Mamiya 645 1000s

I purchased my Mamiya 1000S in 1981 to use in my aerial photography business. I've since used for extensive B&W landscape photography and had a book "Oysterville;A Quiet Place In Time" publishedin 2008 with the foreword written by Robert Adams. Although I have an extensive collection of lenses, I use the 45mm most frequently for landscape photography.

These are excellent cameras and now inexpensive in 2010 and I bought two more as back-ups.

Michael Parker

Easy to use. Versatile with many optional components. Rather inexpensive now, however. We have 2 model Mamiya 645's . Wild horses couldn't take them away.

Got my Mamiya 645 1000s last year and really pleased. Can't belive how cheap you can buy those film rollers. I like Keh because most their accessories have a warranty. Also picked up some good deals on Ebay.

Excellent camera, pictures always come out like a pro. Excellent photos and ease of handling. Metering of light is exact but get it calibrated. I got my 645 calibrated for free at a Mamiya show. I really can't think of any, if the picture is bad it's your own fault.

I like this camera because it takes good photo's, but it's hard to got parts for. Overall, I have no complaints with my Mamiya 645 1000s

Beautiful Camera, great quality and style. A bit uneasy to handle - but you'll get used to it. I love my Mamiya!

I would go so far as to place the Mamiya range of their day ahead of equivalent Hasselblads. My friend, with a fabulous High Street studio, uses Hasselblad in studio, but swears by Mamiya too. In the old days when he was double-booked with two weddings at one time, his late wife and partner photographer, always used Mamiya in preference to Hasselblad when out shooting her weddings. Although a millionaire today, he will not change from medium format film to digital, although he sells scores of digital to customers in his Digital Centre shop. That, from one of the recognised best professional portrait photographers in Ireland, indeed in the entire British Isles, speaks volumes for medium format film versus digital ! He is a practicing professional now, outstanding in portraiture since 1996, all of 42 years. His daughter works with the same tools and she top of her game, travelling Stateside to give presentations at U.S. Pro Photographer conventions. And it was her dad himself who inspired me years ago to use Mamiya. He says the Hassie Zeiss lenses are better - but you would want to take a magnifying glass to a 30 x40 print to see the infitesimal difference !!!

(By the way I find the kit lenses on Minolta Dynax better than the Canon EOS kit lenses, for colour and sharpness).

The Mamiya 645 1000s is excellent value for the money. For getting into medium format, it's an excellent choice. Great for portrature and landscapes. When/if the shutter locks up, replace the battery.

I'd call it a superb value for the money if I could keep mine operating.

If you're looking to get into Medium Format photography at a reasonable cost you just can't go wrong buying the Mamiya 645 1000s camera.