Mamiya M645 Problems

[meredithkleiber]

Hi, all. I just acquired a Mamiya M645 with an 80mm f/1.9 lens. I just got the test roll back from the lab, and only the last three frames came out. The four frames before them were fogged, and the others were completely blank, as if they did not expose at all. I'm going to run another test roll through it to see if maybe it was a problem with the loading of the film (making sure to load and unload the film in low light), but I was wondering if anyone had any idea of what's going on with the camera or has experienced these problems before. It seems odd to me that three of the frames turned out fine, while the others didn't turn out at all. It's helpful to know that I used a fairly slow shutter speed for the last three frames (1/125 at the fastest); perhaps it's a problem with the shutter? If so, how much will this cost to repair? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Unless you got it cheap, I'd return it. Shutter repair will cost you $150+, though the 80/1.9 lens is worth about $300, so if you did get it cheap, it might be worth tossing the body and buying one that works (which you can do for less than a repair)

 

[j-dogg]

I want that lens......check the seals at the hinge, they are prone to going on the 645

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

I want that lens......check the seals at the hinge, they are prone to going on the 645

I have one of the 80/1.9N lenses that I got new when I was in high school 20 yrs ago! It is an awesome lens.

 

[agfarapid]

Welcome to APUG! Sorry to hear about your mishaps. I've had my M645 since the '70's and it has worked pretty much flawlessly. I do remember in loading my first roll, I advanced the film way beyond the index mark on the insert and only a few frames were exposed. My second roll I didn't tape the roll tightly enough when I removed it and lost some frames due to fogging. Is this your first experience with 120 roll film? It is so very different from 35mm that it's pretty normal to screw up in your first few rolls. You might want to test the shutter by removing the lens, locking the mirror up and firing the shutter at all speeds while aiming at a bright light source. This will at least give you some certainty that the shutter is working. Hope it all works out, the M645's are great cameras.

 

[meredithkleiber]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I am going to run another roll through it and see if it was me that was the problem. I am pretty new to 120 film, so that may also be a factor. I could definitely tell the difference between the different shutter speeds, and the camera seems to be in really good shape, so I'm hoping that it was my mistake that caused the problems with the film. I got a pretty good deal on the package (included two 120 magazines and two 220 magazines, the 80mm f/1.9, the body, and a few other extras for $400). I'm hoping for more luck on the second roll! I will report back when I get the second roll developed. Thanks again!

 

[wblynch]

Put a new battery in there right away.

It may be that the camera wasn't used in a long time and needed a little exercise to get going.

 

[meredithkleiber]

Aha! My second test roll came back flawless. I'm not sure what happened with the first roll; perhaps it just needed a little exercise. No matter—I am extremely happy that the camera works. Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I guess I should have waited to get the second test roll back before posting a thread. Have a nice weekend!

 

[wblynch]

they are fun cameras and make beautiful photos.

 

[meredithkleiber]

Yes! Now that I know it works, I can't wait to use it more.

 

[zsas]

Wooohooo glad to hear it is working swell!

 

[emjo]

they are fun cameras and make beautiful photos.

And they are beautiful cameras too