Mamiya versus Hasselblad

[@bernardkealey6449]

Not only are the bodies way cheaper, so are the lenses. Yes I like the idea of swapping film backs, but for the price if I ever get to the point where that becomes a “must have”, I’ll get a “smaller/lighter” c3 or 33 to go with my c330…. I just wish I lived somewhere with more folk who could service any film camera. I enjoyed this - was a bit sceptical of the title (I think they’re like “chalk and cheese” in many respects), but was a very nice change from most vids about C series which tend to be “first impression” types. Look forward to watching more of your work.

[@paulodefeyter]

@@bernardkealey6449 Im lucky that I got a few "ol' timers" that can service these kind of machine in the vicinity. A CLA on a Mamiya C is around 80€, so I cannot complain. But truth be told, if you take an image with both cameras, you'll not be able to tell which one took which, so both cameras are equal on that matter. I do use more the Hasselblad because I can trick the counter and do 13 shots on a 12 images roll of 120...

[@Narsuitus]

Over the decades, I have used Mamiya TLR (C3, C22, C220) and Mamiya RB67 SLR medium format film cameras. On at least two different occasions, I considered buying a Hasselblad but could never justify the expense.

[@paulodefeyter]

@@Narsuitus you did well on not going for a Hasselblad because in the end you would not notice any big difference on image quality as the Mamiya is a capable camera. I use Hasselblad for one main reason over the Mamiya... With the old hassy backs, you are able to do 13 shots on a 120 roll. This is the main advantage over the Mamiya.

[@TeddyCavachon]

We used TLR Rolleiflex in the early 1970s shooting weddings because people blinking due to the slow flash duration of early speedlights like the Graflex and way the mirror of an SLR Hasselblad or 35mm blocks the viewfinder as the flash fires. It’s easy to see the blinks with TLR because the flash freezes the action and the retina retains it. Shorter flash duration and pre-flash to constrict pupils and eliminate ‘red eye’ reflection from retina from flash on lens axis reduced the blinking problem.

[@paulodefeyter]

Dear Teddy, many MANY thanks for your extremely instructive comment. You made my day as I learned something new :) I really don't use flash that much, because in street photography the flash would stand out like a sore thumb, but reading your comment makes me think that it might not be such a bad idea afterall...

[@luisbustamante9869]

The Mamiya is cumbersome and top heavy but it's a beautiful piece of engineering. It's like a steam locomotive, with a lot of the moving parts on the outside. You can do roadside repairs if it breaks down. The Hasselblad feels more at home in the studio, it recoils like a shotgun, needs a tripod. I love both, the square format is so good to compose. I took my best 6x6s with a Pentacon Six - amazing lenses, gentle mirror bounce - and a Mamiya 6 rangefinder that has great ergonomics plus a Leica M-3 grade rangefinder.

[@paulodefeyter]

Good morning and thank you for the comment! Yes, she's cumbersome, and compared to other TLR cameras, she looks like an "ugly duckling". But actually on low light situations, just like subwaystations and inside the train itself, the extra-weight is actually very practical as it helps stabilizing the camera more than another more lighter.

[@Narsuitus]

When I was shooting weddings and portraits, I relied on the quiet Mamiya TLR cameras with 55/80/180mm lenses. When I stopped shooting weddings and was primarily shooting portraits and products, I decided to replace my worn TLR wedding cameras with Mamiya RB67 SLRs with 50/90/180mm lenses. The Hasselblad is a fine camera with great lenses. However, when I was shooting weddings, it was too noisy for my tastes. Also, it was too expensive for my budget.

[@mikehessphotography]

Great video. I have somehow become a Mamiya shooter. I own a C3 and it is one of my favorite cameras I have ever owned. I also have a Mamiya Universal. I don't seek them out, but Mamiyas just seem to find me. They have great optics and are surprisingly affordable.

[@paulodefeyter]

Good afternoon and many thanks for the comment! Yes, they are surprisingly cheap given the ratio price quality. I guess that it's like buying a Harley-Davidson, where 50% of the price paid goes only for the name itself rather than the product. I have several Mamiya C lenses who are extremely sharp and contrasty, that do rival directly with the Zeiss lens of the either Rolleiflex and Hasselblad. However being bulky and "fatty" (The Mamiya I mean) is not always a bad thing as shooting in low light, which is the case of the Subway in Lisbon, is an added "Bonus" turning it more stable :)

[@Blabarspaj]

Great comparison and very informative! I was in Portugal a couple of weeks ago with my C330f. I had a great time with it! Works very well on streets and for travel stuff. I find myself wanting a hasselblad though for my stilleben stuff. One of these days I will have both :)

[@paulodefeyter]

Good morning and many thanks for your comment :) I will warn you that you will not see any difference between THE FINAL RESULT of yours C330f and a Hassy 500... The Hasselblad might make you look more visible, as people recognise it from "the movies" almost as much as a Rolleiflex. But in the end you will not notice a big difference between comparable lens, this meaning the SEIKO/Mamiya 80mm f2.8 and the Hassy's Zeiss 80mm f2.8 as they are both incredible and extremely sharp lenses. And if you look at the price level of both, with a Hassy in-between 900 to 1300 and the Mamiya C in the region of 200 to 350€, its practically a "no brainer". As mere curiosity, I also use the Mamiya on another project I ocasionally do, which is to use a 135 film, with adapters, on this medium format, taking full length images 24mm x 600mm .