Mamiya TLR buyers guide

[alanrockwood]

Is there some place where I can find a good summary of how the various Mamiya TLR models differ from each other, and also what degree of compatibility there is for lenses and accessories between the different models?

Alternatively, would anyone like to take a crack at explaining it here?

Also, I already have a RB67 with a good lens collection, a Rolliecord, and several Kiev 60 cameras with a good lens collection. (Also a Russian Sputnik 3D stereo camera.) Would there be much benefit in adding a Mamiya TLR to my TLR zoo?

Thanks.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Usually the very old site by Graham Patterson is linked when it comes to questions like this:

http://gapatterson.org/mfaq.html

I suggest you go through it first, as it covers pretty much every question, then eventually you may come back here in case anything was not covered.

The main reason why you may want to add a C220/C330 to your set of cameras is that it has interchangeable lenses.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Also, I already have a RB67 with a good lens collection, a Rolliecord, and several Kiev 60 cameras with a good lens collection. (Also a Russian Sputnik 3D stereo camera.) Would there be much benefit in adding a Mamiya TLR to my TLR zoo?

Thanks.

As long as you don't think of Mamiya TLRs (assuming C line is implied) as anything similar to any other TLR, then yes, they can be beneficial to overall enjoyment of film photography. You will also find many who bought and dumped them as they are not what a typical TLR is due to size, weight etc. Interchangeable lenses are probably best benefit along with bellows focusing for closer work. These are full system cameras with lenses, hoods, prisms, grips, paramender (for closer work focus first, then raise camera to remove paralax, kind of funny device but works). Not cheap getting into especially the last models 330/220. If were to suggest one it would be the 330F or S and think of 220 as downgraded version with important differences from 330. Lenses are interchangeable throughout the times, meaning all lenses will fit any body from C on.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Forgot to mention Mamiya C TLR were used by many wedding photographers, so it is not uncommon to find an abused body even if they appear well built. For some reason the abused ones always felt to me really abused and it wasn't just the cosmetics, but the internals "sounded off" more than many other pro abused cameras. Could be just my bad luck. I have 2, 220, 330f, all fine except the 220 has one film guide roller with odd scratch/groove its full length and I don't use it as I am afraid to scratch film. It actually looks like manufacturing defect.

 

[jim10219]

Also, I already have a RB67 with a good lens collection, a Rolliecord, and several Kiev 60 cameras with a good lens collection. (Also a Russian Sputnik 3D stereo camera.) Would there be much benefit in adding a Mamiya TLR to my TLR zoo?

Thanks.

In my opinion, no. I have an RB67 and a C220. They're both good cameras, but the RB67 and the C series TLRs cover mostly the same ground with the RB67 having the benefit of a slightly larger negative and interchangeable film backs. Neither are easy to carry, but the TLR's are a little bit lighter (the RB67 is a little better on a tripod due to parallax, and the TLR's are a little better with out, but the differences aren't huge). You have a (much lighter) Rolliecord if you need something portable or just want a TLR, and the RB67 and Kiev 60 if you need interchangeable lenses, and the RB67 with the bellows also does good macro. Honestly, I'd sell one of them, except the C220 has sentimental value and the RB67 is the one I prefer to use.

That being said, the Mamiya TLR's are great cameras with some really nice lenses. So I'd definitely recommend owning one if you didn't already have the cameras that you do own, or if you love TLR's but hate being stuck with one lens. And if you do get one, make sure to get a small neck strap that holds the camera in the right position so you don't have to worry about supporting the weight of it while out in the field. That can be the difference between a positive and negative experience with these cameras.

 

[macfred]

Like Marco mentioned above, G. Patterson's site is a must-
I like this one too (mainly about C330 and a great lens overview - the author has another page for the C33): http://www.photographersgarden.com/mamiya-c330/

 

[NB23]

I LOOOOVE the Mamiya C200 and C330 cameras.
Add a grip and they’re suddenly very easy to carry.

Extremely easy to use, great quality, interchangeable lenses! And they make you look like a true artist, isn’t that a nice special?

Great stuff.

 

[MattKing]

Graham Patterson posts regularly here (under grahamp), so if you see something in his resource that needs clarification, you can probably reach him. I highly recommend his site. He has it mirrored or linked to in a number of locations over the years, so best check that your version is the current, updated to 2015 version.
I still have my C330 - it has been in reasonably regular use since I bought the store demonstrator from the camera store I was working in in 1976 or so. Most of my wedding work was done with it. At one time I had 4 lenses and a C220 body as well, but I have rationalized my set to a 65mm lens, a 135mm lens, a C330 body, prism and waist level finders, two different parramenders and a bunch of accessories. The resulting two lens kit is really quite compact, given its flexibility and capability.
The rationalization came because I acquired both a Mamiya 645 Pro SLR and, later, a Mamiya RB67. All three systems serve their purposes well, but they each have strengths. I have the luxury of choosing certain parts of certain systems, and letting the similar parts of other systems go. The 45mm N lens for the 645 is an example. It is a lot faster than the 45mm lens for the TLR, and is therefore much nicer to view, compose and focus with.
Four of the six prints in my most recent group show were shot in the last year or so using my C330. The other two were 6x6 crops from equally recent RB67 negatives.
If I had to choose one system only of the three I use, I would be hard pressed to choose. All three are very capable.

 

[narsuitus]

Also, I already have a RB67 with a good lens collection, a Rolliecord, and several Kiev 60 cameras with a good lens collection. (Also a Russian Sputnik 3D stereo camera.) Would there be much benefit in adding a Mamiya TLR to my TLR zoo?

For decades, I used Mamiya TLR cameras (C3, C22, C220) with 55, 80, and 180mm lenses. I now use an RB67 SLR with a good lens collection (50, 90, 140, 150, 180, 250mm).

Even though I love the larger images of the RB67, if Mamiya asked me which of the two I would want them to start producing again, I would select the TLR.

 

[Dan Daniel]

This is the real reason to buy one. Vivian Maier may have set off a run on Rolleis, but Diane Arbus set a different standard-

 

[grahamp]

http://grahamp.dotinthelandscape.org should find it. I have http://gapatterson.org pointed into that domain, but some services won't honor that redirect (for reasons totally off-topic for a photographic forum).

No, no recent updates - there is not a lot of new things happening in the Mamiya TLR world!

There are copies of this document of various vintages around the web, but I will only comment on content I actually maintain.

Short answers: stick to black Seiko shutters, C33 is good if you don't mind the weight, C220 or C220f if you don't mind a manually cocked shutter, and a C330/f/s otherwise. A paramender is a good choice if you do a lot of work under 3' away, and these camera will get really close. This equipment is old, and often used. Caveat Emptor!

 

[mgb74]

One feature of TLRs (and rangefinders) vs. SLRs is that you can still the subject at the moment of exposure. Some find this useful for portraits.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Go to butkus.com and download the manuals. That will will provide more answers than questions that you can think to ask.

 

[MattKing]

One feature of TLRs (and rangefinders) vs. SLRs is that you can still the subject at the moment of exposure. Some find this useful for portraits.

And great for film sensitive to infrared and the near infrared.

 

[jvo]

... if you do get one, make sure to get a small neck strap that holds the camera in the right position so you don't have to worry about supporting the weight of it while out in the field. That can be the difference between a positive and negative experience with these cameras.

the c330 is my camera of choice, for a whole bunch of reasons... but what jim10219 said is key - a short strap has made a real difference in the field, my leather strap is no longer than 24"!

 

[sixby45]

The C330 and C220 in any iteration ate pretty awesome, both for their swappable lenses and their minimum focus with bellows. Because of this unique feature they are much bulkier than a TLR Rolleiflex type - but still great tools.

I prefer the C330 mostly because it auto cocks the shutter which was a time saver when ripping through frames which is pretty easy to do with this camera. Also the focus screen is replaceable easily with the c330.

Lots of fun to use and definitely lighter and easier to hand carry than the RB which I have also done for street portraits

Biggest difference between the mamiya and other TLRs is to remember that the lenses draw differently and have a different color palette.

Factor in a set of foam light seals for 20 bucks and you will be on your way to enjoying this great set of cameras.

 

[CMoore]

This is the real reason to buy one. Vivian Maier may have set off a run on Rolleis, but Diane Arbus set a different standard-

View attachment 216808

That is a fabulous photo.!

 

[Sirius Glass]

The C330 and C220 in any iteration ate pretty awesome, both for their swappable lenses and their minimum focus with bellows. Because of this unique feature they are much bulkier than a TLR Rolleiflex type - but still great tools.

I prefer the C330 mostly because it auto cocks the shutter which was a time saver when ripping through frames which is pretty easy to do with this camera. Also the focus screen is replaceable easily with the c330.

Lots of fun to use and definitely lighter and easier to hand carry than the RB which I have also done for street portraits

Biggest difference between the mamiya and other TLRs is to remember that the lenses draw differently and have a different color palette.

Factor in a set of foam light seals for 20 bucks and you will be on your way to enjoying this great set of cameras.

The 250mm lens that I had did not auto chock and that drove me nuts.

 

[CMoore]

Does a 220/330 have a waist-level finder as part of the camera...is it integral to all of them.?
I see some with them with a, not sure what to call it...eye level finder. Does that mean that the waist level finder might be missing.?
Thank You

 

[Sirius Glass]

Does a 220/330 have a waist-level finder as part of the camera...is it integral to all of them.?
I see some with them with a, not sure what to call it...eye level finder. Does that mean that the waist level finder might be missing.?
Thank You

The WLF can be used as an eye level finder with detachable masks.

 

[pbromaghin]

I have had 2 C-33s (gave one to my son-in-law) and a C220, and absolutely love them. I recently expanded to having all but the 65mm lens, so those outside the 80 and 135 are still a mystery to be explored. The auto-cocking on the C33/330 is just a bother while winding the film, but is easily removed. I really find no functional difference worth bothering about between the models.

A short strap to hold it just where the eye can reach the finder, combined with a cable release, is as good as a tripod for most purposes.

 

[MattKing]

Does a 220/330 have a waist-level finder as part of the camera...is it integral to all of them.?
I see some with them with a, not sure what to call it...eye level finder. Does that mean that the waist level finder might be missing.?
Thank You

There are a number of different finders available for these cameras, and they are interchangeable.
Most cameras came with the waist level finder ("WLF") standard. It has a flip up magnifier and you can replace the diopter with one that matches your eyes. I use my WLF more than half the time.
There are several different eye level finder options. The "pure" prism finder gives a right side up, no lateral reversal image that is reasonably bright. It is somewhat heavy. I use my prism finder less than half the time, but I prefer it when taking photos of people.
There are also two different porrofinders that use a mirror to yield a right side up but laterally reversed, somewhat dim image. One of those has a CDS meter in it. The porrofinders are lighter than the prism finder, but bulkier than the prism finder. I don't have one of those.
There is also a magnifying chimney finder that I don't have, but covet.
There is a "sports" finder capability built into the lid of the WLFs which works with the 80mm lens as is. There were also accessory masks available for using the sportsfinder with the 105mm, 135mm, 180mm and 250mm lenses. I've never used the sportsfinder capability on my camera - I prefer to use some sort of focusing aid when I can.
In my case, I like the auto-cocking feature, and it has never given me problems. I'm not a long telephoto photographer, so have never desired the rather large 250mm lens that doesn't auto-cock.

 

[Alan Gales]

Do you need a Mamiya TLR since you own a RB67? I agree with Jim 2019. Probably not unless you just want one.

I own a C220f. The reason to buy a C220 over the C330 is because it is just a little lighter in weight and a bit cheaper. I didn't feel the need for the extra features of the C330 myself. Of course those added features are important to others.

The C220f and C330s were the last models made. They both share a brighter ground glass than the earlier models. I first bought a C220 and then replaced it with a C220f. The little extra brightness helps with focussing indoors. The C220f and C330S are a bit more plasticy than the older models but I haven't heard of any problems with that.

 

[markjwyatt]

My dad and I both used to do weddings. I bought his C330f used (then bought a new C220f as a back-up) when he switched to the Bronica SQ-A.

What my dad missed about the TLR: the ability to focus in low light. He had a much harder time with the Bronica.

The main advantage I saw with the Bronica (goes for your 6x7) was the ability to change preloaded film backs rather than loading and unloading film.

 

[bluechromis]

This is the real reason to buy one. Vivian Maier may have set off a run on Rolleis, but Diane Arbus set a different standard-

View attachment 216808

I have this picture of Diane taped up on the wall in my house. I lot of people don't know she used a Mamiya TLR.