5 Years of Mamiya 7 Photos

In this video I'm sharing some thoughts and photos after 5 years and 1000 rolls of film with the Mamiya 7.

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My Bag Company:

[cooperclelan]

the composition of the picture at 2:54 is so amazing and how the photo is split in two different color tones. i love it amazing work

[anthonychristie]

Such an amazing feat. Willem to have shot 1000 rolls of film in 5 years. I've had my Mamiya 7 for 11 years and only shot 250 rolls of film. But I've been able to travel all over the world with it and have loved shooting landscapes, portraits and long exposures at night. Best purchase I've ever made.

[bobsykes]

I think the one camera, one lens, that you love and really, really learn is some of the best advice anyone could get. Beautiful photos in this video, too!

[linusandhiscamera]

one of my favorite feelings is getting comfortable with a camera to the point where you don’t have to think about much other than making the best photos you can with it. that’s why i love my pentax 6x7, great video willem 🫶🏼

[ricomichel]

The sunset photo at 8:13 is just incredibly gorgeous, colors, composition… Great video thanks!!

[AlexCaesar]

Incredible camera. I had a 7II for nearly 10 years, but I just recently sold it. The main factor in letting it go was repairability is becoming increasingly difficult and I was using it much less the past couple years with the rising cost of shooting film. I love the images you get with yours and hope it lasts you many years.

[brookeaustell]

I'm a little late to this video but Willem I audibly gasped at a lot of these photos.The photo of the oak tree at 2:46 specifically really stuck out for me. I was answering a text on my phone and looked up at my laptop in awe of the close up version.

[rolle]

Respect to Willem for talking about the realities of owning these old cameras. As much as I’ve drooled over this camera over the years it simply is too expensive and risky to buy it for me. If I was a sucessful dentist, maybe… but alas I am not 😅

[AbelKleinblatt]

5 years?! I can still remember you jumping up in your New York apartment when they rang the doorbell to deliver it!

[MathcoreIndex]

Some Bay Area bangers in this one, especially this Daly City shot 04:56

[KeeganByrne]

Couldn’t agree more, learning a system is a lot more beneficial to your work instead swapping and changing between multiple systems. Don’t think it’s talked about enough so props to you for bringing this up!

[donnamhopkins]

Thanks for your wise assessment of the camera and, more importantly, the reassurance that I am on the right path by simply finding what works for me. I love the strategy of going deep rather than wide. Every time I watch one of your videos, I just want to run out and pick up my camera and see the whole world in a different way. Keep going!

[cunninghamster]

Great words of wisdom, Willem. Using a single camera with a single focal length will strengthen any photographer's skill, regardless of film format or camera model. Wonderful photos too.

[SacstateCKI]

crazy, I’ve been debating whether to get it. especially this week. perfect time to post it

[RM.TokyoPhotographer]

congratz on the 5th year....happy happy glad seeing the dedication and also the great works you have made in the past

[hypeyeast.mp]

Great review, Willem. I think the lighting in your 5:00 shot will always be one of my favorites; Are you selling prints by any chance?

[sagadotexe]

i've had mine for almost 2 years now, seems like i've gotten quite lucky with the one I bought, i've had not even a single issue with mine. IMO the greatest camera ever made

[john_in_Berlin]

Clean, calm, competent video. Very pleasant. Inspiring.

[kenschwarz]

I shot some of my best pictures with that camera. The lenses were incredible. Such gorgeous pastels and jewel tones. They were sharp, sure, but the colors drew you in. I preferred the 65 enough to sell the 80, but there was nothing wrong with that. The 43 was spectacular, too. I bought mine when I lived in Japan, and, like you, needed to fe5 the rangefinder adjustment at some point. I brought mine to the Mamiya service center in Tokyo, and they retrofitted the dark curtain flip down handle and contrasts yellow rangefinder filter from the 7ii. Nice improvements but no big deal. The lenses were the thing.

A big win with the lightweight system was the feasibility of using a minimal tripod. It was so nice to carry this lightweight camera and tripod. Really awesome package.

Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos and thoughts.

[websterforrest]

Very nice video, Willem. I studied photography in Prague under a great 'old-school' teacher who had very hard-core views about equipment. He had camera manufacturers and film companies throwing stuff at him all the time, but he stuck to his 50mm. The whole time I also just used one lens - a 50mm - and one camera. It's very true that if you only have one lens, your relationship with your subject is forced to develop, because you have to get close to them and interact differently. That's a great way to learn a lot of things. Nice video - and lovely pictures. Thanks for uploading. :)