Contax 645 vs Mamiya 645 | 6000€ vs 600€ Medium Format Camera, Is it worth it ?

[@Purpleyamz]

Nice, would've been great to see the comparison done with actual Mamiya glass up against that Zeiss.

[@krrrcht]

Honestly, I love the look of the Soviet lens. Who needs infinity focus with bokeh like that?

[@bwashere4699]

Thanks for the video. But you guys should have used a original Mamiya lens like the 80mm f1.9 for this comparison. :/

[@safelightberlin]

Hey, sure, but the all point was to use a cheaper set and show that the difference compared to the 6k Contax are minimal.

[@irvinwilson3245]

You guys did a nice job with this! Funny how KZbin works. Just popped onto my list of videos today. Like mentioned quite a bit below you'd likely get a lot of traction out of a serious comparison of the common auto-focus (since that's what most people seem to want) medium format offerings. It's odd how the Contax is treated. There's a popular blogger out there that did a review of auto focus medium format "for beginners" and left out the Contax because somehow it's not for beginners yet in his estimation the Pentax or Mamiya are. The reverence given to the Contax system is just odd. Great camera when it works but so are the others. Anyway - great start to a channel!

[@kaszi33]

Great video! I’d love to see more :D but guys, please, compare the oem lenses. Mamiya m645 had as standard 80mm 2.8 sekor lens, not Soviet :D

[@fcolpz]

And there's a legendary 80mm 1.9 for the system as well. I would have loved to see that comparison

[@johnnelson1591]

​@@fcolpzme too

[@Nedumgottil]

It's nice seeing a contax 645 in use.

[@MakersTeleMark]

I will throw my 1000s against anything. Pure beauty. Fight me and my lenses. Ha. It's all good. Seriously, my 70mm leaf shutter lens is the most beautiful lens that I own besides my 105 2.5 Nikon. It is that good. And the 55 mamiya is godly. Say no more. Oooof.

[@pancakelens75]

I’ve gotten some of my most wicked favorite shots with my 1000s…AND with that killer little “kit” 80mm/2.8 lens-that lens is sharp as a tack!

[@cataraxis]

you could literally throw the 1000s against anything and it’ll come out the winner

[@randallstewart175]

Got to say that I do not see much point in these comparisons. Assuming that both camera bodies are adjusted properly, the bodies make no difference in the image. The Contax is fairly easy to pick based on very slightly better color saturation (I think) and higher contrast. In the images where they used the wider f-stop of the Contax lens, that's just a cheat. After the negative image has been scanned, digitally processed and "corrected" (whether they want it or not) and viewed as a 4x video image, all of the other differences have been stepped on so many time - meaningless. An image taken on a decent 35mm wouldn't look any different. It might have been a more interesting if they had used the popular but optically challenged Mamiya 80mm 1.9 lens.

[@DivinePonies]

Diminishing returns as with most things in life. I'm also looking to get Mamiya, but with digital back. Seems like perfect choice for entering the medium format ecosystem.

[@berndvandecruys]

I recently fell in the film photography rabbit hole and I am absolutely loving it so far. Got a chance to rent a Leica M6, made a video about it, and now I have this medium format itch :-). Looking forward to what you create next on this channel! Next time I come to Berlin, I'll definitely pass by. Cheers from Antwerp, Belgium

[@andreasandomenico397]

Be extremely cautious about any sign of GAS!!

[@chachiramirez3356]

Good times with this video, nice finish!

[@revaaron]

I got my contax 645 for about $1,000 with an 80mm

[@safelightberlin]

let me guess, 10 years ago??

[@revaaron]

@@safelightberlin 2008

[@user-ko2my8hb8d]

when？

[@revaaron]

@@user-ko2my8hb8d 2008

[@zhivkovision]

more interesting would be the mamiya af 645 or pentax 645n against the contax

[@maxpowerphoto]

You guys need to make more of these! Keep it up :)

[@safelightberlin]

We will! More and more to come!

[@jacopoabbruscato9271]

By picture quality alone it's definitely not worth the 10x price tag, most improvements are in the quality of life department. Still wouldn't shell out that much money, but the shooting experience is definitely improved with the Contax

[@safelightberlin]

For sure, it was almost like shooting with a modern digital, it sort of did everything for you.

[@k0jak570]

Arn't the lenses interchangeable between contax and mamyia? Imho the original mamiya 80mm 2.8 would fix the lack of contrast. Anyway nice video, very entertaining!

[@depotmsa2362]

if you guys had the maimiya lens on that the mamiya 645 , i couldn't tell

[@Blackmind0]

buying the contax does not make sense for this price, you can get even a hasselblad for half the price...other 645 much cheaper in same quality...

[@andyz_w3584]

this is an awesome comparison, that swirl bokeh lens is fantastic. I'm gonna buy one.

[@safelightberlin]

Good choice!

[@chumleyk]

You don't understand value. It's not just in the photograph alone. If you're a significant pro photographer the convenience is part of the value.

[@flvbbernvggets]

Today we will be comparing a BMW covered in, and also partly crafted with, poop, and a factory model Porsche.

[@sophietucker1255]

I'll stay with my Mamiya 645 1000S with the Mamiya lenses. While the Mamiya has an electronic shutter the Contax has too much electronics and when that goes south and it will go south eventually good luck getting it fixed. Better yet I will use my Hasselblad 503CX

[@MarcS4R]

love the zeiss

[@timthompsondp]

The soviet lens gives that great swirly bokeh and looks better IMO.

[@ericgotz5368]

The best lab in Berlin!

[@safelightberlin]

Thanks a lot Eric, much appreciated!

[@KNURKonesur]

The ONLY reason to buy the Contax is the Planar 80/2.0 which can be quite easily modified to fit either the Pentax 645 or Mamiya 645, albeit losing AF completely. All of those cameras are good platforms to adapt other exotic lenses onto, but newer Mamiyas have an edge as they could take digital backs.

[@LastChance_501]

Это видео отличное, господа, сделайте обзор или сравнение Rolleiflex 6000 серии.

[@antonhangschlitt6607]

Great video :)

[@rodrigoherzog4412]

I believe that the price of a camera is not only related to the final result of the image, but the experience of shooting with it. Anyone who has had the pleasure of shooting with a Leica understands that the end result of the image is not 10k superior, but the experience is.

[@annabevilacqua7900]

Amazing ❤

[@GabrieleGallagher27]

Lovely Volna 3

[@NC-oc3ld]

Good video but an unfair comparison because you could have at least used a native Mamiya 80mm 2.8 lens instead of the soviet lens...Better yet compare it with the Mamiya 80mm F1.9., and a more even comparison would be with the Mamiya 645AF.

[@rowjangdaminecrafter6090]

literally just buy a pentax 645 no autofocus but it has all the other features of the contax (excluding removable backs and super high shutter speed).

[@hivemind514]

it's acutally very easy to find mamiya because soviet lens has typical swirly bokeh of helios/mir-1 and most other affordable soviet lenses

[@safelightberlin]

we almost prefer the bokeh of the soviet lens over the very clean contax bokeh. it gave much more character to the photos.

[@dirkk.3218]

Interesting challenge! What were the negatives scanned with?

[@safelightberlin]

Thank you ! We scanned them with our Noritsu HS1800

[@jean-claudemuller122]

way to expensive for a broken Mamiya with a soviet lens. For the price you can find a nice Mamiya with its original lens and for a few hundreds more a more recent high end model Mamiya super, pro or AF

[@nas9071]

A missed great shot with that bench with dark green surroundings at 5:38

[@andreaxyz3959]

what is the point of using expensive cameras when most of pictures, taken by the majority of those who can afford them, are poor in content. I guess fetishinsing is key. Next time I'll do an MSC in finance rather than an MA in photography so I can afford one myself.

[@andydreadsbmx]

Personally I'm on the Mamiya side but at the same time, putting them against each other is a bit unfair especially if the Mamiya doesn't even focus properly. The Contax seems great but I prefer the more mechanical feel of the Mamiya. Also the form factor and the actual price to fix should be a consideration. I feel like the Contax would feel like carrying a Pentax 67 but with a 645 negative. This is coming from a hobbist perspective, if your a professional being paid then there is no reason that the Contax wouldn't be great except for the price.

[@haocui476]

third one (the guy with green hoodie) is not hard to identify Contax. The cheat code is the chair.

[@GeorgeChipo]

cuuuutee

[@lostinspacestudio]

One has af the other not.. big differemce!!

[@elias6707]

Useless comparison. If you could adapt the Contax lens on the 645 you will get the same results just because both are basically the same: just light boxes.

[@GreedyDr]

get the 80 1.9 than rematch!

[@safelightberlin]

Naaaa, the all point was to use a cheaper set and show that the difference compared to the 6k Contax are minimal.

[@johnnelson1591]

The difference was in the glass, not the camera, come on give me a break😅

[@andrewthompson5609]

I will never understand the Contax prices. I have the Hasselblad H1 and it is a far more modern and superior camera to the contax in every way. I got mine a few years back for $1k they can be found today around $2k-$3k with lens.

[@safelightberlin]

I feel like it might be just due to people not knowing about the system...or thinking it's digital. To be honest just last week was the first time we got to play with an H1 that one of our customers brought in.

[@jean-claudemuller122]

There were very few Contax cameras built and you pay the rareness at collectors prices

[@tonyperez5360]

you can't be serious !!! start with a real Mamiya lens and a Mamiay 645 Pro TL and a pro photog the sharpest point of most lens two stops down . and this new era of photo bugs are more interested in a word that never existe BOKEH !! who cares about out of focus backgrounds (focus on the subjest!)

[@dofist]

Contax is just boring with it's correctness. Russian lens has beautiful bokeh, it's own character. Just buy a body in good condition (no leaks, and serviced) and a lens that suits you. And remaining money spend on cofee and films :)

[@andrewvanoverbeke5164]

You are really comparing lenses not camera by looking at photos. Shooting experience is vastly different and if you are a pro, that's gonna matter a lot.

[@mrca2004]

As a pro, what matters even more, is the camera isn't breaking down constantly. My mamiya just keeps on workin but I know pros who have the contax fail over and over. And for the cost, I can have 2 mamiya, well for the cost of a body about $300 because I have duplicates or 2 view finders so all I need to have to functioning cameras is a second body. I doubt if folks have backup contax... and they need them.

[@andrewvanoverbeke5164]

@@mrca2004 I think your comment falls squarely under shooting experience.

[@mrca2004]

@@andrewvanoverbeke5164 For anyone who has had a camera fail in the middle of a shoot, that is an experience we hate. However, I have backups for backups in my film shoots. And what have been the unsolvable problems in Mamiya and nikon, dead batteries. No battery in my RB. Now there is at least one set of batteries in my bag for each vintage camera. And I use several cameras in each shoot because with any vintage camera, they can suddenly fail and give no warning, that way I will always get shots for the client. Have one contax, because you can't afford a second, if it fails to function and you have no shots, that is huge.

[@briglnai]

don't take neither of them, go Bronica! 😁😁

[@safelightberlin]

We have the rare Bronica RF, maybe we will do a video on that soon too!

[@guptageneralstores5243]

How is this mamiya vs contax when there is no mamiya glass? This isn;t clickbait, this is straight up fraud 😂😂

[@RobertBergan]

That lanky guy needs to watch his language. It's not big & it's not clever.

[@safelightberlin]

Who?

[@tumaprints]

Un fair comparison. A broken Mamiya?? Do it again with a proper functioning 645 !000

[@tumaprints]

Well not totally unfair as once the metering was done with a light meter the shots came out better. I have a 645 1000s and love it! I'm not a huge fan of more electronics and love the feel of a mechanical beast! LOL