Flashgun for Mamiya C330

normalfornorfolk · Jul 5, 2011

Still new to the Mamiya C330 but getting fonder of it all the time! Can anybody suggest where I can find a Mamiya flashgun or alternatively, suggest a make and / or model I can use instead? Haven't seen any Mamiya flash equipment advertised in the UK

Ottrdaemmerung · Jul 5, 2011

Assuming the C330 has a PC socket on it like my C3 does, you can connect it with a cord to any electronic flash you like that's equipped with a PC jack. Just be sure to set the M/X selector on your camera to X.

MattKing · Jul 5, 2011

Hi and welcome to APUG.

The C330 will work with any flash that triggers using a pc cord. There are pc synch terminals on each of the lenses, and you need to connect the pc cord to those terminals.

There is a cold "shoe" on the side of the camera, but that isn't really suitable for mounting a flash.

I don't know if Mamiya ever made an electronic flash for the C330. There are older flashbulb holders made by Mamiya, but unless you need flashbulbs for special purposes (cave exploration?) or value the retro "look", you probably don't want one of them.

If you have a Mamiya left hand trigger grip designed for the C330/RB-67, it has a cold shoe on the top that goes well with something like a Vivitar 283. I have one of those grips specially modified to take a Metz 60-CT series flash-head that worked well for on-camera flash when I was shooting weddings.

As I mentioned, each of the lenses has its own pc synch terminal. Each of those terminals has a M-X switch which is easy to accidentally change. Unless you are using M class flashbulbs, it is important to ensure that the switch is on X when you use an electronic flash. I've encountered a few Mamiya TLR lenses where someone has permanently glued the switch to the X position.

The leaf shutters in the lenses make flash work very satisfying, especially if you like to use fill flash.

2F/2F · Jul 5, 2011

Ottrdaemmerung said:
Assuming the C330 has a PC socket on it like my C3 does, you can connect it with a cord to any electronic flash you like that's equipped with a PC jack. Just be sure to set the M/X selector on your camera to X.

No C series body has any sort of flash connector. They are on the shutters. So the body used would not make a difference.

Pgeobc · Jul 5, 2011

This is, also, fully mechanical equipment. So,,, it should not be fussy about triggering voltage or subject to damage from older flash units. Nevertheless, modern low-voltage units are useable on many cameras and would be of some advantage that way.

Smudger · Jul 5, 2011

I have a brochure for the C330S system which shows 2 Mamiya flashguns : Mamiyalite MZ 36R ,a hammerhead unit, and Auto 480 Model 2 : hammerhead with separate powerpack, so they were available..
The other posts are correct ; any flash with a pc connector will work with your camera.

benjiboy · Jul 6, 2011

I use a Metz 45 CL 4 hammer head flash gun with my Mamiya TLRs, I find it perfect.

R gould · Jul 6, 2011

Don't have a Mamiya tlr,but I use a Vivitar 283 on a flash bar with my Rollei cameras, works fine,
Richard

ContaxRTSFundus · Jul 6, 2011

There is a 3rd Mamiya flash that will work with your TLR - the MZ 18R (GN:18 ASA100/m) which is shoe-mounted and has a fixed, single head. It can also function as a 2 channel slave with the MZ 36R unit which is how I usually use it with the RZ67 Pro. I have both the MZ 18R and MZ 36R, the latter being a highly sophisticated hammer-head unit, and may be selling both as I'm planning to sell most of my Mamiya 6x7 kit now that I've moved up to 6x8. Feel free to get in touch if either unit may be of interest but with such a large variety of readily-available, good quality, old flash units that will work perfectly well, the additional cost of a rare dedicated Mamiya flash may not be justifiable.

xya · Jul 6, 2011

try a handle (bracket) mount flash like the metz 45 or 60 ct or the braun 370. they add an easy to use handle to your camera. they have plenty of power + a choice of either a computer controlled flash or a variable power flash. I have the braun. it indicates if the flash was successful and up to now it never failed.

kind regards

reinhard

mgb74 · Jul 6, 2011

The Metz 45 CT variants work well as noted above. They are very cheap used as they don't "play well" with electronic cameras. Another good option is a Vivitar 283 or 285 on a flash bracket that puts the flash directly over the lens. You don't need a fancy bracket that swings, but you do need a bracket the moves the flash forward a bit to allow use of waist level finder.

benjiboy · Jul 6, 2011

mgb74 said:
The Metz 45 CT variants work well as noted above. They are very cheap used as they don't "play well" with electronic cameras. Another good option is a Vivitar 283 or 285 on a flash bracket that puts the flash directly over the lens. You don't need a fancy bracket that swings, but you do need a bracket the moves the flash forward a bit to allow use of waist level finder.

Having the flash directly above the lens is the best way I know get "red eye", flash is much better away from the lens on a bracket or hand held.

mgb74 · Jul 6, 2011

benjiboy said:
Having the flash directly above the lens is the best way I know get "red eye", flash is much better away from the lens on a bracket or hand held.

Not exactly. Red-eye is a function of proximity of flash to lens, regardless of vertical or horizontal. A shoe mount flash on a bracket over the C330 (which is one option I suggested) will be approximately 10-12 inches above the taking lens, which should be sufficient. In fact, I would guess that it's about the same distance (flash tube to taking lens) as with a handle bar flash.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Jul 6, 2011

Mamiya makes a great, solid L-bracket for their MF cameras (it work on both the RB and the C-series). It has a trigger on the bracket itself that trips the shutter release on the body.

For a great flash setup, you should get the Mamiya TLR prism (your head might hit the flash with the WLF). Slide a shoe-mount flash on top of the bracket, connect the PC cable to the lens shutter, put on the prism, and fire away. It's far from being light, but it's versatile and handy.

grahamp · Jul 6, 2011

Depending on the age of the lens, you may have to tighten the end of the PC cord. The older lenses used an unshrouded post, and standard PC cords often need a slight crimp to make a good connection. Later lenses used a shrouded connector with a center post and an outer conducting rim, and do not normally have this problem.

There are cases where someone disassembled a lens pair and broke the connecting wire . Soldering it back is finicky more than difficult. There is no polarity issue.

normalfornorfolk · Jul 6, 2011

Thanks for advice

Hi Matt and everyone who answered -- you gave really helpful and comprehensive advice. Thank you very much indeed! A huge thanks to everyone who pitched in with help and advice. So many more replies than I had expected. Thank you all again.

benjiboy · Jul 7, 2011

Ottrdaemmerung said:
Assuming the C330 has a PC socket on it like my C3 does, you can connect it with a cord to any electronic flash you like that's equipped with a PC jack. Just be sure to set the M/X selector on your camera to X.

Ain't that the truth, I've wedged the sync selector levers on my lenses so they stay on X .

John Koehrer · Jul 7, 2011

FWIW, trivia, you know.
500C hasselblads did have a PC connection on the body. It may have been a carry over from the FP shutter cameras.
It's located in the LH accessory shoe. The shoe had the PC and a small hole for a PC cord retaining hook.
This may have been discontinued later in production............Wanna buy a hook?

Flashgun for Mamiya C330

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Flashgun for Mamiya C330

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