Prices on Medium Format Film Gear

[Luckless]

Who's carrying an RB67, Bladd or P67 around on location? I guess there are some people who would but really is it worthwhile unless it's a paid gig?

A recently acquired RB67 with a 180mm lens now tags along with me whenever I'm heading out of the house for pretty much anything besides shopping, simply because it is such a delightfully satisfying camera to use.

As a bonus, it doubles as light weight training. Which is handy, as I am not one to enjoy gyms, but am someone who should probably spend time in a gym...

 

[abruzzi]

Who's carrying an RB67, Bladd or P67 around on location? I guess there are some people who would but really is it worthwhile unless it's a paid gig?

who? Probably most people who own them. I have never got on with TLRs so I shoot (among other things) a P67, GS-1, and ETRSi on location, carrying them around. I'd MUCH rather shoot any of them than a Rolleiflex or Yashica Mat. Different preferences and all that.

 

[jerrybro]

...Who's carrying an RB67, Bladd or P67 around on location? I guess there are some people who would but really is it worthwhile unless it's a paid gig?

I have to. My wife won't and the grandkids are too small.

 

[Luckless]

I have to. My wife won't and the grandkids are too small.

I've frequently thought about moving out of the city for a property where I can have a few donkeys or llamas, but I'm wondering if I could train a few goats to carry small packs... They can double as lawn mowers and automatic fertilizer dispensers slightly better than donkeys I imagine.

 

[grat]

Depends on your definition of success I suppose. Selling out, to me, means doing things that please others to make a buck. BTDT and it’s not worth it to me. I want to do my thing, to please me.

By that definition, Ansel Adams was a sell out. Far as I can tell, Willem is still doing what he likes doing-- he's just profiting from it, and there's no shame in getting paid to do something you like doing. I got into IT 30+ years ago, because I enjoy it-- the fact that I've made a fairly successful career out of it is a bonus.

 

[grat]

I'm seeing on Flea Bay prices for a Yashica Mat TLR between $600 - $750. I don't know if this has changed, but seems like a lot. On the other hand, a Meopta Flexaret can be had for $160 - $200 dollars. I have not owned either, but it is hard for me to see how the performance of the Flexaret would be dramatically worse than the Yashica Mat. I wonder if this is because when people venture into medium format they are sometimes encouraged to start with a TLR and if they can't afford a Rolleiflex, to get a Yashica Mat. But they don't realize that there were probably over a hundred manufacturers of TLRs, many of which had decent performance.

Here's the comedy-- avoid the 124g, and get a very nice Yashica 12. Almost the same camera, way cheaper. And better looking, in my opinion.

Also, while it's still over-priced, most of the selling Yashica 124g's are going for $300-$400. There have been a few that went for far more, though.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

By that definition, Ansel Adams was a sell out. Far as I can tell, Willem is still doing what he likes doing-- he's just profiting from it, and there's no shame in getting paid to do something you like doing. I got into IT 30+ years ago, because I enjoy it-- the fact that I've made a fairly successful career out of it is a bonus.

You say tomato...

 

[grat]

So what... you should only be paid for things you hate doing? I would think THAT is the definition of prostituting yourseslf.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

So what... you should only be paid for things you hate doing? I would think THAT is the definition of prostituting yourseslf.

What I’m saying is that by doing things based on the demands of anyone but myself, I am not being true to myself. I’ve done it. I’ve had enough people ask me for “black and white with the flowers in color” to know that doing anything for money is not what *I* want to do. Anyone else is free to do as they please.

 

[Cholentpot]

And this means what?

And I say TomAhto.

Let's just call the whole thing off.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Who's carrying an RB67, Bladd or P67 around on location? I guess there are some people who would but really is it worthwhile unless it's a paid gig?

Plenty of people are. They're easy to use handheld - the P67 is designed to be a super-SLR - quite frankly, if you're going to insist on hauling a tripod with you, you're better off going to 4x5+ a lot of the time.

Plus, that cool vintage gear looks "cool" hanging under their beards.

No, it's because we've realised that life's too short to waste limited resources on rubbish cameras - it's an affordable lifetime investment. Better to have a first rate camera, an excellent lens or two, & make work with it rather than 40 motheaten folding cameras, 2 dozen rubbish amateur grade SLRs and all the third party lenses that seem to have been cleaned with steel wool neckties for the past 40 years. If anything it shows that what the market wants are unshowy, high performance medium format cameras with normal to moderate wide lenses.

 

[Cholentpot]

Also, what's wrong with beards?

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Also, what's wrong with beards?

They were a thing. Beards, plaid shirts, skinny jeans, suspenders, those brim hats, and leather ankle boots. Tie it all together with a distressed leather messenger bag, “vintage” camera, and maybe some vinyl albums.

 

[awty]

Also, what's wrong with beards?

Yeah!
As the old song goes "if your dad doesnt have a beard then youve got two mums/moms"
If I ever get to retire Im going to grow mine big and bushy like Vaughns.

 

[unwantedfocus]

I'm seeing on Flea Bay prices for a Yashica Mat TLR between $600 - $750. I don't know if this has changed, but seems like a lot. On the other hand, a Meopta Flexaret can be had for $160 - $200 dollars. I have not owned either, but it is hard for me to see how the performance of the Flexaret would be dramatically worse than the Yashica Mat. I wonder if this is because when people venture into medium format they are sometimes encouraged to start with a TLR and if they can't afford a Rolleiflex, to get a Yashica Mat. But they don't realize that there were probably over a hundred manufacturers of TLRs, many of which had decent performance.

I agree I cannot afford a Rolleiflex and to be honest I don't want one. I'd rather get 3-4 Yashicas or Flexarets and buy other cameras/film/lenses on top. I own both a Flexaret VI and a Yashica MAT they take both amazing images.

When comparing the two I found those benefits.

Pros Yashica MAT:
The stock viewfinder/ground glass is brighter.
The Magnifier system is better how it pops up, on the Flexaret you have to turn it which is slowing you down when shooting.
The shutter speed and f-stop are easier to adjust.
I find it "slightly" easier to nail the focus because of the brighter viewfinder and easier magnifier accessibility.
The lens is a little bit soft in my opinion which is nice for portraits.

Pros Flexaret VI:
The rewind knob is so much more convenient.
It feels well build when something is funky you will know instantly.
The lens is sharper in my opinion than on the yashica. The Yashica has a more soft lens which I prefer, but for sake of "better" argument I would say the Flexaret wins.
Better placement of the shutter button.
Cold shoe
I prefer the focusing on the Flexaret.

Flexaret is a hard sleeper hands down. Also HERE is a Flexaret website (in Czech) tricky camera many different serial numbers for one model with different shutters etc..

Wait til one of the Kardashians pulls out a Mediumformat camera on the next Jimmy Fallon episode and see the market explode. It is what is is..

 

[Lachlan Young]

Expecting a true film revival without increasing prices for used gear is unrealistic.

Yes - it's where that critical mass is - USD 2k, 4k, 5k+? People tend to forget that a classic professional medium format camera + normal lens would likely sit in the 5-8K USD category brand new today, if you corrected the original prices as a percentage of average income.

 

[Cholentpot]

They were a thing. Beards, plaid shirts, skinny jeans, suspenders, those brim hats, and leather ankle boots. Tie it all together with a distressed leather messenger bag, “vintage” camera, and maybe some vinyl albums.

Got none of those, 'cept for the records and cameras. I like them. Grew up with them in the 80's.

Yeah!
As the old song goes "if your dad doesnt have a beard then youve got two mums/moms"
If I ever get to retire Im going to grow mine big and bushy like Vaughns.

Some of us just have a 2 o'clock shadow no matter what. I'm not going to shave twice a day.

 

[braxus]

I have no issues carrying my heavy film cameras on location. They are still light enough not to be a pain in the ass. Only exception was my 8x10 camera which WAS too heavy for my liking. Not anymore with that one. I often take out my Pentax 67 camera to locations for pictures. Actually the Fuji GW690 camera is just as heavy.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Ha! Today I was carrying my P67 equipped with the 300 EDIF, plus a serious enough tripod to support it vibration-free, meaning the same tripod I ordinarily use for 8x10 ! Then I threw in my Fuji 6X9 RF too; so cumulatively, about the same weight as my 8x10 day-hike system. What's wrong with exercise?

 

[ic-racer]

I was on ebay to check prices of medium format gear, and again am surprised at how prices are really bottoming. For example 15 years ago I paint $1000 for a Horseman VH-R and now I see them on e-bay for $200 to $300.

Same with Mamiya gear. For example the "Press" is going for about the same as the VH-R, maybe less.

Seems most 'sold' Rolleicords are in the $250 range. Mine was $400 about 12 years ago.

Rollei Mutars have bottomed too. I recall getting a Rolleiflex SLX AND 50mm Distagon for less than I could get a Rollei Mutar back in the 1980s.

 

[abruzzi]

I was on ebay to check prices of medium format gear, and again am surprised at how prices are really bottoming.

Thats because you didn't buy a Hasselblad.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Too much Hassle.

 

[ic-racer]

Thats because you didn't buy a Hasselblad.

No interest. I heard they are difficult to use and can easily jam.

 

[ic-racer]

Just to check folding medium format cameras, I bought a few Kodak Tourist cameras about 15 years ago for about $30 each. I see on ebay at least ten of them for less than that.

 

[cptrios]

There seems to be a rather large "appeal zone" where gear prices are climbing rapidly, marked by a combination of usability, IQ, and aesthetics (or hipness if you want to be cynical). Old folders tend not to hit the usability mark, so if they're not also up to snuff on IQ, they're still cheap. Older meterless rangefinders (that aren't Leicas) are also low on perceived usability, so they haven't gotten too bad despite the other two categories being very high. In the appeal zone you've got manual focus SLRs, fixed-lens rangefinders, newer rangefinders, high-quality P&Ss, etc. Outside of the zone you've got low-quality P&Ss and then basically all AF SLRs, which score a zero on aesthetics/hipness. I recently bought a Rebel K2 from Roberts Camera on eBay for $15 and I feel like I overpaid.

Unfortunately I can't see prices falling again unless the supply of film dries up. All of this gear is only going to get rarer and harder to fix. Now if only I can get my hands on a GS645S or GW690 before they're out of my reach...