Bloody brilliant, this is exactly the sort of thing you need to know with an unfamiliar camera system. It’s like accidentally tripping the shutter tensioner while putting the Hasselblad lens onto the body and out of sequence. I was fascinated, thanks !
Thank you for the video,it really helps.But my mamiya6mf doesn't work after i change the lens.The battery seems fine,and the lightmeter works good,and the red light on the corner always on,i'm so confused now😢
Great video! I am convinced my Mamiya 6 is actually broken though. I cant advance the film at all it is completely stuck. The dark slide is stuck in an open position and the red light blinks in the top right corner when half pressing the shutter. I was shooting and on my 10th frame the camera just seized up and i could not advance the film. I have tried everything, the lens is fully extended, batteries seem to be fine because the lights are on in the viewfinder, but I cant open or close the dark slide or advance the film! Very frustrating , any advice would be helpful! thanks
At this point you may want to send it in for service! There are still a few places that can work on them - get it fixed up once and you should be good to go forever. 😊👍
I'm in the habit of shutting the darkslide when I change my film. About 90% of the time I forget to release it when done and have an "OMG DID THE CAMERA BREAK DOWN?!" panic when I go to shoot the first frame on a new roll.
This is such a good video. The Mamiya 6 (and really a lot of the Mamiya cameras) are really good at helping you not do dumb stuff. But, we're not as smart as the camera. I would like to add about the battery, if it dies, sometimes it will take a photo, but not reset and you won't be able to wind to the next frame. You need a new battery, but there is a button in the grip that will release it too.
Any suggestions - suddenly my Mamiya 6 doesn't focus on infinity (i.e. I can't match the split prism on subjects that are 100-200 feet away, for example)
Hello, any suggestions on an advance lever delay? Just got a Mamiya 6 system. When I take an exposure, the camera doesn’t let me use the advance lever to get to the next frame (red dot in viewfinder). After 30 seconds or so, red light goes off and I can advance. Any ideas?
Apologies for the late reply. If this were happening on a Leica I'd say make sure the lens cap is removed. If I recall the Mamiya 6 meters through the viewfinder but check the lens cap to make sure it's not metering for a long exposure. Also, have the batteries been replaced to rule them out? If all else fails, contact PCW at www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya. They'll get you sorted!
I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve missed a shot by turning the camera on, framing a shot then pressing the shutter only to realize I didn’t move the dark slide over.
I wish my Mamiya 6 wasn’t broken! But it appears that it is. Just bought it from a camera shop in NYC Friday. Tested camera this past weekend with dry fire - worked after a few tries. Put film in and went downtown to shoot today - meter is not working and shutter cannot fully be pressed to expose an image. No matter if in A/AEL/Manual mode meter says image is overexposed (red blinking) and shutter cannot be pressed. Dark slide open, camera on, fresh/new good quality batteries, bellows fully extended etc. Nothin. Pressed reset button, could advance film, but cannot press shutter. Any advice?
Dumb question out of the way first: is the lens cap off of the lens? I can’t remember if that affects the Mamiya 6 or not, but it does trip up meters on some other cameras and can prevent shutters from working. Beyond that I’d check the manual to make sure the film was loaded properly by aligning it with the arrows. The manual is available online in PDF format. Lastly, have you tried adjusting the ISO and / or determining that the ISO dial is set properly? If left at a high ISO on a sunny day everything may be overexposed and giving you that warning. If all else fails, I’d take it back to the shop if possible and see if they can replicate the issue / repair it for you. Good luck!
A few suggestions: Correct batteries (2xLR44), batteries inserted right way round, corrosion on camera battery terminals; do you have/have you tried with another lens? It might be a lens problem. Good luck; I love my Mamiya 6.
Really? I own one and I can fire it off without film inside. Obviously you can’t take a photo with a darkslide. I found that if the rotating back isn’t fully rotated into position it won’t let you take a photo! Cheers!
Rob, thank you for this video. It definitely helped! Question when changing lenses while film is in the camera... It still does what your video shows with no film. It locks and will not allow me to shoot with another lens. However, once I put the first lens back on, it would allow me to keep shooting. Can you tell me why?
Charles: good on you for changing batteries out with a reliable pair. I'll skip the question about changing the lenses and the light curtain because you've obviously been able to shoot with one lens but not another. Are you getting a red light or just no lens response at all? At the expense of burning film, does the problematic lens respond on ANY of the shutter speeds set on the camera? The shutters inside of these lenses are usually very durable so I'm hesitant to say the leaf shutter isn't working. You might want to try to take a pencil eraser and lightly rub along the electrical contacts of the problematic lens. It's possible that the connection is not being made 100% and that little trick has been known to help the handshake between lens and camera contacts. Worse comes to worse, you can send your system to Bob at PCW : www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya. He's one of the best when it comes to servicing the Mamiya 6.
Hi Robert. There's no built in diopter in the camera (unfortunately). I am farsighted myself and wear glasses to read and work, so I know where you're coming from. You can try to source a diopter for the Mamiya 6 on eBay or the used sites, but bear in mind my experience as well: more often than not what I was focusing on through the viewfinder was further away to the point that my vision was good enough to see the patch contrast clearly. The close focusing distance isn't terrific on rangefinders, so I'd say that over 90% of the time my close vision (which requires glasses) never came into play when shooting the Mamiya 6. Shooting at a smaller aperture on medium format will also yield more keepers in the event your focusing wasn't 100% exact. I hope that info is helpful!
Hi M D. It sounds like you're developing slide film from your Mamiya 6, correct? Are you developing it yourself or are you having a lab do it for you? If the frames are indeed all blank / black, can you at least see the registration / branding / numbering on the outside of the developed positives? If you can't see that registration / numbering, it sounds like a developer issue. If you're doing it yourself, check the expiration dates on your chemicals or try new chemicals. If you have a lab do it for you, I'd suggest calling them to get their take on that. Additionally, and I know this sounds odd, but check to make sure you're loading the film the correct way. I'm not even sure if it's possible to load it backwards in the Mamiya 6, but if you did then you're just shooting on the backing paper and not the actual film. Again, doubtful, but just covering all the bases. I hope this response has triggered some idea of what the problem could be. If all else fails and you believe it to be a mechanical issue, I can recommend Precision Camera Works: www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya
Thought of one more: check your lenses (by opening the camera back and looking through the lens) to make sure the shutter inside of the lens is actually firing (opening and closing) at all speeds. If not, it may be the lens(es) that need to be serviced.
@@RobZeigler thanks for the reply. Im developing slide film on the mamiya 7 using porta 400 using dslr scanning. I do not see any branding on the film. I really am at a loss.
@@TOShorts Have you tried testing with the film loading door opened like I demonstrated in the video? Not sure if it's the same for the Mamiya 7 but that's how you fire the shutter on the Mamiya 6 without film loaded.
Correction to my correction: the window next to the viewfinder is the metering window (of course) so don't cover that up when you're shooting either!
With all these safety features to prevent accidental exposures, I still manage to forget my lens cap is still on!
Bloody brilliant, this is exactly the sort of thing you need to know with an unfamiliar camera system.
It’s like accidentally tripping the shutter tensioner while putting the Hasselblad lens onto the body and out of sequence.
I was fascinated, thanks !
Thank you for the video,it really helps.But my mamiya6mf doesn't work after i change the lens.The battery seems fine,and the lightmeter works good,and the red light on the corner always on,i'm so confused now😢
Where did you get the print bar on the wall behind you? Thanks. Good video, too! 😊
Great video! I am convinced my Mamiya 6 is actually broken though. I cant advance the film at all it is completely stuck. The dark slide is stuck in an open position and the red light blinks in the top right corner when half pressing the shutter. I was shooting and on my 10th frame the camera just seized up and i could not advance the film. I have tried everything, the lens is fully extended, batteries seem to be fine because the lights are on in the viewfinder, but I cant open or close the dark slide or advance the film! Very frustrating , any advice would be helpful! thanks
At this point you may want to send it in for service! There are still a few places that can work on them - get it fixed up once and you should be good to go forever. 😊👍
I'm in the habit of shutting the darkslide when I change my film. About 90% of the time I forget to release it when done and have an "OMG DID THE CAMERA BREAK DOWN?!" panic when I go to shoot the first frame on a new roll.
I did this so often that I had to create a video to remind MYSELF how to operate the camera! ;)
This was super useful, thank you!
Exactly what I needed. Shopping for fresh batteries tomorrow.
Nice video, thanks!
This is such a good video. The Mamiya 6 (and really a lot of the Mamiya cameras) are really good at helping you not do dumb stuff. But, we're not as smart as the camera. I would like to add about the battery, if it dies, sometimes it will take a photo, but not reset and you won't be able to wind to the next frame. You need a new battery, but there is a button in the grip that will release it too.
Hey Rob, i just bought the mamiya 6. Tried using the self-timer but its not working. Any advice?
Life saver! F*ck yes!
That's what I like to see!
The shutter also won’t fire if there’s no film loaded.
Check out 5:11 of the video to learn how to dry fire the camera without film loaded.
The red dot will appear if there is no film right? Just want to make sure everything works on mine before I load it for the first time! Thank you.
great video thanks im looking to buy one this week
Any suggestions - suddenly my Mamiya 6 doesn't focus on infinity (i.e. I can't match the split prism on subjects that are 100-200 feet away, for example)
Sounds like the rangefinder may be out of alignment. Precision Camera Works might be able to help out with this: www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya
Thank you. Now I know my M6 is not broken. You saved me a lot of grief.
Hello, any suggestions on an advance lever delay? Just got a Mamiya 6 system. When I take an exposure, the camera doesn’t let me use the advance lever to get to the next frame (red dot in viewfinder). After 30 seconds or so, red light goes off and I can advance. Any ideas?
Apologies for the late reply. If this were happening on a Leica I'd say make sure the lens cap is removed. If I recall the Mamiya 6 meters through the viewfinder but check the lens cap to make sure it's not metering for a long exposure. Also, have the batteries been replaced to rule them out? If all else fails, contact PCW at www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya. They'll get you sorted!
I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve missed a shot by turning the camera on, framing a shot then pressing the shutter only to realize I didn’t move the dark slide over.
At least you remembered it was the dark slide!
Really useful addition to reading the manual, thank you!
I remember trying to test out the shutter at a store and couldn't figure it out lol. Thank you for this video.
I wish my Mamiya 6 wasn’t broken! But it appears that it is.
Just bought it from a camera shop in NYC Friday. Tested camera this past weekend with dry fire - worked after a few tries. Put film in and went downtown to shoot today - meter is not working and shutter cannot fully be pressed to expose an image. No matter if in A/AEL/Manual mode meter says image is overexposed (red blinking) and shutter cannot be pressed. Dark slide open, camera on, fresh/new good quality batteries, bellows fully extended etc. Nothin. Pressed reset button, could advance film, but cannot press shutter.
Any advice?
Dumb question out of the way first: is the lens cap off of the lens? I can’t remember if that affects the Mamiya 6 or not, but it does trip up meters on some other cameras and can prevent shutters from working.
Beyond that I’d check the manual to make sure the film was loaded properly by aligning it with the arrows. The manual is available online in PDF format.
Lastly, have you tried adjusting the ISO and / or determining that the ISO dial is set properly? If left at a high ISO on a sunny day everything may be overexposed and giving you that warning.
If all else fails, I’d take it back to the shop if possible and see if they can replicate the issue / repair it for you. Good luck!
A few suggestions: Correct batteries (2xLR44), batteries inserted right way round, corrosion on camera battery terminals; do you have/have you tried with another lens? It might be a lens problem. Good luck; I love my Mamiya 6.
Thanks for the video. Tested it like that and am now holding one of these in my hands :)
thanks mate - very useful - thought mine was broken ;)
That’s what I love to hear!
Thank you very much, very helpful. Merci beaucoup !
Je vous en prie! Mon plaisir. :)
Very helpful, thank you!
Thanks The interlocks were on my rb as well and for good reason . This camera doesn't want to shoot if there is no film in the camera as well.
Really? I own one and I can fire it off without film inside. Obviously you can’t take a photo with a darkslide. I found that if the rotating back isn’t fully rotated into position it won’t let you take a photo! Cheers!
Thanks a lot!
Thanks. Helpful.
Rob, thank you for this video. It definitely helped! Question when changing lenses while film is in the camera... It still does what your video shows with no film. It locks and will not allow me to shoot with another lens. However, once I put the first lens back on, it would allow me to keep shooting. Can you tell me why?
Should note; changing batteries was the first thing I did when I go the camera today.
Charles: good on you for changing batteries out with a reliable pair. I'll skip the question about changing the lenses and the light curtain because you've obviously been able to shoot with one lens but not another. Are you getting a red light or just no lens response at all?
At the expense of burning film, does the problematic lens respond on ANY of the shutter speeds set on the camera? The shutters inside of these lenses are usually very durable so I'm hesitant to say the leaf shutter isn't working. You might want to try to take a pencil eraser and lightly rub along the electrical contacts of the problematic lens. It's possible that the connection is not being made 100% and that little trick has been known to help the handshake between lens and camera contacts.
Worse comes to worse, you can send your system to Bob at PCW : www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya. He's one of the best when it comes to servicing the Mamiya 6.
Is the diopter adjustable or magnified.. ?..I wear readers..
Hi Robert. There's no built in diopter in the camera (unfortunately). I am farsighted myself and wear glasses to read and work, so I know where you're coming from. You can try to source a diopter for the Mamiya 6 on eBay or the used sites, but bear in mind my experience as well: more often than not what I was focusing on through the viewfinder was further away to the point that my vision was good enough to see the patch contrast clearly.
The close focusing distance isn't terrific on rangefinders, so I'd say that over 90% of the time my close vision (which requires glasses) never came into play when shooting the Mamiya 6. Shooting at a smaller aperture on medium format will also yield more keepers in the event your focusing wasn't 100% exact.
I hope that info is helpful!
Thanks buddy
Would love to find me one of these one day.
In other words, read the owner's manual !
Always helpful!
Unless it’s broken 😂
Well...yeah. No denying that!
Ive followed this all, and all of my slides come out blank. Can anyone help?
Hi M D. It sounds like you're developing slide film from your Mamiya 6, correct? Are you developing it yourself or are you having a lab do it for you? If the frames are indeed all blank / black, can you at least see the registration / branding / numbering on the outside of the developed positives?
If you can't see that registration / numbering, it sounds like a developer issue. If you're doing it yourself, check the expiration dates on your chemicals or try new chemicals. If you have a lab do it for you, I'd suggest calling them to get their take on that.
Additionally, and I know this sounds odd, but check to make sure you're loading the film the correct way. I'm not even sure if it's possible to load it backwards in the Mamiya 6, but if you did then you're just shooting on the backing paper and not the actual film. Again, doubtful, but just covering all the bases.
I hope this response has triggered some idea of what the problem could be. If all else fails and you believe it to be a mechanical issue, I can recommend Precision Camera Works: www.precisioncameraworks.com/mamiya
Thought of one more: check your lenses (by opening the camera back and looking through the lens) to make sure the shutter inside of the lens is actually firing (opening and closing) at all speeds. If not, it may be the lens(es) that need to be serviced.
@@RobZeigler thanks for the reply. Im developing slide film on the mamiya 7 using porta 400 using dslr scanning. I do not see any branding on the film. I really am at a loss.
@@RobZeigler I can confirm that the shutter is opening and closing when film is loaded. I am unable to fire the shutter without film loaded.
@@TOShorts Have you tried testing with the film loading door opened like I demonstrated in the video? Not sure if it's the same for the Mamiya 7 but that's how you fire the shutter on the Mamiya 6 without film loaded.