Easily the best optic value in medium format. Very rugged with about the best film flatness control on the market. You''d need to get to vacuum backs to do better.

Dim finder in subdued light. Slow synch. Demands very large tripod and mirror lockup to tame the shutter shake.

Bulky but surprisingly light weight optics. All of my (45,55,75,105,135 Macro and 200) lenses are sharp. I''ve heard that the 105''s can vary a bit. Once accustomed to the overall size, it''s quite a manageable system. Just go hold an RB67 once in a while and it will keep you in the right mind set!

Customer Service

Never needed it. I''ve heard it''s a bit pricey but very reliable and reasonably prompt.

Similar Products Used:

Koni Omegas and Omegaflex, Rolleis, Graflex w/roll backs, misc Mamiya products.

Focal Plane Shutter, easy handling, bright finder, TTL, easy to use,tough, rugged

kinda heavy, semi-crappy lenses (marco is ok)

Nice sturdy, useful camera!! Had Zeiss lenses adapted for it(use a helicoid extension tube)

Customer Service

Never Touched it. Tuned by professional camera repair.

Similar Products Used:

Hassleblad- More Handy and More often used

Simplicity of use, rugged construction, great lenses, great availability of used and current lenses/accessories. Big chromes and negatives.

Slow flash sync of 1/30th of a second can be a problem for some. This thing sounds like the end of the world when you trip the shutter. Big and heavy!

If you can tolerate the slow flash sync, and are of sound body, this is a great camera, with top drawer lenses. Hand holding is certainly an option with reasonably fast film but this camera really shines when used with a tripod and the mirror locked up for landscape photography. I use the metered prism and find the exposures very accurate.

Customer Service

Excellent service and parts availability are second to none.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 645, Fuji 645 and 6X9 rangefinders.

The fact that it looks and operates like a 35mm SLR on steroids is what makes it so simple to use.

Its operation is relatively straightforward and unintimidating. I recently loaned my Pentax 67 to a friend who had never used one before. I just had to point out similarities between his Canon and the Pentax 67 and that was it!

I love the fact that this camera can be handheld. The wooden grip accessory is a must have for any Pentax 67 user. I use my camera for fashion shoots when I have to move around, or when I'm doing aerial photography.

The body is built like a tank and is almost as durable as one. A definite plus if you haul around your equipment a lot.

The lenses for the Pentax 67 are among the sharpest that I have ever used. I own three lenses, a 45mm, a 105mm, and a 135mm macro. Fantastic pieces of glass!

As other photographer's have noted, the 1/30th synch speed is a bit limiting. Although my latest projects have required me to shoot outdoors with fill-flash at shutter speeds slower than 1/15th of a second.

The fact that its built like a tank also means that its almost as heavy as one. Its no joke to haul around a Pentax 67 body and its lenses.

The parallax error of the viewfinder is another minus. You only see around 80% of what is recorded on film. I've gotten quite a few surprises each time I don't keep that fact in mind. "What? I thought that I had cropped that element out of the photo!"

I also sometimes wish that I could change film in mid-roll or attach a polaroid back in mid-roll.

The vibration of the mirror is something else. The sensation of it while handholding the camera is similar to the recoil of a gun.

An excellent camera to have in terms of ease of use and durability. I was once sorely tempted to part with my Pentax 67 but my wife reminded me "But you love that camera!" That was that. The only way you will ever get me to part with my Pentax 67 is to pry it from my cold and stiff fingers. :)

Customer Service

I've only needed to get my camera serviced once.

I bought my camera as a second hand item from a friend. Her father had owned it for about 14 years and had decided to sell it off. The spring for the rapid return mirror broke within one week after I had bought it.

I went to my regular camera repair technician who took one look at the broken spring and cannibalized an old 35mm Pentax Spotmatic for the required part.

Lo and behold! The springs used for the same function on both cameras were of exactly the same size! That was around three years ago, and I've never had any reason to have it serviced by a technician since then.

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya RB67 Pro S & SD
Mamiya 645
Mamiya C330

Tank-like construction. Simple design & beautiful finish. MLU. Easy use of both 120 & 220 films. Extensive lens choices & accessories. As always, the U.S dollar is always stronger than the Japanese yen.

Heavy. Loud, as a mother-in-law. Slow as a turtle 1/30th flash synch. Recommended 1/8th shutter speed with leaf shutter lenses; 1/30th with non-LS lenses in studio setting. An easy task for photographers without "senior moments", but difficult to remember for photographers experiencing midlife crises and amnesia! Expensive polaroid back. If salivating for a TTL prism, it is of course an added expense.

The camera is intended for photographers with deep passion in creating excellent photographs in the field and studio. It is not for people easily discouraged by weight and loudness.

If a quiet and compact camera is preferred, buy a Minox or a Leica M series camera, and stay with the 35 format.

For photographers who complain about its loudness, I am pretty sure this in not an issue in intimate landscape, neither in studio portraiture.

If 1/30th flash synch is an issue, I recommend a 90 LS and a 165 LS lenses, and your troubles are all over.

I have not used a polaroid back with this camera, but I have been getting excellent results with a 3:1 or 4:1 lighting ratio. If itching for a polaroid back, please don't skip lunch, but rather work on your lighting techniques, because polaroid back for this camera is legendary expensive.

I was once a proud owner of a Hasselblad 500 C/M with an 80mm CF *T lens. However, my creativity was restricted since I only had one lens. I failed to justify to my wife the rationale of getting the 150mm lens. Consequently, I sold the Hasselblad and bought this camera. The wise decision made my wife and I, happy.

With this camera, don't worry, be happy!

Customer Service

None at this moment.

Similar Products Used:

Hasselblad 500 C/M

35mm type ease of use. Built to last, excellent view screens and controls. Exceptional film plane flatness due to no reverse curl magazines. Optics are superb, especially new style 200 for portraits.
Price is much better than other MF brands.

X-sync at 1/30th; long shutter trip latency and noisy. Heavy: deal with it or get a MF rangefinder. Mirror shake below 1/60 sec even with tripod. Leaf shutter lenses are lame to use, especially in fast action.

Exquisite quality with strobes in the studio or outdoors at high shutter speeds. Complete line of lenses and accessories. Built to last. Lousy as a wedding camera, so I use C330f pair for that.

Customer Service

Never needed it in 15 years.

Similar Products Used:

Hasselblad 500C, Graflex XL, C330f TLRs

This is a great basic camera that is very easy to use. I have always liked the similarity to 35mm control layout and shooting style. Though others disagree, I have shot plenty of published stuff handheld, though I use a tripod whenever possible just like with any format camera.
Though its weight can be a liability, it's a joy to shoot with this solid camera. Mine survived a 2' fall to asphalt with a very minor ding on side.
The lenses are good, with a great range of choices. My 55/3.5, 105/2.4, and 150/2.8 all peak around F11, but drastically exceed the performance of my Nikkors given equal size final prints at all apertures. I've had two bodies, one for nearly 20 years.
As far as I know, even with recent price increases, the P67 system is still substantially less expensive than other 6x7 format cameras. Yes, some of the more expensive cameras have even better lenses and extra body features, but the greatest bang for the buck is moving up from 35mm to a P67. Doubling the price again does not get nearly the same final print quality improvement over the P67.

1) Loud!!! Very loud!
2) Even with MLU, there is still a shutter-induced camera movement problem below 1/60.
3) Slow 1/30 sync.
4) It's heavy, but what do you expect for a MF camera?
5) No interchangeable film back. But for the price of a blad film back, you can buy another body... That's what I did.

Awesome total camera system. Great value for excellent quality products. Lenses are not Zeiss, but certainly adequate. And, there's nothing that will quiet down a group of 35mm shooters more than pulling a P67 with a big lens out of your case.

Customer Service

Never have needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Not any other MF cameras. Many Nikon 35s.

This camera is awesome. Some people describe it as a 35mm on steroids and it is but this is good. I have taken some pictures with it in the rain and the lens were still easy to change. Everything is in the same spot as a 35mm so it felt right at home.

Extremly heavy with all my stuff it weighs 22 pounds. It is also very loud so I would not suggest taking pictures of birds.

If you a medium format camera but are used to a 35mm this camera is perfect for you.

Similar Products Used:

None

Easy of control. Mirror lock up.The back can use both 120 and 220 film.
Great quality of lenses.

The shutter vibrations, really too much. Some use to shot with a bag of sand over the prism.....
Difficult to load.
Only 1/30 flash sync.

It's really a pity regarding the vibrations, expecially if you shot without a wide angle.
Must use a heavy tripods, but sometimes it doesn't help completely.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 645n, Nikon F90x

*very good value in the world of MF cameras
*well built
*large 2nd hand market
*very affordable lenses with outstanding image quality once you've tamed the shutter vibrations
*lens mount hasn't changed since 1969
*Excellent film flatness
*No extra accessories needed for 220 film

*Inherent to the concept : no removable magazines
*large, loud and heavy
*film loading is a pain
*TTL finder : very accurate measurements but gives only 80% of the image area and is a nightmare to use with glasses; it has a rather dark image too
*shutter vibrations can decrease sharpness: a heavy tripod is a must with this camera

This camera has it's quirks, but once you get used to them, it's a great machine. It's not for everyone, wedding and studio photographers are probably better off with a modular leaf shutter camera à la Hasselblad, but for landscape photography, this camera shines.
What I love the most : the affordable, excellent lenses.
What I hate the most : the limited image area the TTL finder gives you + the "anti high-eyepoint" nature of it's eyepiece. I'm looking at the fixed WL finder to remedy this.

About the dreaded shutter vibrations : I use a Gitzo 312 tripod with a series 3 three way head, always use the MLU and push down on the prism finder with horizontal shots. No problems so far.

Similar Products Used:

Hasselblad 503CX