What to look for when buying a Mamiya 6MF?

[matti]

Ok, here is the logic:

My new second hand enlarger can take MF negs, so I bought a 80 mm lens for it. And now I need a new MF-camera to get the most out of it! (Ok my Iskra still hangs in there but the sharpness of my Leica M6 with my Summicron 35 has really spoilt me.) So, I have been eying this second hand Mamiya 6MF with a 75 lens...

At first I was thinking about a Hasselblad or some other 6x6 slr. But they will cost almost as much as the Mamiya 6 and I really have got used to shoot with my RF-cameras and got a chock when I looked down into an old Hasselblad and tried to focus it. The finder on the Mamiya is really nice compared to that.

So. What problems should I look for in this camera? I read about the scary broken winder problem. Are there any differences betweeen Mamiya 6 and Mamiya 6MF here?

Am I doing the right thing?

/matti

 

[sf]

I found one not too long ago that had trouble with the bellows . . not really bellows, but you know. The M6 has more moving parts than most other such cameras.

Samy's cameras in Los Angeles was unaware of the VF misalignment in their RF645 . . . you have to pay attention to all the factors when buying from retailers.

There are two Mamiya 6 cameras? What is the difference between 6 and 6MF?

 

[nksyoon]

About the winder - the Swiss Mamiya distributors told me that the problem seemed to be with professionals who would wind the film very fast (eg. weddings) and put extra stress on the mechanism.

I had a problem with the bellows as well - I bought a secondhand camera from KEH that had a light leak. It was easily repaired.

You should also check that the dark slide and interlocks are working correctly. These prevent the lens from being removed if the darkslide is not engaged or the shutter being released if the darkslide is engaged.

 

[canonetc]

Ken Rockwell explains the difference between Mamiya 6 and the 6MF here:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/mamiya/6.htm

and gives pretty great thumbs-up on owning this kick-butt camera!

Cheers,

chris
canonetc

 

[Finder]

Check verticle alignment of the rangefinder. It can change over time and with rough use. I have the 6 and 6mf. Never had a problem with the bellows (and they are real bellows) and never had a problem with the film transport mechanism.

I you are only doing 6x6, then the viewfinder in the 6 is better. If you want to shot 6x4.5 (but not much point as it is cropped top to bottom so you are not getting more expsures per roll) or 35mm panoramas (the 50mm lens is more practical) then the 6mf is the camera.

BTW, I always use a separate meter.

 

[mattg]

The very reliable tech who last serviced my (now sold) 6 told me the winder issue was a complete furfy and that the gears were as strong as any he'd seen. If the wind mechanism works well when you buy it then you'd have to mistreat it to break it. Sometimes the wind does jam ao there's a little button to unjam it. If you don't force the wind lever when this happens you should be alright.

I really regret selling mine sometimes and will probably pick up another one in future.

 

[sleepyhead]

The only thing I can add is regards to the fact that with this camera the lenses and the body need to be ideally adjusted to each other for best rangefinder accuracy. This was only a problem for me with the 150mm lens. But I wouldn't worry about it unless you notice a focusing problem with a lens. IF SO, then I would bring the BODY and ANY and ALL lenses that you will use with the body to a qualified repair person to have them all adjusted at the same time to work together as a system. Good luck and enjoy.

By the way, I also tend to use a separate meter as I find the field of view of the built it meter difficult to get used to.

 

[matti]

Thank's a lot for all the info. The viewfinder baseline seems quite short. Is this a problem?
One thing I didn't think about. Does it change the framelines like my Leica when you attatch another lens?

/matti

 

[Finder]

Thank's a lot for all the info. The viewfinder baseline seems quite short. Is this a problem?
One thing I didn't think about. Does it change the framelines like my Leica when you attatch another lens?

/matti

I have had no problem focusing with any of the lenses nor the close-up kit regarding the baseline.

Yes, the framelines change with the lenses. There is parallax compensation, but no change for magnification (something I like in the Hexar AF).

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

Thank's a lot for all the info. The viewfinder baseline seems quite short. Is this a problem?
One thing I didn't think about. Does it change the framelines like my Leica when you attatch another lens?

/matti

I had one and loved it but had to trade it for another Plaubel - yes the frame lines change to match the lenses. The "MF" which was the last version allowed multi format options with a 6x4.5 and a 35mm adapter with small markings in the Viewfinder. This design was carried into the Mamiya 7i and 7ii versions although sadly the collapsible lens mount wasn't. It's a cracking camera and the 75/3.5 lens is extremely sharp. For me, i liked the results when shot @3.5 better than the Mamyia 7 with the 80/4 shot @f4. But for OOF redition i prefer the look of the Nikkor 2.8 @2.8 - made especially for the Plaubel Makinas but that's my preference.

 

[Ariya]

The Mamiya 6 is a great camera. If you can, ask the seller for a 10 day return option and send the body and lens(es) to Mamiya America Corp in New Jersey for a quick look. They do not charge to assess the camera and the shipping costs would be well worth the peace of mind.

Peter

 

[matti]

I didn't buy the camera. The lens was stuck so it was impossible for the dealer to take it off for inspection. If he fixes it I might take another look.

/matti

 

[Finder]

Did he close the darkslide and extend the lens? Can't remove the lens without doing those things.

 

[matti]

Yeah. He read the manual and tried all he could think of. But it was stuck.
/matti