RB67 Lens Rental

[schwefel]

It looks like (fingers crossed) I will be spending 5 days in Costa Rica over Christmas. All I have is a 127mm lens for my RB67. I would very much like have a 65mm and 180mm (or 250mm) to take along as well.

I checked the usual suspects (Adorama, Calumet, Helix Photo) and all they rent are RZ equip.

I cannot really justify buying the lens at this time, money is a bit tight. (The trip is virtually all on airline/hotel points.)

Any help would be appreciated.

Jason.

 

[kodachrome64]

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I would be interested in this too; all I have is the 127mm lens as well. It's a shame because I love the camera so much but I'd love to be able to do wideangle shots with it.

 

[schwefel]

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I would be interested in this too; all I have is the 127mm lens as well. It's a shame because I love the camera so much but I'd love to be able to do wideangle shots with it.

I guess it is just you and me kodachrome.

This will work as a bump, I guess. Anyone?

 

[keithwms]

I am not sure renting rb lenses is a good idea. By the time you add in insurance and shipping, you're probably paying about as much as you would to just pick one up on KEH!

Now, normally I would advise to go ahead and get a KL lens since the prices are so low. But if you're really pinching pennies then the C or pre-C lenses are fine, if you hood them.

I have just about all the rb lenses and could be enticed to rent them at a fair price or in exchange for something else (e.g. film!). But again, just do the math and I think you'll see that you may as well buy.

I suppose I could also part with my rb 65, I've been thinking to buy a new one anyway. I am not a fan of the 50, mostly because the 50 for my mamiya 6 demolishes it. The rb 65 is great though.

 

[schwefel]

I am not sure renting rb lenses is a good idea. By the time you add in insurance and shipping, you're probably paying about as much as you would to just pick one up on KEH!

Now, normally I would advise to go ahead and get a KL lens since the prices are so low. But if you're really pinching pennies then the C or pre-C lenses are fine, if you hood them.

I have just about all the rb lenses and could be enticed to rent them at a fair price or in exchange for something else (e.g. film!). But again, just do the math and I think you'll see that you may as well buy.

I suppose I could also part with my rb 65, I've been thinking to buy a new one anyway. I am not a fan of the 50, mostly because the 50 for my mamiya 6 demolishes it. The rb 65 is great though.

I have been keeping an eye on eBay as well. In part it is SWMBO. Also, <devious mode> if the price of renting is 80% or better of the cost of eBay, "But honey, for only 20% more I can OWN the lens </devious mode>.

It is going to once in lifetime (or at least not for a LONG time before I would go again) that I would be remiss not to have at least a couple lens and lots of film.

Jason

 

[keithwms]

Well if this is a once in a lifetime thing and wide-angle is your aim, then rent/borrow/steal a mamiya 6 or 7 or 7ii from a fellow apugger! Frankly the RF systems kick the butt of the rb for wide angle. And are better suited for travel. The rb system is at its peak with macro/closeups and portraits and longer lens stuff. The rb 65 is very good, but it's not all that wide. The 50 is substantially wider but I don't like the lens as much. The fisheye is a hoot.

I guess I could rent out a mamiya 6 system but not over Jan 1-9 when I will be taking all my Mamiya babies to Iceland

 

[schwefel]

I have a co-worker that has a Pentax 67 that has, in the past, offered to let me borrow it. Any thoughts on that one?

 

[keithwms]

I think the p67 is a mostly tripod-bound camera. A very fine one, but nevertheless... Honestly I have no problem getting tack sharp images at 1/15 sec handheld with the mamiya 6. And that is without MLU, I can't seem to find that button*



*yes I know that RFs don't have mirrors...

 

[Greg_E]

Well if this is a once in a lifetime thing and wide-angle is your aim, then rent/borrow/steal a mamiya 6 or 7 or 7ii from a fellow apugger!

I recently loaned out my Mamiya 7 body to a member to take to China, ending up selling it to the same person, which is just as well because I can't afford the glass for it right now (or any point in the past 2+ years that I've owned the body). Looks like a really nice system but still a bit expensive for what I can afford right now. Back (still) to the land of 645 for me.

 

[Alexander Ghaffari]

The C lenses are a bigger step up from the non-C lenses than the step up from C to K/L. I had purchased an RB67 system and after my photoging buddy saw how cool it was, he purchased the same system with different lenses so that we could share. Between both of us, we have the 50mm, 65mm, 90mm, 127mm, 180mm, and 250mm, all C lenses. All the lenses that we bought were purchased a prices lower than renting for 7 days at the cheapest place that we could find. One thing he does is to buy lenses to try them out, and if he doesn't like them he sells them online via auction and has never lost any money (he's sold at least 30 lenses this way). I would like to purchase my own 50mm C lens prior to going to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos this summer. I am bringing my Canon AT-1 as well, since Kodachrome 64 in no longer made/processed in 120 format (and I want to shoot Ektar 100). If you're like me, make sure to bring a few backs for your Mamiya. I am thinking that I'll bring Velvia 100 (non-F) in 220 format and not too sure of a b&w film...I'd like to bring Rollei Technical Pan, but that might be too slow for the RB67 lenses handheld in less than sunny conditions. Anyway, best of luck. Try to find good lenses for cheap and you will not regret not renting.

 

[schwefel]

The C lenses are a bigger step up from the non-C lenses than the step up from C to K/L. I had purchased an RB67 system and after my photoging buddy saw how cool it was, he purchased the same system with different lenses so that we could share. Between both of us, we have the 50mm, 65mm, 90mm, 127mm, 180mm, and 250mm, all C lenses. All the lenses that we bought were purchased a prices lower than renting for 7 days at the cheapest place that we could find. One thing he does is to buy lenses to try them out, and if he doesn't like them he sells them online via auction and has never lost any money (he's sold at least 30 lenses this way). I would like to purchase my own 50mm C lens prior to going to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos this summer. I am bringing my Canon AT-1 as well, since Kodachrome 64 in no longer made/processed in 120 format (and I want to shoot Ektar 100). If you're like me, make sure to bring a few backs for your Mamiya. I am thinking that I'll bring Velvia 100 (non-F) in 220 format and not too sure of a b&w film...I'd like to bring Rollei Technical Pan, but that might be too slow for the RB67 lenses handheld in less than sunny conditions. Anyway, best of luck. Try to find good lenses for cheap and you will not regret not renting.

I think I will be able to sell the wife on the buy and sell back on the lenses. She may go for it.

I certainly will get at least 2 more backs to take along, if not more.

I plan on taking (at least) 5 Plus-X 125, 5 Tri-X 320, 5 Velvia 50, 5 Porta 160VC, 2 Porta 160NC (for the shots with people).

Granted, this is not a "photo trip" and the majority of time will be spent doing non-photo related things. I figure I will shoot shoot shoot. I can always "throw away" a neg, I cannot create one from a shot I did not take.