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View Full Version : Mamiya RZ67 Pro II Query/Problem?


Larry
1st August 2011, 07:41 PM
Finally got round to trying out a brand new kit camera from Calumet UK, (a promo kit includes body, back, WF and 110mm lens). I've had it boxed for 2years never used it. It must of been an impulse purchase! - Am I to regret it now??

OK, I ran 4 rolls of Ilford film through it 2x PAN F 50 at ISO 32 and 2x FP4+ at ISO 100. (Expired 2009 but frozen - works very with my ETRSi).

Both rolls are either under-exposed or under-developed; thin negs, with the shadows are almost see-through and not much density/contrast. Exposure was taken with incident meter and shutter/aperture manually set on camera.

I initially though the camera could be defaulting to battery is flat mode 400 shutter speed. However, I believe you need to move the shutter release button to the emergency position for that to happen. In the user manual it states 3 leds orange, red, green in the bottom of focusing screen should indicate battery condition.

No matter how many new batteries I put in, the red led never lights up, is this correct? My understanding of the manual it should light up if battery is good, but regardless you can hear the electronic shutter open/shut with the appropriate delays between 400 and 8 secs.

I'm stumpt and confused, I've used same films, exposure, film dev time & temp, even same sence with my Bronica (perfect).

Help .... any RZ67 pro II users here!!! tips and advise please ...

Mike O'Pray
1st August 2011, 10:36 PM
Sorry to hear what has happened, Larry. I have no knowledge of this camera but if I recall correctly several friends here use this camera so help is on its way

Mike

Larry
2nd August 2011, 05:12 PM
Thanks Mike for your kind words.

Today I spoke with the spares/technical department at http://www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk/ and spoke on the telephone to really pleasent and knowlegeable guy who spent must of been a hour going through some self checks with the camera to try and isolate my exposure problem. To my surprise I was told the red led light will not light up if battery is good (only flash when it's weak). The manual refers to the non Pro II model.

The shutter and iris/diapham open/closed OK as do the electronic shutter release. From an exposure stance, the camera is fully functional (great news). Did pick up one fault during the tests, whenever the film back is in landscape position your could still trip the shutter with the darkslide in but can not do so when thr filmback is rotated to portrait position. Seems to be a weak spring or pin in landscape mode. Fixable (service fee) but shouldn't affect the exposure.

Now after running a couple of newer films (PAN F and FP4+ not expired) June 2012 and opening a new bottle of chemisty (FD10) my films now appear with correct exposure and density. Therefore, I assume it's either base fog (expired film) or temperature/weak developing solution and used a different light meter. Still don't know it was all was fine with the Bronica??. Anyway, today's tests had so many different varables changed, can't really be sure where the problem originated.

I will continue to do more testing but at least I'm more chearful it's probably a consumable and not a specific rz67 pro II issue.

I'll keep you posted on further investigations.

If anyone would still like to chip in here, your more than welcome and it would be appreciated.

Mike O'Pray
2nd August 2011, 06:17 PM
Larry nice to know there was a good technical person available at Johnson's and he was prepared to devote that kind of time to help. Worth noting for any other FADUers who have you make of camera.

Mike

photomi7ch
2nd August 2011, 06:26 PM
I'm with you Larry I think you changed to many things to be sure where the porb may lay.
When it come to using new kit I have a tendence to use the freshest film in stock at least then if something gos wrong it will hopfully not be the film.

Neil Smith
3rd August 2011, 08:36 AM
One thing you can check is edge markings of the film, if they are very light then it's likely underdevelopment if they are normal it is likely underexposure.

Neil

Larry
3rd August 2011, 01:36 PM
Thanks to all who's responded.

Neil, your probably correct, it's more like under-development as the edge markings were very thin.

Maybe the darkroom air conditioning was effecting the chemistry temperatures?

TareqPhoto
5th August 2011, 03:24 AM
I feel film is interesting but other times it is pain in...., with issues in film or camera or developing/processing i doubt why film is still used until nowadays? I bought 6 film cameras and still can't take one as my favorite even mostly Mamiya 7II will be that one, but it is limited as well, so i really don't know if film will last longer for me over digital.

I have RZ67 and i want to replace it or buy RB because of battery issue, today few minutes ago i was planning to shoot film again after long rest and decided to take RZ [my Mamiya 7II is not working and i have to send to USA or Japan to repair which i can, i didn't shoot even one full roll since i bought a lens, damn], but when i click the shutter or the cable i just hear the beep sound and the red lid light is there, means i have to change the battery, i can't find this battery in my country and i have to wait weeks or months until i save bucks to buy things with the battery to ship overseas for me, very crazy i have to order only battery or 2 to ship for me, so this RZ will disappoint me sooner than what i expect [i just started to shoot film last year, bought this RZ and lenses all used online in 2009, only the back 120 is new from USA 2009 while i was there for vacation].