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From the bench
Real repairs, start to finish.
Mamiya 7II: Rangefinder and Frame Line Calibration
This very clean Mamiya 7II came into the shop with rangefinder and frame line issues. The frame lines where not calibrated and during disassembly I found…
Mamiya C 80mm Lens: Shutter Lubrication, Less Is More
While servicing this Mamiya C 80mm lens I thought I would do a post on shutter lubrication although this would apply to most lubrication matters in camera…
Mamiya 7 vs Mamiya Universal: Rangefinder Systems Compared
This is a comparison of a Mamiya 7 and a Mamiya Universal. More specifically, I will compare the rangefinder systems. If you are shopping for a Mamiya…
Mamiya 6 with 50mm Lens for Sale
This post is a little different than normal. Does not happen often but I have a Mamiya 6 for sale. It has the 50mm lens and overall the camera and lens…
Mamiya 7 65mm Lens: Sticking Shutter Blades from Residue
This Mamiya 7 65mm lens had an issue with sticking shutter blades. While this is often caused by oil contamination on the blades, this would not be common…
Mamiya 645 Pro: Mirror Stop Spring Stuck in the Shutter Curtains
Another post on mirror stops in the Mamiya 645 Super/Pro/Pro TL. The complaint with this camera was that the shutter was working erratically. Probably 90%…
Mamiya 7 150mm Lens: Replacing a Bent Filter Ring
This 150mm Mamiya 7 lens was attached to a Mamiya 7II and it took a fall. Fortunately, the lens filter ring absorbed most of the energy and the camera and…
RZ67: Stuck Lens and Locked Wind from a Broken Cocking Coupler
This Mamiya RZ67 arrived with a stuck lens on the body and the wind lever locked. With a mechanical like this, the issue is often a damaged lens cocking…
Mamiya 645 80mm f/1.9: Stiff Focus and Focus Ring Setscrews
This has been a week of servicing Mamiya 645 80mm f/1.9 lenses. Most common issue is stiff focus and this is caused by dried or sublimated focus helical…
Mamiya 6/7 Rangefinder Calibration: Lenses vs Bodies
The most common issue that I get contacted about is rangefinder calibration on the Mamiya 6/7. And, often the conversation is: “I just purchased a new lens…
Mamiya 7II: Cracked Double Exposure Lever
The Mamiya 7II has two issues with parts on the top cover that can cause problems with the camera. The first, a broken self timer button, I have covered in…
Mamiya 6: Power Switch Not Turning Off After a Previous Repair
This Mamiya 6 had the complaint of the power switch not turning off. Not a common issue so the top cover needed to be removed to investigate The problem…
Mamiya 7II: Glued Wind Lever Cover Loosening the Screw
This Mamiya 7II arrived needing some minor service, mostly a rangefinder calibration. My client mentioned that the rubber cover over the wind lever was…
Mamiya 7 80mm Lens: Bent Filter Ring and Sand in the Focus Helicoid
This Mamiya 7 80mm lens came into the shop with a badly damaged front filter ring and stuck focus. Not only was the filter ring deeply bent, but the name…
Mamiya C TLR: Missed Frames from Oily Shutter Blades
common complaint that I hear about is missing frames when using a Mamiya C series TLR camera. Generally, this is caused by sticking shutter blades. The…
Pentax 6x7 55mm: Removing a Dented Filter
A common issue is impact damage to the front of a lens filter ring. When the filter is damaged it will be out of round and often will not unscrew from the…
Mamiya 6 vs Mamiya 7: Light Meter Photocell Location
Recently a question came up about the meter systems on the Mamiya 7/7II versus the Mamiya 6. Since I am servicing one of each today, this might be a good…
Rodenstock Imagon 300mm: Cleaning a Dial Set Compound Shutter
This 300mm Rodenstock Imagon lens needed a minor cleaning to restore operation as it has been in storage for around thirty years unused. This lens with its…
Mamiya 7II: Unstable Meter Display from a Loose ISO Dial
This Mamiya 7II arrived with the complaint that the meter display was not stable and would change from the correct setting to the overexposure arrow. Sure…
Mamiya 7 65mm Lens: Flex Cable, Cold Shutter Delay, Focus Issues
This Mamiya 7 65mm lens came into the shop with a few issues: Broken flex cable (very common) Delayed shutter release Focus issues The broken flex cable is…
Mamiya 645 80mm f/1.9: Cine Conversion Warnings
Cine converting Mamiya 645 lenses is very popular these days. As a minimum, they are de-clicked and a focus gear is installed. Here is a warning with these…
RZ67: Diagnosing Shutter Not Releasing, Mechanical or Electrical
A very common issue with the Mamiya RZ67 is that the shutter does not release. This is usually caused by the mirror not releasing and can be a mechanical…
Mamiya 7II: B Setting Failure and Battery Drain
This Mamiya 7II arrived with two issues: 1.) B shutter setting did not work and 2.) Battery drain. Turns out they were related problems. The camera, owned…
RB67 Pro S: Locked Wind Lever from Crumbled Seal and Spring
This Mamiya RB67 PRO S came into the shop locked up. The wind lever would not move. When removing one of the side covers, I found the situation as seen in…