Mamiya 6 - To buy or not to buy?

Jakemico AE-1P

Jakemico AE-1P

Messages
240
Name
Jake
Edit My Images
Yes
Friends, Photographers, Countrymen and all you others bitten by this curse that is GAS!

Lend me your ears if you please and wisdom if you can spare. If I was to acquire a Mamiya 6 what should I be looking out for? And also... what do I do when it inevitably goes bad? I dont want a £1500 paperweight!
 
You're quite the collector it seems.
I have steered clear of film cameras that have electronics or batteries as it's touch and go as to if they can be repaired/serviced?

That said, I would desperately love a med format rangefinder.
 
How's your luck?

[my opinion]
I bought a Leica M7, thankfully from a dealer, which went bang 11 months into the guarantee. They tried to get it fixed but couldn't. Full refund and a vow never to go near anything (old) that stops working if the electrics go dead. If you can't afford to set fire to that £1500, I'd steer clear. But that's me :)

Plenty of fully mechanical MF portable cameras, although not many in 6x6 unless you want waist level finders. And most of the WLF cameras with prism attachments are very unwieldy compared to the "P&S" brigade. I keep toying with the idea of a GM670, or a GSW690 but haven't bit the bullet yet. These are the only 2 MF cameras that I'd be looking at if I wanted something similar to the Mamiya 6 but I have my square itch scratched with other cameras.

Then there's the whole raft of folders (of which I know precious little) for far less throwaway money than the 6!

All in all, it's going to depend on why you want it and how much of a burn losing £1500 would be. I did look at the 6 & 7 as well as the Plaubel, because after owning an RB67, the idea of getting a mini one in the form of the Pentax 67 wasn't appealing. I wanted something small & light & medium format. I ended up with a Pentax 645n (which is going because it's too heavy with the 2 lenses I have for it), a Hasselblad 503CW (which I love but is still quite big with the 50) and my old Rolleiflex Automat (which I don't enjoy using that much but is very small, light and sharp).

So no particularly helpful answers there sadly. I wish you all the best with your decision!
[/myopinion]
 
Always wanted a Mamiya 6, but could never justify it since my Rolleiflex 2.8F/3.5F covered what I'd need the Mamiya for, which was something compact, sharp, and quiet.

I'd research if anyone is 3D printing replacement parts and if someone is making replacement PCBs (this is becoming increasingly more common for desirable cameras) before getting one, IIRC the main weak point on the Mamiya 6/7 bodies is the film transport mechanism.
 
Jakemico AE-1P said:
If I was to acquire a Mamiya 6 what should I be looking out for?
Click to expand...
My advice would be "not unless it's the original folding camera": http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Mamiya_Six

As a long time fan of Mamiya cameras (I've owned and used the Super 23, Universal, C3, C330 and 645) I found the 1989 reboot of the "Six" distinctly underwhelming. There's nothing actually wrong with the Six, it just didn't make me think "I'll enjoy using that". Then there was the price ... :wideyed:
 
Okay... its early doors here but what I am getting is an overwhelming opinion that I should definitely just buy a Mamiya 6 already,

EDIT: I just purchased a 6mf.... Lusting over the panoramic 35mm shots.
 
Last edited:
Jakemico AE-1P said:
Okay... its early doors here but what I am getting is an overwhelming opinion that I should definitely just buy a Mamiya 6 already,

EDIT: I just purchased a 6mf.... Lusting over the panoramic 35mm shots.
Click to expand...
Good luck with the new purchase, it was always a camera I liked to like but never got around to trying when they were at a suck it and see price point.
I hope you have fun, looking forward to seeing some results.
 
zx9 said:
Good luck with the new purchase, it was always a camera I liked to like but never got around to trying when they were at a suck it and see price point.
I hope you have fun, looking forward to seeing some results.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I think luck will be needed especially as it comes with just 3 months warranty.

I am hoping I can get away with using my left over 3D printed panoramic adapters from my long gone Pentax 67 and find a 3D printed mask for the Mamiya6. I like that the 6MF allows for rewinding the film so I don't have to use a changing bag.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zx9
PeterSpencer said:
Or a G645S, nut too bulky or heavy but has a superb lens.
Click to expand...
You do know that there's a reason for the bumper bar on that camera?

After getting the lens mount repaired twice, I decided the Fuji was a good camera spoiled by an idiotic lens mount design - highly UNrecommended :(
 
I wish I'd got the Mamiya 7 or Fuji GSW690 just as both were exiting the MF film business, GSW90s were going dirt cheap in the early 2000s....

I'll make do with my M645Pro.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zx9
I don't know why but I did not enjoy the experience of using the Fuji GW690. I think it was just the wrong camera for me as the lens is supposed to be very good.
 
Jakemico AE-1P said:
I don't know why but I did not enjoy the experience of using the Fuji GW690. I think it was just the wrong camera for me as the lens is supposed to be very good.
Click to expand...
I think the GW/GSW are hard to bond with, they are not particularly nice in the hand and feel very inbalanced, they can be forgiven though when you see those glorious negatives :)
 
Mr Perceptive said:
I think the GW/GSW are hard to bond with, they are not particularly nice in the hand and feel very inbalanced, they can be forgiven though when you see those glorious negatives :)
Click to expand...
I think it was also the faff with taking long exposures. But agree… 6x9 negs are a price worth paying
 
ilikebowens said:
You could save a few quid and go for a Mamiya Press or Super 23 Standard.
Click to expand...
The Super 23 was a great camera for weddings in the 1970s.

Plug in the 65mm and put a 6x9 magazine on the back: big groups a doddle! ;)
 
Mr Perceptive said:
I think the GW/GSW are hard to bond with, they are not particularly nice in the hand and feel very inbalanced, they can be forgiven though when you see those glorious negatives :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a GW690 and, while it can produce lovely results, it's somewhat cumbersome to handle. Also, being the Mk1 version, mine has the strap lugs on one side rather than the top for some bizarre reason.
 
Have you considered the much cheaper Mamiya 6? IMG_1387.jpeg
 
RaglanSurf said:
Have you considered the much cheaper Mamiya 6? View attachment 390352
Click to expand...
I was tempted by one but that was mainly as it had "Made in Occupied Japan" stamped on it. After having held the 'new new' Mamiya 6 in my hand I am incredibly pleased with my purchase. It's well built and does not appear to suffer the same fates as the 7... i.e poor meter performance, constantly need recalibrating, aged electronics, faulty back doors and so on. But like everything... bad news travels faster.

I did also have an eye on the Fuji GF670 but I want to change lenses and will save up for a 50mm.
 
Jakemico AE-1P said:
Friends, Photographers, Countrymen and all you others bitten by this curse that is GAS!
Click to expand...
Maybe Have a look at the Chroma 679 series, made to marry to your preferred roll film holder and a wide range of lens options, all at a fraction of the price of a mamiya 6. Simple lightweight things but may be a good stepping stone into medium format
 
FishyFish said:
Yeah, I have a GW690 and, while it can produce lovely results, it's somewhat cumbersome to handle. Also, being the Mk1 version, mine has the strap lugs on one side rather than the top for some bizarre reason.
Click to expand...
I like the positioning of the strap lugs, hangs well off the shoulder. Took mine out last weekend
 
Jakemico AE-1P said:
I was tempted by one but that was mainly as it had "Made in Occupied Japan" stamped on it. After having held the 'new new' Mamiya 6 in my hand I am incredibly pleased with my purchase. It's well built and does not appear to suffer the same fates as the 7... i.e poor meter performance, constantly need recalibrating, aged electronics, faulty back doors and so on. But like everything... bad news travels faster.

I did also have an eye on the Fuji GF670 but I want to change lenses and will save up for a 50mm.
Click to expand...
I don't really use the 50 or the 150, its nice to have the option but in reality I shoot 75 99% of the time.
For this reason, I reckon I could get away with a Mamiya Six if I could gather up enough confidence in the ancient oly optics.
 
Karl.t1965 said:
Maybe Have a look at the Chroma 679 series, made to marry to your preferred roll film holder and a wide range of lens options, all at a fraction of the price of a mamiya 6. Simple lightweight things but may be a good stepping stone into medium format
Click to expand...
Thanks for the recommendation Karl, but I don’t offer the 679 anymore as I designed my own Six:6 (6x6) Six:9 (6x9) Six:12 (6x12) and the new Six:17 (6x17) instead
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top