Mamiya Six III
The Mamiya Six III is a medium format folding camera from the Mamiya Six series, which the company produced from 1940 through 1958. The Six III was first announced in March 1940. Some sources describe surviving examples as "post-war" models - the line saw both pre-war and post-war production runs, and the III was made in both eras. It's scarce. One seller bluntly calls it "RARE!," and that holds up: of the thirteen or sixteen Six models (sources differ on the count), the III is one of the less commonly encountered.
It shoots 120 roll film in the 6×6 cm format, and the "Six" in the name refers to that 6×6 frame. The camera uses an innovative back-focusing design. The lens panel stays fixed and focus is achieved by moving the film plane. The standard lens for the III is a 7.5 cm optic. One example carries a Seikosha-Rapid lens with a 1:4.5 aperture (a source spells the maker "Seakosha," which appears to be a typo for Seikosha). Shutter speeds run from B to 1/500 sec., with apertures from f/3.5 to f/22 on the faster lens versions. A Nikkor lens was also made for the Six III before the war - a lens once applied to Canon cameras, which makes it a point of interest for Nikon historians.
It's a bellows folder, so it collapses flat for carrying and extends for shooting. One practical tip from an owner: if the film advance won't move, try firing the shutter to release the lock mechanism. The Six III is often grouped with the post-war IV and K models, which share the same basic body and operating principle with minor differences in lens/shutter combinations and appearance. It should not be confused with the much later Mamiya 6 from 1989, which is a completely different camera.
The documentation is thin. No production years specific to the III (beyond the 1940 announcement), no original price, no dimensions or weight, and no detailed shutter mechanism description have surfaced. The camera is a collector's item for film photography enthusiasts, and a well-kept example in excellent working and cosmetic condition is a find. Camera-Wiki groups the Six III with the post-war IV and K models, confirming the family relationship, but no period magazine review of the III has been located to date.
- Format: 120 roll film, 6×6 cm
- Lens: 7.5 cm, f/4.5 (some examples with Seikosha-Rapid f/3.5)
- Shutter: B to 1/500 sec.
- Aperture range: f/3.5 to f/22 (on f/3.5 lens versions)
- Focus: back-focusing design (film plane moves, lens panel fixed)
- Type: Folding medium format camera
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