The SL45 — paired with either the slim cone or the MP cone — is the current O.ZONE. The FW69, FW45 and Mk.8/Mk.G complete the family.
For Rodenstock Grandagon 55 / 75 mm. The slimmest, lightest configuration.
Flagship · MP ConeFor Mamiya Press, Nikkor SW 65 mm and Rodenstock Grandagon 90 mm.
Instax specialistFW45 geometry, optimised so Mamiya Press lenses fully cover Instax Wide.
DiscontinuedThe first 4×5 Graflok O.ZONE. No longer in production — fully supported.
Origin · CompactThe original O.ZONE. 2×3 backs only. Mk.8 design files are public.
The SL45 system
The SL45 chassis ships with an interchangeable lens cone — the conical front section that holds the lens at the correct flange focal distance. Two cones are made for it. Together they cover every lens the O.ZONE supports.
The Slim Cone is the SL45's native configuration. Tuned to the short flange focal distance of the Rodenstock Grandagon family, it lets the chassis sit closer to the film plane than any other O.ZONE.
The MP Cone swaps in to extend the SL45's flange distance, making it compatible with the entire Mamiya Press lineup, the Nikkor SW 65 mm, and the Rodenstock Grandagon 90 mm. The same body, transformed.
XL-series lenses (e.g. Schneider Super-Angulon 90 mm XL) typically require their own dedicated, non-exchangeable cone. These are special-order configurations that need to be discussed with O.ZONE before ordering — the Rodenstock Grandagon 90 mm f/6.8 is the recommended safer choice.
SL45 — Slim Cone configuration
The SL45 with its slim cone is the newest and most refined O.ZONE. The chassis depth is tuned to the short flange focal distance of the Rodenstock Grandagon-N 75 mm and the Apo-Grandagon 55 mm — the lenses the body was designed around.
It is the smallest, lightest, best-handling configuration in the lineup. The grip is improved over the FW-series. The cone hot-swaps with the MP cone in seconds.
SL45 — MP Cone configuration
Swap the SL45's lens cone for the MP variant and the same slim chassis becomes the platform for the entire Mamiya Press lineup — plus the Nikkor SW 65 mm and the Rodenstock Grandagon 90 mm. One body, two cones, twelve lenses.
For most photographers, the MP-cone SL45 is the workhorse setup. It inherits the FW45's lens compatibility on a thinner, better-handling body, and it costs nothing extra to swap to the slim cone when you reach for a Rodenstock 75.
FW69 — Optimised for Instax
The FW69 is the Instax specialist. It shifts the lens centerline to make the Mamiya Press 50, 65 and 100 mm cover the LomoGraflok Instax Wide frame fully — no dark corners, no compromise. If your primary back is a LomoGraflok, this is the body to pair it with.
FW45 — The discontinued predecessor
The FW45 was the first O.ZONE built around 4×5 Graflok backs — the bridge between the original 2×3 Mk.8 / Mk.G and the slim SL45 generation. It established the lens cone system, the helicoid calibration approach, and the modular back swap that the rest of the lineup inherited.
It is no longer in production. If you have one, it remains fully supported — the same Mamiya Press, Nikkor and Rodenstock lenses still mount, and helicoids are still calibrated to its geometry. New owners should look to the SL45 with the MP cone, which inherits the FW45's lens compatibility on a thinner, better-handling chassis.
Mk.8 / Mk.G — The originals
The Mk.8 was the first O.ZONE — a tiny, 2×3-only chassis designed around the Mamiya Press lens. The Mk.G refined the formula. Both predate the 4×5 Graflok generation, and both stay relevant for one reason: they are dramatically more compact than anything else in the system.
The Mk.8 print files are released free on MakerWorld. If you have a printer and a Mamiya Press lens, you can build one yourself.
Compatibility
A quick reference for what mounts on what. The SL45's two cones are listed separately — both ship interchangeably for the same body.
| Configuration | 2×3 backs | 4×5 backs (612 / sheet) | LomoGraflok Instax | Mamiya Press | Large format glass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SL45 + Slim Cone | Via adapter | Yes | Yes (75 mm only) | No (swap to MP cone) | Native (Grandagon 55 / 75) |
| SL45 + MP Cone | Via adapter | Yes | Yes (Nikkor 65 excluded) | Native | Native (Nikkor 65 · Grandagon 90) · Super-Angulon 90 variants subject to fit |
| FW69 | Via adapter | Yes (offset frame) | Yes — fully covered | Native | Native |
| FW45 Discontinued | Via adapter | Yes | Yes (Nikkor 65 excluded) | Native | Native |
| Mk.8 / Mk.G | Native | No | No | Native | No |
Recommended pairings
Four configurations that make the most of each body — chosen by photographers who shoot the system daily.
A natural, distortion-free panoramic sweep that matches the human eye scale. The most-recommended starter combo.
Dramatic ~38mm-equivalent panoramas. Eight glass elements of leading lines.
The "short normal" panorama. Mountains stay imposing instead of pushed away.
A handheld instant ultra-wide. The forgiving “street sweeper” of the system.