Congratulations  on  your  purchase  of  the  Mamiya  7  and  welcome  to  the 
world-wide family of happy Mamiya camera owners! 
 
 
Mamiya  pioneered  the  6x7cm  medium  format  SLR  system  camera  when  it 
introduced the first Mamiya RB67 in 1970. In 1982 an additional model followed, 
the Mamiya RZ67 with electronic features. 
Both cameras soon became the market leaders and the preferred tool of trade 
for  portrait,  commercial  and  magazine  photographers  all  over  the  world  and 
established the 6x7 rectangular image as the "ideal format". 
Now we are proud to present the Mamiya 7, 6 x 7cm rangefinder camera. 
Reflecting Mamiya's traditional quality workmanship plus modern design, the 
Mamiya  7  is  compact  and  lightweight.  It  offers  the  handling  ease  of  a  35mm 
camera,  while  yielding 
images.  Featuring 
interchangeable, rangefinder coupled lenses and AE metering, it also permits taking 
24 x 65mm panoramic images on 35mm film, by means of an optional adapter kit. 
far  superior  4.5 
larger 
times 
The Mamiya 7 lens program includes a standard 80mm lens, a 65mm wide angle 
lens, an ultra-wide 43mm lens and a 150mm telephoto lens. 
The Mamiya 7 and its lenses have undergone extensive quality controls at every 
step of manufacture. Please read this instruction manual thoroughly before you use 
the camera. A proper understanding of all its features and functions will eliminate 
potential misuse and ensure a long service life. 
Contents 
 
  Mamiya 7, the ultimate 6 x 7 
  rangefinder camera  ....................................................2 
  Nomenclature and Functional Parts ..........................3 
  Inserting Battery .........................................................7 
  Removing Camera Body Cap .....................................7 
  Opening/Closing Light Shield Curtain  ......................8 
  Mounting/Removing Lenses ......................................9 
  Battery Check  ...........................................................10 
  Releasing the Shutter ...............................................11 
  Before Loading the Film ...........................................12 
  Loading the Film .......................................................13 
  Shutter Speed  ...........................................................15 
  Shutter Release Button  ............................................16 
  LED Indicators in the Viewfinder .............................16 
  Focusing the Lens ....................................................18 
  Taking Photographs .................................................19 
  AE (Automatic Exposure) Photography ..................20 
  AE Lock (AEL) Photography ....................................20 
  Manual Photography ............................................... 21 
  Self-Timer  ................................................................ 21 
  Depth-of-Field .......................................................... 22 
  Diopter Correction Lenses  ..................................... 22 
  Exposure Compensation  ........................................ 23 
  Time Exposures  ...................................................... 23 
  Flash Photography .................................................. 24 
  Infrared Photography .............................................. 24 
  How to Hold the Camera ......................................... 25 
  Trouble Shooting  .................................................... 26 
  Lenses ...................................................................... 27 
  Accessories.............................................................. 28 
  System Chart............................................................ 29 
  Specifications........................................................... 30 
  Common Sense Camera 
  Care and Practice..................................................... 31 
 
 
Mamiya 7, the ultimate 6x7 rangefinder camera. 
 
The Mamiya 7 is the only camera in the world that has these 
exclusive features: 
• Ideal 6x7cm film format that enlarges to standard photographic 
and  industrial  paper  sizes  without  cropping  and  without  wasting 
film.  A  size  that  can  be  viewed  with  the  naked  eye  and  that  is 
easy to retouch. 
 
 
•  Lightweight,  compact,  "quick  on  the  draw"  and  ergonomically 
designed to fit in your hand like a glove. 
 
•  Crisp,  accurate,  broad  based,  split-image  rangefinder,  that  is 
easy to focus, even in poor light. 
 
• Bright viewfinder with frame lines that are automatically indexed 
to  match  the  focal  length  of  lens  in  use  and  that  automatically 
adjust for parallax. 
 
•  Interchangeable,  world-class Mamiya lenses, utilizing the latest 
optical  glasses  and  computer  aided  design  and  that  take 
advantage of the camera's short flange focal distance (there is no 
mirror box) to reach new heights in lens quality. 
• Precision, super quiet, electronic shutter with speeds from 4 to 
1/500 sec., flash synchronized at all speeds. 
 
•  Built-in "dark slide" curtain that permits changing lenses with 
film in camera. 
 
•  Precision  AE  (automatic  exposure)  meter  with  manual 
overrides. 
 
• Selftimer (delayed action release) with automatic turn-off. 
 
•  Optional  external  battery  case  to  wear  inside  clothing  in 
extreme cold. 
 
• Optional panoramic adapter that permits use of 35mm film and 
yields 24x65mm images. 
 
• Built with typical Mamiya quality for hard professional use and 
long service life. 
Nomenclature and Functional Parts 
 
Exposure compensation scale 
Exposure counter window
"S" appears automatically when 
opening the back cover. (Any 
other numeral indicates that the 
film is loaded. Do not open the 
back cover under this condition.) 
Exposure compensation lever 
Cable release socket 
Shutter release button 
Power on/off lever 
Turn off after use 
Self-timer pilot lamp 
Lights for 8 seconds when the 
Self-timer button is pressed, then 
blinks for 2 seconds, after which the 
shutter is released. 
Lens release button 
Film speed window (ISO) 
 Shutter speed Index Mark 
Self-timer button 
 
Rangefinder window 
Shows the field of view within the 
bright frame and the double- 
image superimposed rangefinder. 
 Rangefinder coupling roller 
  Electronic contacts 
(Do  not  touch  contacts  and  keep 
them  clean  in  order  not  to  impair 
good electrical contact.) 
Bayonet mount 
PC Terminal 
 Lens alignment dot 
Align  with  the  dot  on  the  lens  to 
mount/remove the lens. 
 
3 
Nomenclature and Functional Parts 
 
Hot Shoe for mounting 
electronic flash 
Shutter speed dial 
When A or AEL on the shutter speed dial is aligned with the indicator  
on the camera body, the dial will lock in place. To unlock it, rotate the  
dial while pushing in the AE lock (AEL) release button located in the center. 
Film advance lever 
Advance until it stops - the shutter is then cocked. 
Film setting index 
dots 
Pressure plate 
Set the pressure plate 
position according to the film 
type (120 or 220/135) used. 
 
Spool release levers 
When replacing the film, be sure to 
push this lever to the side to lower 
the spool stud. 
 
Film spool stud 
Film holder spring 
Back cover latch 
Back cover lock release button 
Exposure compensation 
lock release button 
Film starting indicator 
Be sure to align the film starting 
indicator "'t
" on the camera with the 
arrow on the film. (Incorrect alignment 
may result in the film loading failure.) 
Film type (120 or 220/135) 
Position the pressure plate with either 
the 120, 220 or 135 roll film index 
mark. 
 
Viewfinder eyepiece 
Rubber eyecup 
Carrying strap lugs 
Film spool stud 
Lower cover 
Tripod socket  
The socket has U1/4" 
threads. 
Back cover 
Memo clip 
Holds the film box top or memo as a film  
type reminder. 
120-220/135 selector index 
window 
When the pressure plate is aligned with 
the film type used, either "120" or "220/ 
135" is indicated in this window. 
Film Rewind Button 
(use for 135 type film) 
Battery chamber 
Stores one of silver-oxide battery (4SR44), 
alkaline manganese battery (4L-R44), or 
lithium battery (2CR1/3). 
Light shield curtain release 
Used to open a closed curtain. 
Light shield curtain closing lever 
mark indicates that the curtain is open. 
  
mark indicates that the curtain is closed. 
 
5 
Nomenclature and Functional Parts 
 
Aperture scale 
Focusing ring  
Used to focus the lens. 
Depth-of-field scale  
Allows the aperture (f-stop) to 
be checked in relation to the 
correct focusing range. 
Lens alignment dot  
When mounting or changing a 
lens, align this dot with the dot 
on the camera body. 
6 
Aperture ring 
Distance scale (m-ft) 
Used to set or read the subject-to-lens 
distance. 
Infrared index mark 
When engaged in infrared photography, 
use this mark to align lens according to 
usual focusing position. 
Rangefinder coupling lever