Pentax 6x7 user advice

[Jao]

I have been pondering on 6x7 for a while now and have decided to take the plunge and get a Pentax 6x7. To fund it I will be selling my Bronica ETRS kit first. I have enjoyed the Bronica 645 but find myself using my Rollei 6x6 cameras far more frequently. I think the ETRS bug was about fulfilling a wish form my youth. I tend to feel now " I have been there done that!"

My question is, what would be a good entry level Pentax 6x7 body and lens. I know there are broadly 3 generations of this camera and that the mirror lock up is pretty useful. I tend to use a hand held meter, most of the time, even with my Nikon F100 and F5 so, I am am not too worried about metered prisms et al!

I'd welcome thoughts and views from those denizens of the F&C quarter who are shooting with any version of this camera, also lens recommendations. I do like to shoot wide and found that with the ETRS I used the 50mm most of the time.

 

[Knikki]

I would go for the P67 the second generation one, which like, I think all of them, has mirror lock up. Like the Bronica they are battery dependant. As for a lens I would say the 105mm f2.4 for me the shallow DOF is to die for.

However if you are someone that say uses flash alot then look for the 90mm f2.8 as that is a leaf shutter one. In standard form the flash sync speed is 1/30th.

I think that nearly all of the second gen ones have metered prisms which i find works quite well.

Hope that helps.

 

[shapeshifter]

If you buy one make sure the shutter is working properly.I got a second hand one when they still made them new and the shutter slowed down half way across the frame.As a result the film was unevenly exposed from one side to the other,it is a common thing with old Pentax 6x7's.I have had three and they are fantasic cameras and the 6x7 neg/slides are great to work with.I still have one and three lenses 105 f2.4,165 f2.8,300mm f4 all really fast lenses.Also the Pentax 6x7 only shows 90% of the area through the pentaprism.If you want a 100% view you need the waistlevel finder.

 

[Jao]

I would go for the P67 the second generation one, which like, I think all of them, has mirror lock up. Like the Bronica they are battery dependant. As for a lens I would say the 105mm f2.4 for me the shallow DOF is to die for.

However if you are someone that say uses flash alot then look for the 90mm f2.8 as that is a leaf shutter one. In standard form the flash sync speed is 1/30th.

I think that nearly all of the second gen ones have metered prisms which i find works quite well.

Hope that helps.

Nick,yes that really helps, I have been looking at the P67 and the 105 f2.4. I rarely shoot with flash so the slow sync won't be an issue.
Hunt is on a for a good example!

If you buy one make sure the shutter is working properly.I got a second hand one when they still made them new and the shutter slowed down half way across the frame.As a result the film was unevenly exposed from one side to the other,it is a common thing with old Pentax 6x7's.I have had three and they are fantasic cameras and the 6x7 neg/slides are great to work with.I still have one and three lenses 105 f2.4,165 f2.8,300mm f4 all really fast lenses.Also the Pentax 6x7 only shows 90% of the area through the pentaprism.If you want a 100% view you need the waistlevel finder.

Many thanks for the advice, you are right I do need to look of a solid working model. I will try and get the latest version I can find, Ideally not having been worked to its limits.

 

[simonblue]

I have had all 3 versions,they're a very good camera,lens were 90mm & 55mm again both very good lens

 

[freecom2]

The 105mm f/2.4 is an incredible portrait lens.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

I lust after a Pentax 67ii. Undecided if I want to sell the Hasselblad for one at the moment but I really fancy something that shoots a rectangle instead of a square and this is too on my list.

 

[skysh4rk]

I lust after a Pentax 67ii. Undecided if I want to sell the Hasselblad for one at the moment but I really fancy something that shoots a rectangle instead of a square and this is too on my list.

If you want rectangular photographs, you could do what many Hasselblad shooters did for years and just crop your photos to 6x4.5? The advantage of the Hasselblad is that you never need to turn the camera and can decide later how to crop.

There's also the option of a 6x4.5 back.

 

[Deleted member 21335]

If you want rectangular photographs, you could do what many Hasselblad shooters did for years and just crop your photos to 6x4.5? The advantage of the Hasselblad is that you never need to turn the camera and can decide later how to crop.

There's also the option of a 6x4.5 back.

Yeah I know. Dunno why but I'm always reluctant to crop for some reason. Didn't know they did a 6x4.5 back though!

 

[shapeshifter]

I lust after a Pentax 67ii. Undecided if I want to sell the Hasselblad for one at the moment but I really fancy something that shoots a rectangle instead of a square and this is too on my list.

That is why I moved away from 6x6 because it is 6x4.5 with a bit stuck on that you nearly always crop out when you print the negs.The 6x7II was not as good as it could have been I used to use one for motorsport ,it should have had shutter priority rather than the apature priority in my opinion.Also the metered pentaprism had an exposure compensation dial which was plain silly all you had to in reality was alter the film ISO dial.Pentax had an oportunity to increase the shutter speed with the new camera but did not.The built in grip was a big improvement.If you can, get a 6x7II but I have they hold their value really well.When I used it I really felt I had taken a photo, with the big shutter going clunk and then winding the roll film on pushing the leaver all the way round.

 

[skysh4rk]

Yeah I know. Dunno why but I'm always reluctant to crop for some reason. Didn't know they did a 6x4.5 back though!

I hear ya. I always shoot square myself and don't ever crop even though I could.

Although Hasselblad offered a 6x4.5 back, I think that it'd likely only lead you to appreciate the 6x6 back even more. Unfortunately, Hasselblad never matched the design of Bronica's speed grip, which really is a necessary accessory for shooting 6x4.5cm handheld on that style of camera.

 

[FruitFlakes]

One thing to mention is the mirror lockup - you can't undo it once it's been tripped. You have to expose that frame for it to revert back to its original position. I've taken to storing mine with the shutter uncocked when film is in it as I've wasted a few frames that way. Other than that, it's a damn good camera. Love the ratio. Make sure you get a nice padded strap for it though, the weight isn't an issue once you do.

 

[Jao]

Thanks for the comments, I will be getting the ETRS up for sale this weekend and start the hunfpt for a late model 67 soon after!

 

[trevorbray]

Thanks for the comments, I will be getting the ETRS up for sale this weekend and start the hunfpt for a late model 67 soon after!

I've had a couple and regret letting them go..I'd certainly recommend getting the 67 mk2. Especially if you are going to shoot handheld. The ergonomics are a big improvement over the previous shape. I've only had two lenses, the 75mm f4.5 and the 105mm f2.4. Both very good indeed.
Buy the latest model, be patient and be prepared to spend good money.

 

[Jao]

Thanks Trevor, good advice

 

[Andysnap]

I remember meeting a Canadian photographer in Whistler, a very nice chap called Ron Smid, he shot a lot of his work on a 67 MkII. His shop was full of lovely work, very talented chap, he also uses a massive 8x10 Deardorff and bought nearly all the remaining supply of Kodak ???chrome paper which stores in a temperature controlled vault somewhere. Probably why his prints start a $5000C

Andy

 

[abbandon]

A couple of months ago I was in the Hailsham Camcentre and they had a nice 67II with a 45 F4 for £660 it was still there the other weekend when I gave in to temptation and asked them to put it aside (five minutes later some one came in wanting to buy it too).
Should hopefully pick it up today or tomorrow and have my eye on a few other lenses I see about, it feels much like an F5 to me size and weight wise and although my real purpose for buying it is zoo type shots with long lenses I expect I will have a go at landscapes with it

If you haven't found it already this site contains a mine of information and links to more info and manuals

 

[Jao]

A couple of months ago I was in the Hailsham Camcentre and they had a nice 67II with a 45 F4 for £660 it was still there the other weekend when I gave in to temptation and asked them to put it aside (five minutes later some one came in wanting to buy it too).
Should hopefully pick it up today or tomorrow and have my eye on a few other lenses I see about, it feels much like an F5 to me size and weight wise and although my real purpose for buying it is zoo type shots with long lenses I expect I will have a go at landscapes with it

If you haven't found it already this site contains a mine of information and links to more info and manuals

That sounds like a great deal for a 67II and a 45mm! Please do keep us posted how you get on with the camera. Thanks too of the link, that is a really excellent 67 site.

 

[Knikki]

"How you get on with the P67?"

Must confess i have not used mine in over a year now, infact not used any film or digital for that matter.

However I have found the P67 great fun to use, don't be put off by people saying "oooo mirror slap is horrendous" it's not if you take a little care on how you hold use the camera..

Most of the time I use ISO400 film (in fact use most digi and 35mm at ISO400) but have also used ISO100 in the Pentax with success. Trick is you frame your shot then lift the mirror and fire, takes a bit of practise and it is easier when the camera is on a tripod, but it is do-able.

Wide strap is also useful as this thing weights just over 5lbs (or 2.5Kgs in new fangled money) and carring around all day can be "good excersies" also get hold of one of those wooden handles good for mounting flash, adds nothing to the way you hold the camera but is good for carting it around.

Forgot to add, it is noisy, crash, clunk, shrrrrlunk as the whole mechanism fires, in a quite church people will turn round , you can use it for candid as I have done around some steam fairs but even then it is still loud, suppose thats whats makes it great.

I should blow the dust off mine and use it.