Mamiya RB67 black fabric on mirror flap?

[holggger]

Hi Apugs,

I was wondering if anyone of you knows whether the Mamiya RB67 usually has a strip of black fabric glued to the "mirror flap" (or, more specifically, the black 2nd flap under the mirror)? Hope you can see what I mean on the attached photos (first one with black flap almost completely down, mirror still up; second photo with black flap down, mirror halfway down).

The reason I am asking is that I do have this on the Mamiya RB67, but recently I took in a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S and it does not have the fabric (nor does the repair manual for the Pro-S that is circling around the interwebs mention any fabric). It is sometimes hard to tell with used cameras what pre-owners have added, changed or removed when you have never seen a factory new camera to compare.

If it is supposed to have this fabric to avoid light leaks etc. I may try to add some myself, otherwise I'd probably just leave it as is.

Hope anyone knows more about this, thanks

 

[tedr1]

I have the ProS body which seems to be all original. The light baffle that is located behind the mirror has a flap at the lower edge, it seems to be a black fabric material and is very similar to what is shown in your picture. The lower edge of the mirror has no flap, there is however on the back of the mirror a layer of black polymer foam about 3mm thick. Hope that helps.

 

[holggger]

Hope that helps.

This helps a lot, thank you! Sounds exactly the way it is on my older RB67 (like on my photos).

Guess I will have to figure out a way now to add this to my ProS, as well...

 

[paul ron]

before you add anything, check if its a light leak first?

 

[holggger]

before you add anything, check if its a light leak first?

True Paul Ron. I shot one roll – mainly to check if the mirror, which appears to move slower than the one on my older RB67, was in the way at 1/400th – and did not notice any light leaks. I was careful, though, to always keep the dark slide in when I wasn't taking a photo, so I am not sure how everything would work under longer exposure to light.

Surely, though, that fabric was put their by the engineers to serve a specific – necessary – function?

 

[paul ron]

take the lens and back off. then n a dark room, using a bright light (led head lamp) in the lens opening, check the back for any signs of light leaking? while you're at it, extend the bellows and check all the corners for light leaks as you rotate the light inside to all parts of the folds?

at least you will be assured its ok n not have to fiddle with a dark slide between shots.

you'll find alot of double checks were put in as backups.

ill pull out a few bodies to see if that flap was standard in all issues.
i may have a junker left for parts incase you need it.

omg i just noticed where you are.... hahahaha postage would cost as much as a new body!...

check the light leaks n figure out how to fix it later?

 

[paul ron]

i checked and the way the rim of that metal flapper mates it shouldnt leak light. The material must have been a backup incase.

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