I'm looking to begin playing with Medium format so - I have a view to buying acouple of used Mamiya TLRS , both C330's I believe. Now, Both feel alright, no grating in the movement etc etc, but I am still wary, as these cameras appear to have seen a lot of use, scuffs, scratches on the body. What I want to know, has anyone used this model, is a scuffmark indicative of deeper damage even though everything seems okay from tests run? Am I going to walk out of the shop and run two rolls through it only to have it explode in a multi coloured flash of light, singeing my eyebrows and burning my back pocket bank? Sorry I waxed a bit lyrical there. I understand that no one knows, But I'm looking for anecdotal evidence, has anyone dropped their camera under a steam roller and had it come out of the wash okay? Oh by the way, are there any other aussies here?

-- Huw "is very famous" Crosby (crosby@magna.com.au), June 21, 1999

Answers

These babies are truly built like tanks - if they seem to be in workable condition, they probably are. Only the lenses have anything resembling delicate parts (shutters and irises), so if everything seemingly works, they're probably fine. Get them, but just make sure you get a long enough return period so you can put some film through them for a proper test...

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com), June 22, 1999.