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Having owned modern digital SLR cameras, going back to this is like re-discovering the good old days. The construction of the camera is top notch. I cannot find any faults. It is quite heavy (lighter than my 67ii), solid construction and clean lines make the appearance very appealing. The operation of the camera is excellent too. It uses the Pentax 645 lens mount system, which upon my examination, is quite an advance mount. It rivals the modern DSLR mounts that have contacts for aperture auto mode. (The newer 645N even has the auto focus mechanism added to the mount system) The body is a unique box shape, deeper than wide, unlike SLRs. It incorporates a built-in grip with shutter release and an On/Off switch. The incorporation of the grip handle allows me to hand hold it like an SLR, which I thought was a great advantage over other MF box cameras. View finder is bright and is eye level. It is not changeable. I find it adequate for my kind of work, which is landscape and nature. One corner of the view finder has a red LED display for metering infomation. There is a dioptre adjustment on the eye piece. I have a large eye cup on the eye piece and optionally a magnifying eye piece can be attached to it for work requiring more precise focusing. The focusing screen can be changed for different photographic need. On top of the camera body is a cluster of buttons and an LCD display to change and display exposure mode, ISO setting, etc. Exposure modes supported are B, M, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. There is control for +/- exposure compensation. A stop down lever for viewing DOF is on the right side of the camera body. There is no built-in selftimer on this camera. A hot shoe for attaching a flash sits on top of the view finder. It has contacts to support Pentax dedicated flash units in TTL mode. This camera uses 120 or 220 film. There are separate film holders for each type of film. You load and pre-thread the film outside of the camera in the film holder and then insert the film holder into the camera. The film travels vertically instead of side to side. Once the holder is locked, and you press the shutter button, the camera will automatically wind the film to the first position. You are now ready to take pictures. When the last picture is taken, the camera will wind the film into the take up spool. You then unlock the film holder and remove and seal the film. 120 film yields 15 frames and 220 yields 30. There is a mechanism that allows you to make multiple exposures on the same frame for creative purposes. There are 2 tripod mounts; one on the bottom and one on the left side of the body. The camera uses 6 AA batteries for normal operations which I find it to be really convenient. You can use rechargeables if you desire. There is a back up button cell battery for keeping settings. This battery is a factory service item, so if you need to replace it, the camera must be sent away. This battery will last for a few years. The Pentax 645 system has a good collection of lenses and both body or lenses are currently a bargain on the used market. Further Pentax has been touting a Digital version of the camera, so your investment for these lense can be carried forward into the MF digital application.Read full review
The 645 has the perfect balance of automation/manual control. If you want point/shoot just set to auto exposure, autofocus. If you want control then the camera can be set to whatever shutter/aperature combination, all with the guidance of a light meter and focus indicator in the viewfinder. If you want rock steady .... lock the mirror and use the self-timer or cable release. All of this with traditional dials and buttons, no menus. The icing on the cake is a killer flash meter built in and Zeiss lenses. If Nikon or Canon built this exact camera for 35mm it would be a classic and outlast the legendary Nikon F3 in longevity. Put a digital back on the 645 and you will be inspired by 4x5 quality that will take your breath away. Ahhh, if only Contax were still around.....although ebay provides well.Read full review
The CONTAX 645 is a top notch medium format camera. It compares to Hasselblad H1/H2 and Mamiya 645. Neither of the the competition offer Carl Zeiss optics and the 80mm standard lens on the Contax 645 is F2 -- fastest medium format lens. This is a pro camera and offers everything in a very direct and convenient manner. Mirror lock-up and depth-of-field preview are super easy. In terms of size and ease of use, its very comparable to 35mm SLR's. In fact, compared to my Nikon F5, its smaller and lighter. Loading and unloading the 120 film is quite easy. Best part about the CONTAX brand is that since Kyocera stopped production in 2006, it has become somewhat of a bargain and you can put your hands on a top notch camera for a song. Enjoy shooting!
I have owned the Contax 645 before this purchase and love the quality of images that it produces. The carl zeiss lense is beautiful when manually focused. I have a wedding photography business and my clients are stunned when they get non digital images. It is a heavy camera, almost 3 pounds with the 80mm lense attached, but it is well worth the weight to use for professional photography. I have carried the camera during weddings for up to 8 hours, and I am not sore the next day. Just my arm from lifting up and down. This camera is also very much useable during the night with 3200 film.
This camera is a sleeper. It matches the other cameras (Hasselblad and Mamiya) for ease of use and the high quality of the lens designed for this system. This medium format camera weights the same as my Nikon F4. This makes it easy to carry if you are not using a tripod. It features all the whistles and bells that all pro cameras have, multiple modes, AP,SP,Manual etc.,flash and built in motor. When you consider the cost vs. 35mm or even digital, the 645 is a bargain. So, if you are considering 35mm, medium format, or digital you need to look at the 645 before buying. I highly recommend it. To check the quality of this system you should check the photos of Robert Glenn Ketchum and Tim Fitzharris.
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