Mamiya C330 - 135 lens Parallax Correction Advice

[Constie]

I have recently returned to analog from digital. I shoot with Nikon F4 but I have recently purchased the Mamiya C330 and all is good until Ive come to use the 135 lens. I am not sure how to interpret the parallax correction bar. I understand that it tells me i need to stay below the bar for composing but what would be the framing left to right... I am sure I am being dumb so please be patient with your answers ... Thank you

 

[ic-racer]

Unlike most viewfinder cameras, your camera has the viewing lens perfectly aligned above the taking lens so no side to side correction is needed.

 

[Nokton48]

The parallax correction is up and down, no correction needed side to side. View through the camera and study the amount the parallax bar is indicating, that is the exact amount that you should raise the camera -up- . Shooting handheld, I usually just estimate using the camera raise amount and fire. Usually this is close enough. If working on a tripod and want greater precision, get the "Parramender" is an accessory which precisely raises the camera, and it is a very precise tool to use. I just bought one myself and it's worth every penny if you work precisely a lot close-up.

 

[Nokton48]

Here's the Parramender on my C33 with 135, this was the first "C" model to have the Parallax Bar. And my personal favorite

Mamiya Paramender Wow Love It by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[markjwyatt]

I have recently returned to analog from digital. I shoot with Nikon F4 but I have recently purchased the Mamiya C330 and all is good until Ive come to use the 135 lens. I am not sure how to interpret the parallax correction bar. I understand that it tells me i need to stay below the bar for composing but what would be the framing left to right... I am sure I am being dumb so please be patient with your answers ... Thank you

Graham Patterson (get his guide if you don't have it yet) talks about parallax compensation (using the bar in the viewfinder) and parallax correction (paramender). For compensation he suggests tilting the camera to move the bar to where you want top of frame. Of course you also shift the camera up as Nokton48 suggests. This might be more precise in 3D space, but sometimes tilting is easier. As for side-to-side, you are probably thinking about rangefinder cameras where the viewfinder window is to the side of the lens. As ic-racer says, this is not an issue since the lenses are lined up vertically. Most rangefinders have some parallax horizontally and vertically.

 

[xya]

Try to get a paramender. That's the easiest way. If not, never forget to turn the little bar on the side of the camera that is connected to the needle to the correct lens that you are using.

 

[Constie]

Thank you all so much.

 

[MattKing]

Parallax is generally only a critical issue if your subject is less than 10X the focal length away from the camera.
Assuming you have set the dial on the side of the camera to the right focal length, the bar in the finder tells you:
1) where the top of the image actually will be on the film;
and if you have the appropriate screen installed
2) what, if any, exposure correction you will need to deal with the bellows extension that occurs when you are focusing very close.
Correcting for parallax is very simple:
a) compose your shot; then
b) raise the camera the 2 inches/5 cm distance between the two lens centres.
If you are working in an environment that requires rapid response - such as the weddings I used to photograph with these cameras, just note where that bar is on the subject and tilt/raise the camera so that the bar is where you want the top of your image to be.
The paramenders give you an exact correction for parallax, but require tripod use.
I used to use a Mamiya tripod with a paramender model III built into the head for weddings - it was only a tiny bit slower than a standard tripod.
Most importantly though, remember that the parallax doesn't matter much if you aren't quite close to your subject - 2 inches/5 cm adjustment won't normally make a lot of difference.

 

[grahamp]

All good advice. Don't forget to set the focal length on the camera body (C33, C330/f/s), otherwise the parallax bar will be wrong!

The lenses are separated by 50mm vertically, so if you do nothing, the taking lens is going to image the area 50mm below the one you composed. At closest focus the 135mm will image an area 250mm x 250mm (rounding slightly). So parallax will put you off by 1/5th of the vertical. If you are working with the camera horizontal you can get the 50mm rise from a tripod center column, but there is a risk or rotating the camera unless it is a geared column. If a camera is tilted, but the column is vertical, the geometry probably won't work.

With still life subjects you can use a viewing card. Set it up to match the finder, then drop it (and your eye) 50mm to line with the taking lens. That gets rid of the vertical parallax at the expense of introducing about the same or more lateral parallax. The Paramender was made for a reason! Sometime with still life you can jack the subject up and down 50mm. At 1/5th of the frame you could just generously frame the subject on negative film.

Even with the Paramender you have to develop a routine of putting the camera back in the lower position after each shot. otherwise you are trying to correct an already corrected position.
Ask me how I know this!