abumac
Well-known
What is the price/ value for a CLAd mamiya 6 folder?
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Anywhere between a hundred and a thousand Euro, depending on type and state. YMMV - the Mamiya Six was built for about 20 years in about twelve major versions, and a beater K would be worth much less than a NOS Automat or a unique wartime prototype...
abumac
Well-known
I have ssen a Mamiya 6 IVB for 75 pounds. It needs CLA.
elwrongo
Established
Mamiya Six
Mamiya Six
I just got one of these the other week from a seller in the US. It cost me $US150
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
From what I can make out its a II and has a Zuiko lens. Apparently 1943. Its in great nick and I've had one roll through it already (waiting to be developed). I really like the rangefinder adjustment thumbwheel on top of the body, really easy to use. Much easier than the Agfa Super Isolette I also have or the Ensign Commando (which I gave to my father in law). As I understand it some later models had reduced features - rangefinder or waist level finder (yes it has one!! tiny but its there)
Mamiya Six
I just got one of these the other week from a seller in the US. It cost me $US150
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
From what I can make out its a II and has a Zuiko lens. Apparently 1943. Its in great nick and I've had one roll through it already (waiting to be developed). I really like the rangefinder adjustment thumbwheel on top of the body, really easy to use. Much easier than the Agfa Super Isolette I also have or the Ensign Commando (which I gave to my father in law). As I understand it some later models had reduced features - rangefinder or waist level finder (yes it has one!! tiny but its there)
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dave61
Established
Buy one. Nice post-war examples seem to run US $150~300. I paid about US $250 for mine, in excellent condition, already CLA'd, with a good ER case. Last version, Automat II, c.1958, would cost as much as a good Super Ike(~$500).
Great camera, engineered, designed and built well, feels like a Nikon F. Not crude or rough like my Soviet Iscra, not silky like a German. Precise, rugged, sturdy and intelligently made.
Mine's an early Model IV c.1947, uncoated 75mm/f-3.5 Olympus Zuiko lens, 1-1/500th Seikosha-Rapid shutter, external single-post M-sync. Semi-auto film winder (line up 1st frame in ruby window). 6x6 format only, no waist-level finder.
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Zopkuni
Established
I ve just bought this one, love it, watch the film plane focussing mechanism!
Does anybody know the year of this?
The lens says Zuiko "Coated",
is it a triplet Zuiko or a Tessar one?
Some Zuikos I ve seen say C Zuiko (Triplet) and some
D-Zuiko ( Zeiss Jena Tessar Copy 4 elements)
I ve seen other Mamiya 6 without the word
"Coated"... So my one is an early one or a late one??
Was lens coating something special back in the 50s in Japan??
The Shutter is a Seikosha Rapid.
Does anybody know the year of this?
The lens says Zuiko "Coated",
is it a triplet Zuiko or a Tessar one?
Some Zuikos I ve seen say C Zuiko (Triplet) and some
D-Zuiko ( Zeiss Jena Tessar Copy 4 elements)
I ve seen other Mamiya 6 without the word
"Coated"... So my one is an early one or a late one??
Was lens coating something special back in the 50s in Japan??
The Shutter is a Seikosha Rapid.
thegman
Veteran
When I was after a folder, I found the Mamiya 6 could be had for less than a Super Ikonta III, so maybe that's a ballpark for you.
Zopkuni
Established
Yeah ve got mine for 160 Euros working in good used condition...
its very good in touch, quality feeling is smooth just like the German and Soviet professional
Iskras ones I have... Shutter is extremely silent, Seikosha equals the quality of those German
Synchro Compur and Compur Rapid.... Japs knew how to make fine mechanicsa and Olympus
used to be their top Quality Optics Specialist...I would say Olympus was Zeiss or Leica of Japan
regarding optical quality. (They also startet their business with microscopes and HQ gun optics)
Still testing my 6 with film, will post results... Hope Bellows are tight but they look okay!
Few people know this, its a super high quality folding camera thats comparable
to an Agfa Super Isolette that can cost 4x of this in similar condition...
its very good in touch, quality feeling is smooth just like the German and Soviet professional
Iskras ones I have... Shutter is extremely silent, Seikosha equals the quality of those German
Synchro Compur and Compur Rapid.... Japs knew how to make fine mechanicsa and Olympus
used to be their top Quality Optics Specialist...I would say Olympus was Zeiss or Leica of Japan
regarding optical quality. (They also startet their business with microscopes and HQ gun optics)
Still testing my 6 with film, will post results... Hope Bellows are tight but they look okay!
Few people know this, its a super high quality folding camera thats comparable
to an Agfa Super Isolette that can cost 4x of this in similar condition...
Zopkuni
Established
Okay I´ve just learned that any Zuiko is a Tessar 4 Elemet lens (very close Carl Zeiss 3,5 - 75 copy) ,
the earlier ones from 1936 - 1953 had no special
"D" prefix on it,
from 1946 all Zuikos were fully coated with a german import coating device the Japs bought in
(US Occupied) Germany (Maybe in Wetzlar (?)
--with some kind help of the US occupation regime-- ??)
During this time Japan was US-occupied too!
That might be interesting!!
the Olympus guys added the "D "prefix after there were other 6 element Zuikos
( Very Close Zeiss Sonnar Copy) = ( Olympus F-Zuiko Type) availabe...
D=4 Elements / F=6 Elements
(I am not sure whether there ever was a Mamiya 6 or Olympus Chrome 6 folding camera
with F Zuiko 6 elemet "ultra Quality" lens...if yes I want one ;-) )
So any Mamiya 6 with ZUIKO lens is a Tessar 6x6 4 element equiped premium folder
like a Certo 6, Agfa Super Isolette and Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta...
Many people regard the Zuiko 3,5 75 Coated "en par" to the German top of the range Solinar (Agfa)
and Tessar (Zeiss) and the Soviet Industar (KMZ) 58 lenses.
So if you want something similar to a 600 Dollar Agfa Solinette,
get a (good) Mamiya 6 folder for under 200 bucks ;-)
Its allmost the same quality feeling and well equiped
(Coupled Rangefinder 3,5/75 Tessar HQ Coated Lens
1:500/Sec Shutter, mechanical Film counting device etc... ),
but made in Japan.
the earlier ones from 1936 - 1953 had no special
"D" prefix on it,
from 1946 all Zuikos were fully coated with a german import coating device the Japs bought in
(US Occupied) Germany (Maybe in Wetzlar (?)
--with some kind help of the US occupation regime-- ??)
During this time Japan was US-occupied too!
That might be interesting!!
the Olympus guys added the "D "prefix after there were other 6 element Zuikos
( Very Close Zeiss Sonnar Copy) = ( Olympus F-Zuiko Type) availabe...
D=4 Elements / F=6 Elements
(I am not sure whether there ever was a Mamiya 6 or Olympus Chrome 6 folding camera
with F Zuiko 6 elemet "ultra Quality" lens...if yes I want one ;-) )
So any Mamiya 6 with ZUIKO lens is a Tessar 6x6 4 element equiped premium folder
like a Certo 6, Agfa Super Isolette and Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta...
Many people regard the Zuiko 3,5 75 Coated "en par" to the German top of the range Solinar (Agfa)
and Tessar (Zeiss) and the Soviet Industar (KMZ) 58 lenses.
So if you want something similar to a 600 Dollar Agfa Solinette,
get a (good) Mamiya 6 folder for under 200 bucks ;-)
Its allmost the same quality feeling and well equiped
(Coupled Rangefinder 3,5/75 Tessar HQ Coated Lens
1:500/Sec Shutter, mechanical Film counting device etc... ),
but made in Japan.
jnoir
Well-known
Mine is a IVb with MC D.Zuiko lens. Nice camera indeed.
As far as I know, C Zuiko means 3-element lens, D is four, E is five, etc.
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Zuiko#Letter_code
I'd say early 50's: coatings were introduced after the war, but at the same time lenses' focal lenght markings typically switched from centimeters (as in your unit) to milimeters. Zuiko lenses on this model with the 38xxx range (35xxx for the camera) have the Zuiko lettering engraved in red and focal length in centimeters.
The Mamiya Six IV was made between 1947 and 1953.
As far as I know, C Zuiko means 3-element lens, D is four, E is five, etc.
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Zuiko#Letter_code
I'd say early 50's: coatings were introduced after the war, but at the same time lenses' focal lenght markings typically switched from centimeters (as in your unit) to milimeters. Zuiko lenses on this model with the 38xxx range (35xxx for the camera) have the Zuiko lettering engraved in red and focal length in centimeters.
The Mamiya Six IV was made between 1947 and 1953.
Zopkuni
Established
Hallo, thanks,
I ve just learnt that there was no " C. Zuiko " ;-) at all
here you can read it:
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Zuiko
There Only was a Zuiko C. ( = Coated Zuiko)
Zuiko without prefix = 4 lens elements in 3 groups.
Any Zuiko without a prefix is a 4 Element lens Tessar type. (Close Zeiss Tessar Copy)
If the C. stands behind the Zuiko brandname (Postfix) it just means
"Coated" ;-)
Thanks!
Best regards
I ve just learnt that there was no " C. Zuiko " ;-) at all
here you can read it:
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Zuiko
There Only was a Zuiko C. ( = Coated Zuiko)
Zuiko without prefix = 4 lens elements in 3 groups.
Any Zuiko without a prefix is a 4 Element lens Tessar type. (Close Zeiss Tessar Copy)
If the C. stands behind the Zuiko brandname (Postfix) it just means
"Coated" ;-)
Thanks!
Best regards
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
I got mine (Type IVb also, I think) here a couple of years ago; paid $75 US. I really need to use it more. Only drawbacks are that the lens has a lot of cleaning marks so I need to keep it well shaded (not sure what size shade fits it), and I need to hold the wind lock lever while winding the film to frame 1; otherwise it will wind on past frame 1 on the frame counter. All that said, it's quite well made and a very advanced design, with an excellent lens.
jnoir
Well-known
Zopkuni
Established
Okay youre right this camera had an Agfa APOTAR copy 3 element C. Zuiko lens,
I didnt remember this little nice compact shooter...looks nice indeed.
Olympus Zuiko lenses allyways are sharp as an eagles eye (Even the triplets)
watch the nice results of that quickmatic Olympus:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tony_kemplen/6848602059/in/photostream/
Thats why I like Olympus, their glass is above average in any class of lenses.
I didnt remember this little nice compact shooter...looks nice indeed.
Olympus Zuiko lenses allyways are sharp as an eagles eye (Even the triplets)
watch the nice results of that quickmatic Olympus:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tony_kemplen/6848602059/in/photostream/
Thats why I like Olympus, their glass is above average in any class of lenses.
Zopkuni
Established
Here is a very nice 1950 Mamiya 6 Mk4 with coated Zuiko Tessar (4 Elements) high end lens
in the bay for 20 bucks, looks like a bargain even if
CLA might be needed:
290850146755
in the bay for 20 bucks, looks like a bargain even if
CLA might be needed:
290850146755
kuzano
Veteran
The last models... automats...
The last models... automats...
Mine has a Mamiya Sekor in Seikosha shutter. Quiet, on time, very sharp.
The automats were made in 1955/1956 as I recall. The top hood does not have the curly S on the one side. Both sides are straight front to back on the riser for the viewfinder/rangefinder cover.
A nice Automat, in fully operational form (all the automation for film count/ film stop/ auto shutter cocking/ double shot prevention working properly) will price out about $450 to $600.
However in my experience with five or six various models, I would not give you a dime more for the fact that the automatic gear train under the top is working correctly.
Out of 5, I had one that worked as it was intended to. All the others were fiddly or out of time (It's like a big watch under the hood... a nightmare of frail gears). I had to strip out the automation and use the ruby window (better anyway because the automation on most of these old folders tended toward poor frame spacing and you can't get bad spacing with a ruby window) in order for the camera's to be reliable users.
The one I have now is a 1956 Automat6, with the Mamiya Sekor lens, used in the last 1 or 2 years of production.
It was dropped on it's windon knob before I got it and would not wind because the gears inside were so out of line.
It is now an excellent user. I only kept the auto shutter cocking. The range finder is on the money. and I had CERTO6 re-coat the rangefinder semi transparent mirror.
Modified, or simplified, the camera is the nicest 6X6 camera I have ever used. Most of the one's I have owned have become very nice users, and I could count on them in the field by converting them to dump the automation stuff and go "ruby window" on film transport.
I can tell you that I had two of these get new bellows by CERTO6 and he did a great job, very reasonable, but he was extremely clear about not attempting any repair on the automation gear train.
(Now, I know I will get flamed and some will jump in and say they never had a problem with any of their folders that had film count/stop/cocking, etc. How wonderful for them!)
The last models... automats...
Mine has a Mamiya Sekor in Seikosha shutter. Quiet, on time, very sharp.
The automats were made in 1955/1956 as I recall. The top hood does not have the curly S on the one side. Both sides are straight front to back on the riser for the viewfinder/rangefinder cover.
A nice Automat, in fully operational form (all the automation for film count/ film stop/ auto shutter cocking/ double shot prevention working properly) will price out about $450 to $600.
However in my experience with five or six various models, I would not give you a dime more for the fact that the automatic gear train under the top is working correctly.
Out of 5, I had one that worked as it was intended to. All the others were fiddly or out of time (It's like a big watch under the hood... a nightmare of frail gears). I had to strip out the automation and use the ruby window (better anyway because the automation on most of these old folders tended toward poor frame spacing and you can't get bad spacing with a ruby window) in order for the camera's to be reliable users.
The one I have now is a 1956 Automat6, with the Mamiya Sekor lens, used in the last 1 or 2 years of production.
It was dropped on it's windon knob before I got it and would not wind because the gears inside were so out of line.
It is now an excellent user. I only kept the auto shutter cocking. The range finder is on the money. and I had CERTO6 re-coat the rangefinder semi transparent mirror.
Modified, or simplified, the camera is the nicest 6X6 camera I have ever used. Most of the one's I have owned have become very nice users, and I could count on them in the field by converting them to dump the automation stuff and go "ruby window" on film transport.
I can tell you that I had two of these get new bellows by CERTO6 and he did a great job, very reasonable, but he was extremely clear about not attempting any repair on the automation gear train.
(Now, I know I will get flamed and some will jump in and say they never had a problem with any of their folders that had film count/stop/cocking, etc. How wonderful for them!)
Zopkuni
Established
Well my Model 4 1947 has less automatism, and that thing works ;-)
Zopkuni
Established
As one can see the Mamiya Six folder (here the Mk4) was a very (!)
expensive camera.
Back in 1946-1953 : 27.000 Japanese Yen = 75 US Dollars (exchange rate 1947)
was pretty much money for a camera and that was the internal
Japan sales price not the export US/England price, the export price
(Sales price in New York or London) was around 85 Dollars.
That was around 370 Western Deutschmark (Postwar Mark)
(1947-1950 a month salary of a senior engineer or M.D. ... )
I know that a Zeiss Super Ikonta (West Germany) or Certo Six (East Germany)
was for sale for about the same price (one higher months salary)
An Iskra in the former USSR was even ---relatively seen--- more expensive
(several month salaries of a soviet engineer...)
...so a Mamiya six Mk4 is a very nice high quality luxury camera with a fully coated
4 element Olympus D-Zuiko. (Tessar type of lens similar in quality and contrast to an Iskra.)