New to Mamiya 6

[Pete B]

I've just purchased a Mamiya 6 which has yet to arrive. Is there anything I should know before playing with it or is it quite straight forward?
[I'm familiar with rangefinders (Leica M) and Hasselblad, Kowa Six and Mamiya C330F]
I'm pretty excited
Pete

[Bobfrance]

I have a Mamiya7 but I think it's more or less the same.

Because the shutter is in the lens, changing lenses is a little more complex. You have to turn a knob which deploys a dark slide over the film to prevent the film fogging when the lens is off. The most common mistake is to forget to trip the dark-slide release button afterwards and then wonder why the shutter won't fire. It's caught me out more than once.

IMHO the Mamiya 6 and 7 are the king of rangefinders. Enjoy!

[keytarjunkie]

Originally Posted by Bobfrance

You have to turn a knob which deploys a dark slide over the film to prevent the film fogging when the lens is off.

Fogging? It's to prevent the film from being exposed to light, never heard the fogging thing...

Besides this annoying contraption (which gives you a warning in the viewfinder when it's deployed, at least in the Mamiya 7), these cameras are awesome. The Mamiya 6 even kind of folds up a bit. They are great cameras, and coming from your background you'll have no problem using one.

[Bobfrance]

Originally Posted by keytarjunkie

Fogging? It's to prevent the film from being exposed to light, never heard the fogging thing...

Apologies if that didn't come across too clearly. In the UK 'fogging' or fogged film' is a term that means the film has been exposed to light.

[keytarjunkie]

Originally Posted by Bobfrance

Apologies if that didn't come across too clearly. In the UK 'fogging' or fogged film' is a term that means the film has been exposed to light.

Oh, that's weird! I had no idea.

[Gary Briggs]

You are in the big time now! yer gonna love it.
The meter is very dependable, on your first night take it to a dark room with a bare light bulb, draw the vf with the little box in the center. Write down the shutter speeds, filling up the entire vf.
Now you will be confident on your exposure.
I always shoot with AEL, set the aperture, hold the shutter on the area of most important exposure - recompose and listen for that wonderful little click.
Crank for the next frame slow and steady, never be in a hurry.

[nksyoon]

There is a tendency to underexpose as the meter is easily influenced by bright sky, I usually hold my hand along the top of the camera to shade the meter window (next to the RF window).

Make sure you set the pressure plate correctly for the type of film to be used 120 or 220.

Don't wind the film too aggressively as the winding mechanism has a reputation for fragility and parts may be difficult to come by, depending where you are.

[Pete B]

Thanks guys. I tend to use Sunny 16 with guidance from an incident meter, and always in manual mode.
I'll bear in mind what you've said about the film advance lever.
I'm used to thinking about dark slides to avoid fogging from using the Hasselblad so I'll search out the mechanism.
Thanks again.
Pete

[t.s.k.]

Actually there are three steps to change lenses on the M-6: extend the bellows, throw the advance (charge the shutter) and close the dark slide...of course not necessarily in that order. Also, dry firing the shutter is done with the back open. As been stated above, the meter can get a bit wonky in open skies.

Enjoy your new purchase. It's a super camera.

[Pete B]

Originally Posted by t.s.k.

Also, dry firing the shutter is done with the back open.

Why's this?
Pete

[Pete B]

I've had a quick look at my Mamiya 6. The rangefinder is slightly off vertically. Does this thread also apply to the mamiya 6? I won't have access to it for a few days.
Pete

[Pete B]

Originally Posted by Pete B

Why's this?
Pete

Oh, I see. It's just not possible to dry fire the camera.

The rangerfinder seems misaligned vertically only when the 150 is mounted. The 75 and 50 are fine. I don't understand how this can be so. Is this common for Mamiya 6s?
Pete