Pentax 6x7 questions

[hpulley]

I know it goes against the thread but if you get a fully mechanical RB67 you can use a standard threaded mechanical cable release to trigger it. No batteries required. Does mirror lockup too though the damped mirror is already quite good.

 

[PaulMD]

But the P67 also takes a standard threaded cable release. And if there's a camera that's heavier and less ergonomic than the P67, it's the RB67. If I was going to spend a bunch on another nice MF camera, it'd be a Mamiya 7. And I'd still need a lightweight tripod for it!

 

[SMBooth]

How big a tripod do you need for it? I am looking at backcountry camping with my P67, where I don't want to carry a heavier tripod than necessary. My prime targets are the Induro carbon fiber line. I am thinking about a CT-213, which would weigh about 5lbs with a ballhead. I mostly shoot wideangles and the 105, and I can't see myself owning anything longer than 200mm. My 67 does have a MLU. I can't afford to rebuy multiple times, so I need to get this right the first time.

Paul, the CT213 look much the same as my Velbron CF630, which I use with a Archtech GV2 ballhead without much problem. I do find on grass and soft footing I hold the camera and not use a cable release to fire as the shutter operation will still cause the camera to move a bit.

 

[hpulley]

I was replying to Jim who wants to do long, cold bulb exposures on a tripod for which a Mamiya 7 RF with battery won't help. For that application I prefer a mechanical shuttered SLR body. For other applications RF should be much lighter and more compact.

 

[Tom Taylor]

How big a tripod do you need for it? I am looking at backcountry camping with my P67, where I don't want to carry a heavier tripod than necessary. My prime targets are the Induro carbon fiber line. I am thinking about a CT-213, which would weigh about 5lbs with a ballhead. I mostly shoot wideangles and the 105, and I can't see myself owning anything longer than 200mm. My 67 does have a MLU. I can't afford to rebuy multiple times, so I need to get this right the first time.

I have been using a Gitzo G1348 with Arca Swiss z1-sp ball head with excellent results with my P67II: zero camera movement even off-axis with a 400mm lens. I always use MLU and Manual stop down on the lens.

If you can, take your camera, heaviest lens and head to your local camera store and see how it responds on the different tripods. It's been my experience that a tripod that weighs 3lbs with a 35lbs load limit will not work as well as a 5 lb tripod with a 26lb load limit.

 

[Joachim_I]

I use a Gitzo G1340 (aluminium) tripod with a heavy Linhof III ball head for my P67II. This works perfectly in almost all cases for lenses smaller or equal 165mm. Only with my 300mm ED lens, I sometimes get results which are not perfectly sharp, in particular in windy situations. I always use MLU, but I do not use a cable release. Tom's tripod should work even better, which is confirmed by his experience.