gunter_caus
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Posts posted by gunter_caus
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<p>and ...</p><div>
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<p>Dear David,<br>
<br /> Honoured to see you around!<br>
I apologize for my late reply, but after my initial problem to get this thread to the right group, I just discovered I haven't been notified of any replies for a while. Anyway, better late than never I suppose. <br /> I got an estimate for the repair of 90 euro. The technician's diagnose based on a description of the problem was correct, so I suppose that will not change. I must say that you need some patience though. I've sent my camera to a repair technician in Lisbon (Portugal). Apparently it takes nearly 10 weeks to get the spair parts to Europe, since Mamiya Japan doesn't deliver directly to Europe. They first send the parts to the US, and from there it goes to Europe. But I shouldn't complain, you know. I've seen other estimates that don't particularly cheer you up. I'm just happy it will be fixed for a reasonable price. <br /> That being said, I don't think you will be able to order these parts yourself, let alone you will be able to fix the lens! As far as I can see, there are 2 flex cables involved that only bend when the lens is focused, direction front to back, not circular. Here are some pictures ...<br>
<br /> Take Care,<br /> Gunter.</p><div>
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<p>Well, the thing is Jim, I posted it in the Mamiya 6 and 7 group, but it never appeared there. It went straight down one level to the Medium Format group. Thanks for thinking loud with me. I still hope someone from photo.net will have a look at it.<br /> <br />Thanks for the effort Rob! I wonder however how many Mamiya 7 users actually visit the rangefinderforum. Honestly I don't expect many will, let alone they leave a score.<br /> Don't let this keep you from buying an M7! If you're a rangefinder adept, it's probably one of the cameras high on the list "not to miss".<br /> I'm just curious how long Mamiya will be able to deliver spare parts for their lenses. I assume long enough to survive film. On second thought, ... And apparently it's not just a standard cable. It needs to be ordered at Mamiya Japan. Then it will go to the US. And from there it will be shipped to Europe. For some reason Mamiya Japan doesn't deliver directly to Europe. At least that's what I've been told.</p>
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<p>For some reason, I can't get my message posted in the Mamiya 7 and 6 group. Nevertheless, as I'm writing this answer, I see the path mentioned correctly at the top of this thread: Community > Forums > Medium Format > Mamiya 7 and 6 > Another Mamiya 7 mystery ... <br>
Yet another mystery. Anyone from photo.net to explain this please?</p>
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<p>Dear Mamiya 7 lovers,<br>
<br />I posted this thread a month ago in the medium format group, so maybe you saw it there before. But now I wanted to be sure that it would be read by all you M7 owners ...<br>
http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00b8Fn<br>
Conclusion:<br>
It is confirmed now that the flex cable inside the lens is actually defective!<br>
Quote from the technician: <em>I think it happens on 65mm because customers use it more than the others or don't use it at all, cause all kind of flex cables used in compact digital cameras and lens with Zoom from Canon or other brands that mount on Canon, this problem happens all the time.</em><br>
<br />In the last 2 years, this technician fixed 14 cases like this, all related to the 65 mm lens. Does this mean that the much acclaimed finest lenses ever made start showing signs of the Achilles' heel!? My 65 mm lens does date from the earliest releases of the Mamiya 7, back in 1995. And in my case it has been used intensively with long periods in between of rest.<br>
<br />What's your opinion/feeling/experience ...?</p>
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<p>I just got confirmation from another source that a flex cable in the lens will be broken. This is actually the very first time I hear of such a defect, let alone on one of the most reputable lenses out there!<br>
Thanks for your insight Charles!</p>
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<p>Hello Charles,<br>
Thanks again for your input! You sound as if you were a Mamiya service technician in a previous life. Or are you one in this life? Anyway, I'm happy you're thinking with me.<br>
I have re-examined the lens' rangefinder lever with the other lenses. They move exactly the same way. Off camera, the rangefinder lever of all 3 lenses extends to the same length for a given focussing distance. At least you can't notice any difference with the bare eye, and the lever doesn't feel insecure in any way. As you already said "the rangefinder arm is a mechanical only device", so I really wonder what a closer look on the inside would reveal. I guess there is no other option than sending the 65 mm to a Mamiya service repair centre to find out. <br>
I just hope you're also right on the "it should not be too expensive" part as well!</p>
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<p>Dear Charles,<br>
Thanks for your remarks! Yes, the battery was measured with a volt meter. Maybe it's useful to try a brand new one, just to be sure. But that wouldn't explain why it only occurs with the 65 mm lens, indeed. Again, it's hard to believe that the lens is damaged, as it looks pristine! </p>
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<p>Dear John,<br>
Good question! I actually forgot to mention that. No, the meter reacts exactly the same when the meter is set manually. The shutter speed indication will suggest another value to correct for, provided that the focussing ring is set at infitinity! Turning the focussing ring removes both set and suggested values, and the overexposed arrow starts blinking.<br>
If it wasn't a machine, I would find this pretty spookey :-)</p>
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<p>I am the happy owner of a Mamiya 7 with 3 lenses (43, 65 and 150 mm). However just recently, when I got my films back from the lab, they appeared to be heavily underexposed. I immediately took a closer look at the body to see if I could notice something unusual. <br /><br />I found out the following:<br />When the 65 mm lens is mounted on the body, and the camera is set to A or AEL mode, the light meter only seems to work well when the focus ring is set at infinity! The actual shutter speed corresponds to the readings in the viewfinder.<br />As soon the lens focussing ring is turned only 1 mm away from infinity, the shutter speed indication from the viewfinder disappears and the overexposed arrow (located at the lower right corner of the viewfinder) blinks. When the release button is pressed, the shutter speed is way too fast (hence the underexposed film).<br /><br />This behaviour is NOT seen with the 43 and 150 mm lenses!<br />The electric contacts of the 65 mm lens are clean and the lens itself does not seem to malfunction mechanically (rangefinder pen seems to move correctly).<br />The battery of the body measures OK.<br /><br />Anyone who can bring some light in the darkness? Thank you!</p>
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<p>Yesterday, after (too) many years, I visited Grobet, a knwon photo store in the centre of Antwerp (Belgium). I was a regular customer in a previous life, you know ... the one without children. If you were interested buying photo chemicals, films or papers, it was the place to be. You had to go down the cellar, which felt like a very natural thing to do when you were in search of light-sensitive products. The guy behind the counter is still same one as back then. And he still shares his enthousiasme with the same fire, as if time had no effect on us or anything at all. It was with a small heart though I approached him, because I was about to ask him if he had ever heard about photographical film lately. His answer was quick but foremost surprising. "OH YES! In fact we sell much more film than we ever did before, especially medium format. Fifteen, twenty years ago someone would walk into the shop, Hasselblad strapped around the shoulder and written on the forehead "did you notice me?". Now to be honest, these guys were not too many, because these kind of cameras were quite expensive at the time, and they still are if bought new. But today, medium format is flourishing thanks to a vast second hand market, everybody knows that. And as medium format cameras became more accessible, many, many more photo enthousiasts feel seduced to buy one and take it at hand. Especially the latter is important. Someone getting started with medium format film today does it for a very good reason, and thus people buy film, lots of film apparently. <br>
Now that's a reflection I really wanted to post here, because every now and then people raise the question when film will disapear. Are they out for a funeral party, or are they just sick worrying? Well, let me tell you this: film is alive and kicking. Hallelujah! </p>
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<p>Hello Stani,<br>
I use a small Cabin light table (only 4x5"), and a big Mamiya loupe. Read/see more, here ...<br>
http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00MYwS</p>
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<p>Yes, they do.<br>
I use 100 x 100 mm Lee filters on my Mamiya 7 + 43 mm lense, but the wide angle adaptor is absolutely necessary to avoid vignetting. They truly make a nice couple.<br>
Have fun.</p>
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<p>Yes, they do.<br>
I use 100 x 100 mm Lee filters on my Mamiya 7 + 43 mm lense, but the wide angle adaptor is absolutely necessary to avoid vignetting. They truly make a nice couple.<br>
Have fun.</p>
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Sorry, here is the link ...
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Hi Laura,
Here you can see some portraits I've done with the M7. The B&W images are done using the 150 mm, the "Not my family!"
picture is done with the 65 mm (all uncropped).
For the kind of portraiture you are speaking of, I don't think you can do anything wrong with either of these lenses, 65 or 80
mm.
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Hello Jil,
Have a look at the Zing covers (photo's with the camera in the link below). I really like this one for the Mamiya 7. The cover doesn't make
the camera less portable than it already is, which is very important for this kind of camera. They really make a nice couple these two.
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Hi Everybody,
Suppose you had the choice between a good second hand "discontinued" MINOLTA DIMAGE
SCAN MULTI PRO, or a new NIKON COOLSCAN LS-9000. Which one would you prefer, and why?
At the time the Minolta got discontinued, the Nikon was already on the market. Ever since, the
landscape of desktop scanners has not changed a bit, at least not for machines in this class. All
development seems to be frozen. Some voices, like Mr. Ken Rockwell, pointed out the Minolta
scanner to be superiour and more userfriendly. Today, anno 2008, I guess more people would be
more experienced with either of these two scanners, or perhaps even both. Do you still share the
same positive feeling about the Minolta scanner, or are there reasons not to be so positive about?
As I am rediscovering my Mamiya 7 (I actually mean film), I am seriously considering a scanner
for the simple reason I don't have any accomodations left to set up a dark room. So my main target
is making scans of 6x7 slides and negatives (color & b/w).
Thanks for your feedback!
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Hi there,
I just made an effort to illustrate how well the Mamiya 7 fits into the Zing Pro SLR Cover. On
this picture, you can see the body with the 65 mm lens attached.
The Zing cover does a wonderful job. A highly recommended accessory for your M7!
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You're right Edward! Check out more on the Mamiya loupe ...
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Hi Tara,
I would like you to have a look at some photos I took with my Mamiya7. I recently posted
them here: http://www.mamiya7.com
You will find 4 lith prints of ladies wearing a hat. They are currently still on the top row of
the most recent images. I hope this encourages you to go on with (imho) one of the finest
cameras ever made. You'll have to get used to the concept of a range finder. It took me
about 2 years. But once you're there, you'll never go back!
Take care,
Gunter.
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I have some interesting bed lecture for you ...
http://www.wilhelm-research.com/book_toc.html
Have fun!
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Check out the photography of Annie Leibovitz. She has worked a lot with Mamiya gear.
Mamiya 7II malfunction?
in Medium Format
Posted