david_gwynne

Steve, as much as I like my Mamiyas, the swing and tilt facility is not one of its strong points, because as Troy has pointed out you need one of the retracting lenses, which are I believe of inferior optical quality. It can be done however, as I have by machining about 5mm off the back and so permitting the use of regular lenses. This operation is NOT as easy as it sounds. The result does work, but is somewhat clumbsy in operation as the back has to be held steady while tightening four clamping cams, and then gingerly swapping screen for film back so nothing slips.

If you believe everything you read, you may come to the conclusion that DOF will vary unit to unit within a particular model. As an experiment with my 2450 I scanned grevillea flowers on mine, these are a three dimensional bottle brush type of flower. The lid was held up of the glass plate by match boxes about 3/4". The depth of field demonstrated by these scans was amazing. In short, try out what you have already on hand, because the other persons opinion based on their own unit may not be relevant to your own equipment.

Joe, I am looking at a fuzzy picture of a 100 3.5 and cannot see the

word "normal" engraved just behind the cocking lever, which is on

the retracting versions. This tends to confirm my equally fuzzy

memory of there being both retracting and non-retracting versions.

Just a tip for mounting filters on the 40.5 thread lenses. Some (unknown) video cameras use this thread, so I bought two step rings to bring the thread up to a common filter thread size.

Peter, to hold the shutter open on the 50, set the shutter to B, cock, and fire with the chrome manual release button, and while held in, turn slightly to lock the button down. Untwist to release. The 100/2.8 has a small chrome lever between the cocking lever and the cable release socket. This will open the shutter, but only with the shutter cocked.

Magnifying viewers, which have a fresnel screen are far superior to the standard ground glass screens. You cannot focus any non retracting lenses with back movements, unless you are prepared to machine about 5mm off the back of the body.

You can download instructions for Universal, accessories, and lenses form www.mamiya.com click customer service, then downloads, then click rangefinder. These are PDF so have acrobat reader installed.

If you haven't found Roger Krueger's rangefinder adjustments on Photo.net this may help, it was dated Feb 15, 2004 and labelled id=0070j4 (whatever that means).

Timber, by the downloaded instruction manual, the magnification is 0.75x, and to me that means a negative magnification. And you're correct, it is for graphlex, and 70mm backs, dunno about polaroid.

Dave Gwynne.

Apologies to Timber if he knows something I don't, but only the universal will give the option of interchangeable adapters between M and G backs. With the super 23 what you have is what you got.

Does your holder take rollfilm? That depends on your English translation, but taken literally, no, but by now you will have sorted that out.

According to real photographers, unlike myself, Mamiya M rollfilm holders give better film flatness. Also I don't recall seeing 6x9 in Graflock.

Another issue with Graphlok system is scarcity of accessories such as magnifying viewers and various follfilm holders available.

Jason, firstly I must emphasise that this is NOT an expert reply.

ICE is justified in cost and time consumed in neg scanners because of their collimated light source highlighting every defect in the neg. However I understand flatbeds use an equivalent of diffuse light, which are more forgiving, (and inherently less sharp). My experience of the Epson 2450 is that when scanning prints, a bit of housekeeping with the original and the glass will cure dust problems on the output.

OK I've finally proven it. I have modified a super 23 by milling 5.3mm off the back of the body, so that non retracting lenses can be used with swing and tilt. If you look through a ground glass (lucky me, I have the magnifying viewer), the swing or tilt will throw the distant objects out of focus when you try to bring foreground into focus, and no refocussing on the lens can help. This is because the pivot for the swing is one edge of the rear panel. Everything moves away from the lens, just one edge more than the other. To compensate, one edge has to move in somewhat, while the other moves out. Eureka, just whip a bit off the back, and have a spacer keep the required lens to film distance for normal rangefinder shooting. Sounds too easy doesn't it. Well in practice there are some traps to doing it, and suggest you don't rush out to the workshop until I can write up some instructions, along with some images to demonstrate the effect. The negs look OK with a loupe but scanning far too dense to publish, so will redo the test in a week or so in a more controlled manner. As a caveat I should point out that focussing was a problem with a 50/5.6 but easy with a 100/2.8. Also the whole system is a little clumsy having to steady the weight of finder with the locking screws loose, and not moving when tightening them.

I'm not sure why you would go to 70mm considering the limited choice of emulsions, but if that's OK with you, it's fine by me too. Some of the suggestions seem a bit expensive so far. Consider a Mamiya press, with a 70mm RFH. The holder comes up occasionally on ebay, and fairly cheaply from memory,(the completed items listing may show closing prices). Also from memory, I think you need the Mamiya varieties which take the Graflok back. These are relatively uncommon. These backs should also fit RB/RZ variants, but do your homework first.

I have been on the lookout for a graphic adaptor for my universal,

and or a super 23 with graphic back for the if and when scenario of

film being phased out, and a digital back then needed to keep my

brace of mamiyas going. However I have just noticed a comment by the

wonderful Roger Krueger that the graphic backs only take non-pro RB

film backs.

If this is the case, digital backs probably won't be manufactured for

the older press graflock adapters. Does anyone out there have

knowledge of this compatability? Can the older adapters be modified

to accept pro RB/RZ backs?

I have seen some positive comments about the Matrox G550 video card

for Photoshop use. Also other comments about dual monitors generally,

that one should use two identical monitors in a dual monitor setup.

(one for the image and one for tools). For my amateur use, I want

only ONE quality monitor for the image, and one cheapo (and small)

for the tools. My internet searching suggests that the G550 will

cater for this. Any feedback from G550 users with a disparity in

monitors would be appreciated.

Oh, and don't forget that the image records inverted. That is if the fogging is on the top of the image, the leaks are from the bottom of the camera. As a suggestion, if you are sure of the body to back seals, try a second back of known sound condition.

If you are new to the Press system you may have overlooked the seals in the slim channel where the door closes on the back itself. The back to body seals are fairly obvious.

KC, The answer given by Greg is of course correct. To acquire the instruction manual for your universal, and for details on the later lenses, go to "mamiya.com" and look for downloads. They give much information on questions you may not have already thought to ask.

For my not so humble opinion. Not the most common, and rare in a modern camera, is my preference 6 x 9, most commonly available as a used Mamiya Press variant. 645 to me is marginally superior to 35mm when one considers the cost premium. 6x6 is a lazy 645 because of the usual downward reflex viewfinder (square format is delicious for some compositions, but face it, most prints are cropped to rectangular). 6x7 is arrogantly called "ideal" format, probably because of traditonal wet darkroom paper sizes. 6x9 (and 645) is the ratio very close to print media, and of course, inket paper sizes. Expect to see a rennaissance of 6x9 (and 645) as digital prints supplant silver prints. For me, 6x9 gives the maximum image without the aggro of 4x5.

I need to remove the back, including the rods, so that I can mill 6mm

or so from the rear of the body (to allow swings and tilts with non-

retracting lenses and still give infinity focus across most of the

frame). If anyone has a repair manual or has dismantled one, could

you please let me know if the internal rod ends are accessable by

removing the front panel, presumeably after peeling back the vynil

covering? And what is the safest way to do that?

I,m hoping this will give a great landscape camera compromise with

it's existing convenience as a handheld point, focus and shoot.