davecaz Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Hi, guys! I'm back,with another recent acquisition. But, this time, I'm not really sure what I've got. It's a Mamiya rangefinder, for sure. Beyond that, things get fuzzy. It looks sort of like the images of the Mamiya Crown, or Metra, or Executive, but I can't tell, for sure. The photos I can find of those models are too small to be of much use in actually identifying anything. If the attachments actually work, I apologize for their poor quality. I used my phone. On the other hand, the quality of the software that runs this place is even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 I also just noticed this odd-looking diaphragm (if that's what I'm seeing). Does anyone know if this is how it's supposed to look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon_yee Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Looks like a Mamiya Metra: Mamiya: Metra (1958) Price Guide: estimate a camera value Mamiya 35mm Cameras - Rangefinders Diaphragm looks like a normal five-bladed example used on moderately priced models of the era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_drawbridge Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Nice find! The Mamiya rangefinders of that era are excellent shooters, solid, well-built and nice to handle, and the 48mm Sekor f/1.9 lens is a fine performer. It will be real bonus if the meter is still responsive, and accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_elwing Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Think you just looking at it from an odd angle. Diaphragm looks fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwmcbroom Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) Actually, not to pick nits or anything, but that is techncally not the diaphragm, but the lens iris. The actual diaphragm, which is part of the lens's shutter, is fully closed, as can be seen in the first image. When operating the lens's aperture control, that opening should respond by opening or closing, independent from the shutter controls. Edited January 12, 2018 by mwmcbroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Looks like a Mamiya Metra: Mamiya: Metra (1958) Price Guide: estimate a camera value Mamiya 35mm Cameras - Rangefinders Diaphragm looks like a normal five-bladed example used on moderately priced models of the era. I agree, it looks like a Metra. The thing is, although it's hard to tell in my photo, the leather isn't black. It's grey. I don't know if Metras came in grey. Do you? I can't say that I've seen many, but that lens iris is lopsided. That's normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Nice find! The Mamiya rangefinders of that era are excellent shooters, solid, well-built and nice to handle, and the 48mm Sekor f/1.9 lens is a fine performer. It will be real bonus if the meter is still responsive, and accurate. Thanks, Rick. It definitely has the feel of a quality machine. I had to free up the focus ring with the hair dryer trick but, aside from that, it seems to be fully functional. Even the meter seems to work, although I haven't tried to determine how accurate it is, yet. It definitely responds to light. But, I wouldn't know how to read it. It's the most complex looking meter I've ever seen. I'm gonna have to see if I can find the manual for it online. That's one reason I wanted to know what model it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Think you just looking at it from an odd angle. Diaphragm looks fine I hope so. But, it's not that extreme an angle. I'll take another look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Actually, not to pick nits or anything, but that is techncally not the diaphragm, but the lens iris. The actual diaphragm, which is part of the lens's shutter, is fully closed, as can be seen in the first image. When operating the lens's aperture control, that opening should respond by opening or closing, independent from the shutter controls. Thanks. I appreciate the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonsignore_ezio Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 At least based on the photo, your camera seems to to be fitted with a pretty normal (for those times) meter with readings in guide numbers. That is, you enter the film speed (window to the right), and then read the guide number as indicated by the moving needle (8 in your picture). This number corresponds to a unique series of speed/aperture combinations across the entire range (say, 1/125-f16, or 1/250-f8, or 1/80-f22 and so on). The lens of your camera should have a dial to lock speeds and apertures based on the guide number, so that once you have set the number you can change speed or aperture at will and the other factor will follow automatically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwmcbroom Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Like the old MX-EVS Rollies. You could lock in the exposure value (EV) on those 50s-era Rollei TLRs and once that was done, when the aperture was changed, the shutter speed would change inversely (and same went for changes of shutter speed and aperture values being changed as well). I don't know much about Hasselblads, but I think they also had (have?) this same provision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 an older website on Mamiya Mamiya 35mm Cameras - Rangefinders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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