Mamiya TLR models - Cxxx Cxx etc

[walter23]

Can somebody explain or point me to a resource explaining the difference between these mamiya TLRs? I can't imagine there would be much differentiating them (e.g. the C330, C33, C220, etc) as they're pretty basic, aren't they? Just a box with a finder, bellows, film holder, and a place to mount a lens.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

This is good a place to start as any:
http://www.lumieresenboite.com/collection2.php?l=2&c=Mamiya_C220
All Mamiya TLRs are equally well built and good to take pictures with, it's mainly a question of the presence or not of linked film/shutter wind and parallax correction indication. I have owned C330s, C330f and C3 - as far as I recall, the 3[xxx] models are more sophisticated. I suppose the cameras are "basic" insofar as they don't have built-in metering, powered film wind or whatever, they are in fact quite cleverly designed in terms of bellows for close focusing, a light baffle to cover the film while lens changing, and a viewfinder indicator for parallax correction. The "Paramender" was a thing of wonder, by raising the taking lens to where the viewing lens was when composing the picture, it completely cures parallax error!

Regards,

David

 

[areaeleven]

they are fairly basic. i love my c33 (just had to throw that in).

i will mention the ubiquitous TLR FAQ by graham patterson who is a member here.

Dead Link Removed

c.

 

[walter23]

Great, thanks. I hadn't had any luck with google.

 

[David Brown]

i will mention the ubiquitous TLR FAQ by graham patterson who is a member here.

Dead Link Removed

c.

Beat me to it.

 

[benjiboy]

This is good a place to start as any:
http://www.lumieresenboite.com/collection2.php?l=2&c=Mamiya_C220
All Mamiya TLRs are equally well built and good to take pictures with, it's mainly a question of the presence or not of linked film/shutter wind and parallax correction indication. I have owned C330s, C330f and C3 - as far as I recall, the 3[xxx] models are more sophisticated. I suppose the cameras are "basic" insofar as they don't have built-in metering, powered film wind or whatever, they are in fact quite cleverly designed in terms of bellows for close focusing, a light baffle to cover the film while lens changing, and a viewfinder indicator for parallax correction. The "Paramender" was a thing of wonder, by raising the taking lens to where the viewing lens was when composing the picture, it completely cures parallax error!

Paramenders are a great idea David I've had one for years, but if you don't have one, or don't have it with you, the distance between the lenses is 2", so if you raise the centre column of your tripod by 2" after composing your picture works very well too.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

While we're talking Mamiya TLR quirks, we shouldn't forget the metering prism. As I recall (it was a while ago), this had a metering cell about 5 mm in diameter on the end of a pivoted arm about 4 cm long. Moving this arm out of its park position turned the meter on, you could then spot-meter anything that fell within the arc which the metering cell described as it moved over the focusing screen. I've never heard of another MF meter working in this way, there are of course LF metering backs which do.

Regards,

David

 

[Dave Miller]

The C220 series was aimed at the amateur market, and the C330 at the professional market which required a little more robustness. The C330 have coupled lens cocking and wind on, the C220 require these to be done separately. The lens, and as far as I know accessories all are interchangeable. I used a C330s extensively, until about 6 months ago, for infrared work to which it is admirable suited since the opaque red filter could stay in place all the time. It is an excellent range of cameras, apart from anything else it will get you away from eye-level work, as well as slowing you down; both could be smart moves.

 

[Brac]

Mamiya ran the two cameras ranges in parallel eg C22 with C33, C220 with C330. I bought my C220 new in 1977 and it has been a real workhorse though I haven't had cause to use it in recent years as my circumstances have changed. But I can't bear to part with it!

I do recollect there were just a very few accessories that would only fit the C330 series but off the top of my head I can't recall what they were. All the lenses (which range from 55mm w/a to 250mm tele) will fit both.

The only downside to the cameras was that they are relatively heavy.

 

[MattKing]

Mamiya ran the two cameras ranges in parallel eg C22 with C33, C220 with C330. I bought my C220 new in 1977 and it has been a real workhorse though I haven't had cause to use it in recent years as my circumstances have changed. But I can't bear to part with it!

I do recollect there were just a very few accessories that would only fit the C330 series but off the top of my head I can't recall what they were. All the lenses (which range from 55mm w/a to 250mm tele) will fit both.

The only downside to the cameras was that they are relatively heavy.

Between the C220 and the C330, only the 330 series will take the interchangeable screens.

In addition, the additional shutter release on the C330 interfaces with the left hand grip with trigger. It also offers a "front-to-back" travel - something I find can really aid image sharpness. As my earlier post on this thread indicates, these can be a big advantages.

By the way, when considering size and weight, be sure to compare size and weight of camera with lenses. The bellows focusing built into the camera means that almost all the lenses (the 250mm being the clear exception) are of relatively the same size and weight. As a result, a 55mm, 80mm and 135mm plus camera body kit may be closer than you think in size and weight to a similar kit in a supposedly smaller and lighter camera - specially one with leaf shutters.

Matt

 

[Sirius Glass]

The only downside to the cameras was that they are relatively heavy.

The C330 is now part of my exersize program.

Steve

 

[benjiboy]

Strained

The C330 is now part of my exersize program.

Steve

Know what you mean Steve, I've been lugging a C33( seems to weigh about half as much again as the C330F), a C330F 3 lenses and a Prism for about twenty years, and have sometimes wondered why the Mamiya C system didn't include a truss for your hernia !

 

[wclavey]

With the attractive prices you can find on Mamiya TLRs, I decided to fill in some of the gaps in my kit. So now, with several bodies, 5 lenses, 2 prisms, light meter, L-brackets and assorted filters, I purchased a saltwater reel case from Cabella's to carry it all in. When fully loaded, I can now barely lift it! Well, not really, but if you throw in a tripod or monopod, you definitely get your exercise.

But my new strategy is that I put that single reel bag, with the full TLR kit, and an empty camera backpack or my Domke bag into the car, and I do not need to decide what equipment to actually carry until I get to where I'm going and I see what it is like...

 

[Sirius Glass]

1) I brought a Tamron 752 pack for the C330 so that I could load it from the top. When I carried it in a shoulder bag it fawked up my back.
2) I usually use the camera from the back seat of my OHV [Grand Cherokee] when I am off-roading. That way I set up the camera, take photos and come back to the car when I change lenses.
3) I use the C330 when I am not pressed for time. If I have to move in a timely fashion, I use my Nikon.

Steve