Australian Camera — May-June 2017

MaMiya 6

Another world first from Mamiya was the new model 6, intro-

duced in 1989 and the first 6x6cm rangefinder camera with

interchangeable lenses.

MaMiya RB67 PRo SD

The last of the RB67 variants, the Pro SD had a larger diameter lens

mount to accommodate a new generation of higher-performance K

and L Series lenses.

system could be switched off if

desired. Mamiya’s final 35mm SLR

was the ZM, introduced in late

1982 and basically an update of

the ZE-2 with a sleeker, restyled

bodyshell, a number of ergonomic

refinements and a host of small

upgrades such as an extended

selection of slow shutter speeds

down to four seconds, audible

signals (including for camera

shake) and a better handgrip.

Format For Success

Could Mamiya have made it in the

35mm SLR world of autofocusing

and beyond? Unquestionably. The

decision to actually quit the

35mm format was forced on the

company through no fault of its

own and it decided, sensibly, to

concentrate its precious remaining

resources on the area where it

was the strongest... in medium

format cameras.

While the European

manufacturers in this sector

(including in the Eastern Bloc)

were all concentrating on the

6x6cm format as were Japanese

companies such as Bronica, Kowa

and Norita, Mamiya decided

that thinking bigger was the way

forward. Besides, it already had a

6x6cm product in its TLR line, so

when it launched its first medium

format SLR in May 1970, it was

in the 6x7cm format. Like the

legendary Hasselblad 500 Series

cameras, the RB67 Professional

was a modular box-form design

with interchangeable lenses,

viewfinders and film backs.

Mamiya ingeniously got around

the problem of shooting in the

vertical orientation – obviously not

an issue with the square 6x6cm

format – by making the film backs

rotatable through 90 degrees.

Additionally, the camera body

incorporated a set of bellows –

with a maximum extension of

46 mm – for focusing the RB

mount lenses. In practice, the

focusing knobs on the camera

body are easier to reach and the

bellows give much better close-

up capabilities, but there’s an

exposure factor for each lens focal

length that has to be read off a

scale and applied manually to

avoid underexposure. The lenses

incorporated leaf shutters. The

RB67 was completely mechanical

and very solidly built so its

reliability made it very popular

with professionals around the

world. A Professional S version

MaMiya 7 With LenSeS

Mamiya followed up the new 6 with a 6x7cm version in 1995, seen here with the acces-

sory lenses also launched with the camera – from left; 43mm ultra-wide, 150mm short

telephoto and 65mm wide-angle. A 50mm wide-angle was added to the system later.

MaMiya 7 & 150MM LenS

The Mamiya 7 shown fitted with the 150mm

lens which required the use of an external

optical viewfinder.

MaMiya CLASSICS

65

1989 1990

1995 1995

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