The BEST place to purchase a Mamiya 7ii

[matt_brown6]

<p>Hi everyone,<br>

I'm looking to get a Mamiya 7ii and a 65mm lens, but since it is a big purchase I am trying to find the best bang for my buck.<br>

The professional websites I use (B&H, Adorama) are selling it for over $3500 which is out of my price range. KEH rarely has the body of the 7ii and if they do they go quickly.<br>

I'm looking on ebay and a few other online retailers that will sell it in the $2500 range, but since this is a big ticket item for me I'm being super hesitant about who I shop with.<br>

I'm looking for some anecdotal evidence for the best place to get my Mamiya.<br>

Any help would be much appreciated.</p>

<p>-Matt</p>

[massimiliano_russo]

<p>Hi Matt,<br>

my 2 cents:<br>

I bought mine on ebay 1 year and half ago from Foto Aglow seller.<br>

Mamiya 7II camera HK$780<br />Mamiya 50mm f/4.5 lens HK$670<br>

Here in Italy I could have paid even more than double that price!<br>

The camera is really amazing and I had no problems at all with the seller, I could give him 5 stars with no hesitance..<br>

all the best,<br>

massimiliano</p>

[massimiliano_russo]

<p>Ehmm.. the total price for both lenses and the camera was 1928 eu Matt. Sorry, I did a wrong maths BUT it's a very good price anyway (in europe at least).</p>

<p>all the best,<br>

massimiliano<br /></p>

[bueh]

<p>Japan. From reputable sellers (like Fujiya Camera in Nakano, Tokyo) you can get the <a href="http://www.fujiya-camera.co.jp/2010chuko_zaiko_kekka.phtml?key_maker=60&key_search_category=0&key_rank=0&key_price=0&key_price_option=0&key_keyword=7%87U&key_keyword_option=and&key_distinction=0&print_count=100"><strong>body</strong></a> for 60-70,000 yen and the <a href="http://www.fujiya-camera.co.jp/2010chuko_zaiko_kekka.phtml?key_maker=60&key_search_category=0&key_rank=0&key_price=0&key_price_option=0&key_keyword=%97p+N+65&key_keyword_option=and&key_distinction=0&print_count=100"><strong>65mm</strong></a> lens for about 35,000. So you get a nice trip plus a phantastic camera for less then what you would pay online.</p>

[stp]

<p>Keep in mind that if you purchase a 7II outside the U.S., then Mamiya USA will not do any service on it. Your options at that point are to send it out of the country for servicing or find independent service here in the U.S. (I would strongly prefer the latter).</p>

<p>I purchased mine from Robert White in England at a considerable savings over U.S. prices. I had a nice collection of lenses as well. While I think the camera has a number of really great attributes, I found that a rangefinder just wasn't for me. Therefore, I sold the camera using a number of online sites (photo.net, fredmiranda.com, apug, and rangefinderforum.com). The buyer of my system got a great deal on a camera and lenses that were in superb condition. </p>

<p>I'd suggest you put out a WTB ad on several of these sites to see what might turn up. You can usually tell who's reputable just by looking at their history on the site. I would also use paypal and a credit card, but most people are trustworthy. I'd go that route before looking overseas for a new outfit (although I'd compare prices as well). If you do buy used and Mamiya USA service is important to you, ask where the camera was purchased.</p>

<p>It's a wonderful system (light, high-quality optics, large transparencies, quiet), one that I wish would have worked for me. I used the funds to purchase a used Hasselblad 501cm and 4 lenses, and that has been a very good move for me personally.</p>

[andre_noble5]

<p>Unless you have deep pockets, EBay is the ONLY place to seriously look for new mamiya gear at reasonable price.</p>

[ted_norris]

<p>Suggestion: think very hard about what you gain with a 7ii relative to a 7 and if it is really worth the extra. (And I seem to have read that the light shield closing lever is more robust on the 7.) I have gotten a 7 and the 80 and 65 lenses from Jacks Camera (jackscamera.com) all in perfect condition for a fraction of the numbers quoted above.</p>

[matt_brown6]

<p>Thanks tp everyone for the suggestions.<br>

Ted, I have been debating the merits of the 7ii versus the 7. I borrowed a 7 years ago and absolutely loved the images. I haven't used a 7ii, but after doing some research I think I would enjoy the features of 7ii more. Right now, I'm working on a project that would benefit from the 7ii's brighter viewfinder and the capability to double expose.<br>

Thanks again!</p>

 

[akgraham]

<p>I got one from <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Chinaarts-Digital-Camera-Company">Chinaarts Digital Camera Company</a> on ebay and would recommend highly the service I received from them on this and other items.</p>

<p>The 'price gouging' of some camera companies in selected markets is annoying. I prefer to support local enterprise and was nervous of distance buying but was driven to it by an inexplicably huge price differential. </p>

[bob_cook]

<p>Matt, just noticed there is a M7II for sale in the classified right now.</p>

[mike_c22]

<p>Camera West - <a href="http://www.camerawest.com/new-products/">http://www.camerawest.com/new-products/</a> - in SoCal has a good selection of used Medium Format gear. Pricing seems reasonable. I have never dealt with them myself. I have seen positive Internet postings regarding them. They currently have a Mamiya 7II body with a rating of 10minus for $1,295. No 65mm Lens at this time. I have seen the 65mm listed there in the past.<br>

Hoping to be able to fund a similar purchase in 2011 myself; good luck with your purchase plans.</p>

 

[ed_sawyer]

<p>The viewfinder brightness is the same between 7 and 7II. The II adds polarization to the viewfinder which might help in certain situations, but not all that much. the 7 is a better value and has the better darkslide rewind lever.<br>

MAC will work on non-USA-purchased cameras, I am sure. They likely just won't want to do any warranty service on them, but if you are paying for service, I am sure they would do it no matter where the camera came from.<br>

Ebay is definitely the best pricing and widest selection of gear, I'd say.<br>

Avg used price of the 65mm is about $500-650, and between 600-1100 for a 7/7II body.</p>

<p>-Ed</p>

 

[western_isles]

<p>Try Ffordes Photographic, Inverness, Scotland. They have used Mamiya 7 gear and I have bought two bodies plus 4 lens at variuos times from them. They will post to non UK locations.</p>