I think I shall get some strange links from that title so I had better show a picture of them.
These are Mamiya twin lens reflex cameras from 1980 (C330) and 1990 (C220). They are both the “Professional f” versions of the range of Mamiyaflex C cameras that started in 1957 and were in production until 1995. What distinguished them most was that they had lens boards that were interchangeable.
It’s very likely that most people interested in Photography know the name Rollei and many of these know the Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex cameras. The Rolleiflex was in production until 2009 when the company succumbed to bankruptcy. The 2.8FX model sold new for US$4,444. That the range should have lasted for so long is because the quality of the camera and its lenses was truly excellent, the brand has a real cachet and the 6 cm square format allows for very large prints and the negatives can be scanned easily. But Rollei and, to the best of my knowledge, the other twin lens reflex manufacturers never implemented interchangeable lenses. Certainly when I used Rollei TLRs I had to buy another camera to get a telephoto lens.
It’s not only the interchangeable lenses that make these Mamiya TLRs interesting, but it is a large plus. The lens board can be replaced even when film is loaded. The lens board contains the viewing lens and the taking lens which are matched pairs and themselves have interchangeable elements. That’s a “plus” versus cameras that have a lower specification viewing lens. The taking lens has a leaf shutter between the front and rear elements. The early shutters were Seikosha-s with speeds B and 1 to 1/500 in chrome; the later ones were in black and better-looking. The full lens range (with an * for the ones that I have) is 55 mm f4.5*, 65 mm f3.5, 80 mm f2.8*, 80 mm f3.7, 105 mm f3.5*, 105 mm f3.5* with diaphragm for DOF control, 135 mm f4.5* 180 mm f4.5*, 180 mm f4.5 super, 250 mm f6.3.
These cameras were mostly bought and used by pros in studios and on tripods. They are heavy, considerably more so than the Rollei or Yashica ones, and although they could be used supported by a neckstrap (or even held up to the eye to use a “porrofinder”) to see any used that way was unusual. Essentially these are simple cameras and very soundly constructed. Personally I prefer the C220 to the C330 and I’m not sure why (maybe it’s because it is later and lighter) but the C330 is better specified. They take 120 film (or 220 if there is any left anywhere) 12 on a roll and there is no light meter. There’s a choice of viewfinders but the classic waist level finder is probably the best. Mamiya’s Sekor lenses are not up to the Zeiss-designed ones in the Rolleis but they are good and well up to the high standard of Sekor lenses for 35 mm cameras. The cameras are simple to use and plenty of accessories can be had including an ingenious “paramender” that compensates for parallax correction between the viewing and taking lenses. Using a TLR is a rewarding experience and good fun.
So why am I writing this? It’s part of my Back to Film project and it is to show how much you can get for really little money. My own two camera bodies cost an average of £85 each – the C220 being slightly more expensive because of its impeccable condition. The lenses varied from £32 to £70, the least expensive being the 180 mm that had a badly dented lens hood extension on the taking lens. Recent sales on eBay have been around £150 to £170 for a good body with the standard 80 mm f2.8 lenses and there are lenses that come up quite regularly there. Jacobs in New Oxford Street, London, specialise in medium format gear and there are often Mamiya lenses there also – though they have recently learned how to charge (!). I personally prefer the 105 mm as a standard lens (probably the equivalent of 66 mm on a 35 mm camera), but the 80 mm lens can be found more cheaply.
If you were encouraged by my idea to go back to film with a 35 mm rangefinder and might want to develop the black and white film yourself you can buy a developing tank that has a spiral that will take 120 film as well as 135. Try it.
