Pentax 6x7

About a two years ago I realized that photographers, at least those that make the most noise on forums, YouTube, and camera stores, care more about having the best gear available rather than creating the best images possible. After years of watching photographers praise their system and bad mouth all the others I have had enough.

In the world of film photography you buy the camera that best suits your needs, not the one that has the most features which you have no need for. If you’re like me, you may have a burning desire inside you to progress from 35mm to medium format and up your game so to speak.

My requirements as a portrait photographer had to be met by the system in terms of handling, ease of use, as well as the lens selection. In the end I chose between the Mamiya 645 AF (featuring 6x4.5 negative, 16 frames per roll, auto-rewind, AF, AE to name a few) and the Pentax 6x7 (featuring a 6x7 negative, 10 frames per roll, fast lenses, and 100% fully manual operation). While both systems would suit me well, the added speed of the 6x7 lenses pulled me over.

Here are the reasons why I opted for the 6x7:

1. Handling and Ergonomics

The Pentax 6x7 is a SLR type camera, so transition from a digital system is relatively easy. That is to say when you compare it to bulky brick-like cameras such as the Mamiya 67 or a Hasselblad 500CM which make hand-holding quite awkward. While the Mamiya may have a Rotating-Back feature, you really do not need it with the Pentax as holding in the portrait mode is not a problem.

The camera does get negative points for the lack of any hand grip though. Virtually all the weight of the camera will sit on your left hand as the right has virtually nothing to grip on to. You can buy custom made wood grips which attach the strap pins though.

Unlike other cameras, the Pentax does not have fixed strap hooks. Instead, there are 4 pins to which you attach the strap lugs in any configuration. Personally I find it most comfortable to attach the strap to both pins on the right side, that way the camera swings less.

2. Weight and Size

In a basic configuration with a metered prism and the 105mm f2.4 (about 50mm f1.2 in FF equivalent), the kit weighs a hefty 2.2 kg. I personally start to feel the weight on my shoulder after just a couple of minutes so buying a padded shoulder strap is worth considering (and forget about trying to carry this beast around your neck).

The camera often seems gigantus to any new users but once you get over the initial shock, the camera is reasonably sized considering that it houses a 6x7 mirror inside. The weight of the camera helps to cancel out the quite noticeable and infamous mirror slap which is without a doubt responsible for the creation of the myth that it should never be shot under 1/125s but I’ve gotten sharp handheld results even at 1/30s.

The size of the camera will attract the attention of others. You can certainly use this to your advantage though. Oftentimes the sheer unusualness of the camera makes strangers curious and you can often turn it into an opportunity to ask them to shoot their portrait. On numerous occasions I have had photographers approach me on the street while it was swinging by my side and we ended up having a good conversation. The Pentax gets bonus points for being an effective ice-breaker (which is useful for introverted people such as myself).

3. Lens selection

The lens selection is what won me over the other systems; namely their speed. Virtually all of the lenses of the system are available for purchase online and usually won’t break the bank.

One of the most notable lenses for the system is the 105mm f2.4 (effectively a 50mm f1.2 with the 0.5x crop) which will render wonderful out-of-focus backgrounds. It’s one of the smaller lenses in the series which also makes it a good all-round lens if you’re looking for a first lens.

Shooting outdoors with this camera is a true wonder. You can clearly see through the prism if your subject's eyes are in sharp focus. When you are indoors though it's a whole different story. It can be quite challenging to find sharp focus, especially if your point of focus does not have a lot of contrast.

Here’s how my photo taking process goes:

1. Roughly pre-focus on my subject using the distance guide on the lens

2. Switch on the metering prism (the metering will switch off automatically after 30s) and dial in my settings

3. Wind a new frame

4. Fine-tune the focus

5. Shoot

There are a few features you should be aware of if you’re handling the camera for the first time:

1. Before you mount the metering prism, make sure to take the lens off. The aperture of the lens is linked to and moves a chain system when it is mounted. This chain link tells the prism what aperture you have set but can also damage the prism if this chain is not in it’s default position when you mount the metered prism. This quirk is only present in the 6x7 version and the 67 and 67ii allow changing the viewfinder without taking off the lens.

2. In order for the metering in the prism to function, you have to switch your lens to Auto.

3. There are 2 settings on the film compartment door: 120 and 220. These settings are related to the pressure plate which moves closer or further from the film plane depending on which type of film you are using. When set to 220, the pressure plate will move closer to the film plane as 220 film has no backing paper behind the film. With 120 film, the pressure plate will be further back to accommodate the extra thickness of the film plus the backing paper. If you use 220 film while the pressure plate is set to 120, the film will not sit tightly and your image may turn out a tad out of focus. Use 120 film with the 220 setting and you might scratch the negative when you wind a new frame.

4. On the right side of the camera there is a switch for 10 or 21. This setting is for the frame counter. If you use 120 film with the 220 setting nothing happens. The counter will just continue counting after you run out of film. But if you use 220 film with the 10 setting, the counter will stop counting soon after the 10th shot.