Mamiya C2 lens question

Michael Teresko · Dec 26, 2020

I was gifted a nice Mamiya C2 with the 105/3.5 lens. I'd like to pick up an 80mm for it. Are all the later model lenses compatible?

Thanks,
Mike

Neil Grant · Dec 26, 2020

..you should have no problems with lens compatibility. Some instances of this occur with certain lenses and the cameras with the built-in shutter cocking mechanism. Your C2 camera doesn't have that. You may find that your proposed 80mm lens is rather too close in field-of-view to your 105mm. Maybe consider the 65mm as an alternative. 105mm and 65mm would be a good lens pairing.

jvo · Dec 26, 2020

lucky man - a nice holiday gift!

+1 to what neil said...

MattKing · Dec 26, 2020

Yes, but I would avoid the rare, budget, 80mm f/3.7 lens.
The black, blue dot lenses are the most recent, and therefore have the newest and most easily serviced shutters.
Graham Patterson's Excellent TLR system summary is your friend: http://gapatterson.org/mfaq.html
He posts here too, under grahamp.
FWIW, I prefer the 65mm, which in my mind makes a better complement to the 105mm lens.
Which veersion of the 105mm lens do you have?

Michael Teresko · Dec 26, 2020

Neil Grant said:
..you should have no problems with lens compatibility. Some instances of this occur with certain lenses and the cameras with the built-in shutter cocking mechanism. Your C2 camera doesn't have that. You may find that your proposed 80mm lens is rather too close in field-of-view to your 105mm. Maybe consider the 65mm as an alternative. 105mm and 65mm would be a good lens pairing.

Thanks for the good suggestion. I found a blue dot 65mm at a local shop and picked it up today.

MattKing said:
Yes, but I would avoid the rare, budget, 80mm f/3.7 lens.
The black, blue dot lenses are the most recent, and therefore have the newest and most easily serviced shutters.
Graham Patterson's Excellent TLR system summary is your friend: http://gapatterson.org/mfaq.html
He posts here too, under grahamp.
FWIW, I prefer the 65mm, which in my mind makes a better complement to the 105mm lens.
Which veersion of the 105mm lens do you have?

It's probably what came with the camera originally, a silver one with the Seikosha-MX shutter.

-Mike

Tel · Dec 27, 2020

Nice! I have a couple of C2s and love shooting with them. It's the simplest design of all the C-series cameras and therefore easy to service and to shoot. I have an assortment of lenses for mine and I have to say that while the Seikosha MX shutter can be a bit hairy to work on, the later (also silver) "S" version is a well-made and reliable machine. I've dismantled and CLA'ed three of them and found them easy to understand and service. The Sekor lenses are very high quality too. All in all, a great camera; we should all have friends like yours.

Neil Grant · Dec 28, 2020

... a good sample of the 'blue dot' 65mm is extremely sharp, as long as it's stopped down a stop or two. These camera shows do have a few quirks that can catch the unwary, as well as 'bits' sticking out all over the place. If a shutter suddenly becomes reluctant to fire try checking the flash synch is set exactly on X. Enjoy your new camera!

cramej · Jan 4, 2021

I had to file down a corner of the lens board on my black 80mm lens that I use on a C2 to allow the retaining bar to fit properly. I'm not sure if you would have to do that with the 65mm as well.

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2021

cramej said:
I had to file down a corner of the lens board on my black 80mm lens that I use on a C2 to allow the retaining bar to fit properly. I'm not sure if you would have to do that with the 65mm as well.

You should not need to do that.

cramej · Jan 5, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
You should not need to do that.

Right, I shouldn't, but had to. The thickness of the lensboard prevented me from securing the bar and filing it down created enough clearance. Older lenses have a stamped lensboard so this isn't an issue. It also isn't an issue on my black 65mm - can't remember if it is a stamped lensboard or not. In the photo, I'm holding the bar where it enters the lock slot to show that it just clears the lensboard with it filed down.

Mamiya_Repair · Jan 5, 2021

Most of the C series lenses will fit the C2 but as previously noted, the 80mm S lens (and also two of the 105mm versions), have slightly thicker cover plates due to the different flash sync socket style and the fact that the C2 lens lock spring latches on the left side of the camera while the later models have a right side latch so more flex in the lock spring. So these lenses would need some modification to work. The photo shows the standard lens board on most of the lenses (left) and the lens board with thicker cover plate on the 80mm S lens on the right.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2021

I had always thought all Mamiya Cxxx equipment was completely interchangeable.

Carlini Fotograf · Apr 30, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
I had always thought all Mamiya Cxxx equipment was completely interchangeable.

Most of the lenses are.. I have a C2 and C220. I have the black (blue dot) 65mm and most times its on my C2 and it fits perfect. I also have
an 80mm f/2.8 S and that's mostly on my C220. I also have the 105mm f/3.5 S and they all work on both cameras.

I might buy a 135mm MX too from someone I know that has a mint one for cheap.

I think there is just a couple of the later black lenses that were made specific for the C330 and C330f that wont fit on the other C cameras.
I dont know which ones they are though...

Mamiya C2 lens question

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