Mamiya RB67-S users: Newbie with question

epatsellis · Apr 27, 2008

and cherry, if that does solve the problem, I'm always looking for donor RB parts for future frankencamera projects..

Tim, ist it the same revolving adapter/body? most of the ones I've seen really need a good teardown and cleaning/relube. Even ones from KEH, in fact. I now make it routine to tear down new backs and revolving adapters with any camera I get.

erie

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

Here's another "newbie question".....

If you're not using a flash, does it matter what setting you use on the lens's M-X selector?

k_jupiter · Apr 27, 2008

cherryhill said:
Here's another "newbie question".....

If you're not using a flash, does it matter what setting you use on the lens's M-X selector?

With these lens, no. I always keep mine on X. Keeps down the thinking when setting up flash later.

tim in san jose

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

Thanks, Tim.

k_jupiter · Apr 27, 2008

epatsellis said:
and cherry, if that does solve the problem, I'm always looking for donor RB parts for future frankencamera projects..

Tim, ist it the same revolving adapter/body? most of the ones I've seen really need a good teardown and cleaning/relube. Even ones from KEH, in fact. I now make it routine to tear down new backs and revolving adapters with any camera I get.

erie

Two different bodies with their own adapters. Perhaps they could use a re-lube, but this isn't a real problem. I have several 645 backs and several 6x7 backs. All exhibit the same behavior.

tim in san jose

David Grenet · Apr 27, 2008

For what it's worth I need to use that little lever only when I'm using a non-S back.

Oh, and just a tip so you don't make the same mistake me (and others) have - if you use the mirror lock-up mode on a lens, put it back to normal immediately after you have finished with it. It took me a little while to work out where those blank frames came from... :confused:

Have fun and happy shooting!

epatsellis · Apr 27, 2008

Tim, out of approx. 50 backs that have come and gone through here, 48 of them needed adjustment to allow the back to "see" the shutter had fired. it's a pretty trival adjustment, and my experience (buying alot of well used backs) is that nearly all of them need it (as well as a good refoaming and dusting.)

erie

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

David Grenet said:
... if you use the mirror lock-up mode on a lens, put it back to normal immediately after you have finished with it. It took me a little while to work out where those blank frames came from... :confused:...

I am clueless at this point about the mirror lock-up mode. Hey, I just learned how to load and advance the film. I consider that a pretty productive first weekend with the camera. What do you use that mode for?

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

epatsellis said:
Tim, out of approx. 50 backs that have come and gone through here, 48 of them needed adjustment to allow the back to "see" the shutter had fired. it's a pretty trival adjustment, and my experience (buying alot of well used backs) is that nearly all of them need it (as well as a good refoaming and dusting.)

erie

Gosh, is it really that common a problem? Are you talking about "revolving" backs having so many issues, or the 120 backs that need the adjustments so often? Now I'm wondering if I needed the revolving adapter or a really well tuned up 120 back.

keithwms · Apr 27, 2008

They don't need adjustments all that often, it's just that many of them have been in heavy use for literally decades. The camera system is built for heavy use... and it usually gets it by the time they show up for sale on the used market. Before long you'll want to have several backs so that you can switch them mid-shoot and recklessly sling 'em around as Mamiya intended.

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

I hope KEH will take back a return if it turns out that wasn't the issue. Maybe they won't mind if I trade it in toward a great condition 120 back. It would be nice to have a 2nd one anyway so I could shoot some color now and then.

Anyway, I know I am in the midst of professional photographers, and avid enthusiasts, but I am excited that I got my first picture from my Mamiya. Since this is my first step toward a long journey into MF, I am proud and excited... so I am putting it here. I know it's not that great, but it's been raining all day, and I don't have a flash, so I was confined basically to my front porch where I have a pot of daisies. I'm also excited because I had to use my 50mm enlarger lens instead of the 90mm while I wait for the proper adapter ring to arrive. It still worked... but using the 50mm lens, this 5x7 had to be blown up to about a 11x14 size and cropped.

David Grenet · Apr 27, 2008

cherryhill said:
I am clueless at this point about the mirror lock-up mode. Hey, I just learned how to load and advance the film. I consider that a pretty productive first weekend with the camera. What do you use that mode for?

When using slow shutter speeds the vibrations caused by the mirror can lead to some blurriness. Putting the lens in 'M' mode stops the shutter firing when the release button on the body is pressed (just the mirror goes up). You can then use a cable release attached to the socket on the lens to just fire the shutter, thereby elimination the vibration caused by the 'mirror slap'.

As the shutter has to be fired separately in this mode you can see why it can cause trouble if you aren't careful!

cherryhill · Apr 27, 2008

Ahhhh... that makes sense. Thank you for the explanation.

epatsellis · Apr 27, 2008

keithwms said:
They don't need adjustments all that often, it's just that many of them have been in heavy use for literally decades. The camera system is built for heavy use... and it usually gets it by the time they show up for sale on the used market. Before long you'll want to have several backs so that you can switch them mid-shoot and recklessly sling 'em around as Mamiya intended.

Exactly, they were built to last decades, literally. And most have, in fact. My experiences tend to be skewed, as the majority of the cameras, lenses and backs I see have led hard lives, though were I to only buy pristine ones, I'd never be able to afford much, if any at all, nor would I have learned the RB's inside and out, literally.

erie

k_jupiter · Apr 28, 2008

cherryhill said:
I hope KEH will take back a return if it turns out that wasn't the issue. Maybe they won't mind if I trade it in toward a great condition 120 back. It would be nice to have a 2nd one anyway so I could shoot some color now and then.

Anyway, I know I am in the midst of professional photographers, and avid enthusiasts, but I am excited that I got my first picture from my Mamiya. Since this is my first step toward a long journey into MF, I am proud and excited... so I am putting it here. I know it's not that great, but it's been raining all day, and I don't have a flash, so I was confined basically to my front porch where I have a pot of daisies. I'm also excited because I had to use my 50mm enlarger lens instead of the 90mm while I wait for the proper adapter ring to arrive. It still worked... but using the 50mm lens, this 5x7 had to be blown up to about a 11x14 size and cropped.

I think you need a #1 extension tube... and a 180 lens... and a ring flash... and a good tripod... *L*

Driving another one down the road to ruin. Welcome.

tim

epatsellis · Apr 28, 2008

One thing you should get that will make your photography significantly better, a compendium shade, and I second the good tripod.

erie

cherryhill · Apr 28, 2008

k_jupiter said:
I think you need a #1 extension tube... and a 180 lens... and a ring flash... and a good tripod... *L*

Driving another one down the road to ruin. Welcome.

tim

haha.... maybe next year!

cherryhill · Apr 28, 2008

epatsellis said:
One thing you should get that will make your photography significantly better, a compendium shade, and I second the good tripod.

erie

The tripod I've got. I don't know about any of the other things on yours and Tim's list yet. All in good time, though.

Steve Smith · Apr 28, 2008

tim_walls said:
I've never used that lever - I didn't even know what it was for before this thread!

I have two Pro SD backs and I had never heard of this lever either!

Steve.

cherryhill · Apr 29, 2008

I got the revolving adapter, and it didn't solve the problem BUT.. it does click in place when you turn it back and forth (the one that came with my camera didn't). Comparing the new one to the one that came with my camera, I see that the frame of the original adapter is somewhat askew. So, I'm going to keep the adapter, and I ordered another 120 back from KEH. I asked the KEH salesman if all their backs have been tested, and he said they are, and the "bargain" one I bought will work properly. So, hopefully that will solve the problem.

Johnny Luv · Jan 31, 2011

Check the connection between the mounting bracket.....

Check the connection between the mounting bracket for the film back to the camera. Make sure both slides are in the back / unlocked position. You may find that one is jammed causing the film back to still mount but not properly. If you find that one is jammed you may have to manually release it and then remount the film back. Should work fine after that.

Marc B. · Jan 31, 2011

Johnny, I see this is your first post. You just reactivated a three year old dead thread.

phirehouse · Feb 1, 2011

i saw this last night. i say no harm as it was a good read, (i am a RB67 newbie also). i was dissapointed to see that a solution to the problem was never posted.

hpulley · Feb 1, 2011

The OP's last post was in the how do you pronounce Mamiya thread, never to be heard again...

Mamiya RB67-S users: Newbie with question

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