Well, I don't really like that expression and think that it is partially misguided.

But, true is that i am deeply committed, engaged, and feel inspired by all this Mamiya RZ67 lens business. Clearly. Again, it is something about the "slow down process" that is connected to the procedure of using such big studio camera lenses adapted to a modern, but slightly larger sensor camera like the Fujifilm GFX 50s II. Plus the ability to extend the physical sensor "limitation", and working as if I had a much larger sensor - more like the mediumformat film negatives, known as 645, 6x6 and 6x7 cm.

People who were into the Hasselblad, Rollei and Mamiya's as well Pentax - always dreamed about the day, we would get image sensor equially large as the original film formats (mainly 645, 6x6, 6x7); large sensor in the same

That day... never came

And such sensor was and still is considered to be astronomical in price.

Many larger sensors today are in fact stitched; made out of smaller sensors simply being put together into "one" larger sensor. Fujifilm GFX 50 series uses 4 sensors, and I believe the same goes for the GFX 100 series, as well.

Likely an economic solution from the factory of chip makers; sensors do fail as they make them in the factory. Having to throw away a much larger sensor - would be extremely costly. Instead you only need to throw away smaller sensors with dead pixels. Then you use the final functional ones, and stitch them together into a much larger one, sold in very expensive cameras.

Leica did it too; with their first M8 digital camera in 2008. A sensor that was out of two smaller CCD MicroFourThird sensors. I believe the same was done, when they went bigger with a fullframe Leica M9: being made out of two smaller CCD sensors. (Today, I don't know if they and other companies use true whole image sensor, or still made out of two halves).

So; we never have seen commercial image sensors made to the native size of a classic 6x6 "Hasselblad film format".

The biggest today, i think is a slightly smaller than the "half" mediumformat called "645"or "6x4.5" cm. Those sensors are mounted in extremely expensive Phase One cameras from Denmark. The body alone costs more than a half million Swedish Krona ... excluding lens

So, there is that.

Not a feasible road, really.

The NEXT best thing: Adapter + Stitching route

The next best thing is to make "mediumformat sensor equivalent" images, preferably parallax free, is by stitching several images together. Not paint-brushing loosely by taking several photos "just like that", and stitching images together. That often creates nasty distortions.

No.

You use mediumformat lenses - and then via an adapter - you take piece by piece images slightly reset from each other, and then stitch them into one image afterwards. Utilizing the native, much larger image circle of a mediumformat lens, as if you would have used mediumformat film.

Either via the Fotodiox (rotating) VERTEX adapter method, or by using Shift lenses with larger image circle, or you use Shift-adapters instead.

That's the route I go.

Mainly because I already several medium format lenses since i bought the Pentax 67 II back in 2016 (and then bought additional lenses for it - then the Vertex adapter appeared as a great idea. And boy i love it !!!) Well, it is an amazing method, because of the sheer simplicity with that adapter ! You can't go wrong with it - and you get rewarded with images, as if using a "native" 7x7 cm digital sensor.

Of course, that is cool. That elusive mediumformat look... it is all there.

Speaking of adapter from Fotodiox... - i should check the screws in the VERTEX adapter, too. I never have done that *gulp*

Still irritates me

I mean now, that i made really bad experiences with the Fotodiox RZ/RB to GFX adapter - held by two small, weak, soft screws, which bend under the weight of Mamiya lenses - potentially dangerous for lens and camera, because they can snap off at any time.

It is really puzzling how Fotodiox could "invent" such weakness in an otherwise cool adapter

Gosh - WHY didn't they just weld the tripod-foot and adapter-body together ?!?!? Or molding into one piece - that can't break off, nor gets bend from the heavy lenses ? I mean look at tripod-feet on larger lenses; often rounded design, sturdy metal and everything. Those are in one piece ! Nothing gets bend, and nothing is breaking off (unless you have hidden metal fatigue / crack under the paint).

So. Of course it is all doable - that's what I want to point out.

Why haven't they ? Was it an economic decision to "save money" ? Are their adapters made in the US or in China ? (i bet those are made in China).

So, if you only use two small screws... wouldn't it been wise to use very hard screws ? Or maybe the adapter body's metal - if it is the soft part - then it wouldn't matter if the screws are super solid - because the whole thing would still bend/budge under a certain amount of weight, I guess... ?

I am not sure, but the adapter is made out of aluminum. But it's a guess.

4x5" largeformat cameras + adapter

There are even camera shift adapters for 4x5" largeformat cameras, which allows you to shift the (digital camera with a smaller sensor) by moving it for each image in a fixed pattern. Then you stitch them together into a much larger image, almost but not entire the size of a 4x5" largeformat film. Those images are parallax free, because 4x5" camera and lens do not move on the tripod - only the digital camera on the backside (on the adapter) does.

With a 4x5" largeformat camera, you can enjoy all the movement such cameras provide; shift, tilt, into most directions. But that is a total different chapter. For me that is a step too far - and i am unfortunately not too familiar with such movements, or to work with 4x5" cameras. I never truly got into it with my Toyo Field 45 AII-L camera. I even have plenty of 4x5" film deep frozen, waiting there - until the day i finally snap into the elusive chapter of largeformat photography. (i hope so).

But I wouldn't do that with a digital camera & adapter first. Rather learning more in the native way those cameras were designed for; with 4x5" film... until i get my skills up, and can enjoy largeformat photography enough in order to maybe one day, testing it with an adequate 4x5" adapter and a digital camera. (Those adapters are pretty affordable in China, around $300-400)