stonehousellc's Full Review: Mamiya RZ67 ProII Medium Format Film Camera
The greatest difference between the serious amateur and the professional photographer is the necessity of working in a format larger than 35mm. For most every assignment (journalism excluded), Art Directors and Photo Editors want the greater quality available from the larger negative.
When I did my first paying job, back in the late 70s, the choice was a fairly simple one; you bit the bullet and bought a Hasselblad. There were other choices, but the fact that a debate on quality even existed gave credence to the many claims that a 500CM was the undisputed King.
While I do love the square format, the ease of handheld use and decades worth of used system components out there, I really wanted someone to challenge the old workhorse in order to bring front end prices down.
There are still other choices in the 6x6 format on the market, but the Mamiya and Pentax 6x7 systems were really the first serious competition in the market place. My personal preference for the Pentax 6x7 is an outgrowth of it's being designed like a 35mm on steroids. However, it lacks many of the features important to a professional system, most notably interchangeable backs, including a Polaroid back.
The RB and RZ systems from Mamiya offer all of the features needed for professional acceptance (razor sharp optics being chief among them). The one drawback would be the increased bulk over a Hasselblad, making handheld shooting very difficult. Practice makes this less of a concern, but it never completely goes away.
I have used the Mamiya system often in the studio, but still prefer to use Hasselblad equipment on location. If you have to choose only one medium format system, however, price/quality/availability all point to the Mamiya as the new king of professional medium format systems.
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