Good price on Mamiya 6 w/75?

K

Kyle

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At a local camera shop I was surprised to see a Mamiya 6 on display. I checked it out, everything is in really nice condition. I ran a test roll through it, meter works (didn't compare it to my handheld, though), the shutter seemed accurate, but it was hard to tell (damn, those things are quiet!), the viewfinder was bright and the RF patch looked great. Basically everything looked good. For the M6+75/3.5 lens they wanted $699. They also had a 50/4 and the guy said if I bought the body and both lenses they'd let it go for $1300 out the door.

Anyways, how do these prices sound? I have been looking into getting a "serious" MF kit for a while, but thought I couldn't afford any of the Mamiya rangefinders. These prices are do-able for me as long as these are good prices.
 
you must have a great part time job kyle!

i have not looked for awhile but those prices sound good to me.
i had 2 mamiya 6's with 75 and 150 lenses, razor sharp and that 50 is supposed to be the best of the bunch.

if i could have afforded it i would have kept the 35 and 120 systems going together.
joe
 
Sounds good to me. The mam6 apparently has an issue with the film advance mechanism. If it is abused and wears out, it is no longer supported by Mamiya. This issue has driven down the prices (IMO) of this excellent camera. The 50mm lens is supposed to be outstanding. Results from this camera blows Leica out of the water!
 
I have found the winding lever on the Mamiya 6 is very easy to catch on things such as putting the camera in a bag. While I never have had the winding gear problem after 7 years of ownership, I have caught the lever on the lip of the camera bag and could see how it would be very easy to strip out the gears this way. I guess the moral of the story is watch that it doesn't snag on anything. I always hold down the winding lever against the camera body when I put it away. Just pay attention and you'll be good to go. The prices also sound very reasonable, and get the 50 if you can afford it, it is a much sought after optic... with good reason.
 
back alley said:
you must have a great part time job kyle!

Yeah, I spend an obscenely high amount on photo gear. My dad owns a company that builds pools and I have a good position. I get company gas card, company insurance, etc. The thing that really helps me is I still live at home. So most of my money earned goes right into my pocket. I also sometimes detail cars, and if I do the right car I can make $200+ for 8 hours of work.


Anyways, thanks for all the input. Sounds like its a good deal. If I go for it I'm going to probably pick up the body and 75 only, as the extra $600 for the 50 will be too much for me. Later on down the line I could always get one.
 
Anyways, thanks for all the input. Sounds like its a good deal. If I go for it I'm going to probably pick up the body and 75 only, as the extra $600 for the 50 will be too much for me. Later on down the line I could always get one.

not at that price though...
 
So the price on the 50 is that good? I guess I could always sell some 35mm stuff...
 
kyle, those prices are great, especially since you can handle the camera, look at the lenses and know the condition. if you can, get the 50. ive only had it a short while, but the few rolls i have shot with it prove what everybody says about it. i dont think you will regret the purchase.
 
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