Pentax 6x7

[ColColt]

Anyone ever use the Pkentax 6x7? I used this camera along with the 90 f2/8 LS lens and the 165 f/4 LS lens to do a lot of weddings/portraits back in the 90's and it did an admirable job. I had two bodies so when I ran out of film my assistant would hand me the other loaded with 220 VPS 400 while he loaded the other one.

I carried two Photogenic 1500 Power Lights then rated at 600w/s and a large Ed Pierce Signature Edition halo as my main light along with a 60" Eclipse umbrella for fill. Both were triggered by two Quantum 4i Radio slaves...the good old days.

I've never found a better combination for out right beautiful pictures and absolutely grain free even at 16x20.

 

[Alan Gales]

A good buddy of mine has used one for longer than the over 20 years that I have known him. He shoots mostly landscapes with his. They are nice cameras and are quite affordable today. I used to own an RZ67 and we would have fun arguments over which camera system was the best.

 

[wildbill]

yes.

 

[Chrismat]

I've had mine since 1983 and I love it. Not as versatile as some other medium formats, but for what I need, it's been great.

 

[ColColt]

I liked it because it looked like a 35mm on steroids instead of the larger RB and RZ67. I think even Bronica had a 6x7 back in those days...GP-S or something close to that. I took some great pictures at Ogunquit, Maine back in the 80's with the Pentax and that 45 f/4 lens came in real handy as did the 90 f.2.8 shooting light houses. I regret selling those cameras/lens and most of the studio equipment as much of what I had is no longer available.

Westcott must have gotton over taken by Photoflex and others as I seldom see their light modifiers anymore and Quantum doesn't make the 4i radio slaves anymore. They worked superbly and the Photogenic lights were second to none.

 

[DREW WILEY]

These were very popular pro cameras for a long time and seemingly jillions of them are still around. The system is especially affordable now,
even under "barely used" circumstances. One of my old bodies has the gasketsing rubber starting to decompose and get gummy. Other than
that, they just keep chuggin. The only problem with things like wedding photography is the loud mirror slap. That can wake people up. But
by then, the shutter has already done its thing.

 

[ColColt]

They were loud for sure...clunk-clunk. I found out early on 1/30th sec was not fast enough for sync speed and hence, bought the two LS lens. I was lucky, I never forgot to set the lens before taking a picture. If you didn't cock it, no picture. The LS lens was quieter as you could sync it at 125 or higher.

I still have transparencies(Ektachrome 50 Tungsten) I took back when the '82 World's Fair was here and did a lot of night shooting with it, carrying around a large, heavy tripod and a five pound camera you got in shape real quick.

 

[ColColt]

Good grief-looking around tonight late through some of my old moth balled photo goodies I ran across a SailWind Vignette Bellows system I use to use with the 6x7 and found some of the Pro-Soft filters for it. It's been years since I used that but made me smile remembering. You never know what you'll turn up in a rats nest.

 

[dpurdy]

The Pentax 67 and 67ii are still very popular and heavily used. It is one of my favorite cameras. You can find lots of photographers in flickr groups and the Asahi Pentax 67 facebook group has nearly 2500 members and is very active. It is a public group so join it.
Dennis

 

[pbromaghin]

yes.

I just looked at your website for the first time. It has some of the best B&W that I've ever seen. Man, I'm glad you're here.

 

[ColColt]

That's good news about the 6x7. It was a fantastic camera and I'm still kicking myself I let it go years ago after I got out of weddings/portraits. You never know down the road what you may want to come back to...can I get a witness?

 

[DannL.]

I have this outfit in excellent condition. Only just received it direct from Japan some months ago. If you find you're interested in more info, give me a PM. It's going up on ebay soon, either way.

 

[pentaxpete]

I bought a 6x7 'Mirror-up' outfit in 1981 -- I still have the receipt -- I got a 75mm f4.5 'Shift' lens very cheap as someone in the stockroom made a mistake so I got it for the price of the 'ordinary' 75mm f4.5 lens -- I did a lot of slide work with it for a company that wanted Architectural photos of commercial properties for an auction brochure -- then suddenly they went broke and I lost all that work. Many years later in about 2003 I got the opportunity to get a mint 6x7Mk II with 135mm f4 Macro-Takumar, Billingham bag, lots of huge filters all for £500-00 so I splashed out !! I got £35-00 back on the deal as I sold the Billingham bag at my Camera Club annual auction !
Pentax 6x7 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

 

[Alan Gales]

That's good news about the 6x7. It was a fantastic camera and I'm still kicking myself I let it go years ago after I got out of weddings/portraits. You never know down the road what you may want to come back to...can I get a witness?

Sometimes I miss my RZ kit but if I ever want another there are plenty of them for sale out there. The same with the Pentax.

 

[LumbisK]

I was lucky enough to buy a totally unused metered P67 kit a couple of years ago from someone who had bought two kits in 1981. He never used the second one at all. In addition to the quality of the negatives, I appreciate the relative accuracy of the meter when I want to snap a quick shot of a landscape and not bother with the spot meter assessment.

 

[flavio81]

Anyone ever use the Pkentax 6x7?

I have the oportunity to buy a Pentax 67 right now but i'm shying away from doing it after reading that supposedly there is a serious problem with camera vibration; some people claim that the camera is not to be handheld at all (unless going to 1/125 or faster); even worse, it seems that the vibration problem comes not from the mirror (which would be solved with MLU) but from the shutter curtain bounce... which is really a bad problem. Of course, this would mean that users of the leaf-shuttered Pentax-6x7 lenses would not experience such problem; but then this limits yourself from using the pretty amazing Pentax lens system.

Moreover, in one forum (was it apug?) it is claimed that Pentax themselves recommended the use of a tripod heavier than the camera, to mitigate this problem. Others suggest to place the camera on a tripod and then trip the shutter with the fingers while pressing down the pentaprism to assure steadiness.

For me, and I don't want to offend anyone, but if a professional camera requires such measures to mitigate camera shake, then it has been badly designed. Pentacon Six / Praktisix users never speak about problems with vibration and use the camera handheld all the time. And it has the same form factor than the P67. Right now i'm using the RB67 which is just the opposite - buttery smooth, not so loud, and can be handheld at speeds even slower than many 35mm SLRs. It amuses me that many think that camera vibration problems in 6x7 or 6x6 SLR cameras are unavoidable; they should try a RB67 or a Rolleiflex SL66.

I wonder what do APUG users think here about the vibration problem. I wouldn't buy a P67 if it requires a tripod. I also would like to know if there are people here who own both the Pentaxon Six and the P67/6x7 camera, so they could compare.

It is a shame because it has an extremely interesting assortment of lenses, and Pentax is a very good lens manufacturer. I'm questioning Pentax ability as a camera maker, though. It would seem that they created the Pentax 6x7 in 1969 in a hurry, perhaps to do it before the competition (the Kowa Six was introduced in 1968, and the Mamiya RB67 came in 1970).

So if i'm exaggerating, please tell me!! I think I can still buy the P67 on sale.

 

[Chrismat]

I have used my Pentax 6X7 hand held with shutter speeds under 1/125 and the negs are very sharp. Of course, I mostly use the normal 105mm lens and the 55mm wide angle lens. I have experimented hand holding the camera with a 200mm lens and I haven't noticed any problems, but I do use a tripod for about 90% of my shooting with it. I have noticed that most of the vibration occurs AFTER the shutter closes, so I have not had any problems with vibrations. With any camera that size, I prefer using a tripod anyway.

 

[ColColt]

I suppose it's an individual thing. I've always applied the 125th second rule to any format in that that's my minimum hand held shutter speed unless I'm using anything under a "normal lens" like in this case the 45 f/4. I have gotten good results down to 1/60th with it but that's as far as I trust my hand holding ability.

 

[DREW WILEY]

The camera was designed to be handheld. It is heavy and does have a distinct mirror slap. So for slower exposures or long lenses you always want to use it on a tripod engaging the mirror-lock up feature. But this camera was quite popular as an aerial camera for handheld use. Shirakawa used one for his famous aerial photos of the Himalayas. It was also the preferred system used by fashion photographers handheld with flash, using the dedicated leaf-shutter lenses. I just printed a couple of 16x20 handheld shots from Acros film and the 75/4.5 lens that are remarkably sharp. And you've got several fast lenses to choose from. Although these lenses are themselves a bit bulky, this allows multi-bladed apertures with relatively pleasing background blur. The trick is that the shutter curtain has to do its thing before the mirror hits the top. Most of the "clunk" will be on the return cycle. For me that generally means handheld shooting above 1/125, preferably
1/250th or 1/500th.

 

[Hatchetman]

I have never noticed this vibration problem but generally keep it at 1/125 or above handheld.

 

[ColColt]

I shot mostly three films with this camera, Tri-X, VPS 400 for portraits and weddings and Ektachrome 50. That was the only one that got the tripod due to it's slow speed. Locking the mirror would produce not near the noise of shooting it normally.

 

[dpurdy]

I have never noticed this vibration problem but generally keep it at 1/125 or above handheld.

At least for myself I tested it thoroughly and at 125th the mirror has no affect. Perfectly sharp. That is with my shorter lenses, 55 through 105.
Dennis

 

[flavio81]

I did it!! I am now the proud owner of a Pentax 67, will report my impressions later. This is my first Pentax and I must say the build quality has been a nice surprise. Very high. It seems Pentax cameras are better built than they look...

 

[ColColt]

And...they weigh about five pounds with a lens. Get a good neck strap!! I lugged one of those around all day and evening many times photographing the 1982 World's Fair. It will get heavy but, what a joy in the aftermath of a shoot. the perfect negative for enlarging directly to 8x10 and larger-no cropping unless you want it.

 

[studiocarter]

My 6x7 has been shooting a lot of HP5 400 lately at high speeds hand held. A 300mm lens was used on an old Filmo tripod. My blog has lots of photos. I just ordered 5 rolls of FP4. Hand held is my goal.