mamiya m645 1000s

Derrel · Nov 17, 2012

It DOES seem to me that the prices for medium format cameras and lenses are trending upwardly...yes, yes it does...back in late 2008, the prices seemed to be at an all-time low. In the summer of 2008, I picked up a Bronica SQ-Ai, with a 50mm f/3.5 Pro Series wide-angle lens, 80mm f/2.8 Zenzanon normal lens,a waist-level finder,and a 120 rollfilm magazine with insert, all for $299-in basically MINT condition. I remember wanting that same 50mm PS lens back in 1992...but the price back then was like $1,699 or something outrageous!!! A complete body and magazine, normal AND wide-angle lenses, for under $300!!!! I just could not pass up such a fine setup for so little money.

It seems to me too that Hasselblad 500-series bodies and lenses were very,very low back then, and have been trending upward as well. Bronica is a dead brand now--totally discontinued,and no longer made...Hassy and Mamiya are still somewhat alive. Contax is also dead, I believe. I think the presence/absence of the various brands in current production and under current marketing might have some price impact on the used film gear that's on the market. I also think one reason prices are trending upward is that a LOT of this stuff was sold once by original owners, then sold again, and again, and is mostly finding its way to DEALERS, who have wider advertising reach and who need to make PROFIT on what they sell...a lot of the medium format stuff now is on its 3rd,4th, or 5th owner, and the recent sellers seem to me to be mostly DEALERS, rather than owner/sellers.

Still, the market is SOFT for MF film gear...I se stuff in retail stores sitting for MONTHS...it's not selling fast, at all. The user market is now pretty small.

Tuffythepug · Nov 17, 2012

Derrel said:
It DOES seem to me that the prices for medium format cameras and lenses are trending upwardly...yes, yes it does...back in late 2008, the prices seemed to be at an all-time low. In the summer of 2008, I picked up a Bronica SQ-Ai, with a 50mm f/3.5 Pro Series wide-angle lens, 80mm f/2.8 Zenzanon normal lens,a waist-level finder,and a 120 rollfilm magazine with insert, all for $299-in basically MINT condition. I remember wanting that same 50mm PS lens back in 1992...but the price back then was like $1,699 or something outrageous!!! A complete body and magazine, normal AND wide-angle lenses, for under $300!!!! I just could not pass up such a fine setup for so little money.

It seems to me too that Hasselblad 500-series bodies and lenses were very,very low back then, and have been trending upward as well. Bronica is a dead brand now--totally discontinued,and no longer made...Hassy and Mamiya are still somewhat alive. Contax is also dead, I believe. I think the presence/absence of the various brands in current production and under current marketing might have some price impact on the used film gear that's on the market. I also think one reason prices are trending upward is that a LOT of this stuff was sold once by original owners, then sold again, and again, and is mostly finding its way to DEALERS, who have wider advertising reach and who need to make PROFIT on what they sell...a lot of the medium format stuff now is on its 3rd,4th, or 5th owner, and the recent sellers seem to me to be mostly DEALERS, rather than owner/sellers.

Still, the market is SOFT for MF film gear...I se stuff in retail stores sitting for MONTHS...it's not selling fast, at all. The user market is now pretty small.

Well, I haven't scored any deals like you did but I did manage to pick up a Bronica ETRS with metered prism finder, speed-grip, and like-new 75mm lens for $250 a few months ago.
I'd love to find a 50mm and 150mm lens to complete the outfit at a good price. But I haven't found any killer deals on those lenses yet

pixmedic · Nov 17, 2012

I dont know how great a "deal" i got, but i think i did ok. Loving the camera so far even though i only have black and white film at the moment. It is heavy though, and i can see me and the tripod becoming best friends.

compur · Nov 17, 2012

Derrel said:
It DOES seem to me that the prices for medium format cameras and lenses are trending upwardly...yes, yes it does...back in late 2008, the prices seemed to be at an all-time low. In the summer of 2008, I picked up a Bronica SQ-Ai, with a 50mm f/3.5 Pro Series wide-angle lens, 80mm f/2.8 Zenzanon normal lens,a waist-level finder,and a 120 rollfilm magazine with insert, all for $299-in basically MINT condition. I remember wanting that same 50mm PS lens back in 1992...but the price back then was like $1,699 or something outrageous!!! A complete body and magazine, normal AND wide-angle lenses, for under $300!!!! I just could not pass up such a fine setup for so little money.

It seems to me too that Hasselblad 500-series bodies and lenses were very,very low back then, and have been trending upward as well. Bronica is a dead brand now--totally discontinued,and no longer made...Hassy and Mamiya are still somewhat alive. Contax is also dead, I believe. I think the presence/absence of the various brands in current production and under current marketing might have some price impact on the used film gear that's on the market. I also think one reason prices are trending upward is that a LOT of this stuff was sold once by original owners, then sold again, and again, and is mostly finding its way to DEALERS, who have wider advertising reach and who need to make PROFIT on what they sell...a lot of the medium format stuff now is on its 3rd,4th, or 5th owner, and the recent sellers seem to me to be mostly DEALERS, rather than owner/sellers.

Still, the market is SOFT for MF film gear...I se stuff in retail stores sitting for MONTHS...it's not selling fast, at all. The user market is now pretty small.

Prices on MF gear do seem to be on the upswing to me as well. I attend 2 local camera shows per month where I buy and sell and I've been selling film gear online since the late 1990s as well.

TLRs are especially "hot" right now especially Rolleiflex (any model) and Yashica-Mat 124Gs. If I bring one of these to a camera show it is usually the first thing that sells and at about 50% higher prices than a few years ago. Medium format SLRs and folders are popular too and bring higher prices.

Many young people who have never used film are starting out with medium format cameras rather than 35mm, the opposite of the way it was back in the heyday of film.