Mamiya Super Deluxe problem

I have a nice Mamiya Super Deluxe with the f1.7 lens. It is one of my favorite cameras, fun to use with super-sharp results.

I have it stored in the case in a dry basement. After not using it for a few months, I fired the shutter and....nothing. It wasn't dropped or abused in any way from the time I last used it.

I am so disappointed! I'm not the type to tinker on my own equipment, and I know a visit to the repair shop will cost about $100 no matter how minor the problem.

Any easy way to bring it back to life?

The Mamiya SD was my first RF camera, got it used back in my teens. I agree it's a great performer with a great lens!

It's probably a stuck shutter.

You can expose the shutter blades by unscrewing the front element. I would try taking a small amount of Ronsonol on a q-tip and gently infiltrate it between the shutter blades. This is what I had to do with my GIII (very similar shutter) to get it working.

That's what I would try first.

Hope this helps.

Even before that, I'd try the battery.

TheFlyingCamera said:

Even before that, I'd try the battery.

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The battery will not stop the shutter from firing. I've shot many photos with this with a totally dead battery. (Don't ask me why.)

Thanks for the replies. I don't want to open it up myself and wreck it. I've sent it out for a repair estimate.

This camera is bulky and reminds me of my Argus C3 in that it is "brick-like". The lens is razor sharp and the meter does a great job. I'd hate to lose use of it. it doesn't deserve to sit on a display shelf.

crabby said:

Thanks for the replies. I don't want to open it up myself and wreck it. I've sent it out for a repair estimate.

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Out of curiosity, where are you sending it? It would be nice to know who is competent on these. Mine has developed a hesitation in the lower shutter speeds (1 to 1/4, which I rarely use anyway) and I've been putting off tearing into it or having it repaired professionally. It might be nice to have mine CLAd in the near future too.

This camera is bulky and reminds me of my Argus C3 in that it is "brick-like".

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It is larger than some, and it's not a lightweight. I do think it's lighter than the K1000, however.

I often thought that the styling of the SD and the Mamiya Press were intended to be similar. Let's see if the photos I'm trying to use for the comparison will show up here ...




(Hey, it looks like it worked!)

When I got my first one (I was all of 17 at the time) I thought it really looked cool, with the black face and that big eye staring you down. My friends at the time who were into photography gave it lots of "ooo's" and "aaahh's".

It's very retro now. Somebody on RFF described the styling as that of a "cheap transistor radio" or something like that. It's definitely 60s.

The lens is razor sharp and the meter does a great job. I'd hate to lose use of it. it doesn't deserve to sit on a display shelf.

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It is a great user camera, particularly for available-darkness situations. I've found that the Mamiya lens shows less astigmatism wide open than does the far more popular and widely heralded 1.7 lens on the Canon GIII.

I shipped the Mamiya to Roman Camera Repair.

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I've used Essex for years but have heard a lot of good things about Roman. So I'll give him a try. Both Essex and Roman are a 30-minute drive from my house in case I have to visit.

I'd like to say I've never sent anything to Essex that they couldn't fix. In some cases the estimate was just too high so I said "no". I'll let you know the results with Roman.

I have the repaired camera back in my hands and it works beautifully. Price for a shutter overhaul was $68 including return shipping by UPS.

Where do you get batteries for this camera. Didn't it use mercury batteries?

crabby said:

I have the repaired camera back in my hands and it works beautifully. Price for a shutter overhaul was $68 including return shipping by UPS.

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I am glad to see that you got your camera back in service.

A word of advice: Do not store you camera in the basement [dampness, etc.]. Instead take it out and shoot more film!

Steve