Mamiya RB67 ProS review by Richard de Bulat
When taking a camera out for review you are necessarily conducting a test just to see that everything is working as it should, or if there are any problems that need to be fixed. In the case of the RB67 I tested, everything worked as it should, but I discovered a slight light leak in the film back. This is off to be fixed, with new light seals and will return as good as new.
To say that the RB67 is a beast of a camera is understatement; it is heavier than the RZ and although I have known people to use it handheld, using a tripod will make life easier. Nevertheless, it is not a camera restricted to the studio, although it works well in that environment, but cries out to be used in the wide open spaces. The 6 x 7 format makes it suitable for landscapes both rural and urban, with a revolving back to achieve portrait and landscape orientations.
The camera works in quite a different way to other medium format cameras, using a two stage process to wind on the film and set the shutter and mirror. This means it is easy to double expose a frame unless you get into a set routine; wind on to the next frame, re-set the mirror and cock the shutter. You can do it the other way round, but I find that it is surprising easy to forget to wind on unless you do it first. The waist level finder works well and the focusing screen is good; the addition of a prism finder is helpful for high level shots and accessories for the camera are not too expensive for this model and neither is the cost of lenses when you can find them.
This RB67 is an older model, but works very well, giving large negatives that are full of detail; as such it is a bit of a bargain. It looks nicely worn, but not at all shabby and the lenses are of high quality; the only downside is its weight, other than that it is first class.
I took it out with Delta 400 film, shot at box speed, which I tend to do with this film. I made a couple of low light shots to see how it handles such situations and the results show a good range of tones between pure black and white. In the outdoor shots, in the brightest light, the light leak is most apparent, but this is an easy fix, since everything else is working well. All in all, I was happy with the results.
If you want a medium format camera capable of giving high quality results, the RB67 will suit your purpose well. Despite its age and worn appearance, this camera is fully useable.
