archeophoto
I love 1950's quality
I thought you would enjoy this. This was my winter project and the first camera I restored. I found this Mamiya six on a fleamarket for $5. It was in sorry state. For some weird reason I didn't take photos along the way (I probably thought it would not turn out anyway), sorry.
The bellows were totally shot. With the help of my sister (she is a master saddler and leather worker) we made a new bellows as close to the original as we could get.
The shutter was stuck completely, I had to completely take it apart and clean. The scariest thing I've ever done, it - almost - drove me crazy. But it works perfectly now
Once cleaned, the lens was in pristine condition. Thank god.
The leather that was damaged was replaced, the leather that is still original is the front and back with the Mamiya logos. I found something that looks 99% original in my sisters scrap leather pile It's a tiny bit thicker, but hardly noticeable.
The front viewfinder glass was broken. I fixed it with a slide holder from a medical microscope...
The film advance didn't work, but came back to life with a good soaking in lighter fuel.
The rangefinder was totally out of whack, but the mirror was in great shape. Thank god, because I wouldn't have known how to resilver it
Overall the amount of dirt that came of this is amazing.
The camera takes absolutely outstanding photos (see posts below for more photos. Sharp and contrasty. That Zuiko lens is awesome. I see no difference to the Xenar on my 'Cord or even the Planar on the Hasselblad. The build quality is excellent and the camera is a delight to use. Without a doubt one of my favourite cameras. I can highly recommend it.
The bellows were totally shot. With the help of my sister (she is a master saddler and leather worker) we made a new bellows as close to the original as we could get.
The shutter was stuck completely, I had to completely take it apart and clean. The scariest thing I've ever done, it - almost - drove me crazy. But it works perfectly now
Once cleaned, the lens was in pristine condition. Thank god.
The leather that was damaged was replaced, the leather that is still original is the front and back with the Mamiya logos. I found something that looks 99% original in my sisters scrap leather pile
It's a tiny bit thicker, but hardly noticeable.The front viewfinder glass was broken. I fixed it with a slide holder from a medical microscope...
The film advance didn't work, but came back to life with a good soaking in lighter fuel.
The rangefinder was totally out of whack, but the mirror was in great shape. Thank god, because I wouldn't have known how to resilver it
Overall the amount of dirt that came of this is amazing.
The camera takes absolutely outstanding photos (see posts below for more photos. Sharp and contrasty. That Zuiko lens is awesome. I see no difference to the Xenar on my 'Cord or even the Planar on the Hasselblad. The build quality is excellent and the camera is a delight to use. Without a doubt one of my favourite cameras. I can highly recommend it.
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archeophoto
I love 1950's quality
archeophoto
I love 1950's quality
denmark.yuzon
Streetographer
Congrats on the restoration! and it takes very nice photos!
GaryLH
Veteran
Nice job . Camera looks great. The bellows and other leather work looks great.
Gary
. Camera looks great. The bellows and other leather work looks great. Gary
NickTrop
Veteran
Congrats...! You now have purportedly one of the best folders, and one of the best medium format cameras, ever made. Photos look terrific.
JeffL
Well-known
Really nice. I have always want one of these.
oftheherd
Veteran
Great work! Lucky your sister is a leather person. I have one that I still need to work on. It is missing the springs for the RF. One of these days.
hanskerensky
Well-known
Great work ! A very nice looking camera again !
Steve M.
Veteran
Good work. I probably should get another 6x6 folder. I love the glass on my TLR and Hassey, but they always have slanted buildings because I can't seem to hold them straight. Never had that issue w/ folders, and as you found out, if you're patient and careful you can repair them yourself.
Rollmo
Film User
Terrific job AP...I've always had a soft spot for this folder. I hope it will give you many hours of enjoyment.
kuzano
Veteran
Excellent job, nice pics
Excellent job, nice pics
Very nicely done.
Inspires me to put mine back together. Mebbe.....
REGARDING MIRROR RESILVERING....
I sent mine to Certo6 to be resilvered. I seem to recall $15 or $20 and two weeks out and back.
That's one reason I dismantled it, plus it took a fall on the wind-on knob and badly mangled the count/stop gears. Not repairable, I stripped them out and will use the ruby window. The automatic shutter cocking and double exposure prevents will still work properly.
Excellent job, nice pics
Very nicely done.
Inspires me to put mine back together. Mebbe.....
REGARDING MIRROR RESILVERING....
I sent mine to Certo6 to be resilvered. I seem to recall $15 or $20 and two weeks out and back.
That's one reason I dismantled it, plus it took a fall on the wind-on knob and badly mangled the count/stop gears. Not repairable, I stripped them out and will use the ruby window. The automatic shutter cocking and double exposure prevents will still work properly.
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jnoir
Well-known
Cool! A great job, indeed. And a great deal, even more with the mask for focal plane focusing still inside!
This is a detail of the mask from my Mamiya:
This is a detail of the mask from my Mamiya:
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archeophoto
I love 1950's quality
To be perfectly honest, I was totally oblivious to the mask when I bought the camera . So I guess I was really lucky that it was still there.
After I brought the camera home I started reading up on the Mamiya six as I had no experience with a focal plane focus folder. All the other folders I have focus with the lens element.
. So I guess I was really lucky that it was still there. After I brought the camera home I started reading up on the Mamiya six as I had no experience with a focal plane focus folder. All the other folders I have focus with the lens element.
Cool! A great job, indeed. And a great deal, even more with the mask for focal plane focusing still inside!
This is a detail of the mask from my Mamiya:
jnoir
Well-known
I was wondering, did you by chance registered the dimensions of the Mamiya's bellows? Could it be possible for you to post them here or send me a PM with the details?
kuzano
Veteran
Dimensions of bellows.....
Dimensions of bellows.....
There is some slight variation in the dimensions of the bellows as these cameras were made from the mid 40's to the mid 50's and I have two different size bodies (early and late {autosix}). I have had two of the bellows replaced by CERTO6 and was happy with price and the job (one was a little stiff closing but loosened up after use). CERTO6 may have dimensions, or he may have made the bellows up from measuring the two slightly different cameras I sent in???
Dimensions of bellows.....
There is some slight variation in the dimensions of the bellows as these cameras were made from the mid 40's to the mid 50's and I have two different size bodies (early and late {autosix}). I have had two of the bellows replaced by CERTO6 and was happy with price and the job (one was a little stiff closing but loosened up after use). CERTO6 may have dimensions, or he may have made the bellows up from measuring the two slightly different cameras I sent in???
archeophoto
I love 1950's quality
I will see when I come home on the weekend if I still have my notes I took when we made the bellows. This page helped us a lot:
http://www.pheugo.com/cameras/index.php?page=folders
It was more difficult than we thought to use the old bellows as a reference as it was hard to get it laying flat. Two people help a lot with this task. We then traced the old bellows to get a paper mock up. The first try came up a bit short. It was more trial and error than "accurate" calculations.
http://www.pheugo.com/cameras/index.php?page=folders
It was more difficult than we thought to use the old bellows as a reference as it was hard to get it laying flat. Two people help a lot with this task. We then traced the old bellows to get a paper mock up. The first try came up a bit short. It was more trial and error than "accurate" calculations.
elwrongo
Established
All You Need Now is the Flash Kit
All You Need Now is the Flash Kit
Lovely repair/restoration job, well done! I have two of these now, one with the Zuiko and the other with a Neoca lens in a Stamina(?) shutter. All you need now is the Mamiya Six Flash Kit!
All You Need Now is the Flash Kit
Lovely repair/restoration job, well done! I have two of these now, one with the Zuiko and the other with a Neoca lens in a Stamina(?) shutter. All you need now is the Mamiya Six Flash Kit!
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jeanba3000
squareLover
Great job for a great camera that deserves it !
tonyc
Established
Hello
great work, well done.
I have a nice Mamiya Six automat, apart from
the lens.
Do you or anyone have tips on taking the lens apart
for cleaning. I think there is a bit of mold :-(
Also how do you detach the bellows at the film plate end ?
I can see the screws at the lens end but not the other end
Thanks for any help
-tc
great work, well done.
I have a nice Mamiya Six automat, apart from
the lens.
Do you or anyone have tips on taking the lens apart
for cleaning. I think there is a bit of mold :-(
Also how do you detach the bellows at the film plate end ?
I can see the screws at the lens end but not the other end
Thanks for any help
-tc