Pentax 6x7 worth buying?

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DWO

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Hi everyone,

I found a decent deal on a Pentax 6x7 MLU for $250. It comes with the 105mm lens, the grip, a metered prism, a set of extension tubes, and two lens shades.

Do y'all think this is a good deal?

The seller ran some rolls of film through it recently and said everything works fine.

I'm pretty tempted to go ahead and get a hold of this beast but not sure if I should.

Anyone got any good advice on this?

Much thanks
 

Robert Ley

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I used a Pentax 6x7 for many years and they are a great camera. Kind of like a 35 mm SLR on steroids. They are heavy and do best on a good tripod, but can be hand held if needed. The lenses are all first rate and the 105 is purported to be a very good lens although I have never used that particular lens. If you have been thinking about MF,you should snap it up as it is a good price but not a great price.


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destroya

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get it and try it out. if its not for you, you should be able to get your money back on a resale. but you will keep, it, use it and love it!
 

Curt

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Who repairs Pentax 67 cameras? Just courious.
 

Fixcinater

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Yes! Link to flickr user who handholds his P67 and has a drum scanner for the resulting negs and slides.
 

TheToadMen

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Go and take it. It's a fine camera, though heavy. I like mine very much (older 67). I also have the 135 mm conversion kit to make nice panorama images on 35 mm film. I love to use this tank!!
 
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The seller ran some rolls of film through it recently and said everything works fine.


Tread cautiously.

There can be found good, bad, ugly and terrible specimens of these behemoths. At the other end, you can find some that have barely been used at all (in itself, not a good thing for the arcane shutter mechanisms these cameras have). I bought mine mint for $576, body only, ex-USA and it was bench-tested by service before it left. What a seller says has no relevance unless you have proof of future reliability from the moment the camera is put to good use. If it is the old model 6x7 there is a very high potential for wear/age-related problems to develop, and none of the 6x7 or 67 variants are easy to service. The TTL meter is rudimentary in its operation and should ideally be supplemented in difficult light by a hand-held meter, very especially if you are using a polariser. It does nail the exposure more often than not, but again, if there is evidence of physical damage to the prism, or wear of the foam seals ... buyer beware.

Mirror lock-up is very useful but it can also exhaust the battery if it should be activated when the camera is packed away; solution: tape the MLU button so it does not move. MLU is very useful for close-focus or macro, but it still requires a huge amount of care to trigger the camera without encouraging vibration. The 105mm lens, if it is the Takumar version, will be "OK". Optical quality among the Takumars varies wildly while the later SMC Pentax 67 version lenses raise the bar and are still sought after today for serious landscape and portrait work. The 105mm is the standard lens with the next best standard optic being the 90mm (f2.8). This start-up kit could be of use to you (are you into macro or close-focus?) but my concern is reliability and the history of the camera. The 6x7 bodies would be getting close to 30-40 years old now (67 bodies from 1990 to 1991 are a better buy) and if they have been subjected to persistently rough professional service (even occasionally), you should be open-minded about the possibility of a fault, one of the most common being stripped pawls in the winding mechanism.

A camera that has been dented, bashed, bruised, scraped, cracked and then offered for sale in "excellent condition" must be avoided as a liability. I don't care what others' definition is about "excellent" in the presence of dings. I suggest if you can to handle the camera before purchase and inspect it very carefully. I doubt the seller would allow you to run a roll of film through it (remember also that loading an unloading a 6x7 /67 is a fumblefest...) but it might give you that extra bit of reassurance you need over the spoken word of the camera being good for service.
 

Hatchetman

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105 lens is worth $100 at least
grip $75
prism $75
tubes $40
shades $20 each
body for parts $75

Can't go wrong for $250
 

DREW WILEY

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I was out with mine this past weekend. Solid tripod, of course. But I have done handheld work with them with fast normal to wide lenses. The
price sounds good. They're pretty tough cameras, and the 105 lens is very crisp. Remember to use the mirror lock for tripod work, or else shoot
faster than 1/60th handheld, preferably much faster.
 

mwdake

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As everyone says the Pentax 6x7 and 67 are heavy but I recently aquired one of each and I was surprised how lightweight they are compared to something like a Mamiya RB and much easier to handle handheld.

You should jump on that set before it goes somewhere else.
 

Curt

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KEH repairs. I bought one for $700 and it was a good deal. Get it, or tell me who wants to sell it!

Thanks, they must be a fairly large company.
 

mweintraub

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As everyone says the Pentax 6x7 and 67 are heavy but I recently aquired one of each and I was surprised how lightweight they are compared to something like a Mamiya RB and much easier to handle handheld.

You should jump on that set before it goes somewhere else.

I agree. I've hand held my RZ67 with the WLF and got some great shots.
 

papercrate

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Grab it! If everything works that is a great price. I love my Pentax 67. It was the perfect step down from my 4x5 monorail beast, I've been shooting 6x7 ever since. While they can be a tank to some they are still easy to handle (and robust!). If you can pick up a nice 75mm lens for it as well you'll have a great kit there.

Here's a Pentax 6x7 lens guide for reference: Dead Link Removed
 
OP
OP

DWO

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Thanks for the input everyone. I'm trying to get it but not sure yet. I'll let you know what happens.
 
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