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Mamiya-Sekor 645 80mm f2.8 N vs Helios-40 85mm f1.5
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:12 pm    Post subject: Mamiya-Sekor 645 80mm f2.8 N vs Helios-40 85mm f1.5 Reply with quote
I have used both of these on my Sigma SD10 DSLR and it was'nt long before I realised the Mamiya is a far better lens all round...Its smaller, its lighter, its sharper, it has better contrast, its far better in construction, is far easier to use and yet it costs about the same as the old Helios.
The Mamiya 80mm f2.8 is the "normal lens" supplied with Mamiya 645 medium-format cameras, I have the older manual format model which is the one I recommend you look out for.
I made a simple M645-SA adapter by fitting a Sigma lens SA mounting plate onto the back of a Mamiya number-one extension ring, which you can see here:
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p17717695.html
These M645 extension rings are not cheap though, I paid about Ł115 for a set of three on ebay but you can find single ones fetching Ł120 in camera stores!
But if you fancy fitting some really excellent MF glass to your DSLR look out for a number one ring on ebay and you might get lucky.
Other than that there some very rare commercially made M645-M42 adapters may exist but I would not hold out much hope of finding one and making your own is probably the best if not only way to go.
Here are a few samples taken with the Mamiya 80mm:
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p39015892.html
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p11809176.html
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p11931027.html
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p32649280.html
(click on the pics to see them full size!)


PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excellent post ! First link is so funny! Others are also great!

About Helios vs Mamiya many times I can't use F/2.8 lenses just below F/2 for example in darkness of Aquarium in the Zoo. Another point of view I saw your sample pictures are excellent sharp, I don't like on human portraits too much sharpness. I like Helios-40 for human portraits as well little soft wide open, this good for me.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 11:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Mamiya-Sekor 645 80mm f2.8 N vs Helios-40 85mm f1.5 Reply with quote
DSG wrote:
I have used both of these on my Sigma SD10 DSLR and it was'nt long before I realised the Mamiya is a far better lens all round...Its smaller, its lighter, its sharper, it has better contrast, its far better in construction, is far easier to use and yet it costs about the same as the old Helios.
The Mamiya 80mm f2.8 is the "normal lens" supplied with Mamiya 645 medium-format cameras, I have the older manual format model which is the one I recommend you look out for.


Well, the best thing about using manual lenses on digital is that we are not limited to what the manufacturer offers... everyone can choose the lenses that he likes better. Smile
Besides, it would be terribly boring (and disastrous, Ebay-wise) if everyone loved the same lenses! Wink

Having that said, however, I find it difficult to compare a f=1.5 lens with a f=2.8 lens. There is a two stop difference on the wider aperture side and this is a lot - it actually means two lenses conceived for two different purposes entirely - portrait and general use - which would become evident by comparing the wide-open DOF of both when used on a 35mm camera.

The Mamiya medium format lens will have of course a narrower DOF when used on it's native medium format than on a 35mm. - but that is another story.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excellent pics DSG.
I liked composition in first one. How'd you do it if it's not a secret?
I know it's PS or something else related but the technic is beyond me.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Himself wrote:
Excellent pics DSG.
I liked composition in first one. How'd you do it if it's not a secret?
I know it's PS or something else related but the technic is beyond me.


It would take longer to explain how I did it than it took me to do it!
Suffice to say the eye was a Mamiya 80mm shot, lit with a Metz 54mz-3 through a 24" duffuser brolly and the two other pics one of my hands (one of the hands is the same pic but reversed) and the one of my head were VGA (640x480) pics taken with my webcam.
I also applied some gradient lighting effects to both the hands and my head, both linear and radial.
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