Originally posted by rjm007 I just happened to be in the only local camera store with second hand kit, actually the only local camera store. Made the mistake of asking them if they had any 645 bodies in. Yes we do sir. The original (it's so 80s") 645 body , 120 back and the A 75mm lens. $400.
Despite my credit card quivering like a crazy thing I did think it probably best to ask a few questions in here first.
1) Anything I should specifically look out for in terms of the camera actually working.
2) Things that might be faulty that i might not notice coming from 35mm film / MILC
3) Does that price sound within the ball park ?
First impressions were that it was actually quite a "handleable" camera. I'd expected it to be I dunno - more bulky and hard to hold. The VF wasn't as gloomy as some reviewers had suggested and I was inside using it. Actually I rather liked the optical VF - realise now how much I miss one cf. an EVF. Oh and the mirror slap. People aren't going to miss that.
It
is quite "handleable," like a 35mm on steroids. However, because the camera components are larger, you may find that most camera bags are a better fit for 35mm, and generally nowadays 35mm DLSR. So how a candidate bag can be reconfigured will be worth considering when you find you want to take the camera somewhere.
For pricing, observe similar units on eBay. In my experience, in addition to NA sellers, those in Japan with high scores ship excellent condition lenses and miscellaneous Pentax 645 devices. The postal system set up between Japan and the USA leads to very quick delivery.
Read Ken Rockwell's review (
www.kenrockwell.com) to gain some insight of the differences between the 645, 645
N, and 645
NII film camera bodies. There are reviews on this site also. Consider the merit of any Pentax improvements vs. cost relationships among the bodies.
Delve into the lens reviews here to determine which are best for your purposes.
So far I haven't had any problems, so I can't advise on what to look out for. More experienced users here may be able to fill in this aspect. Bodies with low exterior wear may just have low interior wear. Of course, always check the battery compartment for signs of corrosion.