Mamiya Press/Universal Lens & Back Compatibility Q

BobD · Aug 6, 2021

Today I bought a Mamiya 65mm lens/VF and 120/6x7 film back at low cost. I would like to get a body to go along with them.

There are a number of different models in this series so my question is:
Do they all have the same lens mount and use the same film backs?

Thanks

Dan Fromm · Aug 6, 2021

Press, Super 23, Universal. Yes.

Besk · Aug 6, 2021

The lens fits all Mamiya Press type cameras. If your back is a Mamiya brand, then you want a camera with a "P" adapter back which is by far the most common now.
There is also a "G" back adapter for Graflok backs.

BobD · Aug 6, 2021

Bob Eskridge said:
The lens fits all Mamiya Press type cameras. If your back is a Mamiya brand, then you want a camera with a "P" adapter back which is by far the most common now.
There is also a "G" back adapter for Graflok backs.

Isn't the P adapter for Polaroid backs?

BobD · Aug 6, 2021

Dan Fromm said:
Press, Super 23, Universal. Yes.

Thanks!

reddesert · Aug 6, 2021

So ... mostly. The Mamiya lenses all have the same mount (except for the ones for the Polaroid SE, which you almost certainly don't have).

You probably have a Mamiya 'M' mount film back. This is long - wider than the camera body - and has rounded projections on each end where the film spools go. Most of the Press and Super 23 models have the M mount back that fits this. The body has two round knobs on the lower rear that turn to hold the back down. If you get a Universal, you have to make sure it comes with the "M frame" that fits the back. The M frame can be expensive to buy separately.

There are also less common Press and Super 23 bodies that have a rear "G" mount with sliders - this is the same as a 2x3 Graflok back, and works with a Graflok or RB67 film back. You probably don't want that.

The Mamiya Universal can take the M frame, a somewhat rare "G frame" that accepts the Graflok backs, or can take a Polaroid back that fits directly. If you see an ad for a Universal with a Polaroid back mounted, that means it doesn't have the M or G frame, which makes it less useful.

Kodachromeguy · Aug 6, 2021

This brochure for the Universal Press might be useful:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/mamiya-press-universal-brochure-from-1982.185000/

Besk · Aug 6, 2021

BobD said:
Isn't the P adapter for Polaroid backs?

Yes. My mistake. The M adapter is for the Mamiya back. Be aware, there is a M horizontal (most common) and a M vertical adapter.

xya · Aug 7, 2021

for an overview you might visit my page about the mamiya system https://www.oddcameras.com/mamiya/mamiya_universal.htm

xya · Sep 5, 2021

Eugen Mezei said:
Regarding the Tetra- and Duophoto attachments (https://www.oddcameras.com/mamiya/mamiya_uni_lens.htm):
1. Did you try if pictures taken with these give a stereo effect when viewed in a stereo viewer? Especially the duo.
2. Are these usable on other lenses than the 127 mm? (Even if they dont cover Polaroid, I intend to do stereograms to 6x9 frames.)
3. They are specified for distances up to 3 m. Any chance they will work further away too?

yes, I tried the duo with instant film material, fuji fp-100c. and yes, it works. on my oddcameras page there are stereo attachments and viewers as well. with the loreo 3D viewer it works well. but the end of fuji pack film put an end to this.

I have not tried it with 6x9 film. you would either need diapositive film for the old style look-through viewers or make contact prints for the look-on viewers. that's quite some work and expense.

for the moment I do stereos the lazy way: a loreo 9005 attachment to a sony A7 and a canon cp printer. don't tell this on this forum. but I do have some real film stereo cameras and I still have some diapositive film left...

xya · Sep 6, 2021

Eugen Mezei said:
I have the Blaubär. Is this the MK1 or the MK2 of the Loreo camera?

Yes, I want slides, but for the first try it will be negative.
Expense? Not really, nothing is wihout expense.

I would have discussed the topic more with you, but you are impossible to reach. Nowhere a mail adress.

as far as I know the blaubär is a MK2.

120 diapositive film is quite expensive these days and it is very expensive to have it developped. 135 diapositive film can still be sent to the big labs, it takes 2 or 3 weeks to get it back, but it's cheap. 120 diapositive is only done by special labs, they are very expensive in cologne. I can only do b&w negatives myself.

there are 2 ways to contact me. you can start a private discussion on this photrio site by clicking on my name. this would be slow, as I do not visit this site every day. but on each of my own sites you will find the mandatory contact page. just email me...

Neil Poulsen · Sep 11, 2021

Bob Eskridge said:
The lens fits all Mamiya Press type cameras. If your back is a Mamiya brand, then you want a camera with a "P" adapter back which is by far the most common now.
There is also a "G" back adapter for Graflok backs.

I have the "G" back for Graflex, RB67 backs, etc. So, I need only one set of backs for all my cameras. But with these thicker backs, one can get only so close when trying to look through the viewfinder. I have a viewfinder extension for this that I lucked across which extends the view finder out just over an inch. But, they're very rare. In years, I've seen only three of them for sale on EBay, etc.

Just something to be wary of for those interested in a "G" type back.

xya · Sep 23, 2021

Eugen Mezei said:
A roll of Ektachrome is under 20 €. 2 € per frame. (6x9)
Developing is in Germany cheap. The drugstore chains accept 120 film (DM, Müller, etc.) at least they did last time I checked. Do they not anymore? Last time they charged me 2,20 € per film for developing.

I don't know when you checked for the last time. I have 5 shops of the DM chain in the center of cologne, they all scrapped film developing and they scrapped all film sales quite recently, let's say 2 months ago. we don't have müller in cologne. the only one doing developing is rossmann, it's 4€, it takes at least 3 weeks and sometimes the films get lost. they work with cewe.

Eugen Mezei said:
Nope.
Here on Apug: This member limits who may view their full profile.
On your pages I see only a single page without any contact data. (Also auch kein Impressum.) I use Firefox.

please have a look again, indeed you have a problem. I use firefox myself. on ALL of my different domains, on the first (or entrance) page, there is a contact link. this leads to the contact and impressum page. I checked 5 minutes ago. it's there, up and running.

I am contacted as well quite often via apug/photrio by other members. I can't understand why this doesn't work for you...

Mamiya Press/Universal Lens & Back Compatibility Q

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