After selling my DSLR, I explored some second-hand websites and rapidly stumbled upon this little gem. I don’t know why, but I immediately fell in love with this piece of history (pure lies, it was the folding lens). It even has a ‘Made in occupied Japan’ inscription, which means that this Mamiya was produced somewhere between 1947 and 1951!

Another peculiar feature is that you focus by scrolling a little wheel on the right-hand side of the camera, which in turn moves the internal film-holding pane back and forth. Because of this, the fixed Zuiko 75 mm f3.5 folding lens does not need to move during the entire focusing process.

Sure, with its 800 grams and lacking neck strap attachments as well as an internal light meter (external meter required!), the Mamiya Six is not the most user-friendly camera out there.

However, after a bit of practicing, this all-mechanical not-a-single-battery-required jewel began to spew surprisingly clear, soulful photos. I am very grateful that the Mamiya will forever be ‘my first analogue camera’.