Another question for the Alpaholics. This time, money.

[jodad]

So, what do you think about this offer. I wasn't going to consider it until i visited an alpa dealer but since i have now the final piece of information i wanted to know, i am thinking about this offer.

There is an old photographer who is selling off all his camera equipment in a town some 50km from me and one of his pieces is an SWA and a Schneider XL 58mm 5.6 multicoated. With the current IDR to USD rate, he is asking for about USD 6100. I know the SWA was updated some years ago and im pretty sure this one isnt one of the newer updated versions (more on that later) but both the body, the mamiya 68 back and the lens are pristine. its like he just bought it, realised that it was too pretty to use and just kept it on a display cabinet or something.

So, to the questions finally:

1) Assuming it is actually pristine and everything works well, what do you think about his price? Its all in, the body lens back and VF.

2) the updates made to the new version of the SWA, apparently ALPA can update older versions to have the new features but do i really really need these?

3) what do you think about the lens? any comments/observations would be valuable. Its not particularly wide but that is fine, the aspect ratio will suit the type of stuff i like to shoot but i cant find much about the quality of the lens on that 68 format.

 

[onasj]

In my opinion, it's a good (not amazing) deal if you plan to use all or almost all of the components. Will you be using a digital back? Do you anticipate needing or wanting the VF (which is really cool looking, I admit, though not exactly a precision framing apparatus)?

If you plan on shelving some of the components for others, it quickly becomes less attractive in my opinion.

Just my 0.02 of course.

So, what do you think about this offer. I wasn't going to consider it until i visited an alpa dealer but since i have now the final piece of information i wanted to know, i am thinking about this offer.

There is an old photographer who is selling off all his camera equipment in a town some 50km from me and one of his pieces is an SWA and a Schneider XL 58mm 5.6 multicoated. With the current IDR to USD rate, he is asking for about USD 6100. I know the SWA was updated some years ago and im pretty sure this one isnt one of the newer updated versions (more on that later) but both the body, the mamiya 68 back and the lens are pristine. its like he just bought it, realised that it was too pretty to use and just kept it on a display cabinet or something.

So, to the questions finally:

1) Assuming it is actually pristine and everything works well, what do you think about his price? Its all in, the body lens back and VF.

2) the updates made to the new version of the SWA, apparently ALPA can update older versions to have the new features but do i really really need these?

3) what do you think about the lens? any comments/observations would be valuable. Its not particularly wide but that is fine, the aspect ratio will suit the type of stuff i like to shoot but i cant find much about the quality of the lens on that 68 format.

 

[jodad]

In my opinion, it's a good (not amazing) deal if you plan to use all or almost all of the components. Will you be using a digital back? Do you anticipate needing or wanting the VF (which is really cool looking, I admit, though not exactly a precision framing apparatus)?

If you plan on shelving some of the components for others, it quickly becomes less attractive in my opinion.

Just my 0.02 of course.

Thanks again Onasj, i do really appreciate your help in my current quest :clap:

I wont be shooting digital, at least not for a few years, who knows in the future.
The 68 back is fine, i would have preferred a 66 back because i like squares but in reality i am more used to rectangle format.

What do you use to frame? I am guessing you frame with a digital back in live? Is the framing with the VF so inaccurate/ is it another hassy SWC VF sort of story?

Any thoughts on the lens?

 

[jodad]

In my opinion, it's a good (not amazing) deal

Incase he is open to some bargaining, what would you offer and pay and walk away feeling better about the whole thing

 

[onasj]

I have no experience with that lens. If framing is critical, I use live view on an IQ4. If framing isn't critical (and with lots of MP to spare cropping typically costs very little), I usually use the VF. The VF's accuracy changes with distance (as all simple optical VFs do). It errs on the side of being conservative—you'll rarely, if ever, miss getting your subject in the frame but you will often have extras in your frame that the VF implied would be outside of the frame.

Regarding the offer... I'm not expert enough in the used Alpa market to be able to suggest a counter (plus given how few online venues for Alpa users there are, might your seller be reading this?

I think you'll love Alpa products, regardless of how you get them!

Thanks again Onasj, i do really appreciate your help in my current quest :clap:

I wont be shooting digital, at least not for a few years, who knows in the future.
The 68 back is fine, i would have preferred a 66 back because i like squares but in reality i am more used to rectangle format.

What do you use to frame? I am guessing you frame with a digital back in live? Is the framing with the VF so inaccurate/ is it another hassy SWC VF sort of story?

Any thoughts on the lens?

 

[dchew]

I also have no experience with the lens. My general rule for used technical camera equipment is 67% (2/3) of the new price is a good deal depending on the item. Something hard to get, like a 120 asph or 90hrsw w/copal would be 80% or more. Something out of the mainstream (like that lens) would be more like 50%.

Cameras themselves swing all over the place because both the market and inventory are so small. You are at the near-zero point on the demand curve where the slope is crazy. A Trump tweet or statement from Jerome Powell will dramatically affect the second-hand Alpa market.


Nice thing is, since you are shooting film your lens requirements will be less demanding. That opens you up to deals that others would pass up.

Dave