![contax 645 back focus distance contax 645 back focus distance](https://www.japancamerahunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC04812.jpg)
And that’s understandable – the first has pedigree, the second has cool factor, and the third seems to be all that film labs share on social media. The following were taken with the Mamiya Sekor 65mm f/4.The desire to jump into medium format photography is usually accompanied by visions of Hasselblads, Rolleiflexes, and the Contax 645. Focusing this close on a 35mm equivalent this close is pretty rare.
CONTAX 645 BACK FOCUS DISTANCE FULL
I have the 65mm 4.5 Lens which is about a 35mm equivalent on a full frame and am able to focus a couple inches away. Due to the bellows being able to cover a large distance you are able to focus extremely close on subjects. It uses bellow focusing, the camera has bellows which can extend and physically move the lens to achieve focus. The Mamiya RB67 uses an interesting focusing mechanism, in that it is one we don’t commonly see today. I love having the peace of mind knowing that I’m buying into a mechanical device which is a little more solid than its electric counterparts. I have heard a lot of horror stories of people buying expensive Contax 645’s ($4k+) or the like which have faulty wiring and stop working shortly after getting it. However, with these old cameras electronics easily go bad. Rarely in the modern age would you think to consider removing all electronics as a benefit. Trying to scan anything less than a 6 X 7 negative will, in my opinion, leave you wanting more from your scanner. I use my Epson V600 and get great results. This negative is significantly larger than a 645 Negative and is much easier to scan on consumer negative scanners. The reason I first wanted this camera was because it was affordable for a medium format, but also because of the 6 X 7 negative. I was easily able to find precut seals on eBay and swap them out. I have the Pro-S version and have had to change the seals, its not as bad as it sounds but still a pain. If you can find a good deal on a Pro-SD, I would save the hassle and get that version.
![contax 645 back focus distance contax 645 back focus distance](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images500x500/Mamiya_020_00308a_Leaf_Credo_40MP_Digital_871245.jpg)
CONTAX 645 BACK FOCUS DISTANCE PRO
The foam film seals on the back of the Pro and Pro-S were prone to rotting and need constant replacing. One of the most important updates came to the Pro-SD, where they removed the foam seals on the film back.
![contax 645 back focus distance contax 645 back focus distance](http://www.silvestricamera.com/assets/images/slv-986x768.jpeg)
For example with the Pro-S, an indicator was added to the view finder so that you could easily tell if you were in landscape or portrait orientation. Small improvements were made between the models, however, generally the camera retained the character so many fell in love with. The Mamiya RB67 (the “RB” standing for rotating back to indicate switching between landscape and portrait orientation) was released in three versions, the Mamiya RB67 Pro (1970), Pro-S (1974), and Pro-SD (1990). The camera is currently priced between $200-550 (eBay) with a lens depending which version you pick up/condition. Let’s not joke around, if you are like me, its one of the first things that came to mind. I also included some sample images I’ve taken with this setup at the end. Why? Heres a couple reasons to pick one up. If you were to ask me what is my favorite camera to shoot at the moment I would have to say the Mamiya RB67.