RZ67 vs RZ67II: Two-Piece Winding Shaft Differences
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
This is a brief discussion about what I consider an important difference between the RZ67 and RZ67II in terms of build.
The RZ67, unlike the RB67, had a two piece winding shaft assembly. And this is what often causes issues that I see in these cameras. The original RZ67 introduced in 1982 used a winding shaft with a hole that used a pin to attach it to the wind lever hub (photo two). With use, this pin or the hole in the shaft would wear and cause the mirror to not fully cock and at that point the mirror would not release. This was changed in the RZII to a shaft with a keyed slot for better engagement with the winding hub (photo three).
When an RZ67 was sent for service to Mamiya, these parts were changed out to the newer style. But there are still many of the original RZ67s out there with the old style winding shaft. This was not the only change Mamiya made in construction so I would recommend if possible to get a body that is at least from 1988 or later so that most of the updated materials have been installed.
