Mamiya 7 II

Pros: Superb image quality, all the benefits of rangefinder photography, pro-oriented controls.

Cons: Expensive. Use of polarizing filters is inconvenient.

The Bottom Line: For an advanced photographer who likes rangefinder cameras and wants a larger negative, this unique camera is a joy to use. But if you're not this person, I'd look elsewhere.

Review: If you have never used a rangefinder, this may not be the place to start. And, if you don't have a fairly strong knowledge of photographic theory, this camera will be frustrating to use. But if you have experience with rangefinder cameras and you ...

Pros: Lightweight, easy to handle, and, mostly, superlative image quality regardless of technology.

Cons: Not as rugged as its price suggests or its user's want.

The Bottom Line: Even now, the Mamiya 7 deserves a close look for outdoor, landscape, and street shooters who want incredibly sharp images without a lot of workflow.

Review: Is film dead? Here it is in the Spring of 2007. Some photographers may ask is medium format dead? Has double-digit megapixel SLRs made 6X7 rangefinders irrelevant? Is roll film just a remnant of a long-lost era of photography? One simply has ...

Pros: The smallest & lightest 6x7 interchangeable lens range-finder camera with great optics.

Cons: High price, difficulty to use the longer lenses.

Review: I bought the first Mamiya 7 when it was introduced in Canada in 1997 to replace the Mamiya 6-MF. The first generation had a gun-metal finish and was amazingly only slightly larger then the Mamiya 6. That was an incredible achievement for a 6x7 format...