Difference Between RB67 and RZ67

Mamiya digital imaging is a pioneer company in the world of cameras as well as other photographic and optical equipment. It is based in Tokyo and has been manufacturing high-end products since 1940. RB67 and RZ67 are two such cameras manufactured by Mamiya. These medium-formatted cameras are very popular among photography enthusiasts worldwide. 

RB67 vs RZ67

The main difference between RB67 and RZ67 is that RB67 is a retro camera that was launched by Mamiya in 1970 whereas RZ67 is a relatively newer camera that was launched by the company in 1982. While RB67 is a mechanical camera, RZ67 is an automatic or electronic variation of the former.

RB67 is an affordable format film camera that guarantees an incredible experience for the users. The RB stands for ‘rotating back’ while the 67 in its name stands for its dimensions which are in 6*7 medium format. The camera line has three variations – RB67 Pro, RB67 Pro-S and RB67 Pro-SD.

RZ67 is a medium format single-lens reflex camera with three models – RZ67 Professional, RZ67 Professional 2 and RZ67 Professional 2D. The camera has a modular system that allows its parts such as lenses, film winders, ground glasses and film backs to be replaced or interchanged. It is a good choice for those who want a camera for studio use.

Comparison Table Between RB67 and RZ67

What is RB67?

RB67 is an old-school mechanical camera that comes in 6*7 medium format. It was launched by the company Mamiya in 1970. The camera is heavyweight and durable; however, because it cannot be handheld, it is best for studio shoots. Moreover, all the settings of the camera need to be changed manually before every click. This makes it difficult to use for outdoor shooting.

The camera comes with a number of accessories including prisms, waist-level finders, grips, focusing screens and much more. This is one reason why it became so popular among photography enthusiasts at that time. The best part about it is that it does not cost much despite its anchor-like build and premium features. A widely acclaimed part of the camera is the lens which comes in a wide variety and offers superb quality.

RB67 has a basic system that includes a waist-level finder, revolving adapter, roll film back as well as the lens. The user only needs to load the roll film into the camera to use it. This is done by removing the dark slide that is placed between the rotating adapter and the film back. An area on the left-hand side of the camera is built especially for its storage. An amazing feature of the camera is that it does not need any battery power to work.

What is RZ67?

RZ67 can be looked at as an upgraded version of the RB67 camera. RZ67 is an automatic medium format SLR that was released in the year 1987. Initially, it was designed for studio use only, but later versions of the camera could also be used for outdoor shoots. These versions include RZ67 Professional, RZ67 Professional 2 and RZ67 Professional 2D. Unlike RB67, the camera has a modular system which means that its parts are interchangeable.

The name ‘RZ’ was taken from its predecessor RB67. Like RB67, RZ has a revolving back which means that it can rotate up to 90 degrees to enable horizontal or vertical compositions. Although RZ67 has a few mechanical parts like those of RB67, the shutter is electronic. Moreover, various parts of the camera can transfer exposure information with electronic couplings. The camera also has a plastic exterior unlike the former. This makes it lightweight and easy to handle.

The camera could be paired with several accessories including a waist-level finder, vertical split image ground glass, AE prism, adjustable sunshield plate, hot shoe PC flash adapter, adjustable flash brackets and even a gelatin filter holder for 50-350 mm lenses. These amazing features made the camera quite popular. Interestingly, the famous default background picture for Microsoft XP was taken with this camera.

Main Differences Between RB67 and RZ67

Conclusion

RB67 and RZ67 are both very popular cameras that were used extensively by many photographers. A major difference between both is that RB67 is an older version of the RZ67 camera. This means that the features of RB67 are a bit old-school as compared to RZ67. While RB67 is a mechanical camera, RZ67 is electronic.

Another major difference between them is that RB67 is built like an anchor, meaning that it is heavyweight. On the other hand, RZ67 has a plastic body which makes it relatively lighter in weight and thus easier to handle. This makes RB67 a better option for studios while RZ67 can be used for studios as well as on the field. Since RB67 cameras must be set up manually, they are not efficient for quick shooting whereas there is no such botheration with RZ67 cameras.

References

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