Mamiya Medium Format owners group

The key thing is that it might feel a bit awkward to do a full range of checks in front of someone, but just do it. It'll save a lot of potential hassle and waste of money if you ensure what you are buying upfront is good (y)

In addition to what CT said - try and extend the bellows out as much as possible. Dirty bellows probably isn't the worst thing in the world, but you should be able to judge bad condition relatively quickly. Check the slowest shutter speed several times, as well as those close to it. Ensure bulb works.

Bring a small torchlight and open the shutter on bulb and look through the lens - no fungus, scratching or serious bits of dirt. Waist level viewfinder should open and close neatly (that's a cosmetic thing but can be a pain in the rear to use day-to-day). The back should not be warped, and there should be no obvious dents, especially to the front panel.

There are other things, but mostly it comes down to a gut feeling - some cameras, from the moment you pick them up and start winding them on, just feel a bit rough and problematic. Nothing a CLA and a competent repair person cannot fix, but if you are paying money for a good condition item, that's what you should be getting (y)
 
Also have a check of the bottom of the canera, sometimes they can warp if tightened up too tightly on a tripod mount, Mamiya's don't suffer as much from this as some but it can happen.

Andy

Probably too late now, did you get it?
 
I've been waiting for this to clear Customs.:wacky:

Sitting next to the Mamiya 35mm lens is an Arsat 30mm Extreme Wide Angle lens which I look forward to playing with. Just as soon as the postal service gives up its grip on the adapter:bang::bang::bang:

IMG_6411.jpg
 
I got it! It's beautiful, I am in love (photo in the new toy thread). The back flap on the WLF hangs open a bit more than it should, I might try squeezing the sides to stop this happening. It could probably use some new light seals, and the viewing screen has some dust on the back. Ooh, and the winder lever is wobbly, it looks to have been fixed badly in the past. Will keep a look out for a spare. Other than that, looks to be in good condition. Lenses are clear, all speeds and apertures seem ok.... will put a roll of b/w through it this week to test it! Thanks for all the advice :)
 
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I have a few: A 645, a Mamiyaflex, a C3, a C33 and a C330.

I used to have an RB67 but for some reason, I sold it.


Steve.
 
dejongj said:
Can I see a sample :) that is the question, and then ask whether they accept credit cards so you can afford to pay for it (later) :p
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I'd agree with that. My local camera shop, Studio 5 Thetford, Norfolk, which has the Kodak develop franchise for a huuuge part of East Anglia have done single pass scans for me in the past to put 120 neg images on to CD for me to take home.
Whilst remaining extremely polite I'm left in no doubt that they don't mind if I never ask them to do it again muttering something about the process "tieing up one person for so long", I think they have one person fulltime on all deve/print/cd work which customers can't do on a self-service method.

I'm about to research elsewhere for dev & cd of 120 flm.
 
tikkathreebarrel said:
I'm about to research elsewhere for dev & cd of 120 flm.
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Same here.......postage/fuel costs has helped to ruined the use of 120 for many when for the average photographer the number of keepers in a roll might be just two, which could result in £2-£3 a shot.
Another thing that puzzles me is:- are the ingredients in colour home dev kits, so expensive (rare) that they can't sell for half the price that they sell now...that would encourage more people to DIY colour 120 dev.
Just to add: When I go on holiday I usually get through 5 rolls of colour 36exp of 35mm and get these dev and scanned on seperate CDs for £15 at Asda so for 180 shots what would that cost me using 120 for same dev and scanned (erm and the costs for rolls of film) :(
So I have two MF cameras and am pi***d off trying to find someone local to at least dev colour 120 for about £3 hopefully less. :( Moan over.
 
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excalibur2 said:
Same here.......postage/fuel costs has helped to ruined the use of 120 for many when for the average photographer the number of keepers in a roll might be just two, which could result in £2-£3 a shot.
Another thing that puzzles me is:- are the ingredients in colour home dev kits, so expensive (rare) that they can't sell for half the price that they sell now...that would encourage more people to DIY colour 120 dev.
Just to add: When I go on holiday I usually get through 5 rolls of colour 36exp of 35mm and get these dev and scanned on seperate CDs for £15 at Asda so for 180 shots what would that cost me using 120 for same dev and scanned (erm and the costs for rolls of film) :(
So I have two MF cameras and am pi***d off trying to find someone local to at least dev colour 120 for about £3 hopefully less. :( Moan over.
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here here! agree fully. Also a reason why I shoot mostly b&w as I can home dev and scan.
 
One thing I am a bit puzzled about, and Google wasn't much help - is there a maximum focal distance for a Mamiya C33? I've got the 80mm 2.8 lens, and while it's great at closeups, it doesn't seem to want to focus on far away things. Having only used SLRs before, they don't have a maximum focal distance, it's XXmm to infinity.
 
excalibur2 said:
Just to add: When I go on holiday I usually get through 5 rolls of colour 36exp of 35mm and get these dev and scanned on seperate CDs for £15 at Asda so for 180 shots what would that cost me using 120 for same dev and scanned (erm and the costs for rolls of film) :(
So I have two MF cameras and am pi***d off trying to find someone local to at least dev colour 120 for about £3 hopefully less. :( Moan over.
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180 ?????

what the hell do you find on holiday to shoot 180 worth the effort pictures of..:shrug:

36 frames would walk my holiday
 
joxby said:
180 ?????

what the hell do you find on holiday to shoot 180 worth the effort pictures of..:shrug:

36 frames would walk my holiday
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Well I was with my family esp grandchildren and as a nice change thought I'd catch this magician out with shots but he was brilliant and I never knew how he did one trick and I was watching closely :cautious:

Sig24mm371000px.jpg
 
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Only 36 frames, blimey I shot 3 rolls of 120 and 4 of 35mm over the weekend. Mind you most of those were after lunch and I did have 4 pints so I probaly thought I was shooting digital. :beer: :D

Andy
 
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Andysnap said:
Only 36 frames, blimey I shot 3 rolls of 120 and 4 of 35mm over the weekend. Mind you most of those were after lunch and I did have 4 pints so I probaly thought I was shooting digital. :beer: :D

Andy
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Blimey, that was more than me! I only did 1 1/2 rolls of 35mm and 3 of 120!
 
I'm amazed, that's a huge amount of film to shoot - in a weekend I might not even finish a roll... of 120!
 
I'm a happy snapper.....plus it was such a photogenic location and the light was fantastic.
 
I have had two Mamiya C330F bodys and the 55,80,135 and 180 lens pairs for more than twenty years, I used to shoot weddings with them, but now shoot mainly portraits and landscapes with them. I had them both given C.L.A a couple of years ago and they work like new.
 
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Exactly the system I have ^^ Great isn't it.
 
Andy how does the 330f compare to the 67 and is the 55 lens the one for landscape?
 
Hi Allan,

I've never used a 67 tbh but the 55mm lens is spot on for landscapes but the 65mm is also excellent.

Andy
 
Thanks Andy I thought I read you used a 67 in a previos life Ha Ha.
 
mothdust said:
One thing I am a bit puzzled about, and Google wasn't much help - is there a maximum focal distance for a Mamiya C33? I've got the 80mm 2.8 lens, and while it's great at closeups, it doesn't seem to want to focus on far away things. Having only used SLRs before, they don't have a maximum focal distance, it's XXmm to infinity.
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That's odd you should be able to focus at infinity when the camera bellows are racked completely in. There is a section on focusing discrepancies at para 2.11 on this page : http://grahampatterson.home.comcast.net/~grahampatterson/grahamp/mfaq/m_faq-2.html#Heading46 maybe this will help.

I would image that the problem must be with the viewing lens or viewing screen.

One thing you could do to check this is to make a focusing screen from some tracing paper and stick this over the film plane making sure it is taut.

Then with the bellows racked in point the camera at an object over a mile away. Using a 50mm slr lens reversed as a loupe check to see if the image is in focus on the tracing paper. If it is then the problem must be with the viewing lens or finder. If the image is not in focus then the problem must be with both the taking lens and viewing lens (maybe the lens isn't seated correctly).

You will find is easier to view your focusing screen if you are looking at a bright object and the camera is in the dark (eg. looking out of your window through your curtains). Don't blame me if you get arrested :):)
 
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wickerman said:
That's odd you should be able to focus at infinity when the camera bellows are racked completely in. There is a section on focusing discrepancies at para 2.11 on this page : http://grahampatterson.home.comcast.net/~grahampatterson/grahamp/mfaq/m_faq-2.html#Heading46 maybe this will help.

I would image that the problem must be with the viewing lens or viewing screen.

One thing you could do to check this is to make a focusing screen from some tracing paper and stick this over the film plane making sure it is taut.

Then with the bellows racked in point the camera at an object over a mile away. Using a 50mm slr lens reversed as a loupe check to see if the image is in focus on the tracing paper. If it is then the problem must be with the viewing lens or finder. If the image is not in focus then the problem must be with both the taking lens and viewing lens (maybe the lens isn't seated correctly).

You will find is easier to view your focusing screen if you are looking at a bright object and the camera is in the dark (eg. looking out of your window through your curtains). Don't blame me if you get arrested :):)
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Thanks very much for the answer! I'll give this a go. It may be user error, to be honest.
 
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Gladly take part in this! Haven't posted here in months, real mixed up with Uni work right now.

I use a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S at the moment, phenomenal bit of kit. I'm off shooting today with it too.
 
Well here are a couple of the infamous 7 rolls....

Mamiya C330f
Columns

Doric-Columns by andysnapper1, on Flickr

Old Thames Side

Old-Thames-Side1 by andysnapper1, on Flickr

Both on Kodak Portra. I think they were both taken with the 55mm. There are some more in the Greenwich thread and a thread in the 'photos from film' forum.

Cheers

Andy
 
Sometimes I wished it was digital. I've had some great fun with my RB67 Pro SD and a 90mm KL at Whipsnade Zoo with my daughter...Just want to see the end result now and not wait on development :)
 
Not sure whether to post in this thread or the bargains thread ('cos I don't know if this is a bargain :LOL:) but thought some might be interested.

http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Mamiya-RZ67-Outfit_68099.html

LCE said:
Mamiya RZ67 outfit complete with 50mm f/4.5 Sekor Z, 90mm f/4.5 Sekor Z, 150mm f/4 Sekor SF (with filter set), PD Prism Finder, Bellows, Waist level finder, Polaroid back, Speed Grip, 3 x 120 Backs.
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Struck me as a pretty good deal for an RZ with 3 lenses, 3 backs and a polaroid back.

For the record, the only involvement I have with this shop/sale is that I work nearby and saw it in the window. Of course, once the other camera shop nearby can give me a price on the manual focus gear I'm offloading, I might consider it ... :thinking:
 
Strappy said:
Not sure whether to post in this thread or the bargains thread ('cos I don't know if this is a bargain :LOL:) but thought some might be interested.

http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Mamiya-RZ67-Outfit_68099.html



Struck me as a pretty good deal for an RZ with 3 lenses, 3 backs and a polaroid back.

For the record, the only involvement I have with this shop/sale is that I work nearby and saw it in the window. Of course, once the other camera shop nearby can give me a price on the manual focus gear I'm offloading, I might consider it ... :thinking:
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That looks like a reasonable deal to me, if you was seriously looking for one you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal from the trade.
 
RaglanSurf said:
That looks like a reasonable deal to me, if you was seriously looking for one you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal from the trade.
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Aye, 6 months warranty too and they were willing to give 10% off just for asking when I spoke to them about the Hasselblad before Christmas.

I'm just suffering from a wee bit of shiny thing syndrome, I'm not seriously interested. :)
 
Hmm ... "not seriously interested" actually translates to, "I've just bought it". Who knew?! :)

Pics to follow in the new toy thread but I think I got a cracking deal for an RZ with 3 lens and 3 backs including a Polaroid back.

I offered £100 under the asking price, they said ok but no warranty, just a 16-day return period, I got that up to 21 days and we shook hands. Chuffed to bits and already planning what to shoot with some Velvia. :D
 
Strappy said:
Hmm ... "not seriously interested" actually translates to, "I've just bought it". Who knew?! :)

Pics to follow in the new toy thread but I think I got a cracking deal for an RZ with 3 lens and 3 backs including a Polaroid back.

I offered £100 under the asking price, they said ok but no warranty, just a 16-day return period, I got that up to 21 days and we shook hands. Chuffed to bits and already planning what to shoot with some Velvia. :D
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Well done Dean, you know it makes sense (y)
 
Superb. I would run some test film through all the backs before the time expires.
 
freecom2 said:
Superb. I would run some test film through all the backs before the time expires.
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Wise words indeed, get it all tested while you have the chance.
 
Oh yes, I'm planning to run a roll of B&W through each back as I can develop that myself this weekend. Must remember to keep notes on which film came from which back and which lens was used for each shot; I normally manage to write down the first couple and then forget to note the rest ... :bonk:
 
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