If that second Mamiya comes with a film back on it and focus scope and everything then I think $500 is pretty decent.

What is a film back?

a focus scope? you mean a knob that focuses the lens?

It's like with 35mm how you can buy the bodies with the lenses etc. Focus scope = the bit in the top that you look in to focus, with the film on some 120/220 cameras you can remove the whole back so you can load different backs with different types of film and stuff and swap them all willy nilly, I'm not sure about that model, but ive just seen lots of Medium format cameras that are sold with all the bits separate cos they're worth a bit on their own and stuff. But if you're getting that with all its accesories and stuff then I reckon $500 could be pretty sweet... but maybe wait for a second opinion haha I dont know thaaaat much.

yeah cool..

Im pretty sure it's the complete package... with the grip and case and extra lens and stuff

Sounds awesome then, I haven't heard anything bad about Mamiyas. My school has a bunch of them, they're pretty solid.

sweet!

how much do these cameras normally go for??

anyone?

From looking on ebay, looks like the bodies go for about 300, lenses and scopes go for 150 or so each, so i guess about $600+ all up.

Plus you're probably looking at up to $150-200 for the film back I reckon.

but you dont need a film back with this puppy... do you??
I think it's in-camera.

Oh maybe it is, like I said I don't really know what the fuck I'm talking about. Just going on hearsay / camera exchange / ebay.

I like this one better.

that thing aint 120 film!!

But it's so cute and tiny!

dunno, sorry ben, my dad does though. i'll ask him for you if you like. i think he has the above mamiya.

sweet Kristy. I'd love to know what he reckons. Cheers

i want a pentacon six tl.

thanks.

what's so good about the pentacon six tl??

what isn't good about the pentacon six tl!

no probs i'll call him tomorrow.

apparently the pentacon six tl doesnt wind on proper and exposures overlap

cheers Ms. K

...

*paging saucyjack to the thread*

He has a Mamiya. It's rad.

how do you go about processing/developing and printing with these films?

I've got the mamiya C33. It's bloody fantastic. Probably my favourite camera. Would I recommend one? Definitely.

Here's mine:

In terms of TLRs, the C-series is unique in that it's the only line with interchangable lenses. The Rolleis, Yashicas, etc. all come with fixed lenses.

The lens is the most important part to look at when buying one. Not only for haze and fungus issues, but also because that's where everything happens - the shutter is actually part of the lens, rather than the body. Light leaks and winding issues are the only real issues you'd have with the body, and they're easily fixed.

As for prices... The $800 and $500 quoted above all seem pretty good, depending on condition. But that's a lot of gear. I've got the 80mm and the (I think) 180mm lens. And I've never bothered with anything but the 80. It's pretty much the equivalent of a 50mm prime on a 35mm camera and the one that most people use.

I don't know if you'd need/want all those bits and bobs, either. The handgrip makes it look quite (more) awkward than the camera already is. And given that the camera weighs in at about 2.5 kilos on its own - doesn't sound much until you have to lug it 'round all day - adding weight ain't really the best idea. The prism viewfinder on the top takes some of the fun out of it, too. Much easier and nicer to use it top-down viewfinder style.

So while those setups sound good, you could probably look around and find a smaller setup for cheaper.

And no, they don't use film backs.

some shots from it are here

Also, because it's fully mechanical, you'll need to get a lightmeter as well.

Another option is the Yashica-Mat 124G. They're smaller and lighter (see here) and not as ''professional'', but they have an inbuilt meter. So they're easier to use, but given their age you could have issues with finding one with a working meter. And no interchangable lenses.

this is what i got from my dad...

''The Picture shows a C220 and I have a C330. I don;t think theres much of a difference. the lense range consists of a 55mm 65mm 80mm standard 105mm 135mm and 180mm. I had the 55 80 and 105. ALL THE Lenses are good quality and have the shutters in the lense which made them expensive to buy. the thing watch other than the obvious things is If the lenses havent been used much the lubrication partially dries and the shutters slow,sometimes by as much as 2-3 stops.eg 1/125 is really 1/30,you should be able to hear the shutter slowing on the longer exposureseg1/2 to full second. the price seems good value if its in good order.120 film is expensive nowadays.I'd be viewing before I bought though. love DAD''

hope this helps ben.

Hey saucyjack and Kristy! This is all good info... cheers

Im getting pretty damn excited about the idea of getting one of these!

hmmm... I just put a bid in for a MAMIYA PRO C22.

Is there an issue with the c22's that I need to know about?

excitement bump

well! Im now a proud owner of a Mamiya C220 Professional with 3 lenses... although the lenses are not entirely clean.. Can they be rid of mould easily enough?...cost effective enough??

How much did you end up paying Ben? Pretty jealous right now.

$500

Do you know much about getting lenses cleaned out?

You could get it serviced I suppose, but I managed to get my old as fuck voigtlander pretty clean with just regular lens cleaner and kodak cleaning paper.

naaa... this muck is internal

dang, I guess you could try pulling it apart if you dont want to spend money... but most stuff I've read recommends against it unless you really know what you're doing haha.

yeah... thats what I thought

Oh dear. Fungus is not good.

It can be fixed, provided that it is between the lens elements that are separate. If it's found its way between the glued-together elements, you've got yourself a nice, glassy paperweight.

Also, is it the top lens or the bottom? if it's the top lens - the viewing lens - then it's nowhere near as serious.

And don't try to do it yourself if you've never taken a lens apart before. Especially with the integrated lens/shutter setup on the Mamiya-Sekor lenses. Because chances are, you'll get to a point where you'll need to pay someone to put it back together again anyway, so you might as well just get a reparier to do the whole job.

If i were you, i'd go back to where you got it from, point out the fungus and try to get some cash back - no way i'd pay that much for fungus-filled lenses - or a refund.

well....the 80mm lens has the fungi that will cost $100 to fix... which is the amount I got knocked off the price, but then paid again for a 65mm lens...

the 65mm has hazyness and the repair dude said that it wasnt coming off and he didnt think it was fixable...HOWEVER.. I have a cunning plan...
...Im going to take the cloudy bits (yes, I was able to seperate the lens enough to safely isolate the offending bit)... and Im going to take it to an optometrist, and find out what it'd cost to get that flat lens surface cleaned and polished. Yes, it may change the focal lengths of the lens.. but Im sure they dont need to take much glass off... and they can do the same to the viewing and taking lenses... so I reckon thats a solution... possibly.

what i really want is a 55mm lens.

What lenses do you have Saucy?

Congrats on your new purchase, can I just ask if there was a particular reason you went for a TLR over an SLR?

You'll need to be mindful of parallax error with a TLR, that's all.

generally I can sidestep the parallax with 50mm wind up before shooting.. and the far away subject matter..

I guess this is cheaper, and the more quiet and less rattle shutter action seemed nice..

...and thems sexy lookin!!

that sounds like a pretty good solution, actually. i doubt it would affect the focal length.

i've got the 80 and the 180, but i've never used the 180.

I'd love the 55 as well.

how do you go about processing/developing and printing with these films?

I've had HEAPS of 120 film processed in Melbourne in the last two years and by the far the best deal I've encountered is at Pro Image in West Brunswick (just get the bus outside Ray's on Victoria street and keep going until the end of the park on the right hand side, keep walking until you see the glass bricks.)

I dunno if it's their 'official' price, but they've been doing $10 process + (low resolution, but totally usable... 2 or 3mb files...) scan....

only downside: they only process film on Thursdays, so you have to get your film to them by about 10am Thursday morning at the very latest and some weeks the film guy doesn't come, but compared to anywhere else I've used, these guys are by far the best....

hey thanks for that ollee