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Post by herron on May 13, 2006 16:48:06 GMT -5
Well, I bought a couple more Mamiya cameras on evilBay today...and they're not even the ones I have been looking for!  Got a nice looking Rank Mamiya rangefinder (a rebranded Mamiya 4B sold in the UK) for $10, and a Mamiya MSX500 with four lenses for only $13! Interestingly, three of the lenses with the MSX are not even for the thread-mount MSX...but for the bayonet mount Auto XTL! One of them is the hard to find 105mm f/2.8 ES lens, which is worth considerably more than I paid for the whole lot! I felt a little guilty about getting it so cheap (well, OK...only about 12 seconds worth of guilt, and only two of those were real!)  Hope everything works when it gets here. They look nice in the picture, but that can be really deceiving, as I'm sure we've all discovered, at one time or another.  |
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Post by Randy on May 13, 2006 19:39:15 GMT -5
You stole that stuff!
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Post by herron on May 14, 2006 0:45:42 GMT -5
Yeah, if it all works. That's why I felt guilty for all of two seconds. I've been burned before, and I know the real test comes when it all arrives, and I see if I got more than just pretty pictures. The MSX seller either did not know the ES lenses were a bayonet mount, and would not fit the camera body, or he does know that -- and more -- and I just bought a collection of worthless plastic and glass! The Rank Mamiya rangefinder seller said it all worked perfectly, and the selenium meter still worked...but he "could not attest to its accuracy." Should be interesting to find out! Of course, if it all does work as nicely as it looked, I will feel guilty -- but only for those same two seconds! ;D |
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Post by John Parry on May 24, 2006 15:02:03 GMT -5
Hi Ron,
Well I finally succumbed and bought a Mamiya. I had hesitated because I really didn't want to get into yet another lens system, but in this case that doesn't apply.
Mamiya MSX500 35mm SLR camera serial no. G994514 with Mamiya/Sekor SX 1:2 f=50mm lens no.216845.
Paid the same price as you did for yours (although without the extra lenses), which I was surprised at - I was the only bidder.
Looking forward to giving it a try, and comparing the glass to my CZJs.
Regards - John
ps - it isn't made by Cosina is it ? Then I could have killed two birds with one stone and got Bob off my back !! LOL
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Post by vintageslrs on May 24, 2006 22:29:26 GMT -5
John
Congrats on the Mamiya...I think you are gonna like it much!
but you still need one Cosina!!
Bob
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Post by herron on May 24, 2006 23:33:13 GMT -5
John...glad to see you with a Mamiya. I'm gonna convert the lot of you yet! LOL! ;D I've noticed that the prices have been trending up now...which for me is a good sign (except for the couple I still need to find)! My MSX arrived, and it's going to need a little TLC to make it right...but the ES lenses (that actually fit the Mamiya Auto XTL) are perfect! The 105mm ES is a hard one to find (in good condition), and is usually pretty pricey. It's been averaging about $50 all by itself, and I recently saw a couple go for almost twice that! The Rank Mamiya rangefinder came too. It's a little dirty, and suffering from disuse...but it seems to work OK...the meter is even responsive, and doesn't seem far off. I don't care, since I seldom use it, but it's nice to have one work for a change.  I'll post some pictures of them when I get them cleaned up! |
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Post by herron on May 25, 2006 15:38:37 GMT -5
ps - it isn't made by Cosina is it ? Then I could have killed two birds with one stone and got Bob off my back !! LOL Nope...Mamiya all the way. I'm going to convince both you and Bob about Mamiya, one of these days! LOL! |
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Post by John Parry on May 30, 2006 9:59:49 GMT -5
Confused by the MSX500 Ron...
The meter seems to be on all the time, and seems to be OK, until you push the film wind lever forward, which closes down the lens. I would have expected the meter to turn on at that point, but instead it goes hard up to the + mark.
Is that a battery test, and does that all seem correct? I'm used to the meter only operating when you are using it (ie when the DOF preview is pushed). I notice that the Mamiya lens seems to give mechanical aperture feedback. How does that work with a 'standard' auto M42?
Regards - John
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Post by herron on May 30, 2006 12:20:47 GMT -5
John: The meter is on when the film advance lever is away from the body. When you push the film advance lever toward the body the lens stops down to your aperture setting, while the meter gives you a reading. To turn the meter off, push down on the top button of the film advance lever. The lever should retract tight to the body, and the meter will be off. I hope that helps. |
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Post by John Parry on Jun 2, 2006 11:17:02 GMT -5
Thanks for that Ron,
What seems to be happening is that the meter is OFF when pushed home against the body and locked with the button. When it's pulled away, the meter is on all the time. It meters constantly in this position, except when pushed against the camera (when it goes off scale). That's with the Mamiya lens on. With a non-Mamiya lens on, you get nothing on the meter until you do the DOF preview - when it works perfectly (ie stopped down metering).
Regards - John
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Post by herron on Jun 2, 2006 14:08:02 GMT -5
Something just doesn't sound right, John. I'll look up the manual this evening, and try to post the page on the metering.....  |
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Post by John Parry on Jun 2, 2006 16:30:09 GMT -5
You're right Ron,
Think I've got there now. I had the 'other' M42's switched to manual. When I put them to Auto they worked the same as the Mamiya Sekor.
Got a test roll in now. Should be interesting, as I've tried shots with a CZJ Tessar 2.8/50, a Pentacon 1.8/50, a Takumar 1.8/55 and the Mamiya-Sekor 2/50. Not a scientific comparison but just stuff.
I like the MSX so far - feels solid, but not sure about the light seals though.
Regards - John
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Post by herron on Jun 3, 2006 1:58:30 GMT -5
John: These are the MSX manual pages referring to the meter:    |
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Post by John Parry on Jun 3, 2006 3:18:18 GMT -5
Thanks Ron,
Yes I'd got there eventually by trial and horror, with the exception of the mechanical type 'Off' switch, which I don't think I would have found if you hadn't told me about it.
Nice piece of gear. Just needs a good external clean-up. One minor ding on the prism housing, filter thread on lens a bit rough and the e/r case is a little tatty. Otherwise a great buy for $8 !! Plus no postage to pay as I got my son to collect it.
Regards - John
ps Not a candidate for my first snakeskin covering experiment, as the shell is in great condition. Pity really, as you couldn't get a better outline shape!
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I'll post some pictures of them when I get them cleaned up!