# Just got a Mamiya RB67



## Buckster

I've been waiting impatiently all week for the Mamiya RB67 S I got off ebay to arrive, and it showed up today!  Woot!  

I don't have to tell you folks that you never know for sure what you'll get on ebay till you've got your mitts on the thing you bought, so I was a little apprehensive until I could get it in my hands and check it out.

It came with the 90mm lens seen in the photo, 120 and 220 backs, a metered prism finder (that looks a little rough, and I'll need to do some testing of it with a fresh battery), all in a nice big aluminum, hardshell, padded Mamiya case made for it, with room to spare for a couple more lenses, backs and so on.

I had the winning bid at $157.75, which was a fair price to me, as long as I didn't get a piece of junk.

After checking it all out, it appears that everything's perfect, including the light seals.  There are minor usage scuffs here and there, but nothing major as you can see from the photos.  Lens is pristine - clear and clean as it should be, and the aperture and shutter seems to be working on all cylinders just the way they should.  The case's exterior shows it's been around for awhile, but it's completely intact and the hinges and latches are tight and right and the foam inside still does it's job.

I've already dug out a couple of cables from old film bags to use for mirror lock-up/shutter release, loaded it with a 120 roll of Tmax 400, and fired off a few frames to take her though some testing.  I'm feeling really confident this beefy babe's going to perform spectacularly, and just need the confirmation before I start going nuts with her!

And it arrived the same day as my first grandchild!  I'm really happy right now...  :blushing:












:mrgreen:


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## Derrel

I shot briefly at a Seattle-area portrait studio where the workhorse was the RB 67...man, what a beast it is! it can do triple duty: camera, boat anchor, and self-defense weapon. This design is up there in line with the butterknife and the hammer as utterly simple,reliable tools that have been perfected and never bettered. Like the genius of putting a PC synch terminal on the lens and not o the body....if the body's PC socket gets damaged or fails to work,which can and did/does happen when somebody trips on the PC synch cord, on other MF Cameras, you've got a MAJOR problem...with the RB67, you just slap on another lens and you're back in bid'ness.


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## Buckster

Derrel said:


> ...man, what a beast it is! it can do triple duty: camera, boat anchor, and self-defense weapon.


LOL!  STAND BACK!!  I've got a 6 pound chunk of metal with corners, and I'm not afraid to use it!!


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## Big Mike

Congrats (on the camera and the grandchild).

I picked up one of these recently...along with a full car load of studio equipment.  The lens I have is the 100-200mm zoom, although I'd love to get a wide angle for it and take it up to the mountains.  

I've never actually shot with MF cameras before, so I might ruin a roll or two, trying to figure out how to work it...but I'm really looking forward to it.  This thing is so big and solid, it just feels cool.


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## Patrice

You are gonna love that thing. Mamiya glass is not to be sneezed at either. Now save up all your mortgage payments for a digital back! 

I still make the occasional image with my C330.

Pat


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## Buckster

Big Mike said:


> Congrats (on the camera and the grandchild).


Thanks so much!  They're both doing fabulously too!



Big Mike said:


> I picked up one of these recently...along with a full car load of studio equipment. The lens I have is the 100-200mm zoom, although I'd love to get a wide angle for it and take it up to the mountains.


That's awesome!  I'm already scouting for some more lenses, filters and so on myself.  I'm really looking forward to dressing up a set piece, loading some Portra, and forcing a loved one or two to pose for me.  LOL!  (They're used to the old guy's quirky camera stuff, so they'll play along...  hehehe...)



Big Mike said:


> I've never actually shot with MF cameras before, so I might ruin a roll or two, trying to figure out how to work it...but I'm really looking forward to it. This thing is so big and solid, it just feels cool.


Oh man, it's a gas.  I just recently started shooting them (this past summer), instead of just having them look 'antique-y cool' on my shelves, and it's nothing but fun!  I'm just loving it!  Beyond the fun of the tactile, mechanical working of the camera, which is fantastic IMHO, for me, this is turning into a great way to get the biggest, clearest, most insanely dynamic-range-capable 'sensor' I've ever seen!  And I'm doing it for virtual pennies, compared to the $20,000 digital backs that are the only close rivals to it!  How cool is THAT?!!    Well, that's how I see it anyway.  



Patrice said:


> You are gonna love that thing. Mamiya glass is not to be sneezed at either. Now save up all your mortgage payments for a digital back!


The day I can afford one, and still get all the rest of the stuff on my wish list, you can bet I will!  For now, this will do just fine for me!    The images I've been getting from the C330 have been amazing in terms of clarity, sharpness and bokeh.  Just plain yummy, to my old eyes!  And now this RB67 has me REALLY jazzed!



Patrice said:


> I still make the occasional image with my C330.
> 
> Pat


I started shooting my C330 just this past summer when my Canon 40D had to go back to Canon for repair of a "err 99" that left me camera-less, other than the bunches of antiques I've collected over the years.  I picked out the C330, loaded it up, and in no time I'd fallen in love with film photography all over again, like when I was a kid, but this time with 40 years or so of knowledge - enough to be dangerous!  

Now I'm walking around with a meter around my neck or in my pocket, measuring light and shadow all around me, developing a sense of it that's more intuitive, and developing my B&W shots in the bathroom.  Scanning them in, they just plain blow away any 35mm film or digital camera I've ever used in my life!  So yeah, I'm really excited about the whole thing.

My next step is to start cooking up some C-41, and I feel it coming on real strong here...


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## terri

What a grand old beauty! As you've quickly discovered, a few cosmetic "dings" on a camera of this pro quality means nothing - they are tanks, meant to last for decades! The simplicity of the inner mechanics means it's a snap to keep them functioning, too - a basic CLA, maybe new seals every decade, and you're always good to go. They don't turn into landfill fodder in three years.  And yes, there is something about working with this beautiful, quality equipment that is so internally satisfying.

Congrats on the birth of your new grandchild! Sounds like you need to start looking at a good portrait lens for the RB.      You'll have to post some pictures soon!


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## jbylake

I think I see more flaws in it than you do....might as well just give up on it now and give it to me, for further evaluation....

Sweet deal....

J.:mrgreen:

P.S., might as well send that "creaky" old tripod too...probably needs further analysis....


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## TuxXtreme

Mamyia film cameras have THE look 

No seriously you are real lucky, now let's see some shots done with this beauty !


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## Paul Ron

Congrastulations, you are the proud owner of an RB, built like a Russian tank. One word of caution... that ball head is my best customer. It has dropped more RBs than any other. The bodies suffer very little damage, maybe break a few bones in your foot. The lens is what gets teh brunt of it all. Since you don't have a prism, you won't need to worry about permenant damage to your foot, maybe just some phyical therapy. 

Have lots of fun n make sure you use that camera often or it will die of lonelyness. They love the attension.


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## porkphoto

Them ugly beasts are sure purty ain't they? They're so ugly I couldn't help myself...I have two! You'll love em! For sure. For sure.


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## Buckster

TuxXtreme said:


> Mamyia film cameras have THE look
> 
> No seriously you are real lucky, now let's see some shots done with this beauty !


Okey dokey!

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-my-first-mamiya-rb67-photos.html#post1736460


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## Buckster

porkphoto said:


> Them ugly beasts are sure purty ain't they? They're so ugly I couldn't help myself...I have two! You'll love em! For sure. For sure.


I couldn't agree more!


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## jbylake

Buckster said:


> TuxXtreme said:
> 
> 
> 
> Mamyia film cameras have THE look
> 
> No seriously you are real lucky, now let's see some shots done with this beauty !
> 
> 
> 
> Okey dokey!
> 
> http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-my-first-mamiya-rb67-photos.html#post1736460
Click to expand...

Didn't like the shots, sure it's a problem with the camera, still think you ought to give it to me for further evaluation, probably save you some bucks on film too...

J.


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## Buckster

jbylake said:


> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TuxXtreme said:
> 
> 
> 
> Mamyia film cameras have THE look
> 
> No seriously you are real lucky, now let's see some shots done with this beauty !
> 
> 
> 
> Okey dokey!
> 
> http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-my-first-mamiya-rb67-photos.html#post1736460
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Didn't like the shots, sure it's a problem with the camera, still think you ought to give it to me for further evaluation, probably save you some bucks on film too...
> 
> J.
Click to expand...

:lmao:


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## apertureman

*So where are the pictures from your new Mamiya??*:lmao:


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## Buckster

apertureman said:


> *So where are the pictures from your new Mamiya??*:lmao:



Step right this way...  

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-my-first-mamiya-rb67-photos.html#post1736460

There, next to a real blade of grass, are actual photographs made with something called "film".


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## Sjixxxy

Derrel said:


> ...man, what a beast it is! it can do triple duty: camera, boat anchor, and self-defense weapon.



Don't forget _Tourist Stopper_. Anything that doesn't look like an SLR tends to confuse people into thinking that it is video camera. Just watch as people stop and wait for your permission to duck past in front of it.


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## Sjixxxy

I just gave and bought an RB67 off a guy last night. Should be here tomorrow or Saturday. I was sick of all the muscle atrophy that was happening to me while I was out carrying around a puny little Yashica Mat 124G. Time to remedy that problem. 

Fun.


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## Buckster

Sjixxxy said:


> I just gave and bought an RB67 off a guy last night. Should be here tomorrow or Saturday. I was sick of all the muscle atrophy that was happening to me while I was out carrying around a puny little Yashica Mat 124G. Time to remedy that problem.
> 
> Fun.


FUN!  Be sure to post some shots from it!  :thumbup:

I've been shooting some color film in mine lately, in prep to try my hand at some home color developing.

Oh yeah, and I'm already at least 3 times stronger now than when I got it!  LOL!


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## Sjixxxy

I've been reading a copy of the manual tonight. Since I mainly will be using it in mirror lock-up mode with the T setting, I feel like this is going to be like driving a train with all the different controls which will have to be pressed.

Cock the Shutter with one lever. Lock up the mirror with one cable release. Open the shutter with another cable release. Close the shutter with the cocking shutter. Fun! Yet, still probably still less complex then my Speed Graphic.


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## Sjixxxy

The RB67 arrived this afternoon and I just took it for a spin with some night shooting. I think I've used muscles I never have used before. I can feel my forearms are pulsing.


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## Paul Ron

Hey be sure to advance the film between shots. Cock the shutter, advance film, mirror up with cable 1, release shutter with cable 2. 

I'd hate to see you take 10 shots on one frame. 

OH and don't forget you have a rotating back on that beast. Keep an eye on which way it;s set or you may be cutting you shots off at the borders.

You'll enjoy that camera... ALOT!


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## Sjixxxy

I'm liking the performance so far.  Compared to doing the same type of shooting with the Yashica Mat 124G, the shear weight of the RB67 just seems to apply enough force on my tripod that everything feels much more stable. I can't wait to start seeing some of the images from this system on paper.


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## Buckster

Very nice!  More details?  Film?  Lens?  Shutter?  Aperture?  What are you metering with?  

I love the juicy details!


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## Sjixxxy

Film: Acros 100 in HC-110
Lens: 90mm f/3.8 Non-C
Exposure. 3.8-5.6 I think. I forget the shutter speed. I've been confident with my night photography technique for years now, so I don't record my exposure info any more. I think it was pretty quick, like eight seconds or so.
Meter: Pentax Digital Spotmeter. (Holy Hell! These things are going for a lot more then I paid for mine on eBay right now) Placed the snow in front of the bag at Zone 8 and let the rest fall where it wanted to.


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## Sjixxxy

Seriously. The RB67 may be the best equipment purchase I've ever made. We are getting along quite nicely.


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## Buckster

Beautiful!


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## Mike_E

Sweet!!!


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