mamiya Prismat-family fixed-lens-family TL-family X-family SX-family NC-family Z-family

the mamiya 35mm slr homepage - the TL-family

1000DTL 500DTL
The DTL-models ...
2000DTL
... including the very rare 2000DTL ...
1000TL 500TL
.. and the TL-models.
a german advertising
Description: Full mechanical Camera with M42 lens mount. This mount with its unique facility to close the aperture was once developed for the Praktica, introduced with the Contax S by Zeiss Ikon (east) and finally popularized by Pentax. So this camera is typical for the late sixties - I think, the TL/DTL-models were the first ones with TTL-metering made by Mamiya (perhaps therefore the "TL") and the DTLs were the first ones, where you can choose between area and (nearly) spot-metering at all. Mamiya was (is?) the owner of the U.S. patent No. 3612703 "Combined spot and averaged photometric system". You can download the specification (one zip-file, 237k, containing 5 tiff-files) here or search directly at the US Patent and Trademark Office.
These models are more popular in north-america than in europe.
Technical data:
shutterMechanical focal-plane shutter, running horizontal, curtains made of cloth. Times from 1 sec. to 1/500 sec for the 500 TL/DTL or to 1/1000 sec. for the 1000TL/DTL. The 2000 DTL has exclusively the fastest speed of all Mamiyas, the 1/2000 sec.
exposure meterThe DTL-models can operate in spot or area metering mode. Film speed from 25 to 800 ASA for the TL-models and 25 to 3200 for the DTL's.
exposure controlOnly manual. You have to stop down for metering.
flashX-synchronisation on the first shutter-curtain. Time: 1/60s. Two sockets near the lens-mount with X- and M-synchronisation. A shoe for mounting a flash onto the viewer was available.
colorNormally chrome, but I've seen at least one 1000TL in black.
Lenses: The respective lenses are called "AUTO Mamiya/Sekor". You can find a list of those lenses on Ron Herron's site. You can use almost every lens with M42 thread. A mail from G. Jones brought me to an exception: there is some trouble with Pentax SMC Takumar lenses.
The switch of the DTL-modells, where you can choose between spot (S) or area (A) metering.
mamiya Prismat-family fixed-lens-family TL-family X-family SX-family NC-family Z-family