipment and Leitz MF camera. Tried Hasselblad in shop.

A great value for the price. Wide range of high quality lenses. Built-in diopter adjustment. Mirror Lock-up. Robust construction and finish.

No self-timer. Lack of texturing on the body to aid in holding the camera.

Having used this camera extensively since purchasing it new in October 2001, I find it to be an excellent camera. I appreciate the ease of use, diopter adjustment, and mirror lock, and exposure compensation. I have not had any problems with the film advance, as have some other reviewers. I have used this camera in desert heat, high mountain wind and in other precarious situations: It's value and robustness are outstanding, given the price. With regard to the body being assembled in China: Mamiya provides for quality control of the assembly of parts that are manufactured in Japan. Based upon the performance I've experienced, I have no reason to doubt the quality of this camera.

Customer Service

The Mamiya website is excellent: The forums are very helpful.

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya M645 Mamiya 645J

No frills, just basic options that I need. The diopter is highly useful. When you throw in the free additional lens, it is an excellent value.

This camera was made in China. I am a little concerned about the durability of the camera. However, its big brother, the 645 Pro TL works nicely.

Purchased this camera primarily as a backup for portrait photography. It came with a rebate for a free additional lens. I selected the 150mm lens for portrait work.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya 645 Pro TL.

great price, bright viewfinder, great optics?

kind of a rough advancew

Great camera for money paid, considering another one for backup--best part is after purchase mamiya will give you a 55mm or 150 mm lens free which makes it a great buy. I am also having problems with the winder, it wants to spin with no stop but only occasionally. I haven''t missed a shot yet, but it does make me a bit nervous.I thought it was just me although through these postings it seems to be a potential problem which will have checked out---overall great camera.c

Customer Service

don''t know yet

Similar Products Used:

mamiya super/pro