If you do go for an M6, be careful of the film advance. Weakest point on the camera and no parts are available to fix.
I'm not sure what ArthurW means by Mamiya 6 being 'a great bargain' .... was a time when you could buy the body & 3 lenses for $2k on the used market....now they're $2-2.4k with just the 75mm....& yes parts for the film transport are impossible to find if it fails....but i loved the Mamiya 6 & got some great photos with it.
I read this a lot and it’s simply not true. Bob at Precision Camera Works, now located in Texas has all the winder parts. When you send a Mamiya 6 in for service he will replace the parts on the winder as most of them need it at this point. I would not worry about the winder being an issue, unless you’re overseas and don’t want to ship the camera halfway around the world.
Yikes! You're right. Those prices have gone up dramatically since last I looked. But Ebay prices are inflated and you can still buy that camera for less if you keep looking. And compared to the M7 they are much less expensive. BTW, the only reason to own an M7 is if you must have that format.
I agree, the only reason to get the Mamiya 7 is the format. I love square so I have the 6. I actually don’t care for 6x7 ratio at all. I much prefer 645 for rectangle and do own the wonderful Bronica RF645 as well.
And prices are super high right now. Even at KEH who I highly recommend, you would end up spending about $2500 just for a Mamiya 6 body and 75. If you want a camera with just a fixed lens I would pass on both Mamiyas as you are paying for the ability to switch lenses. Fixed lens camera are more bountiful at better prices.
Aspect ratio and price aside (ha! ha!), there are reasons to prefer the 7: 1. it has a spot meter, which is pretty remarkably accurate; 2. it has a choice of 6, rather than 3, lenses--though whether the temptation to own them all (I have one to go) is a good thing is up to the owner.
Just printing some M7 pictures, hand-held with 60mm lens. Really astonishing sharpness and contrast. Rivals 4x5, at least in smaller enlargements.
I bought a Mamiya 6 body from KEH for $775 about three weeks ago -- a bargain I have been literally waiting years to hop on. Proof that bargains can still be found in vintage cameras! It came without a lens, so I am in the market for a 75mm and am posting in this thread for that reason. If anyone has one for sale or trade, please let me know!
That’s kind of amazing considering there’s a “bargain” one on there now for $1400.
I believe I've cracked the code to KEH, which is that they rate condition of cameras much more conservatively than lenses. An "ugly" lens is barely usable and usually has some huge haze, scratch or fungus, so deserves a very compelling price. An "ugly" camera tends to have cosmetic wear that has no effect on the workings inside or image quality produced. But I think because it is "ugly" it gets a large price discount in their price list, as if it were ugly like one of the lenses they sell. At least that's my theory. I've always had good luck buying camera bodies from them, and am often disappointed with lenses, so it tracks in that dimension.
I believe I've cracked the code to KEH, which is that they rate condition of cameras much more conservatively than lenses. An "ugly" lens is barely usable and usually has some huge haze, scratch or fungus, so deserves a very compelling price. An "ugly" camera tends to have cosmetic wear that has no effect on the workings inside or image quality produced. But I think because it is "ugly" it gets a large price discount in their price list, as if it were ugly like one of the lenses they sell. At least that's my theory. I've always had good luck buying camera bodies from them, and am often disappointed with lenses, so it tracks in that dimension.
The 65mm lens on my Mamiya 6 is fantastic. As you say, super sharp, great contrast and easy to handhold at slow shutter speeds.
Think you mean the mam7..
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