What's the best buy in used MF? Moving up from a Yashica 124

[jamesgignac]

I took these photos with the Pentax 67 on a recent trip to Turkey:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=87218


Some of them were taken hand-held at the so often discussed "critical shutter speeds". It's a myth that the Pentax 67 can't be shot hand-held and produce sharp negs.

Beautiful, by the way! I desperately wanted a Pentax 67 but I tend to want a lot of lenses and found them to be more costly than my meagre pockets could afford.

Really, really nice images!

[bagdad child]

Yeah, just beautiful.

For the record, what are the critical shutter speeds? Can you handhold at 1/30?

Thanks for the kind comment! I believe those shutter speeds are supposed to be between 1/15 and 1/60 but I haven't noticed any problem at 1/30 even without using mirror lock up. Most important is to have a good hand-holding technique. The weight of the camera is actually an advantage in that respect. I press my upper left arm firmly against the side of my chest so that the elbow is touching the lowermost ribs, my left hand firmly under the camera allowing the fingers of the left hand to focus and set the aperture while I trip the shutter with my right thumb by means of short cable release kept between my index finger and my middle finger. The right middle, ring and little fingers are gripping loosely around the camera and they can also control mirror lock-up if desired. The lowermost area of my right palm also supports the lower right edge of the camera. My upper right arm also presses against the side of my chest. I believe this technique offers much better support than using the accessory left-hand wooden grip. It works equally well with both the waistlevel finder, prisms or chimney finder, but critical focusing is harder with the prisms. Finally exhale and trip the shutter!

[bagdad child]

ps your website doesn't seem to be working. Really loved the pictures.

Yes youre right! Under re-construction again...
I plan to get it up very soon

[bagdad child]

Beautiful, by the way! I desperately wanted a Pentax 67 but I tend to want a lot of lenses and found them to be more costly than my meagre pockets could afford.

Really, really nice images!

Thanks James! Really glad to read your comment! The lenses are costly but the prices of all Pentax 6x7 bodies and lenses have dropped a lot over the last few years so I hope they'll soon be affordable to you! I recently saw a classifieds ads in Sweden for a very nice looking Pentax 67II with auto exposure prism and 105mm lens, all for 380 Euros. I found myself a spare 6x7 MLU body plus the 90mm lens for 100 Euros. It seems nobody wants the P67 here so people are selling them for "peanuts".

[photomat-]

Some of the Turkey pics in that link are really good. Especially like the one of the faucet with the blurry figure in the background.

Mamiya 645, Bronica ETRSi and Bronica SQ can be picked up cheaply and produce great results. I have used the ETR and SQ system and personally prefer the 6x6 format. Both of the Bronicas are easy to use and accessories and lenses can be had for a song on KEH.com.

[Ektagraphic]

Mamiya M645 system is totally amazing!!!

[Leighgion]

If you absolutely must have 6x6, then it's hard to find an interchangeable lens system cheaper than Pentacon Sixes. I have no user experience with them, but I don't think you can pay less in the category.

[agphotography]

I took these photos with the Pentax 67 on a recent trip to Turkey:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=87218


Some of them were taken hand-held at the so often discussed "critical shutter speeds". It's a myth that the Pentax 67 can't be shot hand-held and produce sharp negs.

These are just outstanding photos! I would love to do some travel shots with my new Bronica system, but flying with film is just such a bad memory for me haha! The last time I flew with a MF system was when I had my RZ, I flew to New York and they ruined all my film because they refused to hand-check it.

[johnnywalker]

How long ago was that? The x-rays used currently in airports for carry-on luggage shouldn't affect your film unless it's over iso 400. I've had mine x-rayed up to five times with no ill effects. The x-ray used on the check-in luggage is a different story however.

[bagdad child]

These are just outstanding photos! I would love to do some travel shots with my new Bronica system, but flying with film is just such a bad memory for me haha! The last time I flew with a MF system was when I had my RZ, I flew to New York and they ruined all my film because they refused to hand-check it.

Thanks so much! I am sorry about your experience. In theory it should be pretty safe to travel with at least 400 speed film. Mine was scanned twice upon departure from Istanbul and fortunately there was no damage. The problem is that the operator may increase the power of the radiation without noone realizing. Sometimes the bags go back and forth in the x-ray machine as if the operator missed something and wants a better look. You may have been unlucky. I have also carried the film rolls in my trouser pockets walking through the metal detector instead of having the film x-rayed. Noone ever noticed.