The Mamiya 645camera systems are a series of medium formatfilm and digital cameras and lenses manufactured by Mamiya and its successors. They are called "645" because they use the nominal 6 cm x 4.5 cm film size from 120 roll film. They came in three major generations: first-generation manual-focus film cameras, second-generation manual-focus film cameras, and autofocus film/digital cameras.
Mamiya 645 First Generation
Mamiya M645 1000S with CdS prism, with 80mm f/1.9 and 45mm f/2.8 lenses
All seven of the manual-focus Mamiya 645 cameras can use the same lenses and film inserts (film spools). The two generations use different viewfinders, grips, and other accessories that are not always cross-compatible.[1][2][3]
First Generation
The M645 was manufactured from 1975 to 1987. This was the first model to offer a 6x4.5 cm frame, allowing 15 shots on a standard 120 roll film. The M645 was a true system camera, with interchangeable viewfinders and lenses. It used an electronically controlled cloth focal plane shutter offering speeds of 8 seconds to 1/500 second in one-stop increments. The camera featured a mirror lockup, as well as selectable multi-exposure. Film was carried in cartridges that could be pre-loaded, but no capability existed to allow changing of film magazines mid-roll. A waist-level non-metered finder was available, as well as a non-metered pentaprism and three varieties of through-the-lens (TTL) metered prisms (CdS, PD and AE). The metered prisms read the aperture dial through a mechanical coupling on the lens. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 C or the 70mm f/2.8 C E or the 80mm f/1.9 C.[4]
The M645 1000S was manufactured from 1976 to 1990. This camera added a 1/1000 second shutter speed to the M645, as well as a self-timer and a depth-of-field preview lever. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 C or the 80mm f/1.9 C.[5]
The M645J was manufactured from 1979 to 1982. This was a stripped-down version of the M645, with the mirror lockup knob and second shutter button removed. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 C or the 80mm f/1.9 C.[2]
Second Generation
The Mamiya 645 Super was manufactured from 1985 to 1993. This was a new camera with a molded plastic shell on a diecast metal frame. Its features are the same as the M645 1000s, but it added removable film backs, whereby a dark-slide could be inserted and the back removed mid-roll. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 N, or the 80mm f/1.9 C (early) or the 80mm f/1.9 N (late).[6][7]
The Mamiya 645 Pro was manufactured from 1993 to 1998. It added a self-timer and a smoother styling. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 N or the 80mm f/1.9 N.[1][8]
The Mamiya 645 Pro-TL was manufactured from 1997 to 2006 and is functionally similar to the 645 Pro but adds through-the-lens flash metering. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 N or the 80mm f/1.9 N.[1][9]
The Mamiya 645E was manufactured from 2000 to 2006. This was an entry-level version of the M645 Pro without switchable backs or viewfinders. It did have a light meter built in to the viewfinder, however. The standard lens was the 80mm f/2.8 N or the 80mm f/1.9 N.[1][10]
Mamiya 645 Manual Focus Camera Comparison
Model
Body / Frame
Construction
Years
Slowest
Shutter
Fastest
Shutter
Flash
Sync
Weight
(body)
Switchable
Backs
Switchable
Finders
Mirror
Lockup
Self
Timer
Multi
Exposure
DoF
Preview
on Body
Shutter
buttons
M645
Metal / Metal
1975-87
8s
1/500s
1/60s
920g
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Two
M645 1000S
Metal / Metal
1976-90
8s
1/1000s
1/60s
965g
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Two
M645J
Metal / Metal
1979-82
1s
1/500s
1/60s
910g
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
One
645 Super
Plastic / Metal
1985-93
4s
1/1000s
1/60s
895g
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
One
645 Pro
Plastic / Metal
1993-98
4s
1/1000s
1/60s
980g
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
One
645 Pro-TL
Plastic / Metal
1997-06
4s
1/1000s
1/60s
970g
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
One
645E
Plastic / Metal
2000-06
4s
1/1000s
1/60s
1340g
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
One
Mamiya 645 Manual-Focus Lenses
A Mamiya 70mm f/2.8. This lens has a built-in leaf shutter, which is cocked by the grips at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions
The Mamiya 645 Manual-Focus lenses will work on all manual-focus bodies. They will also work on autofocus bodies such as the Mamiya 645AF, Mamiya 645DF and Phase One 645DF, but manual-focus lenses will require light metering after the lens has been stopped down, unlike native autofocus lenses. Third-party adapters exist to use these manual-focus lenses on Nikon F mount, Canon EF mount, and other cameras. These lenses will not work on the Phase One XF unless modified. All Mamiya 645 lenses are multi-coated. Nearly all have curved aperture blades, rendering smooth backgrounds at wider aperture settings.[1][2][3][11]
The internal shutter in the first-generation 645 bodies only supported flash synchronization at 1/60th of a second. This made outdoors fill flash difficult, and so some lenses were equipped with a built-in leaf shutter which supported flash synchronization at all speeds up to 1/500th of a second. Leaf shutter lenses had a separate PC socket. In order to take advantage of the faster speeds the internal shutter had to be fired at 1/30th of a second or slower.
Lens abbreviations
A or APO — the lens has an apochromatic (or near-apochromatic) design[1]
C — the lens is stamped “Sekor C” on the lens barrel. All manual-focus lenses for Mamiya 645 are Sekor C lenses, which Mamiya used to designate multi-coated lenses.[1]
E — only for the 70mm f/2.8 E lens sold as a kit with the original M645, apparently late in the M645's production run to differentiate it from the leaf-shutter version.[4][7]
N — the lens has a "new" cosmetic design. "N" lenses were launched with the second generation manual-focus cameras. Many "N" lenses are the same as their prior "C" or "S" lens version, but have changes to the lens coatings and a plastic aperture ring instead of metal. Some "C" lenses received a cosmetic update (removal of the chrome on the focus ring) but were not otherwise changed and did not receive a "N" marking, such as the 50mm f/4.5 and 500mm f/5.6. "N" lenses may also be called "CN" lenses.[1]
N/L — the lens has the "new" cosmetic design and an integrated Leaf Shutter. When used with the optional power drive WG-401 on second generation bodies, the leaf shutters are automatically cocked. On first generation bodies, or without the power drive, the leaf shutters must be cocked manually.[12]
S — the lens is a revised version of a "C" lens. The only lenses with "S" versions are the 45mm f/2.8 and 55mm f/2.8 (both with different optical formulas and dimensions than their predecessors), but other accessories have "S" versions, including the Waist-level Finder W, the Prism Viewfinder PD, and the #3 extension tube. Early "S" lenses may have gold "S" stickers on them, while later "S" lenses may have the "S" engraved. "S" lenses may also be called "CS" lenses.[1]
SF — the lens has a separate control ring to create a Soft Focus effect.[13]
* Lens with multiple versions are combined to save space. In the "Versions" column, the versions are separated by commas. For example, the 210mm had two versions, the original "C" and the updated "N".
** Note that different tests have different testing procedures, and that this information is not necessarily a good indication of overall lens performance. Please see the references for the full reviews.
Focusing screen No. 5 — rangefinder spot with microprism (a 45-degree-angle split image rangefinder surrounded by a microprism area) - Standard on most models[2][14][25]
Magnifier (finder extension) for P, PD, PD S, CdS viewfinders[2][14]
Right-angle finder for P, PD, CdS viewfinders[2][14]
Right-angle finder 2 for P, PD, PD S, CdS viewfinders[2][14]
Diopter corrections (magnifiers) for P, PD, PD S, CdS viewfinders (-3 to +3)[2][14]
Diopter corrections (magnifiers) for W viewfinder (-3 to +2)[2][14]
Film inserts — First Generation
120 film insert (can be used with both generations)[1]
220 film insert (can be used with both generations)[1]
Grips and Auto-winders — First Generation
Pistol rubber handgrip with no shutter trigger[14]
No knobs (and no way to change metering mode or exposure compensation). Has short prism section with long tube coming off the back and dioptric correction dial (+/- 5 diopters) that rotates around the tube.
The Mamiya 645 Autofocus (AF) system was launched in 1999 with the 645AF. It was a departure from the previous manual system, in that the finders and grips were no longer detachable and interchangeable. It still used the same lens mount, but the new autofocus lenses did not have an aperture ring; rather, the lens aperture was controlled by dials on the camera. Manual-focus lenses could still be used on the autofocus cameras, but not vice versa. If manual focus lenses are used, the lens aperture must be set before metering the scene (known as "stop-down metering") which made the manual-focus lenses of limited usefulness compared to the newer autofocus lenses.[32]
Mamiya 645 auto focus cameras
Mamiya 645AF (1999) — Similar to 645 Pro TL, but power winder and AE prism finder are both built in. Maximum shutter speed increases to 1/4000, and minimum shutter speed improves to 30 seconds, while flash sync improves to 1/125. Autofocus is implemented with single-focus, continuous-focus, and manual focus modes. Takes 120/220 film backs only[32]
Mamiya 645AFD (2001) — Added communication interface for digital backs, otherwise similar to the 645AF.[32]
Mamiya 645AFD II (2005) — Updated version of 645AFD with minor changes.[32]
Mamiya 645AFD III (Phase One 645AF) (2008) — Updated version of 645AFD II with minor changes.[32]
Mamiya 645DF (Phase One 645DF) (2009) — A completely new camera, but it uses the same lenses as the rest of the Mamiya 645 AF system. It supports digital backs only (no film backs)[33]
Mamiya 645DF+ (Phase One 645DF+) (2012-current) — A minor update of the 645DF with reworked internals for higher reliability. Supports more than 50 different digital backs and 80 different lenses, including native Mamiya lenses and Hasselblad V lenses.[34]
Mamiya ZD series cameras
Mamiya ZD (2004) — fixed-back medium-format DSLR. The same 22 megapixel sensor was also available in the ZD Back.[35]
Some Mamiya 645 AF lenses are also sold as Phase One lenses. Phase One also sells Schneider-Kreuznach lenses, which are also branded as Mamiya.[33] See the history of Mamiya for more information.
Mamiya 645AFD camera with Hasselblad 50mm Distagon Lens, using the Hasselblad adapter
Mamiya 645 AF System Accessories
V-Grip Air GB401 - for shooting comfortably in portrait mode[33]
