Mamiya MSX 1000 (1974–?)

Name: Mamiya MSX 1000
Brand: Mamiya

A 35mm SLR camera with mechanical operation and built-in TTL manual metering, produced by Mamiya in the mid-1970s.

Overview

The Mamiya MSX 1000 is a 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera made by Mamiya Camera Co. Ltd., Japan, around 1974. It belonged to a short-lived line of 35mm SLRs that included the MSX 500. The main difference was the faster maximum shutter speed of 1/1000 second. The built-in TTL (through-the-lens) meter is manual, so the user has to adjust exposure to match it. Lenses are Mamiya SX, based on a modified 42mm screw mount with an added aperture coupling pin for open-aperture metering. Sears also sold the camera in the United States as the TLS 1000 MX, in a silver and black finish.

Specifications

Type	Single-Lens Reflex (SLR)
Film Format	35mm (135 cartridge)
Picture Size	24 x 36mm
Shutter Speeds	1 – 1/1000 second, plus B (Bulb)
Metering	Built-in TTL manual meter
ISO Range	25 – 3200
Lens Mount	Mamiya SX (modified 42mm screw mount with aperture coupling pin)
Viewfinder	SLR with Fresnel screen and microprism focusing aid
Weight	725.8 g (body only); 910 g with lens

Design

The Mamiya MSX 1000 is a mostly mechanical 35mm SLR with a built-in light meter. Shutter speeds are set with a dial on the top plate. Pull the dial slightly before you turn it. Exposure is fully manual: aperture is set on the lens and shutter speed on the dial. To switch on the meter, the user works a control on the lens or body - the original instruction manual gives the exact operation.

Context

Mamiya introduced the MSX 1000 around 1974 as part of a brief run of 35mm SLRs. The line had two models, the MSX 500 and the MSX 1000, named for their maximum shutter speeds. The MSX 1000 was the higher-spec model. Sears sold it in the USA as the TLS 1000 MX, one of many Japanese cameras rebadged for American department store distribution.