My first Mamiya: the 135 EE rangefinder

[TheToadMen]

I bought my first Mamiya camera today on a Photography Convention for $5.00: a Mamiya 135 EE rangefinder camera.
See: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Mamiya_135_EE



It is in new condition and came with a black case.
I like these kind of simple rangefinder cameras. I hope I can get it working again when I find a new battery.
The shutter fires and the rangefinder is working.

Does anyone have a manual for me?

 

[SafetyBob]

Only one place in the world may have that...

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/

Good luck, and what a great find!!

Bob E.

 

[TheToadMen]

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the tip! Nice site with lots of manuals.
Unfortunately not for a Mamiya 135 EE rangefinder camera.
I'll keep looking ....

 

[Chan Tran]

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the tip! Nice site with lots of manuals.
Unfortunately not for a Mamiya 135 EE rangefinder camera.
I'll keep looking ....

I couldn't find the manual for it either but how about just guessing? It doesn't seem to be very complicated although it does have auto exposure function thus the EE in the model name. I guess.

 

[elcabezagrande]

I would look for a Konica C35 Automatic or a Ricoh 500G manual, that should be close enough for comfort.

 

[TheToadMen]

I've got it!
Someone was so nice to scan and mail his manual.
He warned me however that it would be a waste to use film with it due to poor quality of the camera/lens.
I don't know, what doe you think?
I don't expect a Leica, naturally, but just a camera that is fun to use. A range finder with point & shoot qualitiy.
Any users of this camera here? Could you show me some images?
Thanks,
Bert

 

[elcabezagrande]

I have seen shots from that Mamiya on Flickr that look to have excellent image quality. The lens should be quite similar to the two cameras that I mentioned above, as well as most other compact rangefinders of the same vintage. "A range finder with point and shoot quality"? What does that even mean? There are many point and shoot cameras with lenses that are of very high quality. Did the camera makers forget how to make good optics when they added automation, or something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/mamiya135ee/

 

[TheToadMen]

... "A range finder with point and shoot quality"? What does that even mean? ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/mamiya135ee/

Hi,
this is my silly way of saying that "I don't expect a Leica-camera-with-Leica-lenses-for-quality but just a nice & simple camera WITH rangefinder to have fun with and still take great pictures so don't beat me up".

There are many point and shoot cameras with lenses that are of very high quality. Did the camera makers forget how to make good optics when they added automation, or something?

And your quite right: some of the "simpelefied" cameras have very good lenses. Any camera is still just a black box with some glass in front of it (or even only a pinhole). It all depends on what your goals and style are. Don't get me wrong: my Leica M7 with my 35 mm Summicron is a wonderful camera helping me to make great images and I love to use it. But I still try to live by the saying of Ansel Adams:

" ... avoiding the common illusion that creativity depends on equipment alone ... " (from his book: The Camera).

 

[Chan Tran]

I think the weak point in your camera is the fact that it's an automatic exposure only camera.