| Camera Name: | Mamiya C series |
| Image Alt: | Mamiya twin-lens reflex cameras for 120/220 rollfilm. The two cameras shown in this image are the C3 and C33. |
| Maker: | Mamiya |
| Type: | Twin-lens reflex |
| Lens Mount: | Mamiya C |
| Lens: | Interchangeable |
| Complens: | seven focal lengths, from 55mm to 250mm |
| Sensor Type: | Film |
| Sensor Size: | 56mm56mm |
| Filmformat: | 120 film |
| Fadvance: | manual, knob or crank |
| Frewind: | manual |
| Focus Type: | manual |
| Emode: | manual |
| Metering: | in optional viewfinders or external |
| Shutter: | in lens (leaf) |
| Shutter Speeds: | 1– or + B |
| Viewfinder: | ground glass, waist-level |
| Production: | 1956–1994 |
| Predecessor: | Mamiyaflex |
The Mamiya C series is a line of twin-lens reflex medium-format system cameras manufactured by Mamiya between 1956 and 1994. It was developed from the Mamiyaflex series of cameras built from 1949 to 1956. The Mamiya C series was initially aimed at the professional market.
Unlike most TLR cameras, the Mamiya C has interchangeable lenses. The upper and lower lenses come off as a unit, and are available in at least seven different focal lengths. The lower lens of each unit has an aperture diaphragm as well as a leaf shutter. A flash sync terminal is part of the lens unit, and the delay can be set to M or X mode. The camera has an interlocking baffle that enables lenses to be changed without exposing the film.
Focusing is performed via a bellows system on the front side of the camera. Early models had separate film advance and shutter cocking mechanisms; on later models the shutter was automatically cocked as the film was advanced. There is no metering in the camera body, so an external light meter is necessary; later models were compatible with optional accessory viewfinders that had built-in meters.
While the basic shape remained the same, the bodies increased with size over time. Two of the early models were branded with "Mamiyaflex" on the nameplate attached to the viewfinder; all of the other C series cameras were branded with "Mamiya". The first in the C series, the Mamiyaflex C, was introduced in 1957 as a follow-on to the earlier Mamiyaflex line, which had included the Automat A (1949) and Automat B (1954); the primary innovation of the C was the introduction of an interchangeable lens mount. The Mamiyaflex C was accompanied with 80mm, 105mm, and 135mm lenses.[1] The C2 was introduced in June 1958 and is distinguished from its predecessor with a second focusing knob on the left side of the camera. In addition, two more lenses (65mm, 180mm) joined the line.[1]
The "Mamiyaflex" name was dropped for "Mamiya" when the C3 was introduced in February 1962; the C3 featured updated styling, adding the name above the lens mount and switching to a gray leather body covering. At this time, the lenses used a new shutter mechanism with a faster minimum speed.[1] The C3 also moved to a crank for film advance, speeding up camera operation.
The line was split in the mid-1960s with the C33 (April 1965) and C22 (March 1966) models. C22 had fewer features, which also made it lighter than the C33.[1] The main distinguishing feature was the C33 had more automated operation, where winding the film also cocked the shutter automatically;[2] the C22 required two separate actions.[3] Both were the first Mamiya C TLRs that were able to use 220 film, but a different back was required.[1]
The C220 (April 1968) and C330 (October 1969) models were developed from the C22 and C33, respectively, with updated styling (the prominent nameplate now had chrome lettering on black) and a built-in switchable pressure plate to enable the use of 220 film.[1] Weight was reduced as well. The final two lenses (55mm and 250mm) also were introduced at about this time.[4] [5]
The later C330f, C220f, and C330S were refined versions of their respective base cameras, and carried the letter annotation on a nameplate below the lens mount. One of the changes from the C330 to the C330f, for example, was the inclusion of a focusing track lock on the latter.[6]
| Name | Intro. | Film | Winder | Shutter cocking | Dimensions | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 220 | Size (W×H×D) | Weight | ||||||
| data-sort-value="C000" | C | 1956 | knob | manual | 114 mm x 164 mm x 103 mm | 1,540 g | |||
| PF | 1957 | ? | ? | knob? | manual? | ? | ? | ||
| data-sort-value="C002" | C2 | 1958 | knob | manual | ? | 1250g | |||
| data-sort-value="C003" | C3 | 1962 | crank | manual | NaN× | NaNlb | [7] | ||
| data-sort-value="C033" | C33 | 1965 | crank | automatic | ? | 1810g | |||
| data-sort-value="C022" | C22 | 1966 | knob | manual | ? | 1480g | |||
| 1968 | knob | manual | 118× | 1150g | |||||
| 1969 | crank | automatic | ? | 1465g | |||||
| C330f | 1975 | crank | automatic | 122× | 1390g | [8] | |||
| C220f | 1982 | knob | manual | 123× | 1150g | ||||
| C330s | 1983 | crank | automatic | 123× | 1340g | [9] | |||
Lenses for the Mamiya C series have been grouped by users into three different series based on the shutter model and the color of the shutter housing: first chrome, second chrome, and black. Most lenses can be used on most bodies, but some combinations won't allow for automatic shutter cocking. The first chrome series had Seikosha-MX shutters with speeds from 1 s to s. The second chrome series had Seikosha-S shutters with speeds from 1 s to s, plus Bulb. A few chrome shutter lens had a Seikosha-SLV shutter. The black series had Seiko shutters, except for the 80 mm 3.7 lens, which had a Copal shutter.
| Aperture | Chrome | Black | Optics[14] | Filter dia. | Weight | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (Seikosha-MX) | 2nd (Seikosha-S) | Seiko | Comp. | Min. focus | Subject coverage | ||||||
| 55mm | 4.5–22 | 9e/7g | 70°30′ | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 46mm | 330g | ||||
| 65mm | 3.5–32 | 6e/5g | 63° | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 49mm | 340g | ||||
| 80mm | 2.8–32 | 5e/3g | 50°40′ | 1feet | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 40.5mm | ? | ||||
| 46mm | 310g | ||||||||||
| 3.7–32 | 4e/3g | 40.5mm | ? | ||||||||
| 105mm | 3.5–32 | 4e/3g | 41°20′ | 1feet | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 40.5mm | ? | ||||
| 5e/3g | 46mm | 336g | |||||||||
| 135mm | 4.5–45 | 4e/3g | 33° | 2feet | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 46mm | 370g | ||||
| 180mm | 4.5–45 | 4e/3g | 24°30′ | 4feet | NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on | 49mm | ? | ||||
| 5e/4g | 620g | ||||||||||
| 250mm | 6.3–64 | 6e/4g | 18° | 6feet | 1feet | 49mm | 630g | ||||
The Mamiya C series were marketed as system cameras, and over time a wide array of accessories were offered. Not all accessories are fully compatible with all camera bodies.