Pricing a mamiya 645

[Ben johns]

I’m thinking about selling my mamiya 645j to upgrade to a 6x7 Camera, maybe an RB, I like the rotating back, removable film back and the negative size. I have no idea what I could get for my 645 though.
It’s a 645j, I have a waist lever viewfinder and a prism viewfinder. Also have the 80mm 2.8 and the 45mm 2.8 and a x2 tele convertor. Apart from the usual marks it’s in very good condition except that the multiple exposure switch is loose, still works though. Both lens and the convertor are in good condition too.

 

[RaglanSurf]

Prices are all over the place for the 645 but you're probably looking at about £200, I think Ffordes have a couple of RB's so it might be worth asking what they'd do as a trade in.

 

[Ben johns]

Yea just sent them an email. I’d hope for more than £200, I had a quick look and the only mamiya 645j on eBay was body only and that was £170, but who knows

 

[Mr Badger]

Looking at the price of currently listed items on ebay is pretty pointless unless you're looking to buy one IMHO. If you click on the 'completed items' option you'll see what they actually sold for (unless of course the item was subsequently re-listed and sold for less for some reason, after apparently selling for a high price, so watch for that!).

 

[RaglanSurf]

You've obviously checked the sold prices on ebay and they range from less that £100 for body and standard lens to over £300 for the same set up. Then you get something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAMIYA-6...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 for a body and 3 lenses which went for £166, so like I said prices are all over the place and £200 for your kit is a reasonable guesstimate. There's only one way to find out and that's put it to the market and see who bites. Good luck with the sale, its a jungle out there

 

[Ben johns]

You've obviously checked the sold prices on ebay and they range from less that £100 for body and standard lens to over £300 for the same set up. Then you get something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAMIYA-645J-CAMERA-BODY-3-SEKKOR-LENSES-80-150-210-PLUS-ACCESSORIES-/152942098791?hash=item239c0f3967:g:FRkAAOSwcFVapoBD&nma=true&si=bhcsrzEyiKYdlNgO4BjVq2DaFzU%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 for a body and 3 lenses which went for £166, so like I said prices are all over the place and £200 for your kit is a reasonable guesstimate. There's only one way to find out and that's put it to the market and see who bites. Good luck with the sale, its a jungle out there

Ah yes that is what I did ! Lol. If £200 is fair that I’m fine with it.
Yea, fun fun!

 

[Ben johns]

On that note what’s it like buying a camera from Japan? I’ve seen rb67s selling for £300 including delivery with a lens. Is there some hidden import tax?

 

[ChrisR]

On that note what’s it like buying a camera from Japan? I’ve seen rb67s selling for £300 including delivery with a lens. Is there some hidden import tax?

A number of the film folk have done it multiple times, it's often the only way to get rarer gear. You will need to pay the price plus shipping, then if it's above a (low) threshold RoyaL Fail/ParcelFarce will hold on to it for an unspecified period (supposedly less than 3 weeks) and make you pay Import Duty on the price plus shipping, then VAT on all of that, then their hostage fee which used to be £8 but's probably gone up!

(Import duty looks like 4.7% for film cameras and 6.7% for lenses, waived if it comes to less than £7, see this DPreview thread)

Guess at Buy Now price plus 25% as a reasonable guide...