need an opinion should i sell my mamiya 645 1000s for an super ikonta B

heespharm · Jan 22, 2010

I have a mamiya 645 1000s with 3 lenses and a power winder

I don't carry my mamiya 645 enough because it's too big... should I sell it and get a super ikonta and tons of film instead?? I want portability...

OR

should I just save money for a super ikonta b??

OR

Should i just be happy with my yashica 124 mat and just use that

just wanted other opinions on this...

Steve Smith · Jan 22, 2010

This option:

should I just save money for a super ikonta b??

If you sell the Mamiya, you may regret it later. I would!

Steve.

fotch · Jan 22, 2010

Well, they are very different cameras and it depends on what you are going to use them for. I have both and use both, depending on what I am trying to achieve. As an example, close ups. The SLR would be the obvious choice.

While I have shot close ups with both a TLR and a RF, a SLR is first choice. Except if its a still life and I need a large negative, then use a View Camera.

If you can, get both. JMHO

skinnyvoice · Jan 22, 2010

should I sell it and get a super ikonta and tons of film instead?? I want portability...

OR

should I just save money for a super ikonta b??

just wanted other opinions on this...

I have a Super Ikonta 532/16 and I carried it all summer. The portability factor is outstanding and it is very easy to use. Dunno about selling your other stuff but I'd recommend trying to get one.

Andy38 · Jan 22, 2010

If you want a MF Super Ikonta , try to find a S.I. III (531/16) with Tessar lens , or IV (534/16 : like III , with meter) .
They are less heavy than other Super Ikonta B , and viewfinder is better .
I prefer Super Ikonta III with Tessar (an other is with Novar) : a camera without meter because that doesn't often work well...
Otherwise , 532/16 may be also a good choice .
533/16 is more expensive .

But :
"If you sell the Mamiya, you may regret it later."
It's also my opinion !

sanking · Jan 22, 2010

heespharm said:
I have a mamiya 645 1000s with 3 lenses and a power winder

I don't carry my mamiya 645 enough because it's too big... should I sell it and get a super ikonta and tons of film instead?? I want portability...

If portability is the major issue I would suggest that you get one of the new Voigtlander Bessa III 667 folders (sold as Fuji in Japan). Ease of operation with this camera is much better than with any of the vintage folders, and performance is quite a bit better also. The Bessa III is not an inexpensive camera but if you compare its cost to top of the line vintage folders like the Bessa II and Plaubel Makina 67 folders you might come to the conclusion that it is a great bargain. The Bessa III is without doubt the best 6X7cm folder ever made.

Sandy King

Rick A · Jan 22, 2010

In the immortal words of the great t-shirt slogans-- "He who dies with the most toys WINS"
So the answer is NO , do not sell, save up and have two toys(or more).

Rick

Ian Grant · Jan 22, 2010

I'd listen to Sandy King and if you have the cash get the Bessa III, if not I'd stick with the Yashicamat, a Super Ikonta lens won't be any better and the Yashica might be slightly bulkier but they are much lighter than Rolleiflex's or your 645 (I have all 3 – Yashica, Rollei. Mamiya).

Unfortunately your Mamiya 645 system's not worth very much, you might be lucky selling it as a kit but they sell extremely cheaply at the moment, much less than their true worth.

I've had a similar dilemma and decided to stay with the Yashicamat 124 for now.

Ian

wclark5179 · Jan 22, 2010

I just gave my Yashica MAT 124 some exercise. Works just fine! I'm washing some FP$ I used yesterday.

I'd recommend using the Yashica as it's a nice sized camera & does a good job.

fotch · Jan 22, 2010

Ian Grant said:
...
Unfortunately your Mamiya 645 system's not worth very much, you might be lucky selling it as a kit but they sell extremely cheaply at the moment, much less than their true worth...
Ian

Sad but true. Great if your buying, sucks if your selling. Worth keeping if its worth more to you.

Ian Grant · Jan 22, 2010

fotch said:
Sad but true. Great if your buying, sucks if your selling. Worth keeping if its worth more to you.

I can buy a mint body and lens, prism etc for less than the cost of a service on my faulty M645 body.

Ian

heespharm · Jan 22, 2010

yeah u gues are right... I should just save money and keep the mamiya... never know when i'm going to need it

A_M_Johnson · Jan 23, 2010

heespharm said:
I have a mamiya 645 1000s with 3 lenses and a power winder

I don't carry my mamiya 645 enough because it's too big... should I sell it and get a super ikonta and tons of film instead?? I want portability...

OR

should I just save money for a super ikonta b??

OR

Should i just be happy with my yashica 124 mat and just use that

just wanted other opinions on this...

Your 645 is worth next to nothing. You should box it up and sent to me immediately!!!

Actually, the portability thing is a state of mind. I consider my RB67 plenty portable and hand hold it quite often.

tkamiya · Jan 23, 2010

Granted, you'll get very little for your M645-1000, if you are not using it and don't have plans to use it, then it is worth even less holding on to it than it will fetch when you sell. If you are certain you are not going to use it, then your only option is to sell for whatever the market will bear. I had to make this kind of decision on something other than photography. It hurts but little money I got for the item was used to buy something I really enjoyed.

Lanline · Jan 23, 2010

I would not sell the M645 - better to keep it as a spare or even use it in places you would not use your new camera.

Joe Grodis · Jan 25, 2010

The super ikonta b is nearly on top of my list for cameras I "Need" for my collection. Sweet camera but I wouldn't dump my Mamiya for it. Mamiya is hard to beat when it comes to price, lens selection, and ease to find a repair facility. I use a Mamiya 645 Pro mostly and find it rather light for it's format. Heck, a Nikon F5 or F4 is probably in the same weight category.
If portability is a major issue take a look at a Mamiya 6 / 7 ... Pricey but it may very well be the BEST MF camera in it's class.

RobertV · Jan 25, 2010

I am using the Mamiya 645 pro, Yashica Mat 124-G and the Voigtländer Bessa III 667.
In weight the Yashica Mat 124G and Bessa III 667 are about the same 1000g. However the Bessa is easier to take with you. In quality the Bessa III 667 is the best folder camera ever made.
Further it has the advantage of two formats: 6x6cm and 6x7cm. The electronic shutter is super quiet, even less noise then my Leica M7.
Certainly recommended if you have the money available.

greetz,

Robert

elekm · Jan 26, 2010

And remember when buying an older camera that it probably will need to be serviced.

I agree with the others that while you might not be using the Mamiya now, it's possible that will change (probably one week after you've boxed it up and shipped it to the next happy owner).

I would recommend saving your money and buying a Super Ikonta.

Jerevan · Jan 26, 2010

As has been said here, the 645 isn't worth a lot and sellers remorse is quite common... One of the good things with the 645 is that many of the lenses has good minimum focus (0,7 meter on the normal lenses) whereas a Super Ikonta of any model isn't very likely to focus closer than a meter, and you'll get some parallax error using an RF camera. I found the Zeiss Ikontas having a nice build quality, but a bit too fiddly for me.

Keep the Mamiya. I found that the (sadly non-working) 645 I bought wasn't much heavier than my Rollei with a normal lens and the waist level finder. Compact and sweet little package, but the bad experience with buying a rotten apple of a camera put me off these little guys. If you still feel the difference in weight is an issue, then use the Yashica for portability.

Jeff Kubach · Jan 26, 2010

Don't sell, you will regret it later.

Jeff

sanking · Jan 26, 2010

tkamiya said:
Granted, you'll get very little for your M645-1000, if you are not using it and don't have plans to use it, then it is worth even less holding on to it than it will fetch when you sell. If you are certain you are not going to use it, then your only option is to sell for whatever the market will bear. I had to make this kind of decision on something other than photography. It hurts but little money I got for the item was used to buy something I really enjoyed.

Good advice IMHO. If you are not using the equipment hanging on to it serves no purpose other than sentimental attachment. It for sure won't go up in value so sell it now while you can still get something for it. A year or so ago I sold a lot of MF SLR equipment that I was no longer using. I sure did not get back anything like what I paid for it, but I got something which was more than the nothing I had just hanging on to it

Course, if one seriously anticipates making some use of the equipment in the future that is another matter.

Sandy King

Andy38 · Jan 26, 2010

Minimum focus with Super Ikonta B and BX is 1,5m (5ft) and 1,2m (4ft) with earlier Super Ikonta III and IV .

elekm · Jan 26, 2010

The Super Ikonta III and IV came after the Super Ikonta B (532/16) and BX.

And I agree that the close-focus distance should definitely be a factor in the decision-making process.

Andy38 · Jan 27, 2010

elekm said:
The Super Ikonta III and IV came after the Super Ikonta B (532/16) and BX.

Oh , yes , I am confused !
Super Ikonta III and IV are later , not earlier .

heespharm · Jan 27, 2010

OK my local film store had a super ikonta IV with great glass (tessar)... but sadly the film counter window didn't work and the light meter was dead... but I can still advance film just like other folders and the coupled rangefinder works great.... it was less than 300 so I bought it...

need an opinion should i sell my mamiya 645 1000s for an super ikonta B

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