"New" Mamiya 6 body question

[Trask]

I'd appreciate an informed response from anyone who actually uses a Mamiya 6 -- there's a local store selling a Mamiya 6 body for around $250, which sounds like a good price to me. The guy who owns the store says that it's old stock that he got from the previous owner and he doesn't know much about it. In other words, it's a crap shoot.

The body looks used but not heavily. The one thing that bothers me about it is that the collapsing lens mount seems to move in an out regardless of whether the release button on the lower corner is pushed or not. Somehow it seem illogical to me that mamiya would build a button to control the movement of the lens mount, then let it just move in and out regardless of whether the button is pushed or not. I should mention that this is WITHOUT a lens mounted -- the guy has just the body, no lens, so that make it really hard to figure out of the body is trashed or not.

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

 

[keithwms]

I have two sixes and love 'em.

That's a suspiciously good price. Check it thoroughly. Check for weakness in the winder, a clean battery area, non-corroded contacts, securely deploying collapse mechanism (you really should try it with a lens on): it should find both positions (in and out) securely and with conviction! There is indeed a large, black button (lower right of the lens as you face it) which allows the collapse mechanism to release. Make sure that works; the 6 was discontinued largely because of issues with that particular mechanism, and I am not sure how readily it can be fixed if there is an issue. Worst case, we might have to think of how to secure it in the "out" position, permanently.

Ideally you would (with a lens on) open up the back, set the timer on B, and fire and wind a few times and make sure everything is good to go. Also check the curtain feature (which protects film during lens swaps or lens during film swaps). This is controlled via the pac-man button on the bottom.

If you want to send it over I can have a good look with a lens, but I am deinfitely not able to CLA, all I can do is tell you if it's working properly and make minor adjustments. So you could just as well send it to KEH for a check-up and say that you'll buy a lens if they will check it out. They have a very good return policy and would give you a buying discount if you turn it in as ugly/bargain....

Anyway $250 is a really good price if it is indeed shootable Good news is that all the timing intricacies are in the lenses, so at least you don't have to sweat that. Worst case you'll buy a lens and discover you need another body. I have seen them go for $500 or so. In that case, it's a win-win situation, because you'd have a "parts" body in case you have a winder failure or whatever.

 

[jordanstarr]

is this the folding mamiya six, or the mordern one with interchangable lenses?

 

[keithwms]

Well he/she said "new" so I assume he/she means the collapsing one with the interchangeable lenses... but he/she didn't say whether it is the straight 6 or the 6MF.

Trask, if you decide not to get it, then let me buy it for parts

 

[Trask]

Yes, it's the new one, not the original Mamiya 6 from the 1950's. If I decide not to go for it, I'll pass you the address. Problem is, it's in Paris where I live! Couldn't cost too much to mail it, though. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

 

[Peter Williams]

I use a Mamiya 6 and love it. Just to see, I picked it up and tried to move the lens mount without a lens mounted. It doesn't lock in the extended position without a lens mounted, so I would not pass it up on that basis. Can it be returned if found defective?

 

[jd callow]

If the lens mount does not lock into place with a lense on it the camera can not be trusted. Without a lens the mount will move freely. It may be a small fixable issue (generally nothing MAC does is cheap, but you never know), but it would be a show stopper for me. There is a chance that the camera would be worth 250 in parts... The bodies go for 600.00 to 800.00 lasy I looked. My current body was a little over 800.00.