INTRODUCTION

The Mamiya 645 Pro is a medium format SLR camera made in Japan between 1975 and 1987.

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PERSONAL NOTES

The Mamiya 645 Pro is a complete camera, it's only 645, smaller than 6x6, but it has everything a nice system has in terms of lenses and accessories. It's reliable, and is the base for other Mamiya models, which became the modern Phase One cameras, compatible with digital backs.

The Mamiya is nice to shoot with, but is an "in between"... I would prefer to shoot with any 6x6 for a bigger image, like the Hasselblad 500, it's about the same weight and feel anyway. If weight is an issue, I would shoot with a 35mm. 645 in general was not too popular back in the days because of that. Like cropped sensors, its often looked from above, but it does not mean that it's not good... Now, the Mamiya 645 form factor makes much more sens in the digital era. It's the perfect size for our modern digital backs. It's not a surprise that Phase One bought Mamiya.

CONCLUSION

In the medium format world, the 645 format is small, and not necessarely lighter. If you want to get into medium format photography, I would suggest you get something bigger in format, somewhere between 6x6 and 6x9.

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