My Review of the Mamiya C220

Alright, I promise to start writing more often for my blog. Haven't done much as far as the darkroom goes but I think I'll start doing full reviews of the equipment I come across.

Today, I'll be reviewing my Mamiya C220. This is a medium format TLR that came out in 1968 and is unique in that it is a bit larger than similar Rollies, but has interchangeable lenses, ranging from a 55mm wide angle to a 250mm telephoto lens. The lenses themselves were unique in that they came with the entire shutter assembly; each lens had its own shutter integrated into it. Although this made them a bit more expensive, it makes finding replacement shutters quite easy.

Another unique feature of this camera are it's amazing macro capabilities. Using the 80mm lens, it can focus from about 9 inches away, making this lens particularly versatile.

The ergonomics on this camera aren't the greatest. I don't like the focusing mechanisms. To focus, you have to use two wheels on either side of the camera to move the bellows out. Paired with a focusing screen that isn't exactly sharp, this makes focusing clumsy and difficult. While I do like that the lenses include the shutter with them, I don't like that the shutter dial is on the front, making it clumsy to check. Having an indicator on top would've helped greatly.

Although this camera has a few drawbacks, what makes it shine is the fact that it doesn't require batteries of any sort. It is completely mechanical, so you can be assured that every example you find won't have bad electronics or anything, because there aren't any. The most electrical system on it is the PC flash sync attached to the lens. Another plus about this camera is that the shutter and winding systems are separate, so double exposures are possible through a small dial on the side of the body.

Winding film in isn't too challenging, and its large body keeps the film straight, so there aren't any bends for it to get caught on. It accepts 120 and 220 film but only shoots in a 6x6 format [great for resolution but it hurts your wallet].

So far, I've shot many rolls through this camera, and I hope to shoot many more. I think it excels with slide film, but I've also put a few black and white rolls and recently a roll of Portra 160 through it and it does a great job with those as well. The nice part is that when you're walking around with it, it looks great and always sparks conversation.