Mamiya C33

Photos by MC text by PS et PL. From the collection of Paris Enchères. Last update 2024-02-23 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in Japan from 1965 to (After) 1965.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 11288

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Mamiya

The Mamiya C33 is a hybrid camera,with an original architecture.

It is the result of the unnatural loves of a folding and a TLR

The two lenses, focusing and shooting, are mounted on a rectangular plate, itself mounted on a rail. It is the complete displacement of the plate that allows you to adjust the focusing distance. The two lenses therefore do not have a mobile optical part and there are not mechanically coupled.

The black chamber is largely made up of a bellows, which solves the problem of the light-tightness between the body of the apparatus and the anterior plate. Under the bellows that seems unique, there is a separation to ensure the segregation between the focusing and the shooting images On the side of the rail, a scale is revealed as the rail extends and allows to know the shooting distance. It is also used as a depth-of-field table.

Another feature of this device is the ability to change the lenses. I read on one site that it was the first device of this type to allow it; This is completely wrong, since the French TLR Rex Reflex allowed it from the beginning of the fifties. Here, the two lenses are changed solidarily. The change of focal length is mentioned on the depth-of-field / range table.

As if these features were not yet sufficient, the upper part of the hood can be easily interchanged. The viewfinder has a parallax correction that adapts to changing lenses.

Interesting links or bibliography :

Photo Ciné Revue de 1967

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