Mamiya RB67 Series Repair Person

I hope to acquire a Mamiya RB67 Pro S in the near future. It has been my dream for forty-five years. The camera and lenses will have to be in as fine a condition as possible but there is always the alleged prospect of compromised lens shutter springs from leaving them cocked for long periods. I will want to immediately send it off to a competent Mamiya RB expert in order to assure the best performance from it. Who in the continental USA can do this?

Good luck in your quest RB67 Pro S is a superb bit of kit ,a beast.. Have one.

I guess there aren't any medium format Mamiya techs. That's probably okay since there isn't much that can go wrong with such a simple camera other than seals which I can replace myself. Incidentally, my intense search for the RB unfortunately comes down to buying from eBay. There are tons of examples. I've had good luck with purchasing a beautifully preserved Canon A-1 from a seller in Japan. A Pentax Spotmatic with three lenses from Canada however was not so lucky though. The equipment was in superb cosmetic and functional condition but everything had a horrible mildew odor. It took weeks to mitigate the smell using cleaning solutions, activated charcoal and baking soda. But it sure took the fun out of ownership. One must be willing to take the very real risk.

Light seals are the bigest bugbear of the RB. Lickiliy mine from ebay is completly fine. Just a little scruffy but bought at bit scruffy money . More than impressed with her. I find a LH trigger grip makes her much more suitable to carry about for street photoigraphy, especially with the VERY HEAVY prism.

 

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Edited August 18, 2021 by laurencecochrane

I never liked grips on one side of the camera. Your wrist strains to keep the lever your heavy camera is on level. It's far easier to keep a camera steady that rests directly in your hand(s).

Makes the camera easily carried in one hand instead of having to carry it in a folded arm THAT DOES MY BLOODY BACK IN. I find no problem using the grip tho firing the shutter with left hand is a little odd.

danac I have the 250 mm lens for the Pro S and it has some shutter problems. Sanford Camera Repair says they will be able to straighten it out and they got an old Nikkor zoom working properly for me so give them a call.

 

Rick H.

Thanks Rick!

I am very tempted by this unused RB 67 Pro S body and 120 film back. It's the closest thing to new out there. Is it a fair price?

Is it a fair price?

No idea No link. Body and back ? it's the lens does the work. Edited August 23, 2021 by laurencecochrane

Senior moment. Here is the link: 【UNUSED】 Mamiya RB67 Pro S ProS Body w/120 Film Back,Strap from JAPAN C08 | eBay

Looking good. Bear in mind you have equally nice lenses to find. Gonna get costy. Especially if you decide on KL lenses ( Optically the same as RZ 67 but RB fit intended for the Pro SD version ) Those sell for a premium.. And as far as I am aware that range does not include a 50mm in KL form. Edited August 23, 2021 by laurencecochrane

Japan-based eBay sellers are often the only source for quality MF gear now. Most with volume sales and high ratings are fine. The few I've dealt with were unfailingly attentive and honest. Prices are way up on clean MF gear, shockingly so in most cases.I got a mint, boxed RB 67 Pro S+120 back(likely a studio back-up) for 120 $US a decade ago. Needed new RB+film back seals but who can't do those DIY? Lenses are problematic now: oldies are cheap, KL lenses are extortionately priced, alas.

That was the time to buy them.

I just came from a friends house who owns an RB67 (not an S) with lots of accessories. He bought it new back in the day and still looks brand new. It was the first time I ever saw or held one. It is much larger and heavier and than expected. What a surprise. You would need a pretty stout tripod for it. The only back was for 220 film but he said you can use 120 in it. How does that work? No, he doesn't want to sell it. He also had a very impressive collection including a pristine Eastman 5X7 glass negative camera that was like new. It also has a 4X5 back for sheet film.

Not called the beast for nothing. For its bulk weight and image quality.. Add the brute of a prism it's a lot heavier.

Rick, is Sanford Camera Repair in Arlington, Ma. ?

Yep.

Danac for what it’s worth I bought a Pro S for about $100 and 127, 150 and 180 from KEH, the lenses were $45 each and all in very nice shape. Not a prism finder but I didn’t want one. It all runs perfectly and when I need or want it then it’s exactly what I want. I’ve since bought another pro S, 127, 50, 150 and 250 from another source. The 250 still hasn’t been repaired but I have enjoyed this system. It forces me to slow down.

 

Rick H.

Despite its size and bulk, the RB67 really doesn't need a girder-like tripod. The rotating back keeps the body stationary and all that mass certainly anchors it. I've happily shot several summers' worth of cars shows with my Pro S outfit perched on a Manfrotto 190 with a mid-range ballhead.

Despite its size and bulk, the RB67 really doesn't need a girder-like tripod. The rotating back keeps the body stationary and all that mass certainly anchors it. I've happily shot several summers' worth of cars shows with my Pro S outfit perched on a Manfrotto 190 with a mid-range ballhead.

But on a lighter tripod it is a bit top heavy steady but top heavy.. I used mine around and about on my modified Benbo Trekker. ( STUPID WOBBLEY PLASTIC ANGLE MOUNT Done away with) As the Benbo No 1 and the RB67 with prism would be like carrying a (three legged) horse around...

Top heavy? The absolute worst MF camera, balance-wise, I ever shot was a Pentax 6x7. Flip that baby into portrait orientation without a properly situated leg and it can hit the deck as that huge polar moment of gravity kicks in. For me, the Mamiya never delivered a moment of instability or soft images on a lighter tripod. YMMV, as usual.

Top heavy? The absolute worst MF camera, balance-wise, I ever shot was a Pentax 6x7. Flip that baby into portrait orientation without a properly situated leg and it can hit the deck as that huge polar moment of gravity kicks in.

I believe that. Even with the RB on a light tripod you need to be carefull.

Don't laugh but I have just discovered a camera that really excites me. It's the Mamiya 645E. They are smaller, lighter, less expensive, has a built-in meter, no dark slide to work around and they were all made after 2000. The negative is a bit smaller but still between two and a half and three times larger than 35mm. There's even a brand new one on ebay from Japan.

Don't laugh but I have just discovered a camera that really excites me. It's the Mamiya 645E. They are smaller, lighter, less expensive, has a built-in meter, no dark slide to work around and they were all made after 2000. The negative is a bit smaller but still between two and a half and three times larger than 35mm. There's even a brand new one on ebay from Japan.

 

Keep in mind that no film back can be limiting but then it's 15 shots. Not sure the onboard meter is much of an advantage vis-a-vis a handheld spot/incident meter.

 

I would recommend tracking down the E-specific handgrip+winder. Unless you shoot exclusively on a tripod, the Mamiya 645 cameras are ergonomic headaches. They're great handheld and sooo much easier with the grip. Otherwise, you'll find yourself wasting shots by accidentally hitting the shutter button flipping from landscape to portrait.