Mamiya c220 - screen brightness

[paul_richardson9]

<p>Hey,<br>

<br />I've got the opportunity to purchase a mamiya c220 for a very reasonable price. I used to shoot with a bronica SQ-A, and I really miss the beautiful 120 negatives that it produced.<br>

So I want to delve back into medium format for a while, and this seems like an offer too good to miss.</p>

<p>I want to know how bright the viewing screen is? Would it be similar to the bronica one? I have a very old rolleicord, and its an absolute pain to focus with! My eyesight is fine, but I just prefer having a clean bright screen to focus with.</p>

<p>Cheers<br>

Paul</p>

[mva]

<p>I had a C220 and now I have an SQ. Unfortunately I cannot compare side by side but I can say I did not feel difference in terms of brightness when I adopted the SQ.<br>

I do miss the silent and vibration-free shutter of the 220 though.</p>

[nicolas_renon]

<p>So, you purchase a camera and you ask us about the screen?</p>

<p>I never had any Bronica camera so it is difficult to give you any comparison but I have a C330 for a long time and I never experienced any trouble focussing. No only I find the screen pretty bright but it does not have this nasty Fresnel pattern.</p>

<p>BTW, I also own a Rolleicord and even if the screen is rather dark, it is also pretty easy to focus. Never understood why so many people complains and spend a fortune to IMO brighter screen but worse to use (Fresnel...).</p>

<p>Take care.</p>

<p> </p>

[marc_batters]

<p>Mamiya C-Series cameras have fairly good screens. Of more importance, is the WLF shroud.</p>

<p>The older 'double action' type of finder let more stray light hit the focusing screen,<br /> even when the pop-up magnifier is deployed. (There is a nasty gap at the top).<br /> The newer, preferable 'single action' finder shroud basically makes a chimney finder when the pop-up magnifier is deployed.</p>

<p>It's the same design that Mamiya incorporated in all their subsequent MF camera models w/WLF's,<br /> (645's, RB's, and RZ's - post, late 1970's(?) era).</p>

<p>Single action finders have a vertical hinge in the middle of both sides. Once you stow the pop-up magnifier (if used),<br /> with the 'single act' of squeezing the sides of the shroud...the WLF automatically collapses.<br /> Examples below.</p>

<p>Older C-Series 'Double Action' WLF:<br /> http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00a/00a8w0-450389584.jpg<br /> Newer 'Single Action' WLF:<br /> http://www.btinternet.com/~g.a.patterson/mfaq/jpg/330swlf.jpg</p>

[david_smith35]

<p>Nicholas, if you read Pauls question it seems he has yet to purchase the C330, so asking a question about the screen would seem reasonable.<br>

Paul, I've owned and used both cameras you mention, and indeed the C330 does have a somewhat dimmer screen than the SQA - from memory I would say that the SQA screen is at least twice as bright. You could of course buy a replacement screen, but they are usually very expensive. Having said that, I found the C330 screen okay in outdoor daylight conditions, but a little tricky with dim indoor lighting.<br>

I can only echo Marco's comments about the shutter - much higher success rate for sharp hand held shots with the C330. I never use the Bronica without a tripod.</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>I have a Mamiya C220 and I use it a lot for interior photography, e.g. churches etc. where the light is generally rather poor. Nonetheless, I find I can focus quite easily even though I am long-sighted. I usually wear a broad-brimmed hat to shade the viewing screen. It's not the brightest of screens but it is sufficiently bright in most circumstances and since interiors do not require rapid focussing and shooting, it isn't a problem.</p>

[mag_miksch]

<p>I am with Marc, the most important thing with the Cs is the fully enclosed finder</p>

[ondebanks]

<blockquote>

<p>It's the same design that Mamiya incorporated in all their subsequent MF camera models w/WLF's,<br /> (645's, RB's, and RZ's - post, late 1970's(?) era).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The RB got it when the RB67 Pro-S was introduced in 1974, with a new "self-erecting focusing hood".<br>

The M645 had it from the start (1975).<br>

<br />I agree, it's an excellent design for a WLF.</p>

 

[paul_richardson9]

<p>Thanks for the replies everyone! Unfortunately the camera had the worse finder, but it's not the end of the world :) I could pick up the better finder for £20 if I feel the need!</p>

<p>I managed to get TWO c220 bodies, for the grand total of £40. Both of them are in user condition, supposedly the bellows are a bit bent, but all the mechanisms are meant to work. Hopefully both will be usable, if not I can use parts from one to fix the other. I noticed there's a repair manual available for free online, so it should be an easy task!</p>

[marc_batters]

<p>A crumpled 'outer' bellows on a Mamiya TLR is not the end of the world; (a bit tacky looking),<br /> but underneath the outer bellows that you see, there are (2) two more, independent and separate...inner bellows.<br /> Both inner bellows are square; one for the upper, viewing lens...and another for the lower, taking lens.</p>

<p>Marc</p>

[paul_richardson9]

<p>Yeah the bellows are very crumpled. One camera appears the be useable in its current state, the other one would need work doing to it.</p>

<p>Im amazed at how nice of cameras they are! It's got everything I need in a 120 camera, and it doesn't have the problems that my bronica had (big mirror that caused vibrations, weight, and size).</p>