Pentax Medium Format cameras- Still Made?

[braxus]

Are the Pentax 645NII and the Pentax 6x7 II still being made or have they finally been discontinued? I no longer see any film cameras listed on Pentax's website. Only digital. Im wanting to buy in the future a Pentax 645N/ NII and am wondering if I can still get them new at the store? Same story for the lenses? I also have an older P6x7 and it would be nice to still get lenses for it. I will buy off Ebay if these items are no longer available. Secondly I looked on B&H's site and they still list the 645N, but not the NII. I'm aware of Pentax may have been bought out, so their camera division is possibly not running in the future.

 

[Lee Shively]

Hmmm. I went to my bookmark of the Pentax site for medium format cameras and got the "Page Not Found". Went through the homepage to medium format cameras and got the same response.

I remember reading sometime ago that Pentax was going to scrub plans for the digital P645 back and/or camera. Some people thought that would keep them making medium format film bodies. The merging of Pentax and Hoya might have led to a complete reorganization of their product line. I have not heard they stopped production but I wouldn't be surprised considering how many film cameras have dropped out of production recently.

Sad. I like my old 645 bodies and the lenses are second to none.

 

[coriana6jp]

They are still being made or at least still being advertised.. Pentax still advertises them for sale here in Japan. If I remember correctly they are still making the 67 and the 645NII. They just had full page ad for the 645NII in a magazine I bought a couple of days ago.

Hope it helps.

Gary

 

[braxus]

So it seems the North American market no longer carries these, but other markets still do. Too bad. I guess I'll look on Ebay for a 645NII.

 

[wildbill]

bhphotovideo.com still has the 645 in their recent catalog.

 

[braxus]

Yes they have the 645N, but not NII. So they must have old stock since the NII replaced the N in 2001.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

In the UK, Jessops, our biggest and most popular chain of camera stores, is listing a wide selection of 6x7 and 6x4.5 gear for a 28-day delivery time:
http://www.jessops.com/Products/SearchResults.aspx?pageindex=15&CatId=1

 

[copake_ham]

In the UK, Jessops, our biggest and most popular chain of camera stores, is listing a wide selection of 6x7 and 6x4.5 gear for a 28-day delivery time:
http://www.jessops.com/Products/SearchResults.aspx?pageindex=15&CatId=1

From reading the other posts - sounds as if Jessops is doing a "special order" from Japan.

I got a 67II on eBay a few months ago and love it. I'd like to get a second body/TTL FV for Tucson. It they're still available new, I'd like to go that way.

Wonder if there are any US outlets willing to order a 67II from Japan?

 

[Rob Skeoch]

This is the link from Pentax Canada

Dead Link Removed

I also gave them a call this morning but was put on hold forever and ended up leaving a message... so I'll up-date when I find out.

 

[Jeffrey A. Steinberg]

What about a Mamiya 7II? That could be a good stand in for the Pentax 6x7. Great lenses.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Pentax service called me back and this is what they said... they still service both the 645 and 67 but he didn't think they had made the camera for about 5 years. He wasn't too sure though.

He also didn't know if they still sold them new or not but would try and contact a sales rep to find out... would also try and find out if any stores had stock new.

 

[PHOTOTONE]

What about a Mamiya 7II? That could be a good stand in for the Pentax 6x7. Great lenses.

Different beasts. The Mamiya 7II is a rangefinder camera, the Pentax 6x7 is a SLR. You can do totally different things with an SLR than you can with a rangefinder. When you need an SLR, a rangefinder just won't do, although both would work for street photography.

 

[David R Munson]

As far as I know, they're all still in production. B&H stocks the Pentax 67II new and I have heard no indication whatever that any of Pentax's medium format offerings have been discontinued.

 

[Willie Jan]

What i heard is that it's no longer sold in Europe because of some lead used which is no longer allowed in Europe for the 645. But this is only for europe...

 

[Kilgallb]

Last year at the Consumer Electronics Show I asked the Pentax people about film cameras. They said Pentax no longer makes film cameras. All film cameras in distribution are old stock that has not sold.

The exact parting words were: We have moved on from film.

 

[max_ebb]

I read a release from Pentax a few months ago (and I believe the release was at least a couple years old when I read it) that said Pentax was no longer manufacturing any film cameras.

 

[Jeffrey A. Steinberg]

although both would work for street photography.

Yes, I was only talking about the "street" usage....YMMV.