Mamiya 6 advice for MF beginner

Hi,

I've been thinking and reading around a first MF purchase, and have
landed on the Mamiya 6, having considered the Kievs, 2nd hand Fujis
and Bronicas, etc.

Are there any compelling reasons not to get the Mamiya? I have no
issues with rangefinders, my main 35mm cameras are a Contax G1 and a
couple of old Canonet GIII's. The main attraction for me is being able
to carry the complete MF system in an over-the shoulder bag.

A glance at eBay, and in the back pages of Amateur Photographer (UK)
indicates that there aren't too many of these around. The possibility
that concerns me is that since these cameras are hardly box-fresh
these days, the reason they aren't widely available is that they've
all broken down and can't be repaired!

Is this a real worry? I'd be looking to carry two bodies, and
obviously it would be nice if they were both working at least some of
the time.

Any other gripes about reliability?

One of the concerns I've seen voiced is that these have become
impossible to repair, and that there are no spares available. I know
from a friend of mine that collects obscure stuff from the 60's and
70's that Kingsley Photographic in London are pretty good at repairing
old gear, can anyone recommend anywhere else in London that fixes
Mamiya 6's?

Finally, any recommendations on on-camera flash? Use my Vivitar 285HV?
I use flash approximately once in a blue moon anyway, so this is not
something I know too much about.

I see on KEH that there are a couple of examples available for
$1000, including the 75mm lens. Does anyone else from the UK have
experiences of KEH to report?

Thanks in advance,

Gavin


email address is only a spam-trap, I don't read anything that gets
posted to it.

"Gavin" wrote:

I've been thinking and reading around a first MF purchase, and have
landed on the Mamiya 6, having considered the Kievs, 2nd hand Fujis
and Bronicas, etc.

I got back into MF with a Fuji GS645S. Lovely sharp lens, surprisingly good
meter, bright parallax corrected viewfinder, but fussy rangefinder and (I
hear) a bit fragile. If you insist on square* and can find a 1950s f/3.5
Rolleiflex (mine is _NOT_ for saleg), they're usually around US$500 in
good shape; it's the f/2.8 Planar models that are off the wall expensive. My
point is that, IMHO, starting out with something cheaper makes sense. As
long as you get a Tessar or better lens, you will be able to determine
whether or not MF provides what you were hoping for.

*: I find that if I shoot square, I get square compositions. But square
prints always end up being cropped from rectangular paper and are smaller
and less impressive than the larger rectangular size that you paid for.
Also, the 645 focal plane shutter SLRs have a better selection of wide angle
lenses than the leaf shutter 6x6 SLRs.

Are there any compelling reasons not to get the Mamiya? I have no
issues with rangefinders, my main 35mm cameras are a Contax G1 and a
couple of old Canonet GIII's. The main attraction for me is being able
to carry the complete MF system in an over-the shoulder bag.

IMHO, they're a tad overpriced for an out of production camera. As you've
already figured out, KEH usually has a couple.

http://www.keh.com/shop/product.cfm?...d&crid=6802968

The Mamiya 7 models on that page sound like a much better deal (of course,
the 7 is out of production too, but at least it's an earlier version of a
current camera). I finally went with an SLR (Mamiya 645) since my glasses
don't work with the Mamiya 7 (or any other) wide angle lens outrigger
viewfinder. FWIW, normalized for the A4 aspect ratio, 6x7 is a 48x69mm frame
and 645 and 6x6 are 39x56 mm frames.

A glance at eBay, and in the back pages of Amateur Photographer (UK)
indicates that there aren't too many of these around. The possibility
that concerns me is that since these cameras are hardly box-fresh
these days, the reason they aren't widely available is that they've
all broken down and can't be repaired!

Until recently at least, I've heard that Mamiya was supplying parts. Still,
it is an out of production camera. I'd be worried. For my main camera, I
want something that's repariable. For trying out MF, older cameras make
sense.

Is this a real worry? I'd be looking to carry two bodies, and
obviously it would be nice if they were both working at least some of
the time.

If you buy from KEH, you're guaranteed six months or so of use...

But if you are going to do two bodies for multiple film types, a Mamiya 645
Pro (without the motor) plus a couple of backs would be another way to go.
And the lens selection is a lot better. And SLRs get a lot closer than
rangefinders, and you can carry a closeup lens or two. But they're not
light.

I see on KEH that there are a couple of examples available for
$1000, including the 75mm lens. Does anyone else from the UK have
experiences of KEH to report?

I've only ordered once from KEH; the item made it to Japan quickly, and they
now send me a catalog every month.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

see http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/go2.html#mamiya6 on mamiya 6 pros/cons
and mf/gindex.html on other models, using noted pro photographer Danny
Gonzalez's hands-on guide and reviews...

check the cost of the total system, as well as relative rarity of other
lenses. My impression is that folks who like 6x6cm RF like the high
quality optics on the 6 series, but that lots of users prefer the 6x7cm
newer models for prints and panoramics (35mm) and so on. In the USA, costs
were higher than overseas, so many bought from Robert White in UK and
other sources overseas and imported directly (see mf/hongkong.html etc.)

do you really need interchangeable lenses? if not, lots of other options,
including some recently discontinued fuji models...

on the budget end but heavier/more rugged, the koni omega series featured
great optics (second only to mamiya 7/6 in some tests) and interchangeable
backs on some models (RO200) and four lenses (58mm, normal 90mm, 135mm and
180mm tele) leaf shutters, but the basic camera plus normal lens is ~$200
and a 3 lens kit may be circa $500-ish. This remains one of the big
bargains (pun intended) in MF...

regards bobm

--
************************************************** *********************
* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
********************Standard Disclaimers Apply*************************

David J. Littleboy wrote:



*: I find that if I shoot square, I get square compositions. But square
prints always end up being cropped from rectangular paper

Why?
--

Stacey

"Stacey" asked:
David J. Littleboy wrote:

*: I find that if I shoot square, I get square compositions. But square
prints always end up being cropped from rectangular paper

Why?

If I print in a darkroom, my trays hold 11x14 (or did in '65 to '72 or so).
So my square prints are 11x11. If I inkjet, my printer is 8.25 inches wide,
so my square prints are 8.25 x 8.25. In both cases, there's no cost to
printing at the full 11x14 or 8.25x11.75

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

I've a Mamiya 6 series which I've used intermittently for about 10 years.
I've 2 bodies and the three lenses.
The lenses are fantastic, the best MF lenses I've ever used. The system is
very portable, a body and three lensses weighing something under 5 pounds as
far as I remember. I've used it for cycletouring a few times.
Pluses..

Fantastic optics.
Portable.
Reliable so far.
Unbelievably good on batteries.
does 120/220.
Almost silent.
Good to hold.
Light.
Body folds fairly small.
Can focus in very poor light.

Minuses.
Changing lenses fussy...close light slide, take off lens, put on lens cap,
get new lens, put on, release light slide..
You have to manipulate meter.. If you meter off ground and use the AEL
function, it's easy and excellent.
Focussing tele-lens is tricky...
Min. focussing distance (7ft) is a little long..
The rangefinder is not good for tripod portraiture as the focus area is too
small. An Slr is better for this, or a TLR...


Bottom line...
if it's portability and quality you want.. get it.

The sagging dollar has recently made buying in Britain less attractive to US
customers...
denny
"Bob Monaghan" wrote in message
...

see http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/go2.html#mamiya6 on mamiya 6 pros/cons
and mf/gindex.html on other models, using noted pro photographer Danny
Gonzalez's hands-on guide and reviews...

check the cost of the total system, as well as relative rarity of other
lenses. My impression is that folks who like 6x6cm RF like the high
quality optics on the 6 series, but that lots of users prefer the 6x7cm
newer models for prints and panoramics (35mm) and so on. In the USA, costs
were higher than overseas, so many bought from Robert White in UK and
other sources overseas and imported directly (see mf/hongkong.html etc.)

do you really need interchangeable lenses? if not, lots of other options,
including some recently discontinued fuji models...

on the budget end but heavier/more rugged, the koni omega series featured
great optics (second only to mamiya 7/6 in some tests) and interchangeable
backs on some models (RO200) and four lenses (58mm, normal 90mm, 135mm and
180mm tele) leaf shutters, but the basic camera plus normal lens is ~$200
and a 3 lens kit may be circa $500-ish. This remains one of the big
bargains (pun intended) in MF...

regards bobm

--
************************************************** *********************
* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
********************Standard Disclaimers Apply*************************

Dennis O'Connor wrote:

The sagging dollar has recently made buying in Britain less attractive to US
customers...
denny

Are there any good mechanical cameras made in the USA that would be good
buys for us Europeans? During the rule of Bush the $ seems to have
dropped by the ratio of 24x36/645 focal lengths. (I'm in no hurry,
really. Judging by the lates budget news, Bush has no intentions of
stopping the slide...)

-- Lassi

Lassi, I'm sure I will get roundly corrected, but the few new cameras being
produced here, that I am aware of, are specialty items like the Gowlandflex
TLR, and similar bodies... There is a company making a 5x4 SLR that looks
attractive.. And one or two view cameras, mostly LF...And even with those
you will be buying non U.S. lens/shutter...
Beyond those I draw a blank off the top of my head...
What about buying from the existing stock of U.S. camera dealers which was
purchased during strong U.S. dollar times?
denny

"Lassi Hippeläinen" Are there any good mechanical cameras made in the USA
that would be good
buys for us Europeans?