I am damn glad that i have the massive "L" grip - with two Manfrotto plates - which therefore allows me toshift the camera position between vertical and horisontal images. Yeah, I know it is huge and bulky - but better than not being able to leave the horizontal position (only making horizontal images) because the adapter doesn't allow any rotation.

L-Grip for Pentax 67

Originally i bought this heavy L-grip for the big, heavy Pentax 67 II camera - so that when i wish to take vertical images - the weight does all fall 90 degrees to the side (as you normally would have to tilt the camera + lens to the side, while mounted on the tripod head) The L-Grip gives a better internet-weightened balance of the whole shebang.

The Pentax 67 stability is of utmost importance because it had a big slapping shutter (even after you release the mirror first) - and therefore it is more sensitive to camera/shutter shake. ESPECIALLY when you lea the camera to the side, it is difficult. The L-Grip aims to prevent this from happening.

This L-Grip now comes to my rescue with the non-rotatable Fotodiox adapter, too.

So, this is what it looks like when mounted vertically.

The Fujifilm GFX 50s II camera together with Fotodiox adapter, and a Mamiya APO Sekor 210mm ƒ4.5 and a narrower lens hood mounted on it

Helicoid extension

The Fotodiox adapter allows a helicoid extension of around 19-20 mm with Mamiya RZ67 lenses.

With a APO 210mm lens you get perhaps 1.3 to 1.5 meter min. focus distance. If you add a Mamiya No 1 extension tube (48mm) you get a notch closer - albeit the APO lens doesn't seem to chance as much in minimum focus distance compard to similar focal lengths. I thik it is a bit different than the other, normal RZ67 lenses in that regard (i also noticed that with film).

I find, that the adapter and its helicoid mechanism likely isn't made for heavy or very long lenses. I would stop at 250 mm at the maximum.

Oh. And here it comes. Oh boy... Oh boy.

What a mess.

⚠ MAJOR DESIGN FLAW

With the Fotodiox RZ/GFX adapter (and similar, as they sell this for other camera mounts, as well): Its Arca-Swiss Tripod food, which upholds the adapter in horizontal position - is only held together by two tiny screws.

I call this directly a design flaw.

The foot should be bigger or even better; it should be welded together with the adapter body - for maximum stability. so it doesn't allow any bending downwards due to the lens weight. The tiny screws / or the internal alloy, is easily bend by the weight. Almost ridicilously easily bent.

It already has with my adapter. BAM ! Two, tiny, soft screws hold up EVERYTHING.

THEY ARE BENDING FAR TOO EASILY - WITH RISK THAT LENS & CAMERA SNAP OFF !

(X) Space in between: YOU MUST SUPPORT AT ANY COST !

With something solid/sturdy - thick enough to stand against the weight / preventing the leaning downwards bending forces - but small enough not to interfere with the infinity setting of the helicoid (which you focus the lens with).

DO THIS RIGHT AWAY !! Othwrwise the adapter will fail with such large, heavy lenses. With risk that everything snaps off and falls to the ground - even a slight bend - will make the adapter entirely unstable (it wiggles).

I found a piece of wood from a brush, thick - yet small enough, to fit between the lens foot and the adapter body. Most Mamiya RZ lenses weight at least 1 kilo.

What goes wrong here ?

I have created an illustration of the US Fotodiox adapter - with its currently deeply flawed design when you mount large, heavy Mamiya Sekor RZ67 and RB67 lenses.

Mamiya APO Z 210: Very sharp, no chromatic abberations

The APO 210 mm is razor sharp, already wide open showing very fine details - free of chromatic abberations. When stopped down - it is super sharp.

A real high quality lens for sure.

I do get a feeling that the huge illumination circle of Mamiya RZ67 lenses (91mm) likely add to sometimes lower image contrast ? At least that is my feeling - which wouldn't be so strange either, given that large illumination circle of real medium format lenses can bound light inside a camera, or ill-blackened adapter. Same thing happens sometimes with Pentax 6x7 lenses as well.

However, it isn't a problem. Plus that digital images can be made fit in the post process. So, The APO 210 is a marvel of lens I can see already now.

Mamiya Z 250/4.5: Also sharp !

Well, I have nothing bad to say about the Sekor Z 250mm ƒ4.5 lens - it renders very fine details, too. Both wide open and better even when stopped down.

Pretty fiddly at times

Trying to find the exact sharpness however - despite being on a tripod, is fiddly. Very fiddly and sort of "shaky" - and you never get a 100% send of actually being in focus. Things shake on when you enlarge the screen to the max. Just saying.

The helicoid mechanism gets STRAINED by the lens' weight. Because it all "hangs" into the adapter body, due to the wrong placement of the tripodfoot too close to the camera. Gosh, what a STUPID DESIGN.

Who made this ?!?!

Would you buy that adapter for your Mamiya RZ67 lenses ?

NO. JUST DON'T !

Unless you can weld foot and body together into one, fixed piece - or in any other way stabilize it with a ring around the adapter body - counteracting the design flaws. There are almost no Mamiya RZ67 helicoid adapters available on the world market. Not much to choose from, really.

I think most people would be dissapointed

straight out of the box and once they put on bigger lenses. Therefore, I consider it not worth it, really.

• The strange high risk, of that the entire adapter (lens + camera) falls apart, destroying both your lens and camera in a fall, due to those two weak, easily bent screws...

• That for 375 € isn't worth it. (In the US $270).

• Straight out of the box, you can only mount the camera in horizontal mode.

Better go with Pentax 6x7, Pentax 645, Hasselblad, Bronica, Mamiya 645, etc lenses, who all have native focus abilities, more adapters with better designs you can choose from.

When it comes to the quality of the Mamiya RZ67 lenses - well they are really god (as far as i have tested them), with the 250mm ƒ4.5 being better than it's Pentax 67 equivalent (aka the Pentax 67 300/4 non-ED lens).

I was surprized that the Mamiya Sekor Z 250/4.5 was relatively (and remarkably) free from chromatic abberations. I thought it would be worse, you know. Not sure that I ever would need a Mamiya APO Sekor Z 250/4.5, when the original 250mm is already good.

I'll keep it

Most likely because I know what I am dealing with - and love the idea of fiddling with the Mamiya RZ67 lenses. However, if it is safe enough for portraits int the studio... where things go a bit quicker - I don't know yet.

I just hope it doesn't fall apart - that would be a disaster. I have supported that tiny space between adapter and Arca-Swiss foot, so it should work.

What about the Novoflex Bellow adapter ?

Maybe I should have spent my money on the NOVOFLEX BELLOW adapter, instead. That one would cost around 9500 SEK / 900 € with the necessary Mamiya RZ67 mount adapter + camera mount adapter, and aperture clip.

In that configuration, it only allows you to focus very close, as well to rotate the camera. No tilt or shift.

While that one looks incredibly pretty and slick - I wonder if the Novoflex really can hold heavy Mamiya RZ67 lenses that are mounted on its front... without that starting to flex ?

I suspect it can't really hold the longer lenses... It would be too good to be true. It states that it can be used with the longer 180mm, and 250mm lenses. As well that it allows the shorter 50mm and 65mm lenses to focus to infinity...

I wonder how much SHIFT version of that adapter allows ?