Earlier in May of this year, I purchased a Mamiya 6 Rangefinder and 75mm lens from a Japanese dealer on Ebay, later adding both the 50mm and 150mm lenses, to complete the outfit. The camera was advertised as having a recent CLA (clean, lube, and adjust) and arrived as described, in mint condition. I briefly owned another Mamiya 6 back in the early 90’s, but it developed a film winding issue shortly after purchase, which resulted in a return. I have also owned two Mamiya 7’s (both the original and Mamiya 7II), but sold them for a Hasselblad system. Today, the Hasselblad system is my primary medium format kit for my most serious art making. The Mamiya serves as a wonderful travel camera, being much more compact and lighter than the Hasselblad system. Both cameras utilize a square format (2 1/4 inch x 2 1/4 inch or 6x6cm), which is my favorite for the way my eyes and brain manage composition. While some folks hand hold their Hasselblads, I only use a tripod with mine, to avoid any compromise in sharpness. This is where the Mamiya excels as a travel camera, as having leaf shutters built in the lens, sans camera mirror, there is no mirror slap which makes for sharp images when hand holding. Depending upon technique, It is easy to get sharp images with shutter speeds of 1/30th of a second, which for most of us, is not possible with Hasselblad off a tripod.

A most unique and wonderful feature of the Mamiya 6 is the fact that the lens housing can collapse into the camera body, making things even more compact, with or without a lens attached. This works well with smaller lightweight bags like the Domke series and allows for the camera body with lens attached, in addition to the other two lenses, to easily fit in a travel sized bag.

Used prices seem to average around $2800 for the body and 75mm lens in mint condition, with the entire collection of lenses bumping the price up to $4500. The newer Mamiya 7 series have risen to ridiculous prices and a Mamiya 7II with standard 80mm lens in mint condition will cost over five grand (with only the one lens).

There are some down sides to rangefinder cameras. The reason I got rid of my Mamiya 7II some years ago was due to the fact that they, like all rangefinder cameras, are not meant for closeup work, even in a moderate sense. No macro capability and very limited in portraiture to waist up photos, rather than tight head shots. Another shortfall is the limited number of lenses-three in the case of the Mamiya 6, where the Hasselblad 500 series had 15 dedicated lenses. While the Mamiya lenses are extremely sharp, I find the Carl Zeiss lenses of the Hasselblad system to have a slight edge in contrast and detail rendering, but very minute indeed.

A last potential negative regarding the Mamiya 6 system. Their Achilles Heel has been the film advance. It has a reputation for breaking over time. Precision Camera in Illinois is now the sole service agent for these cameras and the only source for parts to fix the film advance should it break on you. They have a fine reputation for servicing these and other cameras.

If you are looking for a compact and lightweight medium format travel camera, I think you will find the Mamiya 6 to be at the top of the list.

“A love like that was a serious illness, an illness from which you never entirely recover.”
― Charles Bukowski, The People Look Like Flowers at Last

These three brothers from Frankenmuth, MI, have hit it big in the last few years and have become internationally renown as the modern day version of Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin. Hope to catch them live here in there home state someday.