As a former reseller here are my tipps for you:

1) Ebay has changed their inner ranking workings, so if you intend on selling on ebay make sure that you give your listing at least some percent of advertisement, you may not like that but it works and if you want to sell there this is choiceless. Also if your listing is to old, end it now and sell it again via the option sell similar, this will raise the listing again to the top. Now go to a google search or to google shopping search and see if you can find your own listing - if google does not show your listing after some days something is wrong. Check sold items to see if your expectation of price are realistic. Check similar listings to see if you forgot some fundamental part, are you missing an important photo, is your description similar.

2) medium format gear is a tiny market and the gear is expensive, what that means is expect that the right buyer needs some time to decide, patience

3) try other markets like this forum or make your item visible via social media
4) try seperating the gear, the camera might go slowly down in value because of newer bodies but medium lenses are very hard to get where I live and I can not imagine the lenses going down in value in the next years

[Pentaxrookie]

This is exactly why I have decided to keep mine.

With the exception of my DFA645 90/2.8 Macro, my medium format lenses are not very expensive. Their image making power will continue to be compelling for decades.

Exactly. I would rather sell my K1 than this one.

[Pops]

But MF is almost dead.

This I doubt. MF definitely strangles your workflow, and the number of keepers is less, and the autofocus is still archaic compared to top brand full frame. But MF is still a requirement for a lot of fashion editorials and the niche market is a bit more niche than it used to be.

The Pentax 645Z is a bit of a legend in it's own lifetime. Back in 2014 (or whenever it was released) it made MF relatively affordable compared to Phase One and Hassies and it also allowed the use of some pretty iconic lenses from the film era at relatively very low prices compared to it's MF competitors. And still does. The problem with Ricoh is that it never committed a lot of budget to MF development and was overtaken by big budget rivals in both full frame and MF.

That takes nothing away from the 645Z though. I personally absolutely love it with all it's quirks and that shutter sound is something to die for. Sure it's more difficult these days to differentiate IQ, resolution and dynamic range with modern full frame cameras, but there is definitely a paying market for the images that it produces. Landscapes at A2 print size are superb.

I will keep mine until it just doesn't work any more. And then I will insist that it gets buried with me...lol. Along with all the lenses. That will make for a heavy coffin but I won't be carrying it...lol

[BigMackCam]

... MF is almost dead.
...
But my client couldn't tell a difference.
...
When i compared the photos to the Pentax K-1 i had at the time, my decision was simple. I sold the MF.

... i knew then. MF would never make a comeback.

MF seems to have done pretty well for Fujifilm with its GF system... and there are numerous dedicated 645D & especially Z users here - some of whom additionally own the K-1 or K-1II - who are still very convinced by the benefits of the larger format.

I'm not sure that customers being able to notice the difference is a good yardstick. There are friends of mine who can't tell the difference between a good shot from my K-3 and one from my years-old Canon G10 compact. They're not looking at - or for - the same things as me...

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Last edited by BigMackCam; 05-11-2022 at 02:32 AM.

[Sandy Hancock]

There have been three recent offers to buy the OP's camera. This is not a Marketplace thread, and displaying email addresses and phone numbers in the open forums is extremely unwise.

Please conduct such negotiations in private.

[Denver]

I've been following this thread and have a few observations. Everything depreciates over time till it becomes a collectible. You buy a new car and it starts to depreciate as soon as you drive it off the lot. Then over time it becomes scarce and everyone wants one and the price goes up. When the digital photo age hit the collapse of the film cameras hit. For years film cameras did not command a price on the used market. Everyone but us old-time photographers was trashing the film age, just like when CDs arrived and vinyl almost disappeared and now vinyl outsells CDs, the age of digital was upon us. Then the industry warp drives timelines for digital and suddenly your 2-year-old camera was obsolete by their standard. Digital cameras on the used market nosedived in prices. Suddenly the younger generation discovered film. Their demand for cameras started driving up the prices, especially for high-end film cameras. Even some Pentaxes have become expensive. A case of many people wanting and few available. The 645z was revolutionary when released and still is a very viable medium format camera. The world, for now, has moved on to the mirrorless including the medium format. Medium format has always been a slow unit sales. So the 645z especially an old one will not command a high resale price in this market. Digital used even in these times are like cars and will not hold value.
I own 2 645nii and a 645z. The nii I was able to buy used before the film camera prices got crazy. I got a once-in-a-lifetime price for the z with 3 very nice lenses. A fluke but I am happy. I don't buy or expect any camera I have to be an investment. I buy them for use and the pleasure of using them. Anything you buy with expectations of recovering your cost is inherently risky at best just think of cabbage patch dolls or beany baby. Everyone bought them cause they could sell them for a profit. Then the market collapse and they have no value.
Will the 645z ever gain in value maybe in 10 years but most likely not with how the market is flooded with new digital.
That is my take.
Herb

[clackers]

In the phone era, the general community really aren't interested in cameras anymore, like exercise equipment and musical instruments, they clutter up cupboards and can be hard to get any sort of financial return on.

Your best bet is not eBay or a flyer in a shop window, it's reaching the minority who might consider it ... support the forum, upgrade your membership and put it in the Marketplace!

As others have said, we have to treat photography gear like golf clubs or fishing tackle or whatever ... not something we get into to flip as financial investments, but as a cost of a super enjoyable hobby amortized over a number of years.

My K-1 cost $2800 AUD back in 2016, and I would hope to get another three to five years out of it, that makes it less than a dollar day as far as affordability goes, for a flagship product that takes great photos. I am continuously happy with that buying choice.

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Last edited by clackers; 05-10-2022 at 04:49 PM.

[VSTAR]

There have been three recent offers to buy the OP's camera. This is not a Marketplace thread, and displaying email addresses and phone numbers in the open forums is extremely unwise.

Please conduct such negotiations in private.

Maybe the OP can tell us if the camera is posted anywhere for sale, and if not on PF then please explain why. Otherwise why complain on PF you cannot find a buyer and then not list it on the site. Maybe I am missing something in this logic. On the other hand, if it is posted then I missed it and my apology.

[arturopentax123]

Even though Pentax is supposedly still selling the Z new I would be astonished if they actually sold any given how hard it is to sell a used one. I'm trying to sell my Z with 28-45 and 55 for well less than half the retail cost and haven't had the slightest interest on ebay. I'm wondering if it is even worth selling it if I have to practically give it away.


Sorry not really a question more of comment and wondering if anyone is engaging in the market for this camera at all now given the Fuji system and others. I knew when I bought it that resale could be a problem but still.... I had a great 7 years with though.

An option that gives good results is to offer your camera for rent.

[carlb]

Maybe the OP can tell us if the camera is posted anywhere for sale, and if not on PF then please explain why. Otherwise why complain on PF you cannot find a buyer and then not list it on the site. Maybe I am missing something in this logic. On the other hand, if it is posted then I missed it and my apology.

It's quite easy to find on eBay.

[Gyroscope]

Is you listing visible in the correct category ?

Searching in category = Cameras & Photo for "pentax 645z 28-45mm" didn't find any relevant listing from here, even though "worldwide" was selected...

It's in the digital camera category. You are probably not seeing it because I haven't included an option to ship internationally?

---------- Post added 05-10-22 at 05:53 PM ----------

I haven't read the whole thread, but I saw this in one of your earlier posts:

Being based in Perth (most isolated capital city in Australia and maybe the world) and not wanting to ship overseas does limit my selling opportunities...

And that clearly answers your question. When I first noted that you are in Australia, I thought that you had limited opportunities to sell unless you were willing to ship international. And for something like this, I am sure that even a "local" buyer (Adelaide? Melbourne?) would want a chance to see the camera before committing big money.

RE eBay, it has been a year or two since my last eBay sale or purchase, but I always found it a good place to buy and a good place to sell.

RE your 645Z - I will have a short visit to Australia in March 2024 (Sydney). Let me know if the package is still available then. And meanwhile, if you do decide to ship international, I would be interested in buying the zoom lens.

Good luck!

Stan

By 2024 I will have forgotten this post Save my website to your bookmarks and get in touch before you head over here. If I still have it I will certainly be interested in selling it as I will be in the middle of building a house around then!

---------- Post added 05-10-22 at 06:02 PM ----------

There have been a bunch of selling tips which I appreciate. I haven't listed it on the Pentax marketplace here as I get the impression the vast majority of people here are not based in Australia and I don't really want to ship internationally because of the cost and hassle. I may do so at some point though. In the meantime, although I am not doing everything I can to sell it maybe because I'm kind of torn between selling it and keeping it. I set it up in an another smaller camera pack on its own. When I go to a shoot I can decide between my dual body Panasonic kit or the 645Z and 28-45. All I do is swap the filters over and go. So maybe I will just use it situationally - for example if I know I am going to be doing super long night exposures for star trails or shooting directly into the sun at sunset and want the best shadow recovery, or if I just feel like it. In the meantime I'll keep the Z listed and maybe drop the price a little over time and see what happens. If I haven't sold it buy the end of the year I'll just split the kit up into individual items and drop to bargain basement prices and cut my losses or keep ii for good if I feel like I am getting enough use out of it.I'm lucky enough to have options I guess and can afford it financially.

[clackers]

here have been a bunch of selling tips which I appreciate. I haven't listed it on the Pentax marketplace here as I get the impression the vast majority of people here are not based in Australia

No, but those who are, are committed, and you probably really need to find committed fans of an expensive niche format of a niche brand of what is now a niche hobby.

FWIW, there is also the AustPentaxBuyandSell Facebook group. I saw your eBay ad, at nearly $8000 you might be setting some sort of record for them!

Good luck with it, anyway. If you're currently the only 645Z owner in Perth, it's hard to find someone else to take it off your hands.

[Sandy Hancock]

People are still making open posts about buying from the OP.
This is NOT a marketplace thread.

THREAD CLOSED.