Lenses for C330S

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

According to wikipedia...

There are seven Mamiya Sekor lenses:
2 wide-angle lenses55 mm f/4.5 and 65 mm f/3.52 normal lenses80 mm f/2.8 and 105 mm f/3.53 telephoto lenses135 mm f/4.5, 180 mm f/4.5, and 250 mm f/6.3
I have the 80mm, which seems a decent-enough lens, but I'm thinking of expanding to include one wide-angle, and one telephoto. I'd appreciate your thoughts on the qualities of each.

miha · Dec 5, 2013

My kit includes 65, 80 and 180mm Super lenses. They are all more than good, unfortunately the shutter on the 65 lens broke down a couple of years ago, so be sure to skip chrome lenses as they are old with possibly problematic shutters.

Claudia Moroni · Dec 5, 2013

I have a Mamiya C3 with the 80mm lens and I believe it's much better than decent enough! It's a great normal lens and I used to use it for everything.
I also have a 180mm lens, but I've hardly ever used it because I found focusing to be quite difficult with it, it made the viewfinder very dim.
it might be better with your Mamiya C330 with interchangeable focusing screen if you have a bright one. It may be worth trying to see through one before you buy it, to judge if it's too dim for you

miha · Dec 5, 2013

I can easily focus with the 180mm Super attached to my C330. The screen might be brighter on newer bodies (C330 vs C3).

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

Sorry, "decent enough" means very good! A bit of understatement on my part. Are all the ones we mentioned the fabled "blue dot" lenses, and are they definitely better than the non-blue dot variety?

miha · Dec 5, 2013

Mine are not, I don't know how they compare, sorry.

BMbikerider · Dec 5, 2013

I have used at one time or another all the Sekor lenses apart from the 250mm. The 65, 80, 105DS 135 and 180 are good lenses (especially the 135mm and the later lenses of the other focal lengths) and have never found a problem. The 55mm whilst stopped down to F11-F16 is OK, just, open it any wider and it as not so good, especially in the corners.

There appears to be inconsistency with these lenses because I have seem 20" square prints made from negatives, exposed using this lens and they were very good. Also I have read reports that this was a known factor with the 55mm lens, the quality varied from batch to batch.

Mamiya C220/C330 TLR Sekor 55mm and 65mm Lenses - Photo.net M

bernard_L · Dec 5, 2013

A practical point: filter size. I have 55 + 80 + 135. All take 46mm filters. As far as I remember, the 65 takes a larger filter size. Plus, there is not that much difference between 80 and 65. Which speaks for the 55 versus 65. I am perfectly happy with the quality of the images.

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

Appreciating all the comments. Might opt for the 135...maybe...

Sirius Glass · Dec 5, 2013

I had the 65mm, 80mm and 250mm. The 65mm is too close to the 80mm, buy a 55mm instead.

David Brown · Dec 5, 2013

Rob MacKillop said:
... I'm thinking of expanding to include one wide-angle, and one telephoto. ...

About 40 years ago, I bought my Mamiya tlr with an 80 and a 135. About 20 years ago, I decided to sell the kit, but was offered so little money, that I decided to keep it until either it was worth more and I'd then sell it, or, the prices would drop even further, I would buy more lenses and just use it. Between 20 and 10 years ago, I acquired 6 of the 7 focal lengths available. (There are a number of variations at each focal length.) I have too many lenses.

I agree that 55-65 is close. As is 80-105, and 180-250. I would suggest a 55mm and either a 180 or a 135. The 180s are rather plentiful, since they were perceived as being optically superior (may or may not be true) and you might find one more readily.

Just my opinion ...

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

Thanks, David. Interesting.

grahamp · Dec 5, 2013

Depends what you plan to do. My usual set is 55mm, 105mm, 180mm, though I have also gone for 65mm, 135mm, or just an 80 or 105. I'm not sure i really consider the 65mm as wide. More like a short standard. The 105mm was the original 'standard' when the Mamiyaflex came out. The 80mm actually came along later. The 65/135 on a C220 makes a (comparatively) light combination.

If low light levels are an issue, you need the 80mm (f2.8 not the f3.7), the 65mm (f3.5) or the 105mm (f3.5).

The only lens that does not get many fans is the 250mm.

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

Thanks, Graham. More food for thought.

tessar · Dec 5, 2013

I have a 330s with the 80mm, 55mm and 180mm and am very happy with the lenses. The 55mm is roughly equivalent to a 35mm on 135 format, the 180 to a 116. I always use a tripod with the 180mm (heavy and bulky). A Paramender is a handy accessory, essential for close-ups.

Rob MacKillop · Dec 5, 2013

Ah, never thought of the weight issue, Tessar. Thanks for that.

Xmas · Dec 5, 2013

As well as lenses you need to get front and back caps and lens hoods.
The choice of lenses is down to your personal style of shooting.
Swapping lenses is pretty slow so it is easy to make do with one... unless the subject is static.

Rolfe Tessem · Dec 5, 2013

I used to have them all, with a two body outfit. There isn't a dog among them, IMHO. The tough pieces to find today are the proper lens hoods, which are unique to every lens, in my memory. KEH used to have all of them, and maybe they still do, but they are relatively expensive compared to what they are.

I used the 55 a lot as well as the 180, which was great for portraits. A very well designed system all in all.

MattKing · Dec 5, 2013

I used to have a 4 lens set - 55mm, 65mm, 80mm and 135mm - all the most recent "blue dot" versions.

They were/all good.

The 80mm was bought new with my C330 in 1975? The rest were bought used, although the 135 was bought from a camera store and was essentially pristine.

The 55mm had had a lot of use before I got it.

I really, really like the 135mm lens. I really like the 65mm lens.

I expanded my horizons about the same time I joined APUG when I got into a 645 Mamiya SLR system. The 55mm and eventually 45mm lenses in that system are faster than the 55mm C series lens, and the viewing system is brighter, so I sold my 55mm lens.

I sold my 80mm lens with my backup C220 body.

So I am left with a C330, a 65mm lens and a 135mm lens. The whole kit fits easily in a small bag, along with the left hand trigger grip and a moderate sized flash (Olympus T32). Together, they form a wonderfully compact set and the leaf shutters mean that fill flash is simple.

Loren Sattler · Dec 5, 2013

I have owned a C330 and multiple lenses for years. i feel the lenses are excellent. My only beef is the weight. It is not a camera to carry around your neck all day.

There are easy solutions for the filter and lens hood issues. I simply use 49mm filters on all lenses, using a 46-49mm adapter where required. Likewise with the lens hood, using the 49mm size which easily clamps on to the 46-49mm adapter on the lenses using 46mm threads.

It is not a camera for point and shoot photography. It makes you slow down which is not a bad thing in most applications. Also, the wide angle lenses are not very wide. It must be my style, but I have hardly ever used my 135 and 180mm lenses. Another observation, the slower lenses are difficult to focus in low light. It is a high quality system (at a very low cost in this market) if it fits your style.

Hope this helps.

Rob MacKillop · Dec 6, 2013

Yes, it does, as do all the comments. Thanks to everyone! Lots to think about, weigh up.

Steve Smith · Dec 6, 2013

Rob MacKillop said:
Appreciating all the comments. Might opt for the 135...maybe...

The 135mm is (currently) my favourite lens for a Mamiya TLR.

Steve.

Sirius Glass · Dec 6, 2013

Sirius Glass said:
I had the 65mm, 80mm and 250mm. The 65mm is too close to the 80mm, buy a 55mm instead.

The C330 and the lenses got turned into a Hasselblad 503CX with 50mm, 80mm, 150mm and 250mm lenses and a Hasselblad 903 SWC. I never looked back.

benjiboy · Dec 7, 2013

The Mamiya C TLRs were called in the U.K in the 1960's " the poor man's Hasselblad ".

benjiboy · Dec 7, 2013

Steve Smith said:
The 135mm is (currently) my favourite lens for a Mamiya TLR.

Steve.

I'm mainly a portrait shooter, and I love the 135mm blue dot lens I have, I've taken some of the best mugshots of my life with it.

Lenses for C330S

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