Mamiya C330 question -- after 12 frames

Moose22 · Oct 20, 2021

So, my new C330 doesn't stop or wind off after 12 frames of 120. It does after 24 frames, it hits 24 on the counter and then winds free.

Is this normal? I'm a bit confused as the manual says "When all frames" have been shot "the film winder will be released" -- like it does at 24 frames, though I definitely have the pressure plate set to 120. Is there some setting I missed?

I couldn't find an answer with a search so I thought I'd give it a shot here.

Mamiya_Repair · Oct 20, 2021

If you look carefully at the back door, you'll see the lever that putting the pressure plate on 120 causes to rise up. Take a look at the body and you'll see where this lever pushes in another spring loaded part to actuate the 12 exposure setting. If either of these parts is not moving freely, the default setting on the body will be 24 exposures.

Moose22 · Oct 20, 2021

Thanks! You called it.

I had actually noticed this just before I got the notification. It was in the down position (220) even with the plate set to 120 so I rotated the plate to 220 and gave a tiny bit of pressure as I rotated it back. It moves now and goes up and down with the plate as it should.

Alas, the first time I tested it it worked at 12 like I expected. Yeah! But then I opened and closed and it didn't work the second time. Might need a little adjusting to make sure it actuates the lever inside the camera body properly.

Mamiya_Repair · Oct 20, 2021

Yes, it is thin metal and easily deformed so might need some adjusting at the top.

MattKing · Oct 20, 2021

There is a decent chance that it has been set in one of the two positions (120 or 220) for decades.
It might need a little cleaning, lubricating and adjusting.
The same applies for the M-X synch setting on the lenses.

Moose22 · Oct 20, 2021

MattKing said:
There is a decent chance that it has been set in one of the two positions (120 or 220) for decades.
It might need a little cleaning, lubricating and adjusting.
The same applies for the M-X synch setting on the lenses.

I got it here from another member, and it is in good working order and had been used recently.

However, it's still an old camera! And the body is nearly due for a CLA even though it isn't leaking light right now or anything. I knew that going into it though.

The lens is pretty fantastic. Sharp and focuses right on, and the exposures seem right. I like the character of it very much and I have gotten really good results from my test rolls. Kinda wish they weren't so I could convince myself to just give it a going over, but it's really enjoyable to use despite the quirks and I've already loaded another roll of film as I have some portraits to take tomorrow afternoon and kind of want to use it. You know how it is with a new camera.

MattKing · Oct 20, 2021

I've had mine since I bought it new(ish) from the camera store In was working at in or about 1976 - it was our store demonstrator.
But I know that it has been used for 220 from time to time, so I'm not worried about the 120-220 setting being stuck.
I'm not so confident about the M-X setting on my lenses though. I've had decades of fun and good service from mine.
Quirks, what quirks?
A self portrait, with my C330 featured prominently:

Moose22 · Oct 21, 2021

Quirks? Like how the heck do you get the finder back in shape after lowering the thing for "Sport finder" mode? How do you change lenses without wasting a frame? How the heck do you use that needle thingamobber that's always peeking into the top of the frame? Little stuff like that.

This is mine in Portra 400:

And a shot from the C330 in Delta 400:

Still working on composition with the square format. But if I can't take good pics with this glass that's on me, definitely not on this camera.

Don_ih · Oct 21, 2021

Moose22 said:
How do you change lenses without wasting a frame?

There is a lock switch which closes off the film area.
If the concern is he cocking and firing of the shutter, you can always do that on the lens itself.

Moose22 said:
How the heck do you use that needle thingamobber that's always peeking into the top of the frame?

That thing is both the top of the frame the lower lens is seeing (so you should line up the top of what you're shooting with it) and an exposure compensation indicator for bellows extension.

Moose22 said:
Like how the heck do you get the finder back in shape after lowering the thing for "Sport finder" mode?

You don't lower that

reddesert · Oct 21, 2021

Moose22 said:
Quirks? Like how the heck do you get the finder back in shape after lowering the thing for "Sport finder" mode? How do you change lenses without wasting a frame? How the heck do you use that needle thingamobber that's always peeking into the top of the frame? Little stuff like that.

Sure, it has quirks, but so do most cameras. Many of these questions are in the manual, when read closely. If you lower the sportsfinder window cover, pushing in one side of the viewing hood should pop it back up. (This is how most TLRs release it, but sometimes you have to push in the front rather than a side.)

To change lenses, there is a switch on the side that you set to "unlock" that closes a blind to protect the film. You need to do that anyway to unlock the arm that holds the lens plate, so you're probably asking how do you then cock the shutter without winding, so you can expose the frame. Just push the cocking lever on the shutter. On the C220 and other cameras without automatic shutter cocking, you would be doing that anyway.

The line that pokes in from the left side of the viewfinder is the parallax compensation indicator as Don explained. It moves as you turn the focus knob and goes away when focused far away enough.

pbromaghin · Oct 21, 2021

Moose22 said:
Quirks? Like how the heck do you get the finder back in shape after lowering the thing for "Sport finder" mode?

Just give the right-side upright flap little tap and it will pop back up. The latch that holds the front piece down is on the right side and this opens that latch.

Oh, I see reddesert beat me to it.

Moose22 · Oct 21, 2021

Don Heisz said:
There is a lock switch which closes off the film area.
If the concern is he cocking and firing of the shutter, you can always do that on the lens itself.

That thing is both the top of the frame the lower lens is seeing (so you should line up the top of what you're shooting with it) and an exposure compensation indicator for bellows extension.

You don't lower that

Thanks everyone. I think you misunderstand, though. I wasn't actually asking, those are just the types of questions I read through the manual for when I got the camera. I mention them as we were joking about quirks. Once you learn little things like pushing form the right or take a moment to understand the lens cocking mechanism its all easy. But with no instructions not everything on this camera is intuitive the first time. Even opening doors and loading film -- it's nice to have an image or two to point out things like where the "start" mark is or how to change spools.

The point of new things like parallax and exposure compensation is that they solve a problem that no other camera I have used actually needs solved. Kind of fun to see how different engineers resolved possible problems like that in the mechanical era, actually. My GX680 which is a phenominal piece of "modern" technology, has no exposure compensation information for macro when the bellows are extended, it just barks at you when you underexpose. Not before. After. Like it's teasing you for being dumb. This line warning me I could add a half stop or a stop and cut the head off the image is neat. But... it's quirky. I have never seen that before.

Every camera is just a little different. Pretty sure my 35mms are only so "intuitive" because I shot a couple hundred rolls through Nikon and Pentax as a kid, so that was learned info just dormant since the 90s. Not because I "just know". I sure as heck read the manual for the F6 for new things like writing the exif data and programming the exposure locks.

Don_ih · Oct 21, 2021

Moose22 said:
The point of new things like parallax and exposure compensation is that they solve a problem that no other camera I have used actually needs solved.

Compared with other TLRs, this is the only line that actually needs those things, since none have bellows which allow such close focus. You'd need to worry about composition using the close-up attachments on a Rollei or Yashica. But there is not so much extension on either of those to cause underexposure.
At least I don't think there are any other TLRs with bellows....

Moose22 · Oct 21, 2021

Just to follow up on the original issue.

Two rolls at a portrait shoot today. The rolls spun off after the 12th shot. Freeing up that arm and giving it a little exercise seems to have done the trick.

Bianca330 · Jul 5, 2023

Hello! Just opened a manual for my C330 after 10 years of using it .
Turns out, the back plate was on 220 film setting the whole time, even though I use just only 120. I never realized.
Sometimes, not on every roll though, I get overlapping frames - that probably wasn't the reason, right? If it was, it would be on every roll I guess...but I like to think I solved a problem here )

armadsen · Jul 5, 2023

Overlapping frames is a relatively common problem on Mamiya TLRs. My C330 occasionally does it (and I definitely have the pressure plate set for 120). I think it's fixable, but haven't bothered to send mine off to have it fixed.

Mamiya C330 question -- after 12 frames

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Mamiya C330 question -- after 12 frames

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