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Mamiya/Sekor
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Sep 16, 2021 17:25:21   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
Is anyone familiar with the Mamiya/Sekor 500TL? I was just given one + two lenses + teleconverter. Probably hasn't been used in at least 15 years. I see some info online, but am curious if anybody has one now - or ever? And your impressions.

Thanks!

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Sep 16, 2021 19:35:39   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
Never used one (although I do own and use an RB67), but here’s the Wiki link if you don’t already have it: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Mamiya/Sekor_TL/DTL_series

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Sep 16, 2021 19:58:44   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
TriX wrote:
Never used one (although I do own and use an RB67), but here’s the Wiki link if you don’t already have it: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Mamiya/Sekor_TL/DTL_series
Thanks Chris. I did note there are a few online articles. I reached out to UHH member ebrunner because he has several film cameras. He brought up the battery issue. I never thought of that! Now I need to see if there's one in it and hope it hasn't leaked

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Sep 17, 2021 08:22:02   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
I had one for years--loved that camera. I sold it--silly me. About a year ago I bought another one on Facebook Marketplace, but I have yet to use it. I found it easy to handle and was impressed at the time with the dual metering system.

Interesting story about it: My brother, who had never used anything more than an old Instamatic had a trip planned to England. I convinced him to borrow that camera and gave him a quick one-hour tutorial on how to use it. He came back hooked on photography, bought himself a Pentax K1000 as a first camera, and became a better photographer than I will ever hope to be. He also became a first-rate color and b&w printer. He, for the most part, is my inspiration.

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Sep 17, 2021 08:40:03   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
jaymatt wrote:
I had one for years--loved that camera. I sold it--silly me. About a year ago I bought another one on Facebook Marketplace, but I have yet to use it. I found it easy to handle and was impressed at the time with the dual metering system.

Interesting story about it: My brother, who had never used anything more than an old Instamatic had a trip planned to England. I convinced him to borrow that camera and gave him a quick one-hour tutorial on how to use it. He came back hooked on photography, bought himself a Pentax K1000 as a first camera, and became a better photographer than I will ever hope to be. He also became a first-rate color and b&w printer. He, for the most part, is my inspiration.
I had one for years--loved that camera. I sold it-... (show quote)
These are the stories I love to hear; thank you so much, John!

I mentioned to TriX that I reached out to Erich (ebrunner) as a source and then I remember Ed Shapiro too. Ed is familiar with the camera personally, Erich loves and collects older film cameras!

My first SLR was a Canon T70 (or 90?) circa 1984. I used it 'til I sold in 2008.

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Sep 17, 2021 08:56:57   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
Is anyone familiar with the Mamiya/Sekor 500TL? I was just given one + two lenses + teleconverter. Probably hasn't been used in at least 15 years. I see some info online, but am curious if anybody has one now - or ever? And your impressions.

Thanks!


Getting the battery and meter working should be challenging. The lenses are well regarded ( if they are Mamiya OEM lenses) and being m42 mount, candidates for adaptation to digital cameras.
.

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Sep 17, 2021 09:43:40   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
imagemeister wrote:
Getting the battery and meter working should be challenging. The lenses are well regarded ( if they are Mamiya OEM lenses) and being m42 mount, candidates for adaptation to digital cameras.
.
Many thanks. I'm going to try a test roll without worrying about the meter (or new battery). The 50 mm lens is Mamiya, but the 200 mm says Asanuma. It's heavy

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Sep 17, 2021 10:32:05   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
Many thanks. I'm going to try a test roll without worrying about the meter (or new battery). The 50 mm lens is Mamiya, but the 200 mm says Asanuma. It's heavy


Asanuma was made by Tokina .....
.

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Sep 17, 2021 13:22:28   #
kelso007 Loc: Circle Pines Minnesota
 
I have the Mamiya/Sekor 500 TL and the 1000 TL. I still use them occasionally for some BW photos. They are excellent mechanical cameras. The 500 is so named due to the max shutter speed. The M/S lenses are also excellent especially the f1.4 and f2. The mount is the old basic 42mm threaded mount (I think that is the right no.) and was universal with Pentax and a few others in the day. I have used a few of the M/S lenses on my Nikon Z6 with pretty good results. Give the M/S a try and bring back some of the old time photography of yesteryear.
Dave Kelso

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Sep 17, 2021 14:01:03   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
Many thanks for your info and encouragement, Dave. The question is, can we truly bring back old time photography if we don't have a wet darkroom?

I took a year-long b&w film class in 1990. Sadly, I didn't keep many prints, even though I had a little darkroom (found a used enlarger to buy) and we did printing at the community college as part of the class.
kelso007 wrote:
I have the Mamiya/Sekor 500 TL and the 1000 TL. I still use them occasionally for some BW photos. They are excellent mechanical cameras. The 500 is so named due to the max shutter speed. The M/S lenses are also excellent especially the f1.4 and f2. The mount is the old basic 42mm threaded mount (I think that is the right no.) and was universal with Pentax and a few others in the day. I have used a few of the M/S lenses on my Nikon Z6 with pretty good results. Give the M/S a try and bring back some of the old time photography of yesteryear.
Dave Kelso
I have the Mamiya/Sekor 500 TL and the 1000 TL. I ... (show quote)

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Sep 17, 2021 14:32:49   #
kelso007 Loc: Circle Pines Minnesota
 
Well Linda I'm trying in that I no longer have a darkroom but I still do some B/W film developing!

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Oct 11, 2021 07:38:02   #
GerryER Loc: Virginia USA
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
Many thanks for your info and encouragement, Dave. The question is, can we truly bring back old time photography if we don't have a wet darkroom?

I took a year-long b&w film class in 1990. Sadly, I didn't keep many prints, even though I had a little darkroom (found a used enlarger to buy) and we did printing at the community college as part of the class.


I don't have a separate darkroom, so improvised: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-714400-1.html

I just like to fool with B&W; I have several film cameras. Everything is set up for 5x7 enlargements. Like I stated in my other post, once finished, I can roll my "enlarging station" out of the way.

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Nov 29, 2021 09:28:29   #
Bill 45
 
I had a Mamiya/Sekor 500TL, pick it up at a yard sale, back last June. The camera body did not work right, which was not a big deal. What came with camera was what I really wanted, the lenses. Lenses: Minolta RokKor-PF 1:2.8 F=135mm // Minolta Rokkor-X 1:5.6 F=300mm // J.C.Penney 1:3.9 F=80-200mm // Aetna Rokunar 1:2.8 F=28 mm// JC Penney Auto 2X Tele Converter. In Aug. I found Minolta SR-1s with a Minolta Rokkor-X 1:1.7 F=50mm lens.
As for the Mamiya/Sekor 500TL camera body, it is in some land fill some place.

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Feb 2, 2022 14:41:22   #
Dwiggy Loc: Dunedin, FL
 
Linda From Maine wrote:
Is anyone familiar with the Mamiya/Sekor 500TL? I was just given one + two lenses + teleconverter. Probably hasn't been used in at least 15 years. I see some info online, but am curious if anybody has one now - or ever? And your impressions.

Thanks!


I have a 500DTL and it was my first ever SLR camera! Took a lot of pics with it. It's still in pretty good shape, although I haven't used it in a long time. It was a great little camera, although limited due to shutter speed. Have some great lens that went with it as well. I did mostly slides back then and had prints made when it was a good pic. I will be selling it or giving it away soon, as I need to downsize my collection of cameras and photo "stuff!"

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Feb 5, 2022 21:06:01   #
TimHGuitar Loc: San Francisco, CA
 
My uncle had one that he loaned to me and I shot some portraits with it. It was known as a poor man's something or other... either a rolleiflex or hasselblad. A rolleiflex didn't allow you to change lenses but the Mamiya did so it was comparable to the Hasselblad in that way.
I was already used to the Rolleiflex when I tried the Mamiya so I didn't like the Mimaya as much. If I remember correctly, it seemed kind of clumsy in comparison. Also the lenses weren't as sharp as the Rolleiflex. I did wind up buying a Mamiya 645 as well as a Mamiya RB67, and I still use those. The twin lens Mamiya wasn't nearly as sharp as those two.
I do like using 120 film instead of 35mm. I never use any of my 35mm cameras anymore. The RB67 is great for portraits and the 645 seems to be even sharper than the RB. I think the film does not lay flat enough on the RB 67's back, but that may be why the portraits taken with it are so pleasing.
A lot of folks did have the Mamiya twin lens camera though and everyone I spoke to that had one loved it.

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