Miranda G 35 mm SLR

This is the latest addition to my now quite extensive Miranda 35mm SLR collection – the Miranda G fitted with a 50 mm Auto Miranda f/1.9.

Miranda G Images

The gallery below features a lot of images of the Miranda G, but that reflects the large number of features of this pro level offering from 1965.

My Miranda G camera

This was another purchase from eBay which I placed one bid on and fortunately nobody else bid, so I got it for the opening price of £40. That is more than I would normally pay, but I haven’t got a model G and I also haven’t seen one for sale since I started specifically collecting Miranda.

For that price I got this camera and a 300 mm Prinzgalaxy f/5.6 telephoto lens, a cheap electronic flash unit, a pretty good flash bracket, a cable release and a small black 1960s camera bag. I’m hoping that the camera bag, flash and 300 mm lens will re-sell on eBay and recoup a bit of my outlay.

On receipt there were a few issues I had to sort out. First, the slow shutter speeds didn’t work correctly. This is a common issue with Miranda, to the point that I tend to ignore it if an advert says ‘faulty – slow speeds not working’. In fact, that is quite a good thing because it keeps the price down and is easy enough to fix.

Sure enough, this just needed a spot of light oil and a bit of use to get it sorted out. The other issue was the mirror lock up, which didn’t work. I’ll cover that later in the post.

Miranda G features.

The model G has all the features of the model F such as replaceable viewfinder, the Miranda dual mount etc  but it has some additional nice touches.

Replaceable Focus screens

When you remove the viewfinder on the model G the focus screen is removable and can be replaced with different design screens. I only have the screen which was supplied with this camera, but I may see if I can find any as I look for different cameras on eBay. According to the Miranda G system manual, there were 8 different focusing screens available when the camera was current, including ‘aerial image and section-lined matt surface types’. I wonder what a section-lined matt surface focussing screen was?

Mirror Lockup

There is a lever on the right-hand side of the camera front which controls a mirror lock up feature. When I first received the camera, this wasn’t working, and I had to dismantle the front panel that the lever is fitted to fix it.

What I found when I got the panel off was that the rod which connects to the lever which moves the mirror was on the wrong side, so instead of moving the lever, it simply moved behind it. It was an easy repair to push the mirror up, and then with a pair of tweezers lift the actuation rod over the top of the mirror rod. Once that was done, I just had to reassemble the panel and screw it back in place and test it.

The mirror lock up was added so that long exposures could be taken without the vibration of the mirror moving at the start of the exposure. It is still a feature on better DSLR’s – my Pentax K5 has it.

Self timer.

The self-timer is fitted on the same side of the camera as the shutter release, just below the front mounted release. It is fairly conventional except instead of being released by pressing the normal shutter release, it has its own button mounted just above the self-timer lever.

In fact, when I got the camera, I thought the timer was broken because it was already wound down and didn’t move when the shutter was fired. I was all ready to open the panel up to see what was stuck when I accidentally pushed the small button above the timer lever and it started. I then confirmed the operation in the manual (someone with more brain would have checked the handbook first, of course!)

Meter adapter

Although I don’t have one, the G accepted an add-on exposure meter which fitted over the top of the camera on the shutter speed dial side. To use it the shutter speed dial is removed, and the meter fits over it and in-fact the shutter speed is then set using the meter. I think this is fairly rare, but I’m looking to see if I can find one anywhere.

Miranda G Specifications

• Miranda G 35mm SLR
• Year of manufacture c 1965
• Removable/Replaceable viewfinder with lots of viewfinder options
• Add on exposure meter available
• Centre circle micro prism focusing aid (with my copy focusing screen)
• Replaceable focusing screens
• Bayonet and screw thread lens mount
• Front mount release + optional top plate release (fitted)
• Cable release socket
• Beautifully engineered
• 1 – 1/1000 sec + B Focal Plane shutter
• FP & X flash sync
• Centre mounted tripod bush
• 50mm f/1.9 Auto Miranda lens
• Depth of field preview button on lens
• Self timer with dedicated release button
• Mirror lock-up facility
• Ser No: 872139
• Lens Ser No: 4541189
• Manual available on-line here

Update : Some sample pictures taken with this camera