Pete Askew
Admin
Yesterday, I paid a visit to Paul at Commercial Cameras (http://www.realphotographersforum.com/forum/threads/hi-from-church-stretton.18946/). It was really just a social visit as I had never seen his new shop. And of course, while there, I accidentally purchased another camera!
The Mamiya Universal was the last iteration of the Mamiya Press and the example Paul had was in amazing condition. I couldn't resist it as I have eyed these up many times. Here are a few images of it.
Mamiya Universal with hand grip and 100 mm f/3.5 lens. This has a rangefinder that is coupled to the 100 mm, 150 mm and 250 mm lenses. There are others but these must be focused either using a ground-glass screen or by the distance scales.
The catches visible on the sides of the camera allow the back adapter plate to be changed from either this version (Press roll film backs), a Polaroid back and or RB/RZ magazines (and Polaroid backs).
The lens has a leaf shutter and is cocked and opened in the same way as most LF lenses. The shutter is released using the cable release attached to the trigger on the hand grip.
This camera is fitted with a 6x9 cm roll film back. There is also a 6x7 cm one and a multi-format one that includes 6x6 cm (I shall be looking out for one of those!). The slider just to the left of the eyepiece is to select the lens fitted to match the rangefinder to it and select the parallax corrected framing lines.
Here are side views of the camera.
And this shows it with the focusing screen attached in place of the back (which is fitted with a dark slide).
All I have to do now is resist buying too many of the accessories for this. Mind, a 127mm lens would be nice and some of the close-focus extenders...
The Mamiya Universal was the last iteration of the Mamiya Press and the example Paul had was in amazing condition. I couldn't resist it as I have eyed these up many times. Here are a few images of it.
Mamiya Universal with hand grip and 100 mm f/3.5 lens. This has a rangefinder that is coupled to the 100 mm, 150 mm and 250 mm lenses. There are others but these must be focused either using a ground-glass screen or by the distance scales.
The catches visible on the sides of the camera allow the back adapter plate to be changed from either this version (Press roll film backs), a Polaroid back and or RB/RZ magazines (and Polaroid backs).
The lens has a leaf shutter and is cocked and opened in the same way as most LF lenses. The shutter is released using the cable release attached to the trigger on the hand grip.
This camera is fitted with a 6x9 cm roll film back. There is also a 6x7 cm one and a multi-format one that includes 6x6 cm (I shall be looking out for one of those!). The slider just to the left of the eyepiece is to select the lens fitted to match the rangefinder to it and select the parallax corrected framing lines.
Here are side views of the camera.
And this shows it with the focusing screen attached in place of the back (which is fitted with a dark slide).
All I have to do now is resist buying too many of the accessories for this. Mind, a 127mm lens would be nice and some of the close-focus extenders...
