Best Mamiya 645 Lenses

The Mamiya 645 system is one of the best-kept secrets for vintage glass hunters.

Optically competitive with more expensive Zeiss or Hasselblad lenses, the M645 lenses are great for those who want the medium format look and character rendering.

⚙️ Quick Overview

All Mamiya 645 manual lenses are Sekor C (multi-coated).

Lens Families:

  • Sekor C = original, fully manual, metal build, multi-coated. Often with metal aperture/focus rings.
  • Sekor N = updated versions with newer coatings (better flare resistance), lighter (more plastic), often optically the same or marginally improved. Optical differences between “C” and “N” best seen on wide angle lenses.
  • Sekor A & APO= later versions with notable optical refinements, especially in telephotos and macro lenses.

Adaptability:

  • Easily adapted to mirrorless. Lenses perform well on various sensor formats, including FF, Super 35, and Medium Format digital (like GFX).
  • Manual focus only, but praised for mechanical feel (especially pre-N series).
  • Mamiya wide lenses (especially 35mm and 45mm) show barrel distortion due to the long flange distance — a side effect of adapting medium format to digital.

Now, let’s jump into the 12 recommended lenses. These consistently receive high praise across sharpness, rendering, and adaptability.

Wide Angle Primes

Note: these are Medium Format lenses, so a conversion should be applied (0.62x) to get the Full Frame equivalent.

Lens Summary Price
35mm f/3.5 C/N
 ~21mm Full Frame equivalent.
Rectilinear, dramatic perspective. Weak corners unless stopped down. Best for landscapes or stylized wide shots. Watch for rear element haze in older copies (use the flashlight test). “N” version has better coatings, less prone to haze.		 450
45mm f/2.8 C/N ~28mm equivalent.
Lower distortion than the 35mm f/3.5 (and better contrast). Solid wide option for video and stills. Some copies may struggle with infinity focus. Compact. Great for interviews, documentary setups — especially on S35/FF.
 250
55mm f/2.8 C/N ~35mm equivalent.
Sharp, great bokeh, versatile and lightweight. Balanced between sharpness, size, cost. Arguably the best walkaround wide/normal lens in the lineup. Hidden gem!		 250
50mm f/4 Shift ~21mm equivalent.
Architectural lens with shift functionality. Sharp and rectilinear, purpose-built. Excellent for interiors or perspective control.		 400

Standard Primes

Lens Summary Price
80mm f/1.9 C
⭐
 ~50mm equivalent.
Sharp even wide open, incredible rendering. Dreamy bokeh, fast aperture helps with low light & exposure. Heavy, with some glow & fringing wide open—character lens. The “hero” lens of this system. Substantially better than the 2.8 version, though larger and pricier. Famously used by Christopher Nolan in the Dark Knight movies.		 600
80mm f/2.8 C/N ~50mm equivalent.
Classic normal lens. Reliable, sharp across aperture range, inexpensive. Great for general purpose, travel, or adapting to crop sensors. Lightweight and compact. The “starter” lens for the mount.		 200
110mm f/2.8 A ~68mm equivalent.
Slightly longer normal / short telephoto. Very sharp (especially N version). Unusual bokeh—can be harsh or creative. Sharp center but soft corners wide open. Loved and hated; not a universal fit but optically solid. Best used stopped down or for stylized portraits.
 400

Telephoto Primes

Lens Summary Price
120mm f/4 Macro ~75mm equivalent.
Incredible macro lens with apochromatic correction. Great contrast. Super sharp at all distances. Perfect as a general-purpose tele/macro hybrid. Technical perfection. Often overlooked!		 450
150mm f/2.8 A ~93mm equivalent.
Razor sharp wide open, good contrast and color. Warm tones, low distortion. Ideal for portraits and shallow DOF. The premium telephoto pick.		 350
150mm f/3.5 C/N ~93mm equivalent.
Compact, lighter alternative to the 2.8 version (not as refined). Good performance, lower price. Shares filter thread with 55mm and 80mm lenses. Budget pick!		 100
200mm f/2.8 APO ~124mm equivalent.
Rare and exceptional. Expensive, but stunning optics. Creamy bokeh, fast, heavy. Excellent for portraiture and isolating subjects.		 800
210mm f/4 C ~130mm equivalent.
Sharp, underrated long lens. Excellent for portraits or distance work. Inexpensive and great on high-resolution sensors.		 100

Which 150mm to get? Both are recommended for portraits. The f/2.8 A is sharper, warmer tones, great contrast, usable wide open (considered one of the best lenses in the system). The f/3.5 is smaller, lighter, easier to handle — with similar performance.

Honorable mention: 500mm F5.6 C (310mm equivalent). Very sharp, bulky. More of a collector/specialty lens. $250.

✅ TL;DR

  • Best Portrait lenses: 80mm f/1.9, 150mm f/2.8 A, 210mm f/4
  • Best Wide lens: 55mm f/2.8 N
  • Best General purpose: 80mm f/2.8, 55mm f/2.8 N
  • Best Macro: 120mm f/4 Macro
  • Best Telephoto: 150mm f/2.8 A
  • Sharpest Overall: 120mm f/4 Macro, 150mm f/2.8 A
  • Best for video: 80mm f/1.9, 45mm f/2.8, 55mm f/2.8 N

📷 Mamiya 645 Lens Tips

  • Focus calibration: Double-check adapted lenses, especially the 45mm, for accurate focus (some show miscalibrated infinity focus).
  • For daily shooting or fast-paced environments, other systems may be more ergonomic.
  • Contrast and color: Slightly lower contrast than modern lenses, which many find pleasing. Skin tones are often praised.
  • Flare: Some users like the vintage flare of older “C” versions. “N” versions control it better.

Resources and Links

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