These images were taken using a new and extremely nice 6x7cm format Mamiya 7 rangefinder camera. It's quite portable and utterly useful. The optics are 80mm f/4, is very sharp, and of plasmat design. In fact, the lens on this camera ties for being the very sharpest lens I've ever tested. It's only equal was the 75mm Mamiya lens a friend of mine owned for a short time on his 6MF.

The film back opens by swinging like a 35mm SLR back. Access for loading film is quite easy and straightforward. Focusing is by a build-in rangefinder which is bright and clear. The body is finely made, though apparently of molded plastic. The controls all feel good, and the system is extremely light for a 120 format camera. It's lighter, in fact, than many motordriven 35mm cameras.

It took no time for me to adapt to using it. The functions fell straight to hand and the first results were stunning. In practical use it gets loaded it up with TMax400, the aperture set to f/8 or f/11 and left in aperture priority mode. The shutter is so incredibly light to trip that there's little problem with shake from pressing it (unlike some 35mm SLR's I've used over the years).

I bought this camera as I was still looking for something to travel with. The 35mm Rollei is fine, but negative is a bit small to get a nice 8x10 print. The 4x5 Linhof is great but not practical for wandering with. And my nice Crown Graphic 23 is old and hasn't the features it could've had to make it super easy to use (ie: there's no light meter). While it's optics are quite good (Schneider 100mm f/5.6 plasmat), it's not as portable or straight forward as I'd need to maintain domestic harmony. I was nicely surprised when I bought this camera. The negatives are large enough to be useful, and the optics are the best.