5 Frames With Mamiya C220: A Love and Loss Story – By Ivan Mendez

My love story with the Mamiya C Series started in the early 90s when I casually bumped into one while visiting my friend Hansel. The strange apparatus belonged to his father, Mr. Onorato, and it really caught my attention. I politely asked his father to let me play with it, and he kindly agreed. I’d never seen anything like it. The viewfinder was so large and bright, the image moved left when you panned right, and it used two lenses instead of one. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Years later, Mr. Onorato helped me purchase my first C220. I loved the interesting and unique way this camera captured light. I took this thing everywhere and shot countless photographs, until 10 years later someone broke into my car and parted with it. It wasn’t until 2008 that I was able to acquire my second C220.

As I rediscovered this magnificent machine and captured memories in it’s unique and timeless way, I also had acquired quite an array of gear. Unfortunately this was the cause of yet another break in, this time in my own apartment. The robbers took most of my photography equipment and with it my trusty Mamiya. I angrily accepted that maybe “our relationship” wasn’t meant to be.

Luckily in (2014) I was able to get my hands on my third C220. I guard it now with my life and only use it for when the time calls. To this day, it still feels like the first time when I first gazed through that dusty viewfinder at Mr. Onorato’s house.

Iván A Mendez (FoToGrAfIkA)
@visionfotografika
@fotografika

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13 thoughts on “5 Frames With Mamiya C220: A Love and Loss Story – By Ivan Mendez”

  1. Thanks for sharing this! I’m about to go see one of these tomorrow for purchase, and this just makes me even more convinced. Let’s hope it won’t share the fate of your first two.

      1. It’s sitting on my desk as we speak, and I’m VERY impressed! Already shot my first roll and had oh so much fun.

        One thing puzzles me a bit: the 80mm lens seems to focus a little bit beyond infinity with the bellows fully retracted. Is this familiar to you?

        Thanks again!

  2. The missing ingredient is a CDS Porrofinder which I use with my C220. It eliminates the left-right confusion and includes a built-in light-meter (also available without the meter). This will increase the already hefty weight – using this combination can replace your trips to a gym to maintain muscle strength.

  3. Thank you for the post and prod. Reading and looking at your images reminded me of the only 120 roll film camera that I ever owned, a Mamiya C33. I can understand your replacing your C220 and in this everything easily at hand sort of world a TLR would demand an involved relationship. The C220 rewards would be commensurate with your commitment and so satisfying when you get it right. As I write this and think about looking down into my C33’s viewfinder I am reminding myself, left right right left. May you continue to enjoy this C220 indefinitely. ????

  4. Stephen McVullough

    Hi
    Thank you very much for sharing the story of this relationship. Your images show that your relationship is deep and strong. Keep going…

  5. I love my C330f. The only thing I didn’t lose, but gained, was a prism level viewfinder. Now no more right is left, but also much chunkier. But you’re right mate, there is something very special about these Mamiyas (or Rolleis or Yashicas etc.) TLR’s. They really do make you feel something inside when you use them, unlike any other camera I own. Pair that with a beautiful b&w film & it’s like you’re transported to another time. And they make stunning images when you get it right.

    Very nice images you have there! All the best & I hope you never have another one stolen, because that is just utterly tragic.

  6. There is just something about a TLR and the C series (a C330 in my case) is just the pinnacle of how good a design can be. Congrats on what I hope is to be you final replacement and remember which way is left 😉

  7. Ah, the Mamiya C220… one would need to have a cold heart indeed not to love it :). Mine needed a bit of internal cleanup before I could use it, and it does weight a lot, but the viewfinder is a joy to look into, and the lenses are superb.

  8. A Long time ago I owned a the Mamiya C220 TLR with 3x lenses and the prism finder. I decided to upgrade to a Hassleblad 530ELX. To my disappointment the Hassleblad lenses in the darkroom doing large prints never measured up to the sharpness of the Mamiya C220’s. The HB Build wasn’t up to par either as the shutter locked up in the first 10 days and had to send it back for serice. My $300 investment in the Mamiya C220 compared to the HB530ELX $3200. Just sayin…

  9. A Long time ago I owned a the Mamiya C220 TLR with 3x lenses and the prism finder. I decided to upgrade to a Hassleblad 530ELX. To my disappointment the Hassleblad lenses in the darkroom doing large prints never measured up to the sharpness of the Mamiya C220’s. The HB Build wasn’t up to par either as the shutter locked up in the first 10 days and had to send it back for service. My $300 investment in the Mamiya C220 compared to the HB530ELX $3200. Just saying…

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