Pentax 645N as replacement for 35mm?

jmooney · Feb 10, 2010

Hi All,

I've been thinking about something and wanted to see if anyone had done the same thing and how it worked out for you.

I don't shoot much 35mm anymore for two reasons: I like the bigger negative and also some of may have seen my thread about Arthritis and Photography and bigger film and bigger cameras are easier for me to use. I was thinking about adopting the 645N as a general use system replacing 35 for the most part.

I'd likely use the zooms that are available but probably add a wide angle and short tele prime too. I'm not worried about the image quality with the zooms. I have a few books by Tim Fitzharris and he did some excellent work with them.

I guess my only concern would be the ability of the AF to follow moving kids and dogs as that's some of what I shoot. Any thoughts on this?

Any info is much appreciated.

Take care,

Jim

yurihuta · Feb 10, 2010

Jim,
I have a pair of 645Ns and nine of the lenses, including three zooms (FA 33-55, FA 45-85, FA 80-160). The FA 45-85 and FA 80-160 zooms are excellent and I have used them quite a bit. I have yet to use the FA33-55, but it is supposed to be very good, but more suited for landscapes at f/8 - f/11 due to the unusual nature of this lens. The FA 80-160 is great for portraits and kids running around. We have a 2.5 year old child as well as a dog. The 645N and FA 80-160 work well for photographing them, although the little one is not as fast as a 10 year old kid might be and the dog is older and perhaps not as fast as she used to be. So, moving kids - walking - playing this setup is great. Fast action sports would not be ideal.

The only 35mm film shooting I do is with a Widelux panoramic camera.

Yuri

DanielStone · Feb 10, 2010

go for it!

as long as the films you like are available in 120 or 220(220 being the closest shot count wise for #frames/roll), shoot it! I've been thinking the same thing, I had a hasselblad H2, it was a great camera, heavy for its size, the best lenses(super expensive though) IMO for MF 645, but had to sell it cause I was badly in need of some money, I really regret that decision.

I'll most likely replace it with a Pentax 645 sometime in the next year. Great cameras, just wish they had interchangeable backs...

-Dan

telkwa · Feb 10, 2010

My 645N functions where I used to use my LXs. I sold all my 35mm gear.

redrockcoulee · Feb 10, 2010

Jim

If you are photographing Brittanies than any autofocus will just give you the tip of the stubby tail disappearing out of the frame

lxdude · Feb 10, 2010

redrockcoulee said:
Jim

If you are photographing Brittanies than any autofocus will just give you the tip of the stubby tail disappearing out of the frame

I know a couple of girls named Brittany and neither one has a stubby tail.

ath · Feb 11, 2010

Jim, I bought a P645N as addition to my 35mm gear.
I chose the P645N because it handles similar to my modern 35mm gear (i.e. good vievfinder information, ergonomically placed controls and all controls I want to have. It has AF as well but I use the older MF lenses).
One can just use it lika a big 35mm SLR.

The big difference I see is that it is heavier and bulkier. This will be especially true if you use the zoom lenses.

I cannot imagine that arthritis and this camera go together well.

Pupfish · Feb 11, 2010

The 645N is a beautiful MF SLR but it really can't hold a candle to a modern 35mm (or DSLR) when it comes to following action. I find it eminently handholdable with great ergonomics, but the softly-braked mirror comes at the expense of significant lag time-- in the neighborhood of a quarter of a second. It's dandy for posed portraiture but not so great for candids of kids and animals.

Vonder · Feb 11, 2010

I bought the elder Pentax 645 a couple years ago and had penciled-in the idea of upgrading to the 645N this year, but I have at this time, decided not to. I am concerned that 120 and 220 films are disappearing far too fast, and essentially, the 120 and 220 format with be the first film format killed. Even before APS. Medium format cameras are practically out of production. The exceptions are there, true, but the future there is being digitized.

But the main reason I didn't upgrade is that as far as i know, nobody does or can do a repair or CLA on any of the Pentax MF cameras. They are getting older. They are not under warranty. They will break.

yurihuta · Feb 11, 2010

I have to disagree that the 645N is not great for candids of kids and animals. Works fine for me. I don't shoot fast action sports with mine though.

Also, as to weight, it is not as bad as some make it sound. I would rather sling a 645N than many DSLRs (especially with grips) - it even hangs better than a DSLR for me.

As to 120/220 film disappearing... well Kodak released Ektar in 120 recently and I remember reading that Kodak film sales have stabilized thanks in large part to their pro film sales. Film is here for a ling time. Not every emulsion will survive, but film sales are not in a free fall.

Pentax USA still services Pentax 645N and 645NII as well as the 645 FA series lenses. I just ordered a part for a 645 FA 33-55mm zoom directly from Pentax USA. Canon won't service their first generation EF 300mm f/2.8L, EF 400mm f/2.8L, EF 500mm f/4.5L, EF 600mm f/4L lenses and those are younger than most Pentax FA series for the 645. If Pentax won't service you original 645, there are plenty of independent repair shops that do - check around.

narsuitus · Feb 11, 2010

I wish the Pentax 645 had been around when I bought my first 35mm camera because if it had, I would have invested in the 645 format instead of the 35mm format.

Pupfish · Feb 11, 2010

I'll reiterate that my Pentax P645N happens to be my favorite walking around landscape camera with a wide angle; I use it extensively. But could it replace my smaller format gear entirely? Not a snowball's chance in Hades. Speaking strictly analog, my F5 runs rings around my 645N for catching subtle expression changes, it's 5 times faster on shutter lag, and 4 times faster on motordrive. 1/250s flash sync speeds are the standard for pro 35mm, the P645N tops out at 1/60s. Just about every 35mm system has a regime for reducing image shake whether VR or IS or SR-- an enormous advantage when handholding zooms or long teles. All sorts of areas that the Pentax 645 is not directly competitive with a modern 35mm or DSLR. OTOH, the P645N has a sumptuous viewfinder and an uncomplicated pro interface. It's a very sweet system to use for certain types of imagery.

It's a challenge to pin down exactly what niches an MF SLR performs best of all these days. Larger more formal portrait prints-- expecially B&W-- with minimum grain and maximum tonality from negative films might be one such niche, but candids most definitely aren't it's forte. Ultrawide angle near-far work is another sweet spot.

Why do you think all this pro gear is going for cheap these days? Because it's functionally obsolete for what 90%+ of commercial and professional photographers are shooting, that's why.

Richard Jepsen · Feb 17, 2010

For kid shots get a Leica with a Cron 35/2. Zone focus. Develop B&W flim yourself and enlarge with a Leitz 1C. For B&W and color portraits get an older (70/80s) Mandler designed 50. Forrget MF for active kid shots that will be printed to 5x7.

olleorama · Feb 17, 2010

Pupfish said:
Why do you think all this pro gear is going for cheap these days? Because it's functionally obsolete for what 90%+ of commercial and professional photographers are shooting, that's why.

No. More likely due to the fact that it's hard to justify to the customer why you'll have to charge them for developing and scanning and a longer turn-over than your competitors.

Functionally, not much have changed.

It's called paradigm shift more than functionality shift.

Pentax 645N as replacement for 35mm?

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