Mamiya Press Universal - expert help needed

Neil Grant · Aug 3, 2023

...just come across one for these for sale with but with some problems and missing part? Needing some advice.
There's no means of triggering the camera- the grip has no cable release. The 6x9 magazine has a shutter button, but again no cable.
Are these cables generic or specific to the Press? Also the 100mm lens focusing became stuck when testing - it was very stiff but would turn a bit and then it got completely stuck at min focus distance. CLearly will need service - shutter / glass good. I believe this lens may be collapsible. 50mm lens more useable. Pair of RB backs i don't need. I think the biggest issue is the triggering arrangement and it functions.
100mm may be. Maybe if the price is right. THanks for any useful info

ags2mikon · Aug 3, 2023

The grip with cable can be found on evil-bay. The focusing helicoid for the 100mm needs servicing, and it may be less costly to just get another lens. Do the rb backs fit it? Some of these cameras were 2x3 graflok and will use rb-67 backs.

Paul Howell · Aug 3, 2023

Some don't use the shutter rigger on the grip, a plunger type cable release will fit into the lens itself. I have 2 6X9 backs never used the shutter release, not sure if my Mamiya backs have a release, what would the reason for it? There are techs who will service Press lens, if you are good with tools and buy a lens spanner wrench and find the service manual you can try and service the lens yourself. Does shutter speeds seem accurate?

gordrob · Aug 3, 2023

If your roll film back has a shutter button it is a Type 3 back. It is designed to allow you to trigger the lens shutter from the back and not the grip. You will need to find the shutter release cable designed for that back. I checked the auction site and managed to find one Type 3 back that had a cable release so you would know what to look for. If you can't find this cable release then you would have to find a cable release for the grip and use it instead and trigger the lens from the grip.

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Mounting backs on the camera - you have two choices - a M Back or a G back. The M back allows you to mount the Mamiya Roll Film Backs and the G Back allows you to mount Graflok backs.

If your lens is the 100mm f3.5 lens make sure that you can extend the lens and that it locks firmly into place when it is extended.

Page 5 and 6 in the attached instructions show the backs and lens information

https://www.focale22.com/pdf/univeral_manual%20_camera_accessories.pdf

reddesert · Aug 3, 2023

Neil Grant said:
...just come across one for these for sale with but with some problems and missing part? Needing some advice.
There's no means of triggering the camera- the grip has no cable release. The 6x9 magazine has a shutter button, but again no cable.
Are these cables generic or specific to the Press? Also the 100mm lens focusing became stuck when testing - it was very stiff but would turn a bit and then it got completely stuck at min focus distance. CLearly will need service - shutter / glass good. I believe this lens may be collapsible. 50mm lens more useable. Pair of RB backs i don't need. I think the biggest issue is the triggering arrangement and it functions.
100mm may be. Maybe if the price is right. THanks for any useful info

I'm not sure if you're asking whether the release cable in the grip is specific to the Universal/Press, or how to trigger it if the cable is missing. The lenses all accept a standard cable release. Thus, you could possibly bodge a standard cable release into the grip, or use it without the grip and use a standard release taped to the side of the camera or the film holder (especially if you use it on a tripod, you don't need the grip). There is also a way to trip the shutter with your finger, but it's awkward. Or buy a complete grip.

Be aware that this is like a large format camera - there is no auto shutter cocking or double exposure prevention (except possibly for the rare type 3 film holder that gordrob mentioned).

The lenses sometimes suffer from dried up grease in the focus helical especially if they've sat unused for a long time.

As gordrob mentioned the Universal can accept different M or G back frames that allow use of the Press type film holders or the RB67 type film holders. The Press and Super 23 have non-exchangeable M or G back frames, but the film holders are exchangeable.

Neil Grant · Aug 4, 2023

...thanks for all the information - all really useful stuff. Yesterday's handling of the 'Press' was a first for me - but I'm familiar with many mf cameras and could soon figure it out. Overall the state of the lenses helicoids is concerning, given that one of them seized up immediately and the other was stiff too. Pity, the glass and shutters are good. If I make an offer it could only be a 'token' one given condition and also no proper triggering.

btaylor · Aug 4, 2023

I bought a Mamiya Press with the 100mm collapsible lens and it also had a stiff focusing helical. I did a moderate amount of disassembly and found the velvet light seal in the mount had come out of place and twisted causing the stiff focus. I glued it back in place and all is well. The mechanical aspects of the camera are pretty simple overall.

Don_ih · Aug 4, 2023

The cable in my grip blew apart so I replaced it with a different one. It's just a normal cable but it has to be the right length or it won't really throw far enough when you press the trigger.

ags2mikon · Aug 4, 2023

These are cameras that fill a need for some but not all. I find that the 50mm and 75mm lenses are well worth the trouble of owning these beasts. They can be frustrating at times too because of their lack of interconnects between film advance, cocking of the shutter ect. Worse than the RB67 in that regard.

Neil Poulsen · Aug 7, 2023

I have a complete Mamiya Press outfit, and really like it's versatility, and the fact that it's a range finder system.

If you're interested in one of these cameras, build a system based on the Universal body. For example, you can get a "G" adapter back, versus the "M" adapter back, that will accept RB67 holders. But, it makes it a little challenging to get your eye close enough to the viewfinder. Though a viewfinder extension was made to correct for this, they're impossible to find.

The regular Mamiya Press film magazines that fit the "M" adapters are relatively flat, and are known to hold the film very flat, do not have this problem.

One can find instructions on the photo.net in the Mamaya Press forum for properly and easily adjusting the rangefinder for Mamiya Press cameras.

Quite a nice set of lenses for these cameras. I have the 50mm, 65mm, 100mm f2.8, 150mm (blue dot), and the 250mm. There are others as well.

Also a variety of other accessories for the Universal. For example, I have accessories that enable me to photograph off the ground glass for more exacting work.

Check EBay. You can find cameras, lenses, and accessories for very reasonable prices.

Chuck1 · Mar 28, 2024

This seemed like a good place to ask about compatability.
Will a back adapter fit mamiya universal bodies and polaroid 600se bodies with no issues?
But the lens mounts are different (specific) mamiya and polaroid 600se lenses aren't interchangeable?
But a mamiya lenses will fit whether it's a universal, super or press?

ags2mikon · Mar 28, 2024

I don't think so. If I remember correctly the claw mount of the 600 se back adapter was different. But I may be wrong.

reddesert · Mar 28, 2024

I don't know for certain about the back adapter. On the Mamiya Universal, the piece that fits on the body and allows use of a Mamiya Press 120/220 back is called the M Adapter. It is claimed on the internet that the equivalent M adapter for the Polaroid 600 SE is different and very rare (other than improvising one by parts swapping).

The lens mounts are definitely different. The Polaroid uses a four claw mount and the Mamiya system uses three claws, so not too hard to tell apart.

The Mamiya lenses are interchangeable between Press, Super 23, and Universal (except I think the very large 250/5 which is only intended to mount on the Super 23 and Universal with a stronger lens mount flange).

I wouldn't get a Polaroid 600 SE unless really passionate about Polaroid packfilm. The Mamiya version is more flexible.

Neil Grant · Mar 29, 2024

... an update. I passed on the multi-faulted Press and, being sufficiently interested in such a quirky camera, got a 'better' one from Japan instead complete with 100mm f/2.8 lens. There was a problem almost immediately - the lens focusing seized. Rather than return it I tried to fix it myself and managed to regrease the helicoid in situ after removing the rear baffle. (I realise a complete strip down is the best solution for helicoid servicing). Anyway, it's working ok now, but I've been too busy to try using it.

xya · Mar 29, 2024

It's a system worth to have. As I have owned nearly all of the stuff and still have quite some, I have made a page with subpages here https://www.oddcameras.com/mamiya/mamiya_universal.htm

The M backs are wonderful. At the same time the are so rigid that you don't need a grip to hold the camera. That's why they made the type 3 back with its release. And yes, the cable is specific. And no, the Polaroid 600 and the Mamiyas are in no way compatible, neither lenses nor backs. On my Instant camera pages there is a page about the Polaroid 600SE and a page about the differences between the backs https://www.instantphoto.eu/diy/uni_600se.htm

reddesert · Mar 29, 2024

Yes, stiff focusing helicals can be a problem with these lenses given the age. I had the focusing helical seize up on a 65mm lens that I owned myself since the mid 90s (so I know it used to work ok, but hadn't used it for a period of years). I was able to free it up by working a little bit of solvent/light oil into the helical from the rear, and storing it in a warm place for a long time. Full overhaul is desirable for focusing helicals, but I find re-assembling helicals to be very difficult, so I try to avoid it at all costs.

Chuck1 · Mar 29, 2024

xya said:
It's a system worth to have. As I have owned nearly all of the stuff and still have quite some, I have made a page with subpages here https://www.oddcameras.com/mamiya/mamiya_universal.htm

The M backs are wonderful. At the same time the are so rigid that you don't need a grip to hold the camera. That's why they made the type 3 back with its release. And yes, the cable is specific. And no, the Polaroid 600 and the Mamiyas are in no way compatible, neither lenses nor backs. On my Instant camera pages there is a page about the Polaroid 600SE and a page about the differences between the backs https://www.instantphoto.eu/diy/uni_600se.htm

Thanks for the links, answered very well

crgrove · Apr 26, 2024

Neil Grant said:
...just come across one for these for sale with but with some problems and missing part? Needing some advice.
There's no means of triggering the camera- the grip has no cable release. The 6x9 magazine has a shutter button, but again no cable.
Are these cables generic or specific to the Press? Also the 100mm lens focusing became stuck when testing - it was very stiff but would turn a bit and then it got completely stuck at min focus distance. CLearly will need service - shutter / glass good. I believe this lens may be collapsible. 50mm lens more useable. Pair of RB backs i don't need. I think the biggest issue is the triggering arrangement and it functions.
100mm may be. Maybe if the price is right. THanks for any useful info

Hi All!
It seems that few people here realize that the "Model 3" film back has ITS OWN proprietary cable release that is completely different from the standard GRIP cable release. Combined with the Model 3 back it provides a shutter interlock which prevents double exposures.
I, too, am trying to find one of these Model 3 back, proprietary cable releases for sale. I was frustrated when I received my latest film back purchase only to find that it didn't come with the cable release.
I guess that is understandable as you might have a few Model 3 backs but only require the one cable release.
Again... this is a completely DIFFERENT cable than the standard grip cable.
Neil, did you happen to find one? Is there a item number for this specific cable release?

Cheers,
Christopher

Neil Grant · Apr 27, 2024

...I didn't know anything about the mark 3 back - but an interlock system could be very worthwhile on a camera that has plenty of potential for mess-ups. The camera I have was from eBay Japan. It has a 'normal' 6x9 back but I don't think I'd try to find a mk3 - they seem to be rare. Also, interlocks on old photo eqpt can fail to work correctly. Good luck finding one but I have no info.

Mamiya Press Universal - expert help needed

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