Mamiya-6 Automat – GAS ATTACK!!!

The following stand accused of leading me into temptation (but I’ve already forgiven them all, it’s really my own fault!):

primary accused DANAI for writing such a compelling article about an almost perfect pocketable MF camera;

second accused Simon Foale for writing an in-depth review of the Automat, the camera that finally caused me to be unfaithful to my lovely Leica.

There are others who have written for 35mmc about this same camera series – you know who your are.

I say I have been unfaithful to my Leica: no not really, she is the true love of my life. I may have dabbled here and there occasionally but that doesn’t count as being unfaithful does it? No, of course not, and I think we can all agree on that.

So the temptress was the Mamiya 6 Automat: let me call her Lolita because when I was 20 she was 15. There is no need for me to go through the mechanics of this beauty – see the above articles, Martin Henson, camera-wiki and Analog Insights among many others. It is relatively easy to clean Lolita and adjust her internal parts, see Japan Vintage Camera and TadTadd. But I had already tossed caution to the wind. That auction site had so many MINT beauties for sale, and all relatively inexpensive, around £150 for years of fun – how could I be blamed for not resisting? I bought her some new clothes (camera coverings) and underwear (light seals because I expected some light leaks) from Aki-Asahi. I already had a stash of 120 film so I was ready to go as soon as she arrived.

After a few days the Automat (version I) turned up, and I was right. When I was 20 she was 15, but time has passed … for both of us. So Lolita’s granny arrived, and she was in a bit of a mess. Hazy lens (”no haze” said the ad), unusable rangefinder – haze and barely visible rangefinder patch or secondary image (“no problem” said the ad), shutter slow at all speeds (to be expected). The external appearance and operation were fine; the slow shutter could be allowed for; a new beam splitter could be cut from an inexpensive beam splitter from China and ‘relatively easily’ (the video says) fitted. The problem of the lens would remain. Apparently the Zuiko lenses are prone to cement degradation and the cement actually etches into the glass, so an “easy” repair is neither possible nor cheap. The Koji Sekor and Mamiya Kominar lenses (on some earlier versions of the Mamiya 6) are supposedly made of more robust glass so suffer less, but a look at a few on ebay suggested they were not immune.

The test film showed leaks galore – and with one exception the sky was overcast. The featured image is by far the best of the bunch.

So I decided to return granny for a refund and time for a rethink, a logical, unemotional rethink.

There are two things I like very much about the Mamiya-6. One is the compact size and robustness of the collapsible structure. The second is the back focus design which allows a far more rigid front section once opened and also easy access to the rangefinder unit for adjustment or repair. Sadly they aren’t made like Leicas and the Zuiko lenses are made from vulnerable glass.

There is another lens option. The Automat II, the final model to join the line up, has a Mamiya Sekor lens. It costs three times as much (partly scarcity value) and has the same equipment as the Automat I (though a better viewfinder), the lens is made by Mamiya instead of Olympus but has exactly the same functionality and similar (four element) make-up – both supposedly Tessar designs. But for that price as a user camera there are many alternatives with proven lenses so I’ll probably pass on that.

The New Mamiya 6 – which Ken Rockwell seems to think is the best MF ever – is frighteningly expensive. Nevertheless I had a peek on ebay and the first one advertised said “haze in lens”.

Hmmmm… back to my lovely Leica, and hide my wallet.

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