Mamiya 6 Folding Camera. A Good Choice In 2024?

Hey folks. Just doing a quick overview of this old banger. The shutter is a Seikosha-Rapid Japanese leaf shutter made by Seikosha and the lens is an Olympus D. Zuiko. Film will definitely be going through this unit soon and I'll do a second video to show you the results. Further info below:

The Mamiya Six I, II, and III were wartime and immediate postwar models and had both eye-level and waist-level finders. The coupled rangefinder was combined with the eye-level finder. As a result, there were three windows at the front of the top housing. The Mamiya Six III added an exposure counter with double exposure prevention.

Model I came in two versions: one for size "O" shutters with three struts and (eyelets for a strap) and a model la for the larger shutter "OO", with two struts. Both used a K.O.L. Special 7.5cm/3.5 lens and are prewar in design, well built, with focusing at the film plane. Shutters were the buyer's choice, and the NKS Torio with T, B, 1-200, is common.

Model II came in the war years in two versions, as above. This time the strap eyelets are no longer on the camera. Serial numbers are in the 6,xxx range, the depth of field scale goes up to F:8, and the front standard has a simple unscrewing knob. Camera shutters again were the buyer's choice, and these cameras are often found with a Patent Mars, T, B, 1-250.

Model III also came in the war years, but it differs in that it has a complex flash delay on the front standard of the lens, and serial numbers are often in the 22,xxx range. Lenses and shutters are found as in models I, and II. The special version for "OO" shutters was discontinued. Late war years cameras suffer from thin chrome.

All Mamiya Six models I, Ia, II, IIa, and III have three windows in front and three screws in the accessory shoe. In early versions the depth of field scale goes to F:8 only. The top reflex viewer on model I measures 12x12mm, whereas that for the later models II and III are 11x11mm. Model III has an F:22 D.O.F scale. The exposure counting scale also comes in many shape changes. It is best to refer to Dirk H. R. Spennemann's "Mamyia Six Design Variations" web page because there were many changes too numerous to list here. It is stated that the K.O.L. Sola Special lens 7.5cm F:3.5 was an early four-element design, and all lenses on models l, la, ll, lla, and lll are uncoated. Coated lenses may be seen on later cameras.

With the Mamiya Six IV, introduced in 1947, the waist-level finder disappeared. That remained the sole model until 1953, when the Mamiya Six V added the dual 6×6 and 4.5×6 format capability, with an exposure counter functioning with both formats. The Mamiya Six K was a simpler model, with film advance by use of red windows.

In 1955 the Mamiya Six IVB introduced a squarer body design, easily recognized by the square rangefinder window. Its features were similar to those of the model IV. The Mamiya Six K2 was similar to the model K with the new body. The body design was slightly modified again for the Mamiya Six IVS and simpler Mamiya Six P.

From 1955 the Mamiya Six Automat and the later Automat 2 added a coupling between the shutter cocking and the film advance.