Prices on Medium Format Film Gear

[shutterlight]

but tracking hasn't shown anything for 4 days which is making me nervous.

Have faith for the time being. I had a book that sat in one place for over a week back in December/January (which was only part of its journey to me). Of course, there's no comparison in value in this case, but delays seem far more common these days. I had to ship something back to KEH and I called on Wednesday morning with the assumption that it had long since arrived, having been mailed out nine days before that. In fact, it had been delivered 30 minutes before I called.

 

[Grim Tuesday]

I admit I am a P67II cult member - starting back in 2001 or so when I bought my system. I just love it. It has only one major fault in that it has no interchangeable back like my RBs, but a lot less weight, a superb AE finder, excellent glass, solid build, and handles like an oversized 35mm SLR (a Texas SLR), etc. Otherwise, it's a wonderful 6x7 SLR.

Mike

We're way off topic now, but I totally agree. I am consistently impressed with the quality of pictures from my 6x7.

 

[Michael Firstlight]

We're way off topic now, but I totally agree. I am consistently impressed with the quality of pictures from my 6x7.

Ohhhhhh, and that Rosewood handle...to die for.

 

[Huss]

The 16-32 film inserts that I use in my Hasselblad H1 are listed at $1300+ on ebay! For just the film insert!!!
I bought two or three a few years back for a couple o hundred. Perhaps I should cash out.

 

[Randy Stewart]

I understand the fascination with the P67, they are wonderful cameras, but I don't understand the fascination with the 105/2.4. It's roughly equivalent to a 50/1.4 on 135 film, a standard lens and was the cheapest lens in the line-up. For portraits I prefer either the 165/2.8 or later 200/4, for a standard lens I prefer a 90/2.8.

I'll second that thought. I bought a fairly complete Pentax 67 system in mid-1980s, and I've added to the accessories and lenses ever since. The 105mm was selling for around $200 US several yeas ago, and it has more than doubled in the interim. IMO that was driven by social media hype which continues today. On the hand, several high prices lenses, like the 75mm 2.8 and 100mm macro have always been costly, but not much more so now than in the past. I attribute that to relative rareness of these lenses. A few have dropped a lot in the same period, for example the 300mm EDIF. I've been watching for one of those for a number of years, when it was up around $1800 US. Over the past 5 years, it has dropped to around $900.

 

[abruzzi]

A number of my P67 lenses I've bought for under $150--55/3.5, 75/4.5, 135/4, 150/2.8, 200/4--ad their prices haven't climbed too much. I paid $250 for my 105/2.4, and now the entry is closer to $400. I also got the non-EDIF 300 for $75, in literally brand new condition. That was one of the things I loved about the P67 system, is I could buy 4 great lenses for the price of one Hasselblad lens, and I think thats still the case. I think the P67II is the real standout for inflation in the P67 system, with the 105/2.4 being a close second. As other's mentioned most of the really expensive lenses P67 lenses have been expensive for some time--75/2.8, 100/4 Macro, and the longer EDIF lenses.

I'd also suggest that the 105/2.4 is closer to a 50/1.2, which explains some of the obsession over it, given the current obsession with shallow depth of field and 'bokeh.' I've encountered a lot of photographers on different forums that explicitly state that they only shoot wide open, and never stop their lens down at all.

 

[braxus]

All the videos I've seen on Youtube mention the 105 2.4 as the lens to get for this camera. No wonder it has gone up in price.

On another note- I had to file an investigation with USPS on my P67II camera. It seems to be lost in the mail. This is really bad news, because we didn't pay for full value of the camera. I'll only get $200 back should I be paid out for insurance. Someone is going to end up with a nice serviced camera, so I checked Ebay just to see if it popped up there yet. Lets hope it shows up in the system and continues on its way. But its not looking good for that, as it never made it to customs.

 

[GLS]

It seems to be lost in the mail

Nightmare.

I had this happen to the spring back for my Linhof Technikardan S45 which I sent to the UK dealer to have a new ground glass fitted and calibrated. DPD were the culprits in this case, managing to lose the package for a whole week, and their "customer service" staff were less than useless. Fortunately it worked out in the end, but at the time I was ready to burst a blood vessel.

 

[shutterlight]

at the time I was ready to burst a blood vessel.

Just one?

I had to file an investigation with USPS on my P67II camera. It seems to be lost in the mail

So sorry to hear this. I hope it turns back up.

I've encountered a lot of photographers on different forums that explicitly state that they only shoot wide open, and never stop their lens down at all.

Unless someone is very intentional and knows what they're doing, this strikes me as immature (not as a person, but rather in terms of picture making). I make a lot of wide-open and nearly so pictures, but I also like to stop down a lot (using a tripod much of the time). To use only one end of the spectrum seems short-sighted, in more ways than one.

 

[GLS]

Unless someone is very intentional and knows what they're doing, this strikes me as immature (not as a person, but rather in terms of picture making)

Agreed. It's a vastly overused technique.

 

[abruzzi]

Unless someone is very intentional and knows what they're doing, this strikes me as immature (not as a person, but rather in terms of picture making). I make a lot of wide-open and nearly so pictures, but I also like to stop down a lot (using a tripod much of the time). To use only one end of the spectrum seems short-sighted, in more ways than one.

No argument here, I like carefully managed depth of field, appropriate to the subject matter, but I really have seen these comments. For some strange reason I don't have as negative reaction to the opposite side of the spectrum--f/64, and the everything in focus crowd. But it too seems reductive.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

some of the obsession over it, given the current obsession with shallow depth of field and 'bokeh.' I've encountered a lot of photographers on different forums that explicitly state that they only shoot wide open, and never stop their lens down at all

This is the stuff from the D crowd who have jumped into the latest trendy fad - to demonstrate their innovation and artistic uniqueness. It's the caveman discoverers fire syndrome.

 

[MattKing]

I have a more nuanced response to the fandom of shallow depth of field photography.
For anyone who comes from using a cel phone for most of their photography, the discovery that shallow depth of field is a revelation.

 

[wiltw]

I have a more nuanced response to the fandom of shallow depth of field photography.
For anyone who comes from using a cel phone for most of their photography, the discovery that shallow depth of field is a revelation.

Good insight into the apparent fascination with DOF zones getting near 0.1" in depth

 

[shutterlight]

For anyone who comes from using a cel phone for most of their photography, the discovery that shallow depth of field is a revelation.

Good point. Of course, the wide depth of field provided by phone cameras is a tool in itself.

 

[GLS]

I have a more nuanced response to the fandom of shallow depth of field photography.
For anyone who comes from using a cel phone for most of their photography, the discovery that shallow depth of field is a revelation.

I'm sure this is a factor, and it applies almost as much to those coming from compact cameras with slow lenses. The problem though, as I see it, is that many people never seem to outgrow that initial novelty factor and just use it at every opportunity.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Of course if all of you had listened to me ten years ago when I pointed out that the Hasselblad prices then were the steal of two millennia and that all of you should run out and buy MF equipment, you would already have all the MF equipment you ever wanted. All of you blew me off chastising me for wasting money on Stop Bath with Indicator, as I scurried around buy every Hasselblad item in the known world.

 

[braxus]

I cringe at the thought of having to replace my P67II with another body. All I could afford is the old MLU version. I hope I dont have to come to this though. At least I still have my lenses.

 

[MattKing]

Why didn't I proof read that at least one more time - "the discovery that shallow depth of field exists is a revelation."

 

[Mike Lopez]

Of course if all of you had listened to me ten years ago when I pointed out that the Hasselblad prices then were the steal of two millennia and that all of you should run out and buy MF equipment, you would already have all the MF equipment you ever wanted. All of you blew me off chastising me for wasting money on Stop Bath with Indicator, as I scurried around buy every Hasselblad item in the known world.

I dunno...I find it hard to take you seriously after your latest claptrap in the Rose and Driftwood thread.

 

[btaylor]

Of course if all of you had listened to me ten years ago when I pointed out that the Hasselblad prices then were the steal of two millennia and that all of you should run out and buy MF equipment, you would already have all the MF equipment you ever wanted. All of you blew me off chastising me for wasting money on Stop Bath with Indicator, as I scurried around buy every Hasselblad item in the known world.

Okay, that’s pretty funny. I use Kodak Indicator Stop Bath too. I did scurry around and buy a lot of great MF gear in the last decade, Hasselblad included. I ended up with everything I ever wanted. I didn’t expect prices to go up the way they have been lately- but it doesn’t really affect me because I’ll never sell any of it, my kids will. Didn’t know how lucky I was. My wife stays out of my equipment room thank goodness, so I’m still married.

 

[braxus]

braxus, post: 2421240, -" I had to file an investigation with USPS on my P67II camera. It seems to be lost in the mail. "

This just showed up online today from a website stating the current issues with USPS.

 

[unwantedfocus]

Yashica TLR's still go for cheap money been watching the market for a week now again.

 

[GLS]

How about the Zeiss 2.8/300 Superachromat for the Hasselblad F series? Yours for 60,000 Euros. I remember a year or so ago these were selling for the bargain price of 30k.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265160171973?hash=item3dbcc721c5:g:eRsAAOSw63pgnrc7

 

[Arthurwg]

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.

Suggest you move to New Mexico. And Llamas are best for carrying cameras.