Mamiya C220 with 135mm lens
©PeteParsons
It may be of some use for those readers who are considering obtaining a Mamiya TLR to know a brief history of the camera's production lineage and the various models.
The Mamiya TLRs were first produced as the Mamiyaflex with fixed lenses in 1948. In 1956 the Mamiya C series with interchangeable lenses and other accessories aimed at the professional user were introduced.
The current Mamiya user main source for equipment will most likely eBay or Kijiji and it may be helpful to have an idea of when various models were produced:
Mamiyaflex Junior (1948)
Mamiyafex Automat A (1949)
Mamiyaflex 1 (1951)
Mamiyaflex II (1952)
Mamiyaflex Automat B (1954)
Mamiyaflex Automat A II (1955)
Mamiyaflex Automat B II (1956)
Mamiyaflex Automat A III (1956)
Mamiya C (1956)
Mamiyaflex PF (1957) police model
Mamiya C2 (1958)
Mamiya C3 (1962)
Mamiya C33 (1965)
Mamiya C22 (1966)
Mamiya C220 (1968)
Mamiya C330 (1969)
Mamiya C330f (1975)
Mamiya C220f (1982)
Mamiya C330s (1983)
The C/C2/C3/C33/C330's were produced for the professional photographer. The C3's has a film advance lever which also cocks the shutter. Almost all accessories fitted these cameras.
The more economical C22/C220 was targeted toward the semi-pro and amateur photographer who did not need the wide range of accessories as a pro. The C220 required the shutter to be cocked manually either before or after film advance.
The lenses for the C models are matched twin lenses.The top is the viewing lens, the bottom contains the shutter and aperture blades.
There are three versions of lenses. The original were the chrome series with shutter speeds of 1 sec. to1/400 sec. The second series were also chrome with shutter speed extending to 1/500 sec. plus bulb. The last black series had improved shutters and more extended lineup.
The so-called blue dot lenses were the last to be produced and the most desirable but I can find no mention of them being produced in the complete range of lenses.
The following is a list of lenses which may be of benefit to the buyer:
55mm f4.5 (black,Seiko shutter)
65mm f3.5 (chrome,Seikosha-MX shutter)
65mm f3.5 (chrome,Seikosha-S shutter)
65mm f3.5 (black,Seiko shutter)
80mm f2.8 (chrome,Seikosha-MX shutter)
80mm f2.8 (black,Copal shutter)
80mm f3.7 (chrome,Seikosha-SLV)
80mm f3.7 (black,Copal shutter)
105mm f3.5 (chrome,Seikosha-MX)
105mm f3.5 (chrome,Seikosha-S shutter)
105mm f3.5 (black,Seiko shutter)
105mm f3.5 D (black,Seiko shutter)
105mm f3.5 DS (black,Seiko shutter)
135mm f4.5 (chrome,Seikosha-MX)
135mm f4.5 (chrome,Seikosha-S)
135mm f4.5 (black,Seiko shutter)
180mm f4.5 (chrome,Seikosha-MX )
180mm f4.5 (chrome,Seikosha-S shutter)
180mm f4.5 (black,Seiko shutter)
180mm f4.5 Super (black,Seiko shutter)
180mm f4.5 Super (black,Seiko-SLV)
250mm f6.3 (black,Seiko shutter) manual cocking only*
*while most lenses auto cock on the C3's some of the latter models may not auto cock on earlier bodies.
A number of accessories were also produced including for the C3's interchanging backs which allowed for single sheet films. Different viewing screens were also available for the C3's but not the C2's.
Other accessories including the complete lens lineup, paramender, lens hoods, eye level viewers etc. could also be used on both bodies.
Mamiya stopped production of the C series in 1994 as the 645 and RB cameras became more popular.
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