What are /r/Mamiya's favorite Products & Services?

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It's not unusual when shooting with strobes to have a focusing light, esp. with large format - you can either kick it off when you hit the shutter, but often with strobes, a continuous light won't be powerful enough to affect exposure. I'd take a meter reading and make sure the panel isn't affecting your actual exposure though. (Pretty amazing how good LEDs are these days, isn't it? I've gone to a complete LED rig with v-lock batteries for my video gigs. No more extension cords and outlet hunts! This light is amazing.)

Sometimes in cinema shoots they'll stick a pen light on top of the camera in dim shots to make a catch light in the eyes. Not enough exposure to affect the shot, but the eyes will reflect the little point of light and give them some life.

So you've tested and there are indeed leaks - my go-to has been Permatex black silicone gasket material, and it comes in very small tubes. Work it into the leaks from the inside, with the bellows extended all the way, and let it dry overnight. It stays fairly flexible and should hold up until you get a legit replacement. Check before every shoot though!

Fungus will definitely light up in bright scenes. If it's in the front element, it's usually an easy fix since the 90 doesn't have a floating element. You use a rubber sink stopper or Fernco plumbing connector - any kind of rubber ring that you can push against the name-ring on the lens (the disc that says "Mamiya C" and so on) to unscrew it. Just take the lens to the hardware store and look at the Fernco stuff and find one that sits on the disc without touching the glass.

You push the rubber against the ring and unscrew it - you might need a spanner wrench to lift the front element out, then clean it and hopefully it isn't etched. You can also clean the front element of the lens group under the front, and blow any stray dust from the interior. I've never had an RB lens with fungus any deeper than that.

I've bought RB lenses cheap because they had a spot of fungus and had them like-new in ten minutes, it's really worth checking out vs. buying another used lens with unknown history.

The struggle is to find straps that come with/fit the lugs and are wide enough to bear the weight properly. Only a few serious options exist outside of old ebay Mamiya stock:

This OP/TECH strap is the only regularly made one specifically for these cameras. It's very well padded and relatively unstylish, but your neck will thank you. Mamiya cameras take the "B" lugs. I use it for my RB and it does the job.

The only other one I could find in my search two months ago specifically for RB/RZ was this leather one that ships from the EU and costs significantly more. I might get one eventually when I want to dress the thing up to be more stylish, but for the time being I'd rather spend my big bucks on getting more lenses/backs/accessories to flesh out the arsenal.

Of course, there's also tripod socket mounted straps but these cameras aren't designed for that in more than one way (thread size, weight distribution) or you can get a pair of those lugs from Ebay and loop any strap in there, but these are the two ready-to-buy options I know of.

First, ignore anyone that uses the word "rice" in this thread!

If you want to DIY it, put it in a plastic sweater box with a bunch of desiccant packs, you can buy them online.

If you're really concerned, send the camera, back and lens to a legit repair service for a look-over. MamiyaRepair.com is probably your best bet in the US. If you tell your insurer that you're getting and estimate, they'll usually leave the case open.

If you body or lens has never been serviced, with an RB it can be a life-extending investment anyway. A guy like Bill (link above) has all the factory rigs to check tolerances, and he knows which lubes go where and how much to use. Winding mechanisms and mechanical parts may last a lot longer with tolerances adjusted and fresh lubricants, and lens shutters that start to seize usually just need a proper service. this stuff can add years/decades to an RB's useful life, but starting off with an inspection may not be a bad idea, and I imagine you could get a repair guy to agree that any servicing is needed because of the flooding.

I’ve been having a lot of fun with it while learning features. I did order a TTartisan Light Meter with Two Dial to Adjust ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed

I did a little searching around, and it's a little bit good news/bad news. The good is that it looks like Mamiya/Phase one kept the same battery format from the 645AF to the Phase One 645DF+. The Phase One cameras themselves took a lithium pack, but there's a few documents mentioning backwards compatibility with the all of the Mamiya 645 AF series. The bad news is the packs aren't cheap, Amazon lists a generic replacement battery for $90, (better than the OEM ones for $250+) plus you'll have to find a charger. There's someone on ebay selling a Mamiya Charger for $150, but you can use a lithium hobby charger (search on amazon, there are a ton around $40-50), and just attach/connect the power leads to the contacts on the battery. It looks like the AA insert even for the Phase One version is long sold out. So, an option at least, even if it's pricey.

Man, cases seem to be the most "personal" of all the accessory decisions. Other tips FWIW:

Amazon and eBay have all sorts of little padded zipper bags, some are listed as photo-centric, others are for travel, cosmetics, camping - really nice for organizing stuff or extra protection, lenses, meters, backs, batteries.

Domke wraps comes in several sizes and colors, everyone should have one or two!

If you shoot landscapes or abandoned stuff, most anything outdoors - buy a sheet of Tyvek or similar housewrap, like a 5' square (kite makers and camping suppliers cut down big rolls). It's water resistant, wash it once and it gets soft, you can roll it down to a tiny packet. Great to toss on damp or dirty ground, keep the fire ants away (you can see the little bastards coming on the white surface at least), drape over your gear if it rains, and it also doubles as a nice big reflector (for me, a mini tripod and lying flat on the ground with a wide lens seems to be the best angle for a lot of shots). Just keep it in your bag and you'll remember it when you really need it. And tie a bandana to the bag's strap or handle, you never know when you need one. I have a little sunglasses bag (like a cloth sleeve) with band aids and a tube of neosporin in it, I've never needed it but I've come to the rescue of others with it.

I've also printed out reciprocity data for my favorite films on a little card and had it laminated, another thing that takes no space but can be handy (I do a lot of pinhole though).

No prob - and keep in mind the RB flash shoe is a "cold" shoe, it's not wired to the shutter, just for holding accessories on the camera!

Also, if you use shoe-mount speedlights off-camera, you may want an umbrella bracket and a light stand - look at the photos on this item for an idea how it works. There are also brackets to use softboxes with speed lights, a lot of industry has grown up around that idea.

Most RB67s have a 3/8-16 tripod thread. One of two people have said theirs has a 1/4" thread, but they may just be looking at a bushing.

If your tripod has 3/8 release plates available, go with those - the 3/8 is bigger and is more a "professional" size for heavier cameras, so it's easier to keep the camera from spinning on the mount. If not, get some 3/8 - 1/4 bushings, they're cheap. But get several, and stash some in your bag. They split easily, and if they drop out they're easy to lose. If you use a bushing, put a drop of clear nail polish on the threads before you screw it in. That will keep them from working loose but it's also easy to break loose with a screwdriver if you need to get it out (vs. LocTite or a thread locking product).

If you're shopping for a tripod for the RB, choose a head that has standard quick release plates (like Arca-swiss, manfrotto, etc). If you buy a tripod with a proprietary plate and you lose the plate or the product is discontinued, you could be hosed. And always buy at least one extra plate for your tripod (to avoid being hosed!) If you have more than one camera, it's handy to have a couple plates.

And unless you're really broke, don't buy a tripod that doesn't use QR plates - it's a huge hassle to screw your camera in every time you setup for a shot.

Low quality pic but looks very much like fungus to me. Fungus in lenses looks like - well, some sort of fungus or organic growth, little hairy tendrils growing from a central spot.

If it's on the front element, it's easy to get to on the 90mm since there's no floating element ring. RB front elements are simple to remove, you just need a rubber stopper or a fermco-type plumbing adapter that fits to get the name-ring off (you want something rubber that touches the front trim ring but not the glass, push down and twist - you can buy a set of rubber tools or just look at the hardware store for a rubber adapter the right size). If you unscrew the front cone by grabbing the lens and turning it, that can ease the pressure off the name plate and make it easier to get loose. You can usually remove the trim ring, the front lens cone and the front lens group pretty easily and clean all of those elements. I don't thing you can take the front group apart though. You probably will need a spanner wrench at some point, depending on the lens.

Clean with hydrogen peroxide on a q-tip and follow up with a good lens cleaner or a pure alcohol (99% iso, methyl, or high-proof grain alcohol) and a final polish with a microfiber. Blow any dust out and reassemble with gloves on, don't hang your head over the work since we're just dust machines.

i got this in the mail the other day for my Z6 and it also fits the AE finder on this 645 super I rented. the AE finder is the more squarish one, not sure if the eyecup slot is different to any other finders.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y2ZXYRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

you have to push it down so it hangs off the finder a little bit, might need to remove it before taking on/off film backs. but still works like a charm.

Just bought mine off amazon a few days ago for $15.

Here ya go:

https://www.amazon.com/OP-TECH-USA-Super-Strap/dp/B00092LFW6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mamiya+645+strap&qid=1553650282&s=gateway&sr=8-1

The "which bag" questions are tough, because there are so many out there, there are zillions used, some are really pricey, and what form works for you? Backpack, sling bag, traditional handle-bag? If you work out of your car, a Pelican case with cloth dividers is like a Rolls-Royce.

That said, I took an RB, 2 lenses, 2 backs, a folder, a spot meter, a Hawkeye and 2 filter wallets from the USA to Europe and all around the continent in a cheap Amazon Basics backpack (yeah, it weighed like 30 lbs, got it free on a promotion though). I also have a Think Tank pack, it's just a bit bulkier but really nice. The style of bag is what matters most (I'm a big backpack fan myself, since they're functionally like a standard bag but easier to lug around). My #1 criteria is removable dividers; I have so many cases now, and I have a giant sack of dividers - I can make a case for any trip or gig based on what I want to take with me.