Plaubel Makina 67

[FrankS]

So, does anyone own one of these? Does anyone have a manual?

 

[Jim Watts]

So, does anyone own one of these? Does anyone have a manual?

Frank,
I have owned both the Plaubel 67 (80mm lens) and the W67 (55mm Wide angle lens). I sold the 67 which I purchased new some while ago to help pay for an Epson R-D1 and unfortunately forgot to scan in the Manual before parting with it.

I still have the W67, but no manual as I purchased second hand.

Usually you can find Manuals in pdf form at the Butkus site: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/index.html but the Plaubel does not seem to be listed.

I and others have made posts about the Plaubels on this site if you do a search. Try this thread for starters: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51095&highlight=Plaubel+Makina

What do you want to know?

Both cameras are really excellent, but there can be a few reliability problems due to age and manner used.
Jim

 

[gns]

I own the W67 (wide angle version) + manual.

Mine is quite beat up (couple of cracks in the body at bottom corners) as it was the only camera I used for about 15 years, but still works fine. The only problem I ever had with it was finicky film advance. Somewhere I have the contact info for repair service in Germany.
If you guys want a copy of the manual, I'd be glad to scan it and send it to you.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[TJV]

The Plaubel Makina wide is the only "vintage" camera I lust after.
Good luck using it!

 

[Jim Watts]

Frank,
I have replied more fully by e-mail to your PM question, but basically I have had no problems loading or advancing film with the bellows in the collapsed position.

Jim

 

[Jim Watts]

I own the W67 (wide angle version) + manual.

Mine is quite beat up (couple of cracks in the body at bottom corners) as it was the only camera I used for about 15 years, but still works fine. The only problem I ever had with it was finicky film advance. Somewhere I have the contact info for repair service in Germany.
If you guys want a copy of the manual, I'd be glad to scan it and send it to you.

Cheers,
Gary

Gary,
I would appreciate a copy of your W67 Manual. I'm fairly confident I know how to use it as I have had mine for a similar length of time, but it would be nice to have. Can you PM or E-mail me?

My W67 is quite beat up as well (my 67 was in excellent condition with Lenshood, Plaubel UV filter, box and manual so I got a good price for it - slightly more than I paid new!). I had knocked a hole in the top corner which I had patched, but otherwise it has had no problems and been totally reliable. The 67 had two or three repairs for a breaks to the linkage between the body and the shutter. I think this could be exacerbated by not returning the focus to infinity before closing the bellows.
Jim

 

[palec]

The Plaubel Makina wide is the only "vintage" camera I lust after.
Good luck using it!

I felt the same until I saw the camera in real together with Mamiya 7. Those cameras look so huge, I'll better stay with my TLR.

 

[Kevin]

I have owned both the Plaubel 67 (80mm lens) and the W67 (55mm Wide angle lens). I sold the 67 which I purchased new some while ago to help pay for an Epson R-D1 and unfortunately forgot to scan in the Manual before parting with it....

Does the 67 with 80mm lens keep 220 film flat?

 

[Jim Watts]

Does the 67 with 80mm lens keep 220 film flat?

Kevin,
The 67 & W67 do not take 220 film only 120. The later 670 takes 120 & 220 and has the usual variable pressure plate position.

I have not personally used this model, but a friend had them sometime back and produced a book using them. I don't remember him reporting any problems and he is a techical perfectionist.

Jim

 

[Jim Watts]

I felt the same until I saw the camera in real together with Mamiya 7. Those cameras look so huge, I'll better stay with my TLR.

Well at least when collapsed you can slip them in a large pocket. I've yet to find a pocket big enough for a TLR

 

[Kevin]

The later 670 takes 120 & 220 and has the usual variable pressure plate position.

What really appeals to me is the fast lens and apparent compactness of the Plaubel. Does the 670 also have an 80mm f/2.0 lens? The only lens I have that fast is on my Contax 645 and that camera is very bulky compared to my Mamiya 6 with the standard 75mm f/3.5 lens.

Is the Plaubel 670 about the same size as the Mamiya 6 ?

Best Regards
Kevin

 

[Jim Watts]

What really appeals to me is the fast lens and apparent compactness of the Plaubel. Does the 670 also have an 80mm f/2.0 lens? The only lens I have that fast is on my Contax 645 and that camera is very bulky compared to my Mamiya 6 with the standard 75mm f/3.5 lens.

Is the Plaubel 670 about the same size as the Mamiya 6 ?

Best Regards
Kevin

Kevin,,
The Plaubels with 80mm lens (67 & 670) are both F2.8 maximum aperture not F2.0. The W67 has a 55mm F4.5 lens. The 67 has a smooth body finish and only takes 120 film. The 670 is the same size as the 67 but has a 'ribbed' body finish (for better grip) as does the W67.

I have a Mamiya 6 also. The 67 (80mm) when collapsed is almost the same size in width, height and depth as the Mamiya 6 with the 75mm also when collapsed. With bellows extended it has a bit greater depth than an extended M6 with 75mm especially with the 67 lenshood on, which is quite large (this makes it appear a fair bit bulkier than an M6/75mm + hood). The Plaubel can look slightly taller than an M6 because of the different profile of the top plate, but there isn't really much in it. Collapsed it can look slimmer because of the contoured handgrip on the M6. The flatter profile of the collapsed Plaubel makes it easier to slip into a large pocket (without the lenshood on).

670 spec. (from a promo leaflet I still have) = 120mm (H) x 162(W) x 56.5(D) Weight 1,345g (47.5 ozs).

The extended W67 has slightly less depth than an M6 + 75mm and a fair bit less than M6 + 50mm. In general it can look slightly less bulky than an M6.

Generally then not much in it, but my impression is a 67/670 in the hand looks a little more bulky and a W67 a little less, but see photos in post below.

Jim

 

[Jim Watts]

Quick photo comparison of extended Plaubel W67 (note patched repair to top left corner) and Mamiya 6 with 75mm lens. I no longer have the 67 to compare with.

The body shell of of 67/670 and W67 is the same size (looks slightly deeper in tops shot to M6 because of angle to backs), but bellows block is bigger.

 

[Kevin]

Hi Jim and thanks for clarifying that for me! Very much appreciated
So the 75mm 3.5 for the Mamiya 6 ist just half a stop slower than a Plaubel's (67 & 670) 80mm 2.8.
In that case I think I have a stronger reason for resisting gas in the form of yet another rangefinder camera.
I do have a perfectly functioning Mamiya 6 after all.

Best Regards
Kevin

 

[tandemliebhaber]

Manual for Makina 67

Manual for Makina 67

is there a source for downloading a Manual for a Makina 67?
A must know for film loading, folding etc?

thanks

Tilman

 

[Jim Watts]

Hi Jim and thanks for clarifying that for me! Very much appreciated
So the 75mm 3.5 for the Mamiya 6 ist just half a stop slower than a Plaubel's (67 & 670) 80mm 2.8.
In that case I think I have a stronger reason for resisting gas in the form of yet another rangefinder camera.
I do have a perfectly functioning Mamiya 6 after all.

Best Regards
Kevin

And the Mamiya 6 is another really excellent camera. I like to compose to the format,, so I shoot with it full square without cropping and use the Plaubel for retangular images though.

 

[dreilly]

I had a 67 and sold it some time back. Since then I've really gone back to MF (especially since I discovered Wal-Marts/Dwayne's inexpensive developing service) and have regretted selling the 67 ever since. Anyone getting tired of lugging that huge, heavy, lump around?

 

[gns]

I've scanned the manual for the W67. Sent a copy to Jim Watts and am happy to do the same for anyone else. Don't know how much it differs from that for the 67 camera. I'm pretty sure operation is essentially the same for both cameras, but Jim could answer that for sure. At any rate, the manual is pretty basic (as is the camera).

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Jim Watts]

Yes Gary has been kind enough to send me the first half (he is splitting in two as it is 9 meg and may have overloaded my mail box) of his PDF of the W67 Manual. As he says from what I have seen so far it is pretty basic (even more so than what I remember of my 67 Manual).

Essentially for a 67 it will be the same (with slight differences for film loading for a 670) as the camera is pretty basic as well - which I like. Ho for something like this with digital - the R-D1 is close, but I still could do with even less button pressing.

Many thanks Gary.

Jim

 

[mdelevie]

I have the 670, which takes 120 or 220 type film. To answer the question way above about film flatness, I regularly shoot wide open (f/2.8) with 220 slide film, and have never noticed an issue. The pressure plate on the 670 model is reversible, one side is for 220 film and the other side is for 120 film. Of course there's also a switch atop the camera so the winding mechanism will wind & count correctly. With 220 film you get 20 frames instead of 10.

Best travel camera ever, I just took it to Mexico and am eagerly awaiting slides from the lab. I love it when people ask "how many megapixels is that?" and I tell them "oh, around 80, maybe a hundred." ;^)