several minute exposure with mamiya 6/7?

[andreas]

Hello everybody,

i am planning to add a Mamiya 6 or 7 with a wide angle lens to complement my beloved Rolleiflex. Right now i am shooting a lot of night stuff with exposures ranging from one to several minutes. No problem there with my mechanical Rollei set to "B". But, and this is where i can`t find enough information elsewhere, how does a Mamiya 6/7 behave in this situation? How long will the batteries last in the often very cold conditions?

Thank you so much for your thoughts!

 

[Sputty]

While I love my Mamiya 6 dearly, it has not been a reliable camera in cold or wet conditions. I've found that in the winter, and in the rain, even if the camera is kept out of direct rainfall, the shutter does not always fire reliably. Often I need to reseat the lens several times before it will fire, an intensely frustrating experience, because I have missed a number shots because of it.

This might just be my camera - I haven't heard of any others having this experience, but be warned. And if any others have had this problem and found a solution, please do let me know, as I would love to be able to trust my Mamiya 6 more in adverse conditions.

 

[andreas]

Thank you Sputty for your instant reply!
Very interesting information, though it makes me concerned of using these cameras for my project. Reliability is most important, afterall.
I do hope that others may chime in.
Best regards,
andreas

 

[fbf]

m6 is not a reliable camera, period. I haven't used m7 myself but from the comments on different forums, it seems like there is slight improvement.
Image quality-wise or portability, m6 is unbeatable in its own category. M7 is too big and heavy.

 

[Rogrund]

I'm afraid I don't know anything about the Mamiyas, but I think you have some great pictures in your slide show! Keep up the good work!

 

[andreas]

Thanks for your comment, fbf. This is very interesting and a pity too, because otherwise it would seem like the perfect camera for me at the moment. Can you specify some of the problems you have encountered?
Rogrund, thank you so much, i feel flattered! Sweden looks like a lovely place for sure, according to your gallery.
Best regards,
andreas

 

[Pablito]

I used Mamiya 6 cameras for a project I worked on intensely for 3 years or so. During that time the only failure was mechanical - the film transport system broke, turns out one of the gears inside lost some of its teeth. This was when you could still get parts. From what I understand this is the most common failure with this camera. I never had the problem described in post #2 and I was working with two bodies. Now when I advance the film, especially after the last exposure, I try to be gentle. Somewhat OT, the Mamiya 7 never interested me because I dislike the 6x7 format and because the lens does not retract into the body. The 6 can fit in a coat pocket when collapsed.

 

[rlouzan]

Look for a used Haselblad super-wide SWC or SWC/M (with T* multicoating)

 

[andreas]

Pablito, thanks for your reply. The film transport mechanism seems to be the archilles heel of the M6. Glad to hear you had no other problems.
About the SWC... good idea, rlouzan.
I had one for rent for a few days. Well, i like this camera, but i don`t like the Hasselblad filmbacks. The lower part of the viewfinder is blocked by displayed f-stops, and the lack of a focusing mechanism turned out to be a bit problematic. Besides, a decent SWC seems to demand about twice the price on the used market. But it`s a tempting little camera for sure!

Anyone got some info about time exposure?
Thanks,
andreas

 

[rlouzan]

Reciprocity failure depends on film type, check the manufacturer´s film data sheets. Compensate by opening your f/Stop insted of increasing shutter time exp.

Anyone got some info about time exposure?
Thanks,
andreas

 

[Way]

The Mamiya 6 has a Bulb setting for exposures longer than 4 secs. I bought my 6 from KEH in bargain condition and it has become one of my favorite cameras. I haven't taken it through very harsh conditions but it has been reliable for the 8 months or so that I've owned it.

 

[qruyk12]

Just remember the battery is on for the duration of the exposure. Expect battery life to drop if you do a lot of long exposures.

 

[john_s]

With the Mamiya 6, in addition to the well-known winder problem (not repairable) there is a potential problem with some sort of switch that is part of the interlock system. They can stick and when that happens you can't take another photo until you hear a click. I thought my six was taking 10 second exposures but it was just taking a while for the switch to operate. Loosening the lens makes it happen, but one might wear out the lens mount! I haven't had it fixed as I have another body. If that has winder failure, maybe one good body could be made of the two broken down ones.

I have acquired a third body as a backup to my backup. I really love this camera despite everything. I wouldn't get one that had had professional wedding use.

The manual says that a camera should be used, and that it will last longer if used instead of just being stored. I wonder if they were actually alluding to the fault that mine developed?

 

[PhotoMat]

You might want to consider this if you a shooting in extremely cold conditions with the Mamiya 7.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97347-REG/Mamiya_215_036_External_Battery_Case_for.html

 

[andreas]

Thanks everyone for your contribution!
Much food for thought...

 

[Todd.Hanz]

I did some exposures with my Mamiya 7II a while back. I used a shutter release that locked the shutter open in the B mode. It allowed me to get these shots at around 2-3 min. each:

Try Fuji Acros, there's no reciprocity for up to two minutes or so (check the film box), I didn't use any for the above pics.

Todd

 

[andreas]

Thank you everybody for participating in this post!
As an afterword, i bought a complete set, containing two Mamiya 6 Bodys and all three lenses, at a fairly good price. Initial thought was to sell off everything except one body and the 50. Oh well... after using it for more than three months now, i think i keep it all 🙄
It just does exactly what i need it to. Night time several minute exposures without any problems and no sign of battery drain in the cold.
All the best,
andreas

 

[Avotius]

I used to have two Mamiya 6's, got rid of them, very unreliable. Awesome lenses, and yes easy for long exposures, did a couple several hour night shots with that camera. Miss the lenses, dont miss that camera though, what a dog. I hope yours works out better!

 

[Debusti Paolo]

Try a bronica rf645