Want to Buy WTB: RB67

[RoboRepublic]

Hi all, looking for a nice, possibly serviced RB67 to call my own

 

[blee1996]

You can get a BGN grade kit from KEH for a fair price. And they have excellent return policy if things don't work. Sometimes I found their price is better than ebay or even local private sales on Criagslist.

 

[RoboRepublic]

Appreciate the heads up!
I took a look and its all chopped up in pieces, no back, no lens. I'll take it if no one here has one. Much rather pick up from a user , rather than assembling all the doodads to make a useable system.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Have you looked on eBay? I've bought stuff from Japan and had pretty good service. Pick a supplier there that has 99% or 100% favorable ratings. I;d stay away from 127mm lens and systems with that lens as they were used a lot by wedding photographers and probably have been beat to death (the shutters for the RB are built into the lenses not the camera.) . Alternatively, check with Kumar. He's a middleman that works with Japanese companies in Japan that can find stuff for you. If you have a problem, he stands behind his sales. Kumar Brahmajosyula <uchinomishiharai@gmail.com>

The 90mm is considered "normal". and a good place to start. Get a Pro S or Pro SD RB67 version and the lenses should be "C" or the better "KL" for Pro SD models, as that means they're coated. Here's a comparison chart that shows which lenses and accessories go with which models. YOu're going to need a heavy-duty tripod to get clear focused shots especially if you're shooting landscapes. Good luck. Feel free to ask questions.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Mamiya-RB67-Pro-SD-Film-Cameras/15230/bn_93506381

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Have you looked on eBay? I've bought stuff from Japan and had pretty good service. Pick a supplier there that has 99% or 100% favorable ratings. I;d stay away from 127mm lens and systems with that lens as they were used a lot by wedding photographers and probably have been beat to death (the shutters for the RB are built into the lenses not the camera.) . Alternatively, check with Kumar. He's a middleman that works with Japanese companies in Japan that can find stuff for you. If you have a problem, he stands behind his sales. Kumar Brahmajosyula <uchinomishiharai@gmail.com>

The 90mm is considered "normal". and a good place to start. Get a Pro S or Pro SD RB67 version and the lenses should be "C" or the better "KL" for Pro SD models, as that means they're coated. Here's a comparison chart that shows which lenses and accessories go with which models. YOu're going to need a heavy-duty tripod to get clear focused shots especially if you're shooting landscapes. Good luck. Feel free to ask questions. I;ve shot an RB67 for over thirty years. You can see some on my FLickr site link below. It;s a great camera system. Chromes are amazing.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Mamiya-RB67-Pro-SD-Film-Cameras/15230/bn_93506381

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

RB67 comparison chart mentioned in my last post.
http://www.reznitsky.info/Mamiya/Comchart.htm

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I bought my RB when I was in Japan. Last summer, I made several purchases for lenses, and prism finder from ebay Japan sellers.

 

[harlequin]

Dear RR,

I have a backup rb67 body very good condition very light use
Rb67 pro with Polaroid proofing back, you would need to purchase
Wlf or prism and lenses of your choice, I would recommend 127 for head shoulders and
180mm for tight portrait has never let me down since purchasing in 2008!

150.00 plus freight to Boston.
Pm me if you have any questions

 

[Donald Qualls]

@harlequin If that body comes with the Polaroid back, is the revolving part (with Graflok mount) still with it? That had to be removed to mount the Mamiya Polaroid back, as I recall.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Dear RR,

I have a backup rb67 body very good condition very light use
Rb67 pro with Polaroid proofing back, you would need to purchase
Wlf or prism and lenses of your choice, I would recommend 127 for head shoulders and
180mm for tight portrait has never let me down since purchasing in 2008!

150.00 plus freight to Boston.
Pm me if you have any questions

I think it would be fair to advise the OP that a Polaroid back (for instant film) won't help him take pictures. The instant film is no longer manufactured and he can't use it with regular 120 film that is available. He needs to buy an RB67 film back. He also would need to buy an RB67 waist-level or eye-level finder and a lens. All he's getting is a box, just a small part of a camera. That's not a good position to be in if you're just starting out. He should buy a complete camera to get started.

 

[RoboRepublic]

I think it would be fair to advise the OP that a Polaroid back (for instant film) won't help him take pictures. The instant film is no longer manufactured and he can't use it with regular 120 film that is available. He needs to buy an RB67 film back. He also would need to buy an RB67 waist-level or eye-level finder and a lens. All he's getting is a box, just a small part of a camera. That's not a good position to be in if you're just starting out. He should buy a complete camera to get started.

Alan, I usually shoot a 501cm, so I'm a bit familiar with modular nature of the mamiyas
I do wonder at Donalds question- if the RB67's film back mount has been modified to accommodate the polaroid back, however.

 

[Donald Qualls]

@RoboRepublic This isn't a modification -- the revolving Graflok mount comes off the body by moving two levers; this was done intentionally because the Polaroid back and possibly one or two other accessories needed the extra relief distance to focus correctly on the reflex ground glass. It's an issue, though, because film backs for the RB67 mount to the Graflok mount (and other 2x3 Graflok accessories can also be used), but almost nothing goes on the (IIRC) P mount. Without the Graflok mount, nothing that's easy to feed today can be mounted to the body.

Also, as noted, if you get just the body, even if the revolving mount is included, you still have to buy at least one lens with working shutter, a roll film holder, and a viewfinder before you can use the camera at all (neither lenses nor viewfinders are hard to find, but you're probably tripling your buy-in to get a common 90 mm lens, waist level finder, and Mamiya 120 6x7 film back -- that is, another $300 or more on top of the $150 for the body.

 

[RoboRepublic]

Donald, thanks for explaining- I didn't realize that the Rb67 is essentially a graflok back (as I understand it currently).
I don't think $450 is that bad of a price for a one lens RB67 kit, depending on the wear- is that a crazy price point in your estimation?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Well, I got mine almost three years ago, when prices were just up from the bottom; I paid just over $450 plus shipping for a 90 mm lens, waist level finder, and two film backs -- 6x7 and 6x4.5, both for 120. So no, $450 or so isn't excessive, as long as everything works as it should. The waist level finder may be the hard part to find -- chimneys and prisms are all over eBay, but WLF not so much, and the 120 backs have gone up some (220 not so much because there's effectively no 220 film). I'd double check my price guesses, though, and compare against ready to use setups -- several of the Japanese dealers have decent pricing (though shipping from Japan is a little tricky just now).

Do factor in that the shutter in any lens you get is close to 50 years old and wouldn't be mis-handled by getting a CLA, and it's very likely any roll film holder will need light seals (Jon Goodman is the go-to for that).

I also highly recommend finding a strap and strap connector setup, and a left hand grip (which includes a left hand shutter trigger). Makes the camera FAR easier to use off tripod.

And yes, Graflok with a few add-ons to support double exposure prevention and dark slide protection (with the Mamiya backs) -- but it will work with other 2x3 Graflok items (I have Graflex 22, 23, and RH10 backs I've used on mine), you just have to handle dark slide reminder and film advance without help. If sheet film in that size were more available, I'd probably look for a 2x3 Grafmatic, too. Six exposures, and more compact than the regular 120 back.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Donald, thanks for explaining- I didn't realize that the Rb67 is essentially a graflok back (as I understand it currently).
I don't think $450 is that bad of a price for a one lens RB67 kit, depending on the wear- is that a crazy price point in your estimation?

Check page starting at 43 for interlocks and back. Basically, you need the film back that works with the model RB67 you buy. There are differences in the backs. THis manual doesn't;t show that I don;t believe but will give you an idea how the backs connect . YOu need an R lock for film backs 120 that allows the revolving back. See pages 44 and 49. Keep it simple for now. Get a complete camera with one standard revolving back, a viewfinder, and a lens sold together so you don't mismatch by buying separately. Try to get an RB67 Pro SD the latest model.
https://www.cameramanuals.org/mamiya_pdf/mamiya_rb67_professional.pdf

Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/b/Mamiya-Rb67/15230/bn_7023307861

 

[RoboRepublic]

Check page starting at 43 for interlocks and back. Basically, you need the film back that works with the model RB67 you buy. There are differences in the backs. THis manual doesn't;t show that I don;t believe but will give you an idea how the backs connect . YOu need an R lock for film backs 120 that allows the revolving back. See pages 44 and 49. Keep it simple for now. Get a complete camera with one standard revolving back, a viewfinder, and a lens sold together so you don't mismatch by buying separately. Try to get an RB67 Pro SD the latest model.
https://www.cameramanuals.org/mamiya_pdf/mamiya_rb67_professional.pdf

Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/b/Mamiya-Rb67/15230/bn_7023307861

Thanks Alan, I'll do just that!

 

[Donald Qualls]

Try to get an RB67 Pro SD the latest model.

As far as I'm aware, the biggest difference between the three versions (Pro, ProS, and ProSD) was in what interlocks the body and back supported together. I have a ProS body and Pro 120 backs, so mine doesn't support double exposure prevention (which is fine, for me, I have a lot of folders that are red window and free wind, so I'm used to that) except with the ProS 220 back I'm converting for 35 mm panoramic. The Pro body doesn't have an interlock to prevent exposing with the dark slide in (and you won't have that with non-Mamiya roll backs or other Graflok mount accessories), and the Pro backs don't have a latch to prevent the dark slide coming out with the back off the camera. A ProSD still allows double exposure, you just have to move a lever by the film advance arm on the back to unlock the body without advancing film -- and then be sure to move it back so you don't shoot 10-15 exposures on a single frame...

Then of course there's the twenty-plus years difference in when they were made; the Pro version came out in 1970, as I recall, while the ProSD was introduced in 1990 (couldn't quickly find a reference on when production stopped).

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Donald, The younger age is the main reason I recommended the Pro SD. Also, get lenses that have the C for coated. KL lenses are the latest as well and are also coated. Those are also "younger" which is important since the shutters are in the lenses. By the way, I checked by lenses that are thirty years old and the shutter speeds were fairly accurate after all those years. I didn't bother unlocking them either for many of those years and it didn;t seem to make a difference.

The other thing to think of is whether you like shooting with an eye-level or waist-level viewfinder. When I got my camera, I just couldn't adjust to the waist level finder because everything works opposite from left to right. So I bought an eye-level viewfinder with a magnifier adapter. I rarely use the waist level except when I;,m shooting very low like at a flower. I also have a sportsfinder and a chimney finder, but really don't use them. The sportsfinder is great for quick shots on the fly.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I didn't find the waist level finder a problem, but then I've had TLRs or pseudo-TLRs for most of the time I've been exposing film (first shutter firing was a Duaflex II, age 7or 8, and I've owned two Kodak Reflex II plus a Seagull) -- so the mirrored viewfinder doesn't bother me much. My main objection to WLF is that it forces a low perspective, which I find limiting on my Reflex II as well (that one has a built-in sports finder; Mamiya didn't think that was needed in a "studio camera").

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I didn't find the waist level finder a problem, but then I've had TLRs or pseudo-TLRs for most of the time I've been exposing film (first shutter firing was a Duaflex II, age 7or 8, and I've owned two Kodak Reflex II plus a Seagull) -- so the mirrored viewfinder doesn't bother me much. My main objection to WLF is that it forces a low perspective, which I find limiting on my Reflex II as well (that one has a built-in sports finder; Mamiya didn't think that was needed in a "studio camera").

Actually, I like the lower perspective, especially for people shots. When I look at Vivien Meier's work, she shot with a TLR. Her lower shots made the pictures seem more intimate and personal. Better than eye-level perspectives.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Sure, it works well for upper body and wider portraits -- but not so much for trying to work over a railing or wall at a scenic spot, get over underbrush, etc. or do a head and shoulders or tighter portrait (you wind up shooting up the subject's nose). At least with an RB, I have the options -- WLF for some things, prism for others, and a chimney (with TTL meter, in the one I have) for things like macro.

 

[MattKing]

The Pro SD also has a larger "throat" for the lens mount, which means that it is compatible with the 75mm tilt lens, plus at least one other that I never remember.
It was also designed to be compatible with digital backs that essentially didn't make sense, and are not practically obtainable.