Mamiya 7ii Prices

yelmarb · Aug 30, 2018

I was thinking about buying a Mamiya 7ii and 65mm lens about 6 months ago that was selling for $2000. It now seems like you can't get one for under $4000 now.

I gather the one that sold 6 months ago was a bargain but how have these camera's managed to double their value in 6 months?

RattyMouse · Aug 30, 2018

You can save a lot of money going with just a Mamiya 7 and not the II version.

alentine · Aug 30, 2018

I think it's the logic choice for the returning digital people. Demand increased, followed by price increase.
Light, polycarbonate and portable(small) system, in someways similar to digital cameras, on the top of excellent lenses. They can live without back interchangeability for different films as they do with sensor cameras.
Concept of using tripod is left for aliens, like what's adopted in digital, and misaligned RF could not be discovered specially with stopping down aperture with fast films. Most Mamiya 7II are sold without noticing most degrees of RF misalignment, I do not know about other potential defects of a polycarbonate body being handheld(Not On Tripod) most of its previous history!
BTW, could not trust the accuracy of a rangefinder built in a polycarbonate housing. Long time ago, tried a polycarbonate film SLR, after sometime it disintegrate, not as compact/rigid as when it was new.
Also, prices of Pentax 67II has been doubled or tripled since few years. Similar to 35mm cameras configuration, though much bigger, with inexpensive lenses most with excellent performance. Again, they can live without back interchangeability for different films as they do with sensor cameras.
On the other hand, did not see similar levels of price increase in Mamiya RB/RZ or Hasselblad! Far away from being similar to digital ergonomics. Extensive systems, and modular, better for people adopting film in more serious and permanent way.

EdSawyer · Aug 30, 2018

The Mamiya 7 is built out of a forged magnesium chassis, the only polycarbonate/plastic is external and cosmetic, so rangefinder misalignment (or percieved misalignment due to that) is a non-issue from that perspective.

$2k is overpriced for a 7 and 65mm. $4k is way overpriced. I like the 7 better than 7II, and I had both at the same time. I later sold the 7II. Price-wise, with some effort you should be able to find a 7 or 7II body for $550-850, and the 65mm lens for $500-650.

-Ed

RattyMouse · Aug 30, 2018

EdSawyer said:
The Mamiya 7 is built out of a forged magnesium chassis, the only polycarbonate/plastic is external and cosmetic, so rangefinder misalignment (or percieved misalignment due to that) is a non-issue from that perspective.

$2k is overpriced for a 7 and 65mm. $4k is way overpriced. I like the 7 better than 7II, and I had both at the same time. I later sold the 7II. Price-wise, with some effort you should be able to find a 7 or 7II body for $550-850, and the 65mm lens for $500-650.

-Ed

It would be very shocking to find a 7 II anywhere near $800. You'd have to find a seller that was beyond desperate.

Steve Goldstein · Aug 30, 2018

The price can be highly variable depending on the marketplace in which you're searching. Look as widely as possible, and be patient. Your location shows as Sydney - if that's Australia, the local M7/M7ii supply may be pretty limited, driving prices higher. Also remember that asking price and selling price aren't necessarily the same.

While eBay has never been an auction site in the strictest sense, nowadays the majority of items I follow seem to be listed as straight sales at absurdly high BIN prices. They tend not to sell but the would-be sellers relist them over and over. My assumption is that this is the result of free-listing promos by eBay; if it doesn't cost anything to leave your hook in the water then let it stay and maybe a sucker will come along. With patience you will find things at lower prices, but it will take time. Some BIN sellers also allow you to make an offer, which I've done with generally good success, generally saving between 20%-50%.

The M7 is a great system within its limitations. I have two M7 bodies, both acquired used (the first 18 years ago), and several lenses (all used except the 150 that I bought new). All have traveled extensively with me and have never let me down. Each body has been in for CLA once, not for any problems but because I thought it might be a good idea given their age and the uncertainty of future parts availability. Both were converted to the M7ii viewfinder at CLA time.

warden · Aug 30, 2018

As has been pointed out, $4K might just be the going rate in Australia, or it might be worthwhile shopping the globe for better deals. To me $2K sounds reasonable, $4K does not. I usually check sold listings on eBay and then compare to the prices at KEH in the US. I usually end up purchasing at KEH because the condition of equipment is excellent if they say it is, and the slightly higher price allows easy returns and a warranty.

blockend · Aug 30, 2018

The Mamiya 7II was a well regarded camera in its day, and had few competitors in its class. It was popular with editorial photographers and environmental portraitists, as well as street photographers who wanted to work in a larger format (e.g. Martin Parr). It was an expensive camera and with a set of lenses represented a sizeable investment.

Prices bottomed out in the first decade of the digital boom, but have stabilised and increased in recent times. Its main feature was portability, the M7 offered a walk-round camera in a format dominated by studio cameras like the Pentax 67. As others have said, its still a plastic bodied camera and most examples are two decades old. Caveat emptor.

Prest_400 · Aug 30, 2018

The Mamiya 7 is seen as the cream of the crop in Medium format optics, a post above listed many other reasons why it is attractive as well. I think the P67 follows thanks to its 105mm and its fast lens characteristics, add in that the P67II is another very modern machine with like wise features. I recall a discussion asking how the latter turned to be in high demand and lack of sales listings.

RattyMouse said:
It would be very shocking to find a 7 II anywhere near $800. You'd have to find a seller that was beyond desperate.

I still remember a single kit being sold for $500 at RFF, in 2014. Yeah, didn't get that as I missed it by a few days. It was sold by a trustworthy person AFAIK and it had no issues, just had to get rid of it quick.
I recall M7 being just over $1200 that year from Japan.

jspillane · Aug 30, 2018

I feel like the prices flex a lot - I think there just aren't that many bodies on the market, so you have to be patient.

I've definitely seen some good deals, but they always feel too pricey to me... It's hard to justify when the MF SLR systems have dropped so low. Lower costs of maintenance as well. But if you want an RF you want an RF! I'll keep trekking around with a TLR when I want to go lightweight.

moto-uno · Aug 30, 2018

The frequency with which people remark of the" plastic bodied" Mamiya 7 are simply displaying their lack of knowledge of the product .
The results from these cameras is from a precision of construction simply not possible from "plastic" . But I'm ranting Peter

yelmarb · Aug 30, 2018

If anyone wants to sell their Mamiya 7ii and 65mm lens for $2000, I will happily buy it from them.

erian · Aug 30, 2018

yelmarb said:
I was thinking about buying a Mamiya 7ii and 65mm lens about 6 months ago that was selling for $2000. It now seems like you can't get one for under $4000 now.

I gather the one that sold 6 months ago was a bargain but how have these camera's managed to double their value in 6 months?

Well, this is eBay. When I was after Pentax 67 105 2.4 SMC (i.e. non-radioactive Pentax 67 normal lens) then I knew that the market value would be somewhere between $500-600. That is this was the range for what this lens actually sold. This did not stop some opportunists to list it for $1600. A 3x difference (now there were also listings for $800 etc).

It is possible with low volume items that only the opportunists have their listings up.

Arthurwg · Aug 30, 2018

Ken Rockwell calls it the best film camera ever made. Suggest you read his review. Camera is very useful, including a range of excellent lenses but the 65mm that I use constantly is superb. Shutter is very quiet with little or no vibration, making it easy to hand hold a slow speeds. Can also shoot in auto exposure or aperture priority mode. Buy one.

EdSawyer · Aug 31, 2018

plastic body... as if. It's a forged magnesium casting for the entire camera, the only plastic is the surface skin, and it's non-structural. It's a robust well built camera, easily as good a build quality (or better) than anything else in medium format. The lenses are the best MF lenses available, bar none.

As for pricing, the 2 7s I bought (7 and 7II) came from online sales, the 7 was I think about $650 or 700 at the time, (2010?) and the 7II I got on ebay for $580 (later resold for more), around 2011-2012.

In looking at ebay now, it seems prices have gone up (quite a bit!) since the last time I bought any Mamiya 7 stuff (a few years ago). Well, that's good I guess, preserves the investment I suppose.

I will say the best way to get a deal on this sort of thing is look where others are not looking, and particularly look at bundles you can break up. Buying a package of stuff (say body + several lenses) then reselling the lenses piecemeal for more than you paid, you can lower the "price" of whatever it is you end up wanting to keep out of the package.

blockend · Aug 31, 2018

moto-uno said:
The frequency with which people remark of the" plastic bodied" Mamiya 7 are simply displaying their lack of knowledge of the product .
The results from these cameras is from a precision of construction simply not possible from "plastic" . But I'm ranting Peter

I haven't had my hands on an M7 since they came out, but my memory is of a plastic bodied camera. The chassis may be magnesium, but if you drop it the shell will break. I'm not against plastic cameras, but if you look at medium format rangefinders of that era, many available from Japan, the bodies will often have hairline cracks from contact with hard surfaces. Doesn't mean the Mamiya 7 isn't a precision camera, it does mean it has a sacrificial shell.

Arthurwg · Aug 31, 2018

BTW, Hasselblad prices, especially "From Japan," have gone up as well.

DREW WILEY · Aug 31, 2018

Supply and demand. It's lightwt, relatively modern, and has interchangeable lenses, though skipping past any "normal" focal length entirely. I opted for a Fuji GW690ii instead - a fraction of the price, likewise very sharp modern lens, nearly as light, quite ergonomic. For long lens work, I use the P67 system. Rangefinders are limited in that category. Sometimes the M6 turns up at more reasonable used pricing, if you can tolerate square. The M7's have doubled in price in just the last couple of years it seems. I could have had a very nice one with 80mm lens for $1500 back then, but wanted a P67 300 EDIF lens a lot more, and these had been hard to find at all. In RF, I prefer the 6x9 format anyway, so am glad I bought the Fuji instead.
Fuji also recently made clamshell-style 6x7, for those who have even more shekels to spare than for a Mamiya. I don't think the M7 is going to drop in price anytime soon; the cat is out of the bag and plenty of people still covet them.

Huss · Sep 10, 2018

blockend said:
I haven't had my hands on an M7 since they came out, but my memory is of a plastic bodied camera. The chassis may be magnesium, but if you drop it the shell will break. I'm not against plastic cameras, but if you look at medium format rangefinders of that era, many available from Japan, the bodies will often have hairline cracks from contact with hard surfaces. Doesn't mean the Mamiya 7 isn't a precision camera, it does mean it has a sacrificial shell.

A sacrificial shell suggests it is designed to be replaced. It is not. The chassis is metal to insure tight tolerances eg for lens/film plane alignment.

DREW WILEY · Sep 10, 2018

Polycarbonate can be tougher than many metals. Dropping any camera is not a good idea. Magnesium alloys are used for
sake of their very light weight and casting options. But magnesium is soft corrodes quite easily. Therefore it needs to be
covered with something else in applications like this.

GarageBoy · Sep 20, 2018

It's a $3000 camera, I try not to drag it around or drop it. Polycarbonate means it doesn't weigh a ton

efgandia · Jul 19, 2019

Hello all, i am new in photrio

according the M7 II brochure the body is made from "high strength silumin-aluminium alloy. Micron-tolerance high-precision metal molding creates a body that can deliver outstanding reliability under the toughest conditions imaginable"

The body weights almost 1kg. Not only plastic for sure...

Jim Blodgett · Jul 20, 2019

yelmarb said:
If anyone wants to sell their Mamiya 7ii and 65mm lens for $2000, I will happily buy it from them.

I don't know how to give you a blue link but there is a Mamiya 7II for sale on Seattle/Tacoma Craig's List right now for 2200.00.

Dan Daniel · Jul 20, 2019

Jim Blodgett said:
I don't know how to give you a blue link but there is a Mamiya 7II for sale on Seattle/Tacoma Craig's List right now for 2200.00.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pho/d/kenmore-mamiya-7-ii-camera/6938371165.html

efgandia said:
Hello all, i am new in photrio

Welcome!

RalphLambrecht · Jul 20, 2019

RattyMouse said:
You can save a lot of money going with just a Mamiya 7 and not the II version.

and even more by gettingthe-just-as-good Mamiya6MF with similar great optics.

Mamiya 7ii Prices

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