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Truly feels German in the hand. Much better tactile sensations than my Mamiya 7 equipment (though that's a fine picture taker). The Bronica RF is the perfect wedding and people candid rig. Very quick handling and the vertical format serves projects destined for an album so very well. Top notch optics that are easily on par with the Mamiya RF optics. I find that I only use the Mamiya 7 gear when I'm absolutely certain that the larger format will serve the project better. Mine has been trouble-free for many years. I use a large German handle mount wink light flash when flash is called for but the little dedicated flash is great as a fill flash outdoors (but will do in a pinch as a main flash). I find the Bronica is easier to use for black & white work (vs the Mamiya) and the contrast range of the lenses seem to make for easier printing but they are both great in color work.Read full review
I've only owned my RF645 for a couple of months, but I have thoroughly enjoying shooting with it. Like nearly all 6x4.5 cameras, native composition is portrait mode vice landscape, and I was hesitant at first to buy the camera because of that, wasn't sure I would take to it after so many years of 35mm film. However, I've since found that it's no big deal. In fact, as most of us know, many compositions work far better with portrait framing, but with most cameras you have to turn the camera 90° to go vertical, and many (most!) cameras' controls are poorly designed and clumsy when vertically handheld. What I most like is the way the RF645 "feels" in my hands--much like a heavier version of my Nikon F100, and the payback for humping the extra weight is a negative that's nearly three times the size of 35mm. Although not light camera by any means, the RF645 is far lighter and more compact than my SQ-Am, and to my surprise I found I can comfortably carry it all day on a neck strap. Try that with most modern MF's! As a result, this camera goes with me many more times to many more places than my large and very heavy SQ-Am did. Most MF's take wonderful photos, but not if they're sitting at home in the case. I also love my old Zeiss 6x6 folder, but I dislike not having built-in accurate metering, it's viewfinder and rangefinder is cramped and slower to focus with than the 645, and it is limited to 11 shots per roll compared to the Bronica's 16 (or 32 if you want to shoot 220). The RF645's viewfinder display is large and extremely bright (the brightest I've seen on a rangefinder camera), and provides all the important exposure info I need at a glance, along with parallax-adjusted bright frame lines. Focusing is easy and the rangefinder patch is both large and bright. Build quality is solid as a brick. There is a lot of plastic on this camera, but it doesn't feel "plasticy" in the hands. It feels every bit as stout and solid as my D200. Thumbs up to Bronica's engineers. The center-weighted metering seems to be very accurate.The three operating modes available (Programmed, Aperture Priority, and Manual) are perfect for my vacation/landscape/street shooting needs. I pay attention most often to depth of field, and as a result I use the Aperture Priority mode most often. Best of all, compared to many other MF cameras, the control layout is just about perfect. It's simple, uncluttered, and everything you need (and nothing you don't) is exactly where your fingers expect to find it: Exposure Compensation, Auto-exposure lock, film speed, etc. After only a couple of outings I was very comfortable with the controls, which are well marked and sensibly placed. The leaf shuttter is very quiet, and is automatically (electronically) re-cocked after every exposure. In the Auto modes the camera's brain controls exposure in 1/12 stop (!) increments, allowing very precise control for color slides. The quiet shutter, combined with a silent lever-type film advance, make for very unobtrusive street shooting, something not all that easy to do with most MF cameras. I have only the 65mm "general purpose" lens for mine, but after shooting with it a while now I don't foresee a need to for the 45mm or 100mm lenses. The 65mm lens is very sharp with outstanding color and contrast. If you like shooting medium format film but don't want to give up modern operating and metering features, and you don't like lugging around a large, heavy beast, this is your camera!Read full review
One of a great medium format range finder's available today. It is compact, easy to use, nice features, and beautiful lay out. The lens is sharp, great contrast. The view finder is well designed. Thanks to a huge and bright LCD. That makes it easy to read out camera's info in different light conditions. The shutter is so quite and less vibration. You can handheld down to 1/15 sec or so,if you can without shaking your slide/negative. The down side is there are only 4 lenses available to use. 45mm, 65mm, 100mm and 135mm.The 100mm and 135mm telephoto lenses are quite rare and hard to find. But again they are super great lenses. To me the bronica RF with 65mm is my main walk around camera. It is just perfect pal for me and my 35mm camera.
A rugged, professional quality camera for those who still favor film. This camera takes 16 images on a roll of 120 film, or 32 on a roll of 220 (though 220 film is no longer made, and only available out-dated on ebay). The format is 6x4.5 cm, in vertical orientation with the camera held normally. Three lenses are available: a 45mm wide angle, 65mm normal and 135mm short telephoto. The camera has a solid feel, is very compact and pretty light for a medium format camera. The only complaint I have is that there is a slight to moderate lag in shutter response, a bit like an early digital camera. The shutter is electronically controlled and powered by a small motor in the lens housing. Overall a very nice camera. I just came back from a long trip on which I used it exclusively, and I am very satisfied with its performance, other than a few shots I missed because of the shutter lag-time.Read full review
The Bronica RF645 is a precision medium format rangefinder that handles like a Leica M-2. Medium format rangefinder cameras are often described like a giant Leica. Nothing really is like a Leica, but the Bronica RF645 comes closest. It is quiet and the rangefinder is as accurate. The lenses I dare say are as sharp as a Summicron, even wide open. The Bronica RF645 can be used as full manual operation camera, and aperature priority or program. The normal lens is a 65mm f4.O six element resolving in excess of 1OO l.p.m. at all aperatures. The wide angle lens is a 45mm f4.O five element equal to 28mm in 35mm. It is as sharp as the 65mm with no distortion. The 45mm comes with a viewfinder that is positioned in the Hot Shoe. The viewfinder has a lot of distortion, and I chose not to use it because the viewfinder in the camera covers 45mm anyway. There is an exposure compensation dial on the back of the camera. When you get busy shooting I found it to be to easily moved by my thumb unknown; for that reason I put scotch tape over it. I don't need it anyhow. For compactness the image is vertical, a real nice feature for doing portraits. The question often asked on eBay is the Bright Line for 1OOmm or 135mm. That can easily be answered by the serial number. If the serial number begins with 11, then the Bright line is 135mm. If the serial number begins with 22, the Bright Line is 100mm. Bronica had a problem with the focusing helicoid on the 135mm and took it out of production. They replaced it with the 1OOmm. Bronica's reputation was ruined by allowing a defective lens into production. Bronica discontinued production of the RF645. The RF645 is quite scarce and eBay is about the only place to find one. It is a very fine camera.Read full review
The camera is like a giant manual 35mm camera from 1985, which is a good thing. Very simple interface, very solid build quality. The camera isn't small, it isn't light, it doesn't have AF, so it's a unique camera made at an interesting time when film was beginning its fall. The camera is less expensive than a Mamiya 6 or 7, with similar features. The only thing that worries me about the camera is the lack of support and repair parts over time.
Concerned about serious battery drain. shot the first roll of 120 film, consumed 2 new batteries. Now with 2 new batteries, and I am observing, hopefully battery drain was caused by battery not by camera. Otherwise no complaint about the RF 645, great camera no doubt.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
After three weeks of testing it is plain to see that the camera does not focus correctly - all images are out of focus. I would like to send it back' Walter Leporati
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Great camera for people photography, incredible sharp lens, 32 frames on a roll, small, well designed. Image quality beats any SLR medium format up to date. Very happy I had a chance to get one of Bronica Rf at last minute.
Camera is in nice condition and functions well.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned