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Rangefinder Magazine
September 2003

First Exposure: by Stan Sholik
Two Zoom Lenses for Mamiya 645AF and the Rotacam

AF 55–110mm f/4.5 at the left and ULD AF 105–210mm f/4.5 at right with lens hoods.

The 6x4.5 mm camera format has been around for a long time. Over the years, it had a small but dedicated following. More recently, however, it seems as if it took digital imaging to raise it from a format with narrow applicability to one of widespread acceptance. As digital technology developed, more and more photographers turned to the 645 format and an increasing number of major camera equipment manufacturers are responding.

Mamiya pioneered the 645 SLR system camera in 1975 and over the last three decades Mamiya has developed an extensive line of 645 equipment, including various camera bodies, numerous lenses and an extensive selection of accessories for both film and digital imaging. Much of the equipment is targeted at professional photographers.

The company’s latest camera, the Mamiya 645AFD, can be used with either film or digital backs. When shooting digitally, to facilitate more effective communications between the camera body and digital back, the new body incorporates Mamiya’s Serial Communication (MSC) Data Transfer Protocol.

The body also has many features found in top-of-the-line 35mm cameras including autofocus. Recently, Mamiya introduced two new autofocus zoom lenses for the Mamiya 645AFD. These lenses cover a range of common focal lengths, joining the eight fixed focal-length autofocus lenses that were previously in the line. These two lenses are the AF 55–110mm f/4.5 and ULD AF 105–210mm f/4.5. The company also introduced the RotaCam flash bracket for its 645 system.

Zoom Lenses
The two new lenses are beautifully finished in satin black with engraved white numbers denoting focal lengths. Distance scales are visible beneath a Plexiglas window on the top of each lens. Distances are given in white numbers for meters and orange for feet. There isn’t a depth-of-field scale but there are infrared focusing marks for two focal lengths at the extremes of the zoom range on each lens. Minimum focusing distance for both lenses is six feet and minimum aperture of both is f/32.

Angle of view of 55–110 at 55mm setting.	Angle of view of 55–110 at 110mm setting.

Both zooms have large, texturized focusing collars at the front and smaller texturized zoom collars toward the rear of the lens. Strangely, the zoom collars work in opposite directions: the 55–110 zooms through 70 degrees in a counterclockwise direction from shortest to longest focal length, while the 105–210 zooms through 80 degrees in a clockwise direction from shortest to longest. During the relatively brief review period, I was never quite able to adjust to this.

While the zoom mechanism is confusing, the solution that Mamiya has implemented for switching from autofocus to manual focus is well designed. It’s the best solution I’ve seen for switching between manual and autofocus. For autofocus operation, the focusing collar is pushed fully forward. In that position, it doesn’t rotate during focusing. For manual focusing, simply pull back on the focusing collar and rotate it. Infinity focusing is in the fully counterclockwise position on both lenses. To return to autofocus operation, the ring simply needs to be pushed to its far forward position again. A truly elegant, and innovative solution for focusing.

Angle of view of 105–210 at 105mm setting.	Angle of view of 105–210 at 210mm setting.

Autofocus with both lenses was very quick and accurate. Even in low light and when tracking moving subjects, the lenses didn’t get confused. There was little “hunting” for the focus, as is the case with some zoom lenses. While not really objectionable, autofocusing noise is somewhat louder than expected. It was louder than many 35mm camera autofocus lenses.

Autofocus response of both lenses is excellent as the grab shot of this patriotic Great Dane in mid-lick shows. Lens is the ULD AF 105–210mm f/4.5 at 210mm.

The 55–110 f/4.5 (which is the 35mm equivalent of 34–68 mm) is very compact, measuring only slightly longer than 4 inches and weighing just under two pounds. It is designed with 11 optical glass elements in 10 groups. Filter size is 67mm.

	Both lenses exhibited excellent sharpness, color rendition and contrast with negligible flare despite the large number of elements in the lens design. Lens is the ULD AF 105–210mm set at 210mm, f/5.6 and 1/250 second.

Image quality is excellent from center to edges, even at maximum aperture. Mounted on the camera, the combination is very well balanced. Unless there is need for the faster f/2.8 aperture of the Mamiya AF55mm or AF80mm lenses, the 55–110 is an excellent choice for a standard lens on 645AF bodies.

As would be expected, the 105–210 f/4.5 (which has the equivalent 35mm zoom range of 65–130mm) is somewhat larger and heavier, measuring 6.25 inches in length and weighing 2.2 lbs. Mounted on the camera the combination was still well balanced.

Both lenses exhibited excellent sharpness, color rendition and contrast with negligible flare despite the large number of elements in the lens design.Lens is the AF 55–110mm set at 55mm, f/5.6 and 1/20 second.

Optically, the lens consists of 13 elements in 11 groups, and the filter size is 58mm. Images were again consistently sharp and contrasty with little evidence of flare. There’s only a minimal difference between the maximum aperture of the zoom lenses and Mamiya fixed lenses that fall into those zoom ranges. For example, the AF150mm has a maximum f-stop of 3.6; the AF120mm Macro, f/4; and the AFUDL210mm IF, also f/4.

In combination, these lenses cover nearly a 4X zoom range of the most common focal lengths. With consistently excellent image quality, they may be the only two lenses most photographers would need to own for the 645AF cameras. The MSRP of either lens is $1999.

RotaCam
Wedding, event and public relations photographers enjoy some real advantages when shooting with 645 cameras over 6x6 format cameras. They enjoy a wider selection of faster lenses, lighter, but just as reliable and often more technically advanced cameras, a format that crops very closely to 8x10, and more frames per roll.

They are at a disadvantage, however, when they must switch from horizontal to vertical framing and vice versa. Because these photographers are generally using on-camera flash, rotating the camera rotates the flash to an awkward position. There are a number of flash brackets on the market that move the flash off the camera. The camera can then be rotated but the flash must be reoriented to its proper position.

A few flash brackets allow the camera to be rotated while the flash remains fixed, but these often require the photographer to re-compose and re-focus the subject.

	Mamiya RotaCam

The Mamiya RotaCam, designed specifically for the Mamiya 645 series of cameras, solves all of these problems by rotating the camera about the optical axis of the lens, leaving the flash position unchanged and eliminating the need to re-compose or re-focus.

Engineered from high-quality aluminum alloy, the RotaCam is precision designed and manufactured. The matte black finish and drilled rotating arc assembly lends a high-tech professional look. The camera glides smoothly through an arc on ball-bearing mounted guides and locks securely in either horizontal or vertical position. A firm push on the large silver release knob with the left thumb releases the catch while the right hand rotates the camera.

The RotaCam is equipped with a 1/4-20 and 3/8-inch tripod socket to provide a simple way to rotate the camera without having to move the tripod head. Off the tripod, retractable support legs can be swung out from the RotaCam, providing a three-point structure to support the camera on any flat, stable surface.

An electronic release on the handgrip interfaces with the Mamiya 645AF, 645AFD and 645Pro-TL bodies. The handgrip also includes a top-mounted accessory shoe for mounting radio or infrared triggering slaves, or for an additional slave flash.

A quick-release dovetail adapter is provided for mounting Metz 45 and 60-series compatible flash units. Accessory flash adapters for Norman, Quantum, Sunpak, Lumedyne, Metz 50MZ and 70MZ and standard shoe-mount flashes are also available.

As I am accustomed to gripping my cameras, both 35mm and 2-1/4 square, right-handed when they are not tripod-mounted, it took a little time to feel comfortable with the left-handed grip required. The adjustable wrist strap successfully distributes the weight to your hand, but a strong left wrist makes shooting easier. Rotating the camera is extremely easy and very smooth. Between the two-handed support required when shooting and the added mass of the bracket, the result was a stable shooting platform.

The $459 MSRP Mamiya RotaCam is an excellent choice for professional photographers shooting with Mamiya 645-series cameras who need on-camera flash bracket. Other manufacturers should look to this model to provide similar brackets that allow other rectangular-format cameras to rotate as smoothly about their optical axis.

Stan Sholik is a contributing writer for NewsWatch Feature Service. He is also a commercial photographer with 30 years of large format studio and location experience.