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Archive 2016 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

luminaire
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

... at least until the aperture is f16 and the DoF is just about thick enough. Not particularly sharp even then, though it is fabulous at close distances.

But if I mount an 80mm f/4 or 150mm f/2.8 on the same adapter then they're sharp as tacks at the infinity stop, wide-open.

Interestingly, if I remove the 55mm from the adapter and hand-hold it in front of the camera I can hit infinity focus by 'mounting' it slightly closer to the sensor, which suggests some sort of registration problem.

It's a 55mm f/2.8 'N'. Are the infinity stops adjustable in the old 645 lenses? I have searched online but haven't really found an answer to that questions.

An alternative approach would be to buy a straight-through Mamiya-EOS adapter and see if it mounts the lens slightly closer but I'm loathe to spend another $80 on what might be a duff lens...

May 20, 2016 at 12:50 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

It's always nice to have a spare adapter kicking around, but it won't fix the infinity focus problem on your C 55/2.8, unless it's too thin. I had a similar issue with my C 80/2.8N and had its inifnity stop adjusted by my local camera repair centre, while on the Mirex adapter (which is very precisely dimensioned). Many people do this sort of adjustment as a DIY project.

May 20, 2016 at 01:53 PM

luminaire
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

Ah excellent, it is adjustable! Thanks for that info, it pleases me as other than the infinity issue it is a lovely little lens.

Unfortunately no camera stores near me except Calumet, so I'll have to find how to open it up...

May 20, 2016 at 02:36 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

The C 55/2.8 N and C 80/2.8 N are excellent lenses. Here's a preview of some of my recent lens tests at f/8 and infinity focus, on 6D. The competition is steep, and they're pretty much best of class.

You should see results for longer lenses; at 200mm/210mm, the M645 A 150/2.8 + 2x III ties the EF 70-200/2.8L IS II, and beats the EF 70-200/4 L IS, Mamiya A 200/2.8 APO, and EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS II.

Edited on May 22, 2016 at 06:54 AM · View previous versions

May 20, 2016 at 02:46 PM

JohnJ
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

jcolwell wrote:
The C 55/2.8 N and C 80/2.8 N are excellent lenses. Here's a preview of some of my recent lens tests at f/8 and infinity focus, on 6D. The competition is steep, and they're pretty much best of class.

You should see results for longer lenses; at 200mm/210mm, the M645 A 150/2.8 + 2x III ties the EF 70-200/2.8L IS II, and beats the EF 70-200/4 L IS, Mamiya A 200/2.8 APO, and EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS II.

I think Jim and I are the Mamiya Appreciation Society here! I've been using the 2.8/150 A on an A7R2 recently, with Fotodiox adapter, not the Mirex, and am really impressed with the resolution. TBH, I hardly ever use the 2.8/55.

I haven't come across any infinity focus issues with my 7 M645 lenses on the Mirex t/s adapter so I'm fairly sure that when you do it's just the lens that needs adjusting, as JIm said.

May 20, 2016 at 04:13 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

JohnJ wrote:
I think Jim and I are the Mamiya Appreciation Society here!...

Let's make that official. Seems to me that you're the founding member and I'm the first ordinary member.

I figure we've both already paid our dues.

May 20, 2016 at 04:31 PM

JohnJ
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

jcolwell wrote:
Let's make that official. Seems to me that you're the founding member and I'm the first ordinary member.

I figure we've both already paid our dues.

Jim, it's a thing now!

Mamiya Appreciation Society

http://mamiyaappreciationsociety.com/

May 20, 2016 at 05:29 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

That's almost as good as bacon pecan pie. Maybe better.

May 20, 2016 at 06:41 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

May 20, 2016 at 06:45 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

Here's some Mamiya 35mm links (whatever that is),

Mamiya macro sekor 60mm 60/2.8 M42 https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/863874
Mamiya Sekor M42 [my 21.4 and 60/2.8] https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1371698/0#13072883

Mamiya NC (and some M42 stuff...) http://mamiya-nc-m42.mflenses.com/m42_lenses.htm
Captain Jack's Exakta, http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/LENSPAGE.htm

May 20, 2016 at 06:46 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

Are your letter designations sequential evaluative? In other words, does "C" indicate "third position in the series" or "a grade of C?"

jcolwell wrote:
The C 55/2.8 N and C 80/2.8 N are excellent lenses. Here's a preview of some of my recent lens tests at f/8 and infinity focus, on 6D. The competition is steep, and they're pretty much best of class.

You should see results for longer lenses; at 200mm/210mm, the M645 A 150/2.8 + 2x III ties the EF 70-200/2.8L IS II, and beats the EF 70-200/4 L IS, Mamiya A 200/2.8 APO, and EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS II.

May 20, 2016 at 07:28 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

gdanmitchell wrote:
Are your letter designations sequential evaluative? In other words, does "C" indicate "third position in the series" or "a grade of C?"

C = third position in the series tested. None of them are "C" lenses, as far as grade school marks go.

It's a simplification of the normalized scoring system I used for the 24mm/25mm tests I posted in Dec 2015. It removes the angst associated with deciding if a "1.28" is better than a "1.31". In comparison with a "1.0", they're both "B".

normalized scoring example [25mm tests] https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1403832/0#13338227

May 20, 2016 at 08:13 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

jcolwell wrote:
C = third position in the series tested. None of them are "C" lenses, as far as grade school marks go.

It's a simplification of the normalized scoring system I used for the 24mm/25mm tests I posted in Dec 2015. It removes the angst associated with deciding if a "1.28" is better than a "1.31". In comparison with a "1.0", they're both "B".

normalized scoring example [25mm tests] https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1403832/0#13338227

Maybe it comes from being a college faculty member for a long, long time, but when I saw a lens ranked as a "D" my thought was "below average" and "nearly failing."

Perhaps a numeric designation might work instead?

Dan

May 20, 2016 at 09:41 PM

mhespenheide
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

Wow! Jcolwell, thanks for all of that information compiled into one spot!

I'm currently using a Mirex adapter that goes from Mamiya 645 to Sony alpha, then a second adapter (LA-EA3) to get to the Sony FE mount. From the Mamiya 645 family, I shoot with the 35, 45, 55, and the 80. I'm able to get to infinity on all of them, and all of them give excellent results. I would say that the colors are a little more muted and the overall contrast is a little lower than modern lenses, but both of those issues are easily manipulated if desired. The sharpness holds up in comparison to modern zooms and classic 35mm primes.

I have a 150 f/3.5 left over from my film days and find that it doesn't hold up. Looks like I'm going to have to hunt down a 150/2.8 instead!

May 20, 2016 at 09:52 PM

luminaire
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

Found a link to an old post that suggested setting the focus ring to MFD and then 'unscrewing' the forward lens section to access the focusing stops. Unfortunately even the application of rubber friction straps has not shifted it.

There's a Youtube video about cleaning the aperture blades on an 80mm and he also casually unscrews the forward section ( at about 1:10 ), so I must be doing something wrong. Puzzling....

Edited on May 21, 2016 at 08:42 AM · View previous versions

May 21, 2016 at 08:37 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

I've made some very nice photos with the C 35/3.5 N, but I recently found that the Canon TS-E 24/3.5L II + 1.4x III Extender provides better IQ at the edges, and so the C 35mm is on my for-sale list. I also liked the C 45/2.8 N, but decided I didn't need the intermediate focal length between 35mm and 55mm, and so I sold it many years ago. I was definitely not impressed with the C 150/3.5 N and C 210/4 N, but the A 150/2.8 and A 200/2.8 APO are awesome. The A 200 APO is better for relatively close subjects (basically, it's a portrait lens), but the A 150/2.8 + 1.4x III is better at infinity focus - go figure.

May 21, 2016 at 08:38 AM

mhespenheide
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

jcolwell wrote:
I've made some very nice photos with the C 35/3.5 N, but I recently found that the Canon TS-E 24/3.5L II + 1.4x III Extender provides better IQ at the edges, and so the C 35mm is on my for-sale list. I also liked the C 45/2.8 N, but decided I didn't need the intermediate focal length between 35mm and 55mm, and so I sold it many years ago. I was definitely not impressed with the C 150/3.5 N and C 210/4 N, but the A 150/2.8 and A 200/2.8 APO are awesome. The A 200 APO is better for...Show more →

To double-check: That's the Canon tele-converter, yes?

May 21, 2016 at 02:28 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

mhespenheide wrote:
To double-check: That's the Canon tele-converter, yes?

Yes. Canon EF 1.4x III Extender.

I once compared the Mamiya 645 2x Tele-converter N to the (older) Canon EF 2x II Extender, and the Canon was a lot better. The new 2x III is even better than the previous Mk II.

May 21, 2016 at 03:12 PM

JohnJ
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

May 22, 2016 at 01:57 AM

SoulNibbler
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Mamiya 645 55mm f/2.8 no infinity focus on EOS-Mirex

This is an issue with some of the mamiya 645s. I also use a mirex but on an a99.
35mm achieves infinity
45mm achieves infinity
55mm achieves infinity
80mm f4 no infinity
80mm f1.9 infinity
120mm no infinity
200mm f2.8 achieves infinity
300mm f5.6 achieves infinity.

My guess was that there was a bit of variation on the bodies and people had their infinity stops adjusted.
I tried to fix my 120mm, but the screws had seized.

I'll probably try to buy a new copy rather than search for the remaining dealer.

May 22, 2016 at 03:59 AM

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