Mamiya M645J Black

History

Mamiya introduced the M645 system in 1975, positioning it as the Japanese industry's first commercially successful 6x4.5 cm medium-format SLR. The format offered a negative substantially larger than 35mm while remaining smaller and lighter than established 6x6 (Hasselblad) and 6x7 (Mamiya RB67) systems. The original M645 family launched with two bodies: the M645J (fixed waist-level finder, 1/500s top speed) and the M645 1000S (interchangeable finder, 1/1000s top speed).

The black-body variant of the M645J followed the industry convention of offering a black-finished version of an established camera at a premium, a practice that had been commercially established in the professional 35mm tier by the early 1970s (Nikon F2 Black, Canon F-1 Black) and had filtered down to medium-format offerings by the mid-1970s. In medium format, the black body aesthetic carried associations with press and documentary work and was adopted by photographers who wanted the discreet appearance of a darker instrument in the field.

The M645J Black shares the same production endpoint as the chrome J: the M645 Super (1985) replaced the original M645 bodies, maintaining full lens compatibility. The black J therefore has a production span from approximately 1975 to 1982, concurrent with the chrome variant.

Why It Matters

The M645J Black offers the same photographic capability as the chrome M645J - access to the extensive Mamiya 645 Sekor C lens family, a 6x4.5 cm negative 2.7x larger than 35mm, and a waist-level finder well suited to portrait, landscape, and low-angle work - with the addition of a black body finish that appeals to photographers for whom the aesthetics of their equipment matter.

In the medium-format second-hand market, black-body variants consistently command a 20-40% premium over chrome examples in comparable condition, reflecting collector demand and lower production volumes rather than any functional advantage. For a working photographer, the chrome J and black J are identical tools; for a collector assembling the original M645 family in all documented variants, the black J is the harder piece to find in clean condition.

The black paint surface is more susceptible to visible wear than chrome at the same level of use: brassed corners on a black aluminium body are visually prominent. Cosmetically clean examples of the M645J Black in original paint are therefore genuinely scarce and justify a meaningful premium over worn or repainted specimens.

Lenses & Accessories

Mamiya 645 mount. The full Sekor C prime and zoom range is available:

• 35mm f/3.5 fish-eye — extreme wide, seldom needed
• 45mm f/2.8 — wide standard
• 55mm f/2.8 — moderate wide
• 80mm f/2.8 — system standard prime; the natural first lens
• 80mm f/1.9 — fastest standard in the system; portrait work
• 110mm f/2.8 — short telephoto, excellent portrait lens
• 150mm f/3.5 — standard telephoto
• 210mm f/4 — longer telephoto
• 300mm f/5.6 — long telephoto
• Macro 120mm f/4 — dedicated macro prime
• 55-110mm f/4.5 zoom — versatile working range

Extension tubes provide macro capability with standard primes. The M645J does not accept the interchangeable finder system of the 1000S. The film door accepts both 120 and 220 configurations. No motor winder is documented for the J variant.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Photography students and advanced amateurs in Japan and Europe in the late 1970s seeking a medium-format system at lower cost than Hasselblad.
• Landscape and portrait photographers who valued the waist-level finder for low-angle and tripod-mounted compositions.
• The black variant attracted photographers in press and documentary contexts who preferred the less conspicuous appearance of a dark body in the field.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Mamiya M645 - system history, original body variants, and lens range
• Wikipedia: Mamiya M645 - broader system context and production timeline