Pentax 67II

Has Pentax discontinued the medium format camera 67II? Its seems no one is selling them and

couldnt even get a answer from Pentax.

Last I knew they were still available new in Japan. You probably would have to buy grey market (no warranty import) if you

wanted a new one.

Yes several years ago but I'm not exactly sure when. More than 5 years I believe. It's a digital world even if this is still a superior camera for many types of shooting than any DSLR.

 

The bonus? There are plenty of used ones available for sale much much cheaper than buying a new one.

 

Here's some good info on the series:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?AsahiPentax67.html~mainFrame

Matt may know more than I do about the availability. I just knew that Pentax Canada has not had any for quite some time. I looked into it when I sold mine about 3 years ago.

A quick check shows these are the only film cameras that Pentax HASN'T discontinued... yet.:<p>

<a href="http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/filmcamera/medium/index.html"

target="new">http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/filmcamera/medium/index.html</a>

Thanks Matthew , it appears they still make them for the Japanese market but not America. Im sure that wont last long.

Yes, Pentax has discontinued making rollfilm cameras. Check the news archives and press releases. IF there was a waiting list of several thousand Pentax 67II buyers or the Pentax 645D pre-orders, Pentax would build them. Mint 67 bodies are going for less than $500 on auction sites, and the lenses are a steal! Likewise the P645 bodies are lower valued as well. If demand was great enough, the price would be reflective of the demand. Pentax is/was always one of the smaller OEM brands. In a declining market, usually the smaller ones fail first unless they have a unique market niche. Let's not forget that Pentax also makes other precision optical & medical instuments and remains competitive in some of the non-photo venues.

Samys still carries them and lenses as well.

http://www.samys.com/browse.php?cat=584&mfg=0

Mint Pentax 67 bodies may sell on the used market for $500 or less, but if you are looking for a 67II body, you will

probably pay substantially more. Its quite surprising to me, considering the effect of digital, but excellent-condition

used 67II bodies are currently quite expensive. Right now at KEH, for example, they are selling 2 "Excellent-Plus"

rated 67II bodies for $1,219.00! That's for the body alone, without a finder or any lenses. Considering I paid $1,499

for my 67II body (new) in 2000, and that in the heydey of medium format a used price of between 60%-75% of new

was the general range for good-condition Pentax equipment, that's a used price which seems unaffected by the

digital advent. I won't speculate why, but I wish they were cheaper!

I'll speculate:

 

Film isn't very popular, but those who need medium format quality have 2 choices: $2 grand for a film rig or $10-$50+

grand for digital.

 

The market share for the film is shrinking, but there is still a *little* demand. To make the film cameras worthwhile to the

manufacturers, they have to charge more for them as they are selling fewer. Most people who are dropping $2-$3K on a

camera are buying Nik/anons.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Pentax hadn't made a 67 or 645 since 2003 or so, and they are just sitting on old stock. The

tooling is paid for, but the inventory is expensive to keep around. Perhaps they will keep running batches every few

years to keep the old school pros supplied, but I wouldn't count on it. If you really want new, get 'em while they last.

 

I REALLY hope that Pentax doesn't build the 645D, at least not for a while. I'd like to build my 645 collection up, and glass prices will go

through the roof if/when the D is released. It would likely cause the bottom to drop out of the 67 market though...

Keep looking on Ebay. I sold my excellent condition P67II with accessories and 2 lenses for $1000. I tried to get $1250 for it, but no one was interested.