Bottom dropped out of MF market. Who is taking advantage of it?

Lee Shively · Apr 6, 2006

Due to the move to digital, it's no secret that pros have dumped a ton of good used medium format cameras, lenses and accessories in the last few years. Since so much good equipment is out there, the bottom has dropped out of the used medium format market. I wonder who, besides myself, have taken advantage of this and picked up some bargains?

I'll start. In a little less than two years, I've managed to put together a personal Pentax 645 system--two original manual focus bodies with 35mm, 45mm, 75mm and 150mm lenses and a few accessories. To my old Mamiya TLR with 80mm, I've also added a second Mamiya C330 body and 55mm and 135mm lenses, also with a few accessories.

???????????

Travis Nunn · Apr 6, 2006

About 6 months ago I bought a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S Body, two backs, 65mm, 90mm, 180mm lenses and a metered prism.

My first MF setup that I bought two or three years ago was a Mamiya 645 1000s, metered prism, 55mm and 80mm lens, all for less than $450. I thought that camera was really big until I go the RB67.

I plan on buying a few more lenses within the next year for my existing cameras and I have been considering buying a 6x6 setup, but I'm not sure which one yet, though. Maybe the Hassy prices will come down enough in the next year or so that I can afford one.

Nancy Giroux · Apr 6, 2006

I recently bought a Bronica SQ-AM kit form KEH. IT is bargain. It came with a lens and a back. It cost me about $250ish.
I just bought a Pentax 645N with a 75mm lens and 110 macro 2.8 lens. It also came with lens hoods a couple of backs and a flash unit.
I bought it off of a photographer on another forum. It cost $700.00 and she paid shipping. I'm curious...did I over pay? Either way, I think I'm going to enjoy using this camera. I have a roll of film in it and it seems to be in perfect working condition. Cosmetically, it looks brand new.
Nancy

Bighead · Apr 6, 2006

Lee Shively said:
Due to the move to digital, it's no secret that pros have dumped a ton of good used medium format cameras, lenses and accessories in the last few years. Since so much good equipment is out there, the bottom has dropped out of the used medium format market. I wonder who, besides myself, have taken advantage of this and picked up some bargains?

I'll start. In a little less than two years, I've managed to put together a personal Pentax 645 system--two original manual focus bodies with 35mm, 45mm, 75mm and 150mm lenses and a few accessories. To my old Mamiya TLR with 80mm, I've also added a second Mamiya C330 body and 55mm and 135mm lenses, also with a few accessories.

???????????

This is almost exactly what I have put together... One Pentax 645 body... I got it for a song and I paid to have Pentax refurbish it. I only have 1 lens for it... I also have a C330 with 3 lenses.. I love this camera.... I'd like to get a back up body for the Pentax. Maybe a new, auto focus model. Those are becoming cheap too and since I can use the newer lenses on the older body, its kind of a no brainer... This has been in the last 2 years.

Konical · Apr 6, 2006

Good Morning,

It's not exactly up there with some of the newer equipment mentioned in the posts above, but I was very pleased to get a Koni-Omegaflex for $128 plus shipping in a recent e-Bay auction. There aren't a lot of 6 x 7 TLR's around, so I am more than satisfied.

Konical

FrankB · Apr 6, 2006

Mamiya C330S with 80mm S, 180mm Super and (most recently) 55mm, all for less than the cost of a C330 body I saw in a shop window about four years ago!

Shame camera bag prices aren't dropping at the same rate, really...!

abeku · Apr 6, 2006

I picked up a Takumar 55mm (Pentax 6x7) for £ 55 at eBay. Great deal!

waynecrider · Apr 6, 2006

Last week I saw a deal on some equipment that I thought was really good, almost to the point that if I hadn't already owned it I would have bought it. This week I saw a better deal yet by a hundred dollars. There's no hurry to buy mf equipment; It's going down in price and I don't know where it will end. I would think it's close to the bottom on some brands, but who knows. Mf seems to be the odd child out right now. The interesting thing is, there are lens lines and particular cameras that are only off in price a little, not counting the odd deals at Ebay. Good Rollei TLR's have always been somewhat strong, Mamiya RB's and 645's are in the dumps. Will I continue to buy MF? Probably some accessopries and maybe one lens, but beyond that I don't see it as the format to get into unless absoutely necessary. What constitutes necessary? Well it's different for everyone, but for the enthusiast, I would have to say, a consistent printing history larger then 8x10, and a willingness to carry heavier, bulkier equipment and use larger tripods. Mf equipment may be cheap, but don't let that fool you into thinking that there's no increased costs associated with it.

sunnyroller · Apr 6, 2006

Some media company called Teen Faces out of Nevada got a heck of a deal when they bought my RB 67 with a 220 back off of eBay for less than $100. It was my extra MF camera and I was selling it off to buy accessories for my main MF outfit. I really should have kept it and sold something else. At least it is going where it will get some use.

Sunny

bobfowler · Apr 6, 2006

I've bought a bunch of Bronica SQ-A and SQ-Ai stuff in the past 2 years at bargain basement prices.

Gibran · Apr 6, 2006

Yes, its just too hard to resist but I think we are about to see a rebound in the used Medium Format market shortly as people get sick of Digital or, like me, they use Digital for Commercial work but reinvest in Medium Format Film Gear for their Art. It's also provided a good opportunity to try out gear one might have been unable to do in the past due to price/availability. So, here is some of the gear I have bought, and in some cases sold for a profit after trying them out:

Fuji GSW 690 111 Mint, purchased in December for $800, sold last week for $1100
Koni Omega Rapid M with 58mm lens and 90mm lens and many backs - $300 Keeping for now as the 58MM lens is amazingly sharp with almost zero distortion
Hasselblad 2000FC in Mint condition - $300 and keeping, 220 back $160
Zeiss 110mm F2 FE for above, paid a lot but its one beautiful lens, deciding on whether to keep or not.
Century and Crown Graphics with Horseman 6x9 backs: $100-$200 ea. still have the Century. Purchased before the Fuji above.
Many Many 6x9 Folders including Voigtlander Bessa 1, Agfa Record 11 with Solinar lens and two Zeiss Ikonta C's with Zeiss Tessars, one coated, one uncoated. YES, i went a little eBay crazy and it started with these seemingly harmless folders in a search for a nice 6x9 rig. I then moved on to the Crowns and Centurys and finally the Fuji and Koni(6x7 but so so sharp, even more so than the Fuji and much cheaper). I have always shot Hasselblad and will never get rid of it. I love the square format and wonder of wonders, all this experimenting with other formats and rangefinders has brought me full circle back to the SLR Hasselblads.

Leon · Apr 6, 2006

last may, I bought a *like-new* bronica sqai with spotless 80mm lens and a not so good, but still great, 40mm lens and 2 x 120 backs for the same price as the old new SQB starter kit, and that was through a used equipment dealership - probably could have got it a lot cheaper if I'd perused the private market.

Loose Gravel · Apr 6, 2006

I sold off some Hassie gear for a friend and was surprised at how little it fetched. Still waiting for the Mamiya 7 and the SL66 to drop.

jd callow · Apr 6, 2006

Loose Gravel said:
I sold off some Hassie gear for a friend and was surprised at how little it fetched. Still waiting for the Mamiya 7 and the SL66 to drop.

My thoughts as well. The bottom hasn't fallen on everything.

MattKing · Apr 6, 2006

Mamiya M645 - 2 Super bodies, 1 Pro, plus 5 lenses and lots of accessories. All at amazing prices, including a 45mm lens at the camera store next door to my office.

Koni Omega M with 90mm lens for less than $120 US including shipping.

This is wonderful, but also of concern. Where is there any incentive for new manufacture?

Matt

Nick Zentena · Apr 6, 2006

I've put together a more or less complete Bronica ETRSI setup. All for less money then one body would have cost new. OTOH some of the other interesting stuff is still pretty expensive.

AZLF · Apr 6, 2006

Mamiya 645 with a 55,150,and 210 mm Mamiya lenses along with three 120 film holders, left hand grip and non metered eye level finder for just under $500.00. I also bought a Vega 90mm lens with adaptor within that budget. I already had a Rolleicord 1V and a Mamiya C-3 with a couple of lenses but I too could not pass up the low prices.

Aggie · Apr 6, 2006

mrcallow said:
My thoughts as well. The bottom hasn't fallen on everything.

Livemoa / David Boyce now lives in Hong Kong. Maybe he could go to Tin Chueng's and see about deals there on the Mamiya 7. I got mine with three lenses and the sekonic 508 light meter for $3700 including shipping and customs charges. That was 4 years ago. I'm sure since retail has come donw about 20% on most of the stuff in the Mamiya line that they will have at least a corresponding decrease.

reellis67 · Apr 6, 2006

AZLF said:
Mamiya 645 with a 55,150,and 210 mm Mamiya lenses along with three 120 film holders, left hand grip and non metered eye level finder for just under $500.00...

I got a similar deal myself, for about the same price ($450): 645 body, 55, 80, 150, 210, hoods for the 55 and 80, left hand grip, prism finder, speed winder, a couple of 120 inserts with cases, and two different focusing screens.

- Randy

JLP · Apr 6, 2006

In the last few months i have realized an old dream of owning a Hasselblad kit. Bought a 503CW and a 50, 80 and 150mm 3 backs and a 45 prism, all on Ebay and all in beautiful condition.
Zeiss glass in MF is hard to beat. It is great to work with this camera and look forward to many years of use with this one. Just yesterday sold my Mamiya 645 kit so it is not a new jump to MF just a different format and pace.

jan

paul ewins · Apr 6, 2006

I started buying Pentax 67 gear about three years ago and it just got cheaper and cheaper. This was always my dream system when I was using 35mm. Ironically I'm hardly using it because 4x5 gear also got very cheap but I'm sure I'll get back to it soon.

Has anyone noticed whether Pentax or Mamiya 645 lenses have started to become more expensive? You would think that with the digital bodies in the works that people might start stocking up on these or at least stop selling them cheaply.

eric · Apr 6, 2006

I got a new style Hasselblad A12 back, the one with the built in slide holder for $160 bucks! Used from KEH.com was about $250-$350. I was sure this back would have spacing problems but I put in a sacraficial roll of film and did the Sharpie in between shots trick to seet the spacing. Perfect.

I see Mamiya RB67 complete for the price of a ex+ Hassy back.

jovo · Apr 6, 2006

I think apug needs to start the rumor that using a tripod...a really good tripod...is so over and analogue. Why only a troglodyte film-shooter would use one. Any self-respecting digigrapher knows that IS circuitry and related technology obviates the need to do anything other than hand-hold the digicam and fire away with the expectation of museum quality results. Right? Just say yes...

Robert Budding · Apr 6, 2006

I snagged a brand new Bronica RF645 with 65mm lens for only $550. I then added a new 45mm and used 100mm. And that was after I built out a Mamiya 645 Pro TL system. Amazing deals for film shooters!

nc5p · Apr 6, 2006

Mamiya 645 Super with 35 and 150 leaf lenses, 2 backs for less than the DSLR I was planning to get but didn't want to wait months for. I'm going to get a couple more lenses soon. I have no more desire to shoot 35mm after looking at the photos this camera produces. It really doesn't weigh much more and with the interchangable backs its a lot more convenient. Not to mention that 120 is easier to load onto the reel than 35!

Doug

Bottom dropped out of MF market. Who is taking advantage of it?

Lee Shively

Travis Nunn

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Gibran

Leon

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Bottom dropped out of MF market. Who is taking advantage of it?

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