Mamiya Press 231964

History

Mamiya introduced the Press 23 in 1964 as a professional 6x9 system camera for news, commercial, and industrial photography. The American press-camera tradition — Speed Graphic, Crown Graphic, Linhof Technika — was giving way to lighter roll-film cameras; the Press 23 positioned itself as a modern roll-film answer, with the flexibility of swappable backs to allow one body to handle multiple aspect ratios and Polaroid proofing. The "23" designation refers to the 2x3-inch (roughly 6x9 cm) format — a designation borrowed from American press-camera convention.

By 1967 the Press Super 23 succeeded it, adding tilt/swing back movements for perspective control. The Universal (1969) followed as a refined and renamed model for the US market. The entire line was eventually displaced by the Mamiya RB67 (1970) for studio work and the Mamiya 7 (1995) for field rangefinder use.

Why It Matters

The Press 23 is the origin point of Mamiya's modular medium-format philosophy — the same design logic (interchangeable lens, interchangeable back, rangefinder body) that Mamiya carried through the Universal and into the RB67's spirit. The 6x9 negative at 8 frames per 120 roll gives extraordinary detail: a clean 6x9 negative scanned at 2400 dpi yields roughly 150 megapixels of information.

The Mamiya-Sekor Press lenses are well-regarded for their resolution, particularly the 100/3.5 (a standard workhorse) and the 65/6.3 (a useful wide). Because shutters are in-lens, each lens has its own independently serviceable shutter — a practical advantage over focal-plane designs. For 2026 shooters seeking large-negative roll-film cameras, the Press 23 is the least expensive entry into the Mamiya Press system (slightly cheaper than Super 23 due to the lack of movements), and fully lens-compatible with later Press bodies.

Lenses & Accessories

Mamiya-Sekor Press lenses fit all Mamiya Press bodies (Press 23, Super 23, Universal). Known range: 50/6.3 Fish-Eye, 65/6.3 wide, 75/5.6, 90/3.5, 100/3.5 (standard), 150/5.6, 250/5. Film backs: 6x9 (8 exp), 6x7 (10 exp), 6x4.5 (16 exp), Polaroid pack-film (modern compatibility limited — FP-100C discontinued). Ground-glass back available for studio focus.

The Press 23 lacks the tilt/swing back of the Super 23; for view-camera movements, upgrade to the Super 23.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• 1960s American news and commercial photographers requiring 6x9 on roll film with Polaroid proofing.
• Industrial and architectural photographers who needed wide-angle coverage (65mm) on a modular roll-film body.
• Today used primarily by medium-format film enthusiasts seeking maximum negative size on 120.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Mamiya Press
• Wikipedia: Mamiya Press