Buying advice wanted...

[John Allen]

I've been infected by the gear bug. The disease has a rapid onset and is only curable through the purchase of large quantities of new gear. New/old, actually. I've done my research and thought through the pros and cons and am about to take the step up to MF, but need assurance that I'm making a good decision.

This is a current ebay auction. (Note: Don't sneak in and buy this out from under me or I'll come to your house and cut up all of your unscanned negatives.) It is for a Mamiya RB67 Pro S with 120 back, wlf, and 90mm f/3.8 lens. It looks like it's in really nice condition and the seller says the body and the lens have no problems other than minor wear. The seller lives about an hour from me, which doesn't really mean much. The guy down the street is as apt to rip me off as someone in Tokyo. But, I digress. More to the point, he has over 3000 ebay sales and seems to specialize in Mamiya film gear.

The price, $299 BIN, is a bit higher than average, but it's well within reasonable range when the extra cost of shipping from Japan is added to the total. Anyway, here's the link to the auction. Anyone have an opinion?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mamiya-RB67...257763?hash=item3f5da86963:g:iX0AAOSwZ8ZW11wi

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The "C" lenses are not quite the same level as the K/L lenses. I had both, so I have experience here. I believe there are a couple of K/L lenses which will not fit the Pro S body, which is one reason why the Pro SD is more sought after.

 

[John Allen]

The "C" lenses are not quite the same level as the K/L lenses. I had both, so I have experience here. I believe there are a couple of K/L lenses which will not fit the Pro S body, which is one reason why the Pro SD is more sought after.

I did read about that, but thought the 90mm 3.8 macro would do everything I wanted to do with MF and didn't think I'd use either one of the lenses that don't mount on the Pro S. This deal isn't a once in a lifetime one. There will be others just as good. I guess maybe I better think about this a bit more before jumping. Thanks, Rob.

 

[Pete Askew]

Sounds like a sensible decision to me. These are robust cameras and in plentiful supply at very good prices. I'm afraid I can't advise as I have never used the system but if I can get my friend in Stockholm to join (I have been hassling him a lot) he would as he shot commercially with these for many years.

 

[John Allen]

Sensible, smensible... I took this well-founded and obviously solicited advice and then promptly ignored it. The listing had a Make an Offer button, so I made him an offer and he accepted. Come to find out, he worked for Mamiya for 25 years and now repairs and sells Mamiya cameras and accessories on ebay and other places. I'll test the quality of this 90mm macro lens and, if it proves less than stellar, I'll purchase a K/L replacement and try that. Almost all of the Mamiya Sekkor lenses seem to be fairly reasonably priced now-a-days.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Well done, John. Looking forward to your images.

 

[John Allen]

Well done, John. Looking forward to your images.

So am I, Rob. Really looking forward to seeing what it can do. I have a test chart I printed out on letter size paper and a Passport Color Checker that will be set up for the test shots. These were intended for use with my Nikon dslr, but will work perfectly for testing these film cameras. I hope to run off some tests today with the two OM-1 bodies I recently purchased and send that film off to be processed. If, and this is still a big "if", but, if I find myself shooting film on a semi-regular basis, I'll buy a Patterson tank and changing bag so I can develop my own negatives. I will not be doing prints, so I'll need to pick up a good scanner. Given that setup I should be able to shoot as much film as my little heart desires.

 

[Martin Carlin]

Well done john, Tank and changing bag way to go I think works out so much cheaper and its a lot of fun and always gets me excited to see how I've done. Guess I'm a bit strange that way.

 

[John Allen]

Well done john, Tank and changing bag way to go I think works out so much cheaper and its a lot of fun and always gets me excited to see how I've done. Guess I'm a bit strange that way.

Thanks, Martin. My only worry is the fumes. I haven't been in a darkroom in a long, long time, but I still remember how it smelled. My lungs aren't in great shape and I won't be able to work with many (any?) fumes in the air. However, using a changing bag and tank are a lot different than open trays of chemicals in a darkroom, so I'm hoping it won't be an issue. It will certainly be a lot cheaper and allow me to shoot more film.

 

[Brian Moore]

A fair purchase I think, John.

My only worry is the fumes.

John if you are using a changing bag and developing tank and pouring the chems in your kitchen you shouldn't get much fumes. Some from the fixer, perhaps, but you can easily turn your head and lift your nose snob-like up toward the the sky to avoid the scent. (And anyway, we know you're not a snob.)

 

[John Allen]

A fair purchase I think, John.

John if you are using a changing bag and developing tank and pouring the chems in your kitchen you shouldn't get much fumes. Some from the fixer, perhaps, but you can easily turn your head and lift your nose snob-like up toward the the sky to avoid the scent. (And anyway, we know you're not a snob.)

For a second there I read 'snob' as slob. I thought to myself, "Boy, he really doesn't know me very well."

 

[Martin Carlin]

I won't be able to work with many (any?) fumes in the air.

Theres really little fumes from the chemicals today John. I haven't really noticed any smell since getting back into developing my own stuff.