Mamiya ZD is a Major Disappointment . . . .

[DD22]

Please send a letter to Mamiya explaining your concerns. I'm sure
they'll be very interested in what you have to say.

Just do it fast. With medium format film essentially dead at this point and very little market for a product that took two years to get into the marketplace, Mamiya probably won't see Christmas this year.

I can't figure out how they've lasted this long.

 

[Jmdm]

Just a minor correction ))

The sensor is actually 1.8" not 1 1/8". That is just over 1 3/4"

Jack

 

[Peter White]

They've lasted by making extremely high quality cameras. And they've been making them for decades. Amongst professional photographers Mamiya has an excellent reputation. Their cameras and lenses are amongst the best you can buy at any price.

--
Peter White

 

[christianhough]

should make fantastic quiality images. I can't wait to see what it can do.

Chris

--

 

[Beowolf]

call it consolidation, call it concentration, but soon there'll be just be a few camera companies to choose from: Canon, Canon and Canon and a fig-leaf minnow ( to keep the competition commissions happy):Nikon and some digital back specialist, then noones heard about. Shame, but good bye Mamiya!

 

[Peter White]

You haven't seen this camera. There hasn't been a test published yet. You know next to nothing about it. Mamiya has an excellent track record in the industry. It seems to me that it's silly to predict their demise on the basis of NO FACTS WHATSOEVER. If you have some facts you'd like to present, please don't let me stand in your way. ;-)

If this camera is a dud I'll be very surprised, and very sad. If Mamiya is true to form this camera will be a studio mainstay in a year. It's affordable, their lenses are without exception as good as you can get in each category. So as long as the camera delivers high quality images it should be the most popular digital camera in studios for the next several years.

But until it's out there and we see images from it, all we can do is speculate.

--
Peter White

 

[SG2]

not to burst your bubble but I have seen its pics and they were some posted months ago on official page (but it was not the US page).

and you can stick your head in the sand, but your but will still gonna get it

The images that the cam makes are quite nice, but the only diffrance from 1Ds is the size, wich will be mached shortly, and all the specs will be surpassed with a less expensive Canon...

at this point I suggest sticking your head further in the sand
(and pray the strategy will make a difference in the facts )

You haven't seen this camera. There hasn't been a test published
yet. You know next to nothing about it. Mamiya has an excellent
track record in the industry. It seems to me that it's silly to
predict their demise on the basis of NO FACTS WHATSOEVER. If you
have some facts you'd like to present, please don't let me stand in
your way. ;-)

If this camera is a dud I'll be very surprised, and very sad. If
Mamiya is true to form this camera will be a studio mainstay in a
year. It's affordable, their lenses are without exception as good
as you can get in each category. So as long as the camera delivers
high quality images it should be the most popular digital camera in
studios for the next several years.

But until it's out there and we see images from it, all we can do
is speculate.

--
Peter White

 

[SG2]

should make fantastic quiality images. I can't wait to see what it
can do.

here ya go Chris:

http://www.mamiya-op.co.jp/home/camera/digital/zd/sample/sample.html

enjoy

Chris

--

 

[T3]

They will tend to put the money where it counts most. So if they're
trying to keep a price point and they have the choice between a
larger LCD in the back or higher resolution in the sensor, the
choice they make is nothing to laugh about. They'll go with the
higher resolution sensor.

Speaking of "non-sense", your reasoning behind the smaller LCD screen is non-sense. I doubt that the smaller LCD has anything to do with cost because the cost difference would be minor relative to the overall cost of the camera. The most likely reason for the small LCD is because this camera was originally designed in 2004, with parts being acquired at that time too. In 2004, a 1.8 inch LCD screen was a fairly standard and customary size. The problem is that since Mamiya too SO LONG to finally release the ZD, its LCD size is already outdated, as if it were frozen in time...in 2004 to be specific. In fact, one might say that the entire product is a bit outdated, especially compared to the quality, resolution, and performance of more recent digital cameras, not to mention new digital cameras that are soon to be released later this year.

 

[JJGP]

an aforedable mf dig camera (compared to all the other mf camera/back combos.

This camera is the cat's meow....especially for a mf shooter who wants to go digital and already owns a bunch of Mamiya lenses.....mama miya!
jules

 

[JJGP]

if I had some Mamiya lenses.....I'd jump on the zd in a heartbeat.
jules

 

[c65]

--
have a nice day

 

[JJGP]

it is the "D30" of medium format. Anyone thinking of going mf digital will byte at this one....including any medium format film shooter wanting to go digital.
jj

 

[KevinDufff]

--

Twelve good reasons to get out of bed early in the morning.

 

[KevinDufff]

Haha, i like it

--

Twelve good reasons to get out of bed early in the morning.

 

[KevinDufff]

not to burst your bubble but I have seen its pics and they were
some posted months ago on official page (but it was not the US
page).

Oh yes right!

Pre production pictures, everyone knows these imagesare will not yet be at there best, who took them, do you know him personaly? is he able to use the camera

and you can stick your head in the sand, but your but will still
gonna get it
The images that the cam makes are quite nice, but the only
diffrance from 1Ds is the size, wich will be mached shortly, and
all the specs will be surpassed with a less expensive Canon...

"but the only diffrance from 1Ds is the size, wich will be mached shortly"

Oh really?
What they gonna do to make a 1.8" sensor fit the new 1Ds?

Maybe they could just stick there fingers in the lens mounf and stretch it a bit

But really, no camera can match the quality of another with a bigger sensor, they might get close with software tweeks, DigicIII? But when you get in close/print large all gets revealed.

at this point I suggest sticking your head further in the sand
(and pray the strategy will make a difference in the facts )

You haven't seen this camera. There hasn't been a test published
yet. You know next to nothing about it. Mamiya has an excellent
track record in the industry. It seems to me that it's silly to
predict their demise on the basis of NO FACTS WHATSOEVER. If you
have some facts you'd like to present, please don't let me stand in
your way. ;-)

If this camera is a dud I'll be very surprised, and very sad. If
Mamiya is true to form this camera will be a studio mainstay in a
year. It's affordable, their lenses are without exception as good
as you can get in each category. So as long as the camera delivers
high quality images it should be the most popular digital camera in
studios for the next several years.

But until it's out there and we see images from it, all we can do
is speculate.

--
Peter White

--

Twelve good reasons to get out of bed early in the morning.

 

[T'Pol]

In fact, one might say that the entire product is a
bit outdated, especially compared to the quality, resolution, and
performance of more recent digital cameras, not to mention new
digital cameras that are soon to be released later this year.

The ZD is a ground breaking camera. The first ever MF DSLR. It's image quality will blow EVERYTHING this side of a Leaf back to the weeds. Your precious 1DsII isn't even in the same universe, and neither is my D2x for that matter.

Only ISO400? 1.8" LCD? So what. If you think the buyers of this camera have the slightest care about either of those things, then you're nuts. When was the last time you saw a modelling studio shooting at 800 then checking the results on the LCD? For that matter, when was the last time you saw a studio, period?

Why not accept the ZD for what it is: A magnificent piece of engineering, that will provide the sort of image quality demanded by high-end advertising and fashion shooters, which no 35mm DSLR can match, [and with the limitations of 35mm lenses] ever will match. There is a big market for MF digital, as is proven every day by companies like Mamiya, Hasselblad, Leaf, Phase1, Kodak, Dalsa, Creo etc etc.

It's time you realized that Canon don't provide the best solution for every market category, as much as you may try to convince yourself otherwise.

As for what will be released "later this year", we've heard your predictions before. I believe you long predicted the 30D would get a new sensor. And that it would "match the D200 feature for feature". Well, you were way, way, way out. And you will be again this time. before Canon start going higher rez with the 1Ds, they may need to start making some lenses that can actually resolve to match their sensor, and they could start working on vignetting while they're at it. Because, believe it or not, vignetting DOES matter in the studio. And that's just one more area where any MF setup blows the 1DsII to Kingdom come.

Here's some research info for you. Visit these sites and you might learn something about why pros CHOOSE MF:
http://www.mamiya.com/photography1.asp?id=4&id2=128
http://www.leafamerica.com
http://www.phaseone.com

Oh, and BTW, just in case the ZD's big 22MP sensor isn't enough, you could always buy a 645AF with a PhaseOne 39MP back instead....... But I guess that won't match the "resolution, quality and performance" of the next Canon DSLR either, huh?! ROFL

[Shakes his head in utter disbelief at the blind idiocy]

--
'Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and
neither do we.' - Dubbya, the leader of the free world, 8/5/04

 

[saynomore]

The ZD is a ground breaking camera. The first ever MF DSLR. It's
image quality will blow EVERYTHING this side of a Leaf back to the
weeds. Your precious 1DsII isn't even in the same universe, and
neither is my D2x for that matter.

Haven't the Hasselblads been available for a while now? I don't think being the first MF DSLR counts if you are gonna take 2 years in letting it out. I think the hasselblads are better spec'd. I gotta say I haven't researched a lot nor used one of these, though, as I have no interest in these (as much as I have no interest in a Bugatti). But what's better about the mamiya than the Hasselblad H1D?

I also think the specs are kinda outdated, compared with the digital MF competition. But what do I know.

 

[saynomore]

The ZD is a ground breaking camera. The first ever MF DSLR. It's
image quality will blow EVERYTHING this side of a Leaf back to the
weeds. Your precious 1DsII isn't even in the same universe, and
neither is my D2x for that matter.

Haven't the Hasselblads been available for a while now? I don't
think being the first MF DSLR counts if you are gonna take 2 years
in letting it out. I think the hasselblads are better spec'd. I
gotta say I haven't researched a lot nor used one of these, though,
as I have no interest in these (as much as I have no interest in a
Bugatti). But what's better about the mamiya than the Hasselblad
H1D?

I also think the specs are kinda outdated, compared with the
digital MF competition. But what do I know.

 

[Peter White]

But that's the issue. Mamiya has always been less expensive than Hasselblad, and has always delivered comparable IQ. I don't know what a digital Blad system runs, but I'll bet my bottom dollar it's a good deal more than the ZD.
--
Peter White