Mamiya 645 Pro cable release adapter

I have long wondered about why the designers of the Mamiya 645 Pro series of cameras did not include a port for a conventional cable release. It is unreasonable to me to pay the ridiculous asking prices on eBay for the official adapter that fits into the electrical connection port on the side of the camera.
This is the alternative that I have come up with. It costs about 0.09CDN for me to print and works well. As shown in the linked video it can easily be slipped on and off (maybe too easily, future versions could include retention features).
It can be seen in action here: short video
For those interested in it, the STL file can be downloaded from here: link to model

I hope this can be of use to those Mamiya 645 users on a tight budget.

Bruce

Look for the electronic release cable that Mamiya sold. It may be a lot less expensive than the adapter and plugs into the port the adapter uses. I have a 645 Super, which uses the same adapter, and I have the adapter (it came with the camera when bought new). Its a pain to use because it sticks out so far from the side of the camera; I was always afraid it would bump something and break.

chriscrawfordphoto said:

Look for the electronic release cable that Mamiya sold. It may be a lot less expensive than the adapter and plugs into the port the adapter uses. I have a 645 Super, which uses the same adapter, and I have the adapter (it came with the camera when bought new). Its a pain to use because it sticks out so far from the side of the camera; I was always afraid it would bump something and break.

Click to expand...

Thank you. I continue to watch for a good deal on the official product.

The cable release adapter is also an enabling technology that when used with an adapter plate as seen in the attached photo permits the use of a Rollei grip with the Mamiya camera.

chriscrawfordphoto said:

Look for the electronic release cable that Mamiya sold. It may be a lot less expensive than the adapter and plugs into the port the adapter uses. I have a 645 Super, which uses the same adapter, and I have the adapter (it came with the camera when bought new). Its a pain to use because it sticks out so far from the side of the camera; I was always afraid it would bump something and break.

Click to expand...

There are four or five versions of this.
One version of the cable release adapter was designed to physically fit the side of the 645 Super, which is curved in one way where it fits on to that camera. One version was designed to physically fit the side of the 645 Pro/Pro Tl, which is curved in a slightly different way where it fits on to that camera.
In addition, the left hand trigger grips designed for the 645 Super required a connector of a particular shape - a terminal adapter - to connect the hot shoe and electrical trigger on the grip to the electronics in the camera, and there is a mechanical cable release connector on that electrical connector.
Not surprisingly, there was a different connector that fulfilled the same job with the left hand trigger grip for the 645 Pro, and a slightly different terminal adapter for the Pro Tl, and there is a mechanical cable release connector on each of those electrical connectors.
At least the two versions of the grip itself are compatible with both types of cameras.
Here are the details - from the Pro Tl system chart - for the version for the 645 Pro Tl:

This is a drawing - taken from the camera's manual - of the terminal adapter (and grip) for the 645 Pro:



This is a drawing - taken from the camera's manual - of the cable release adapter for the 645 Super:

Another option is the get the powder winder that has the threaded shutter release button. But if cost is the issue, I imagine it won't be cheaper than the adapter.

Dale

images39 said:

Another option is the get the powder winder that has the threaded shutter release button. But if cost is the issue, I imagine it won't be cheaper than the adapter.

Dale

Click to expand...

I like the idea of the power winder, but yes, the cost is an issue (for the winder, as well as tempting me to burn too much 120 film).
For now I am pretty pleased with my printed adapter and it cost less than 10 cents.
Bruce

The power winder is noisy as hell, too.

De

The noise is something that I had not really considered but it is something to think about on top of the already loud slap that my Mamiya makes upon pressing the button. It is not a covert camera by any means.