shooting a Pentax 67 hand held?

[polyglot]

Yeah, I regularly shoot my RZ67 handheld with a 250APO on it. Perfectly sharp 16x20 enlargements from TMY2.

 

[stradibarrius]

Well I went ahead and traded for the Pentax 67. I am picking up the lens tomorrow so I will find out. The body w/o the lens is pretty comfortable. I shoot my RB67 hanging around my neck w/ a w/l finder all the time. It is just better to ask than to just bull ahead. It didn't make sense to me that people say it is too heavy to hand hold. That is the reason Pentax make the thing to begin with so it could be hand held like a big 35mm.

 

[sangetsu]

The Pentax 67 is still a commonly used workhorse here in Japan, and many pros still use them. I was watching a couple of photographers shooting a restaurant for a magazine story (paper magazines are still very popular in Japan), and was surprised to see that they were both equipped with beaten-to-hell Pentax 67 cameras. One camera was used on a tripod, the rest of he shooting was all done hand-held.

 

[stradibarrius]

Thanks for that information. I hope to try today the one I just got.

 

[dpurdy]

Well I went ahead and traded for the Pentax 67. I am picking up the lens tomorrow so I will find out. The body w/o the lens is pretty comfortable. "

There are some pretty light lenses in the newer styles. The 55 is light enough it won't add much to what you have. It is a great lens. One of the main reasons I have a Pentax 67.

Dennis

 

[dynachrome]

I have handled Pentax 6X7 cameras but I don't know whether I have ever used one. My 6X7 cameras are Bronica GS-1s. I routinely use them hand held. With a Speed Grip, lens, back and prism finder the GS-1 is reasonably well balanced even if it is considerably heavier than a Pentax 6X7/67/67II. Years ago I used Koni-Omega rangefinder cameras. These had no pentaprisms or reflex mirrors to worry about and were made tp be used hand held. They were mostly used for weddings with flash so camera shake was not an issue. I consider the Mamiya 6X7 SLRs particularly unsuited for hand held use but years ago I knew someone who shoit weddings with one. He used a prism finder and a large handlemount flash. He was also a weigh lifter. When I want to carry something lighter I use a SQ-A with a back, an 80/2.8, a waist level finder and a crank. It isn't that much heavier than a Nikon F2 or Canon F-1.

 

[batwister]

I really like the Pentax 67 and plan to keep and use it (important distinction on APUG ) indefinitely as my primary camera, but I have to be honest with myself and admit that it's badly designed. I'm sure Poisson feels the same. It is interesting that it's supposed to look like a big 35mm, as the original poster mentions, but don't misinterpret this fact. I have used it handheld, but certainly didn't purchase it with this intention.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I really like the Pentax 67 and plan to keep and use it (important distinction on APUG ) indefinitely as my primary camera, but I have to be honest with myself and admit that it's badly designed. I'm sure Poisson feels the same. It is interesting that it's supposed to look like a big 35mm, as the original poster mentions, but don't misinterpret this fact. I have used it handheld, but certainly didn't purchase it with this intention.

Oh, I could recite you chapter and verse about how things could be improved with the 67! It is like a SRT101 after an overdose of steroids...

I have small hands, mild dystrophy in arms...yet I am committed to producing my artworks with it as the go-to machine despite the discomforts it imparts. I wish it was more curvy, like my EOS1N, which is a dream to wield freehand, and less heavy! But I realise the 67 was built tough for business and it delivers, in my case, it does so best on a tripod (I put it around my neck for an afternoon once, then spent a day on the chiropractor's couch). Despite all its faults and foibles and niggles and needs, it's the right beast for the task any which way you want to use it.

 

[j.c.denton]

A custom right hand grip makes hand holding a lot easier:

If you have a workshop at hand, it isn't magic to create one.

Christian

 

[marciofs]

I have a Pentax 67 and shooting handheld is like shooting a 35mm camera. The difference is the mirror lap but nothing that a 400 ISO and 250 shutter speed doesn't solve.

 

[marcmarc]

As already mentioned, it was designed to handled like a 35mm so yes, it can be used hand held. I use an RZ67 (also hand held) but have used both the Pentax 67 and the 67II. I've read that the 67II has a better dampened mirror slap so that alone should help with sharpness. I have to agree as I recall the 67 practically jumping out of my hands when I press the shutter. Likewise the huge focal plane shutter adds to the vibration too I would guess. If one can afford it (I cannot otherwise I might be inclined to buy one) they should pick up a 67II and just keep their shutter speed above 1/125 unless on a tripod with mirror locked up.

 

[mindthemix]

My handheld shots

Pentax 67II
Pentax 67 SMC 105mm F/2.4 & 67 SMC 55mm F/4
NO hand grip, NO MLU

The first two shots were 1/60





1/30 with Pentax Flash

 

[destroya]

ive had my 67ii for about a week now and shot 5 rolls. hand holding has not been an issue for me. with the 105 lens it handles like my f4s or f5 or d700 with battery grip in terms of weight and almost size. the big difference is the mirror. with the 35mm cameras i cant feel the slap at all yet with the 67 not only do you hear it you feel it. but the results speak for themselves. shots down to 1/45 came out razor sharp with no blur at all. the 1 i tried at 1/20 had blur in it, so for hand held i'll limit myself to 1/40 and above.

all in all, the camera is very much a hand held capable camera

 

[jwatts]

I purchased the P67 because I wanted a MF camera that I could shoot landscape with a waist level finder and square filters but also hand hold and shoot comfortably/naturally like an SLR for portraits. Coming from 35mm SLR's in the first few months with the camera I found myself hanging back in the comfortably of shooting it handheld through a prism. The mirror slap is louder than most, but its like a gun, you get used to it. I try and stay at around 1/125 for hand held. Although just as others have stated, I have also gotten very acceptable results at 1/60.

The right hand grip is a definite buy if you get a p6x7/p67 and are going to be shooting a lot of hand held through a prism.

 

[10speeduk]

I always shot mine handheld. no problem, ever.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I have heard that trying to shoot a Pentax 67 handheld was almost impossible. Is that true? It seems a bit extreme to me.

It's what it was designed for after all. It isn't that heavy.
I've used one quite a bit. If you think it is heavy, just get used to a Linhof STIV with a 150 lens, a Grafmatic, Metz 45CT1 flash, and the Anatomical grip - then go back to the Pentax - it will feel petite.

 

[stradibarrius]

I purchased a 6x7 and for me using it handheld seems to be no problem.

 

[mindthemix]

More handheld examples

Pentax 67II
SMC 67 75mm F/2.8

@1/20"



@1/30"


@1/60"


@1/60"


Handheld from a car

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Now enlarge the negs/transparencies to 1 metre wide or tall (it's a 67, remember: if size matters, go bigger...). Check again. Especially 1/20sec.

 

[Josef]

Ive never used mine on a tripod, never!

 

[Roger Cole]

Of course it's going to be sharper in a large print if you shoot off a tripod. Use an 8x10 and it'll be sharper still, plus you'll HAVE to use a tripod.

The question isn't "will it be as good handheld" because the answer is rarely "yes" even at fairly fast shutter speeds. The question is, "will it be good enough handheld?" and that depends on you, both how steady you can hold the camera and what your requirements actually are.

 

[mindthemix]

Of course it's going to be sharper in a large print if you shoot off a tripod. Use an 8x10 and it'll be sharper still, plus you'll HAVE to use a tripod.

The question isn't "will it be as good handheld" because the answer is rarely "yes" even at fairly fast shutter speeds. The question is, "will it be good enough handheld?" and that depends on you, both how steady you can hold the camera and what your requirements actually are.

Right in the eye of the storm! I love my P67 for handheld shots but I know I'll need a tripod when printing billboard size.

 

[erikg]

The Pentax 67 is still a commonly used workhorse here in Japan, and many pros still use them. I was watching a couple of photographers shooting a restaurant for a magazine story (paper magazines are still very popular in Japan), and was surprised to see that they were both equipped with beaten-to-hell Pentax 67 cameras. One camera was used on a tripod, the rest of he shooting was all done hand-held.

Wish I was shooting in Japan. Sounds great.