Solid feel. One gets the idea if you dropped it, it would dent the ground. Full featured with Mirror Lock-Up, and Depth of Field Preview. An excellent lanscape photographers camera. Makes beautiful 6X7 cm negatives, and transparencies. Least expensive way to get serious about medium format. Lenses are superb!

Not well suited to people photography because of the slow flash sync speed, and that problem wasn't solved with the 67II. Film transport is somewhat inaccurate, and film is a little tough to load.

If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive way to enter medium format, and you don't need the frequent use of a flash, this is the camera for you. Makes an excellent landscape camera, especially with the 45mm, 55-100 zoom, and a 200mm or 300mm lens.

Similar Products Used:

None

Solid, easy to use, simple mirror lock for tripod work. I have head a lot of gruff about its slow shutter sink. 1/30 is a bit nerve racking if you need tack sharp pictures. But the size of the body and dampens so much of the motion of your hand that I am ususally thrilled with just my 283 mounted on the handle shoe. 1/30 gives you lots of time for ambient to fill in the background and the Viv is tack sharp on its spark. Results always please me. I use a pair of Bronica ETRS's for wedding work and bought the big 6x7 for studio portraits. But hand held its just as sweet as can be with that 283. Dont be afraid !

I am a 235 lb guy with strong arms and I can not think of a thing I dont like about it. My much smaller and less physical partner cant hold it up for long.

I use this camera anytime I want to for 1 hour shoots or less. I still like my small light Bronicas for weddings but this Pentax could certainly do an outstanding job if my arms held up. It is great for tripod mounted landscape and building work. And dont be afraid to use it in your studio for composition work. GREAT CAMERA ! I paid 1550 used with a 45 and 155mm lens set and the TTL viewfinder. I have since bought a 105 and extension tubes and am looking for a macro.

Customer Service

never need

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I shoot with Bronicas ETRS 6x4.5's. I shoot with a Graflex 4x5 and a Speed Grafic 2.25x3.25, My 35mm setup is Canon 1n and an A2 backup. For fun I also like to shoot with old folding cameras, like the Kodak Autographics and folding pockets for example.

Large 6X7 format images. Perfect design for outdoor field work. Superb lenses at a very reasonable price. Camera and lenses are built to last. Much used equipment is easily available.

1/30 flash synch could be faster, but I use this camera for outdoor field work, so that has never been a problem for me. Some complain about the hard shutter. With slower shutter speeds, I use mirror lockup, so this has not been a problem either.

A superb system for outdoor field work. Very reasonably priced and used equipment is easily available at extremely reasonable prices.

Customer Service

Not needed, so far. However, I've called Pentax to ask questions and the folks there have been very helpful.

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya RB-67, Mamiya twin lens system.

Great value. Reliable, ruggard. Nice handling and feel.

Weight is an issue if you're not so big-build. The REAL problem is the 1/30 x-sync. By the time I think of the 101 ways to dampen the mirror, put it on a pod, spend lots of moeny on expensive ball-heads, I might as well change to another system which offers leaf-shuttered lenses. Which is what I did.

Great for landscape, not so great for potraiture or anything that needs fill-flash. After a while, it didn't suit my style and I just decided I didn't want to live with the compromises.

Customer Service

Mediocre here in Singapore.

Similar Products Used:

Kiev, Bronica GS, ETRSi.

Great Value
Great Lenses
Many accessories

Noise
Hard to do TTL unless you have the LS lens

Great camera at a great price.

Customer Service

NO need yet

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 645, Hassy, Mamiya RZ

Easy to use, reliable, robust, not horribly expensive

Fiddly to load film

Can't beat it with a stick - overgrown 35mm design makes it easy to learn to use for those not familiar with medium format.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Rapid Omega, twin lens reflexes

I love the weight of these cameras. I use v.Heavy tripods and don't have a problem.

The quality of these cameras is something else. Built to last, wonderfully engineered, something you don't get anymore in modern cameras.

Long live the Penatx 6x7. I can't wait to buy a Pentax 6x7II.

The noise.

I have several of these. My passion started many many years ago while working with a Pro Photographer on assignment and he used Pentax 6x7 and Nikon. When I saw the quality, I fell in love. I have used these cameras for many applications, Portraits, Corporate, Nature, Landscapes and Weddings. Highly recommend them.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use it yet. I repair and service cameras as well as do photography.

Similar Products Used:

Kiev 88 plus full range of lenses.
Mamiya C33 plus lenses.
Mamiya RB67.

It's a camera of character in a time when cameras are becoming pedestrian. It's a camera that forces the user to think and be aware of how they're using it, or risk poor results.
It's mostly metal, obviously lathe ground to tolerance and so, is a throwback to pre-computer, non-Lego-set camera building.

It even has a fairly high viewfinder magnification, allowing the user to feel 'inside' the picture, with the subject.

400EDIF is an incredible bargain and a beautiful lens as is the 165LS.

Removing and replacing the prism has it play dead until you remount a lens.

The 165/2.8 and 300/4 are poor performers (naysayers, I've owned three of each searching for promised results. You lie!)

Film loading is a bear and the camera is almost devoid of convenience features.

The film advance will die in time if you let the lever snap back constantly, or if you force it, in the hope of producing a moterdriven shooting style.

One of the best SLR MF's around. Price point is great compared to the latest AF sloth and a great companion in the field.

Customer Service

Expensive as all Hell and fairly slow. Polite though.

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya RBProS, RZ, H'blad 500, ELM, 2000FCW
Bronica ETRs, GS1
Exacta 66, Pentacon6
you name it, I've

The only real choice in 6x7 format with full line of lenses from 35mm Fisheye to 1000mm and able to shoot action photography handheld.

None

I have had about six bodies over the years since my first Pentax 6x7 in 1974.I sold my original setup with 35mm to 400mm lenses to Adorama in 1991. But kept the 55mm F3.5 (I have all eight Pentax 100mm filters) and the 90mm LS. I purchased a new body w/metered Prism and a new 135mm macro and new 165mm f2.8 .My favorite shots were with the 400mm F4.0 on a HD tripod shooting 6,000hp NHRA Funny Cars with 64ASA slide film with about 1sec/F4.0 exposure while they staged the car on the starting line. I also have used a Honda generator to power two 3000WS Calumet power packs into a 6000WS flash head using the 90mm LS lens.I plan on getting a Pentax 67II body soon.For the price it is great deal.

Customer Service

Great service with Pentax USA for over twenty years.

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PZ-1P,LX etc.

Built light a tank, even dropped and it came up firing away, for me the weight is no problem, and I even use it for weddings.

Not much, other than on one unit I have the TTL meter that does not turn it-self off (Dead Battery)
the later TTL has rocker a switch on it, and shutter speed at 1000 is a little slow. I strongly recommend that if you use a polaroid back that you leave it on the body, donot switch back and fourth

Best used out of doors with tripod, would suggest wooden handle for steady grip.. If you use it on a strobe-a-frame be careful in flipping from horizontial the vertical you may flip up the mirror by mistake. I use it with 50mm, 90mm,135mm and 200mm and Metz flash unit with good coverage..

Customer Service

Good Local Camera Dealer here in Indy
Davis Camera, take it there twice a year for a tune up

Similar Products Used:

Old Bronica S-2? square