![]() Pentaprism, TTL pentaprism with light meter, folding waist level, rigid waist level magnifying hood Pentaprism 0.75x magnification and 90% coverage, waist level 100% coverage Pentaprism 90% coverage, waist level 100% coverageĮxchangeable. Yes, except for the first year of productionĮxchangeable. However,…knew there was a ‘however’,…when using a waist-level finder it’s 100%. But there is one thing I don’t like about it. The viewfinder, though very bright, (with Beattie Intenscreen), is only 90% through the pentaprism. It’s fabulous, and as much as it pains me to say it, it’s brighter than my Rollei. But most of the convenience and shooting style of 35mm, and as near as large format that you’ll get, without actually going large format. Photographers like Tim Walker and Spencer Tunick, plus a bevy of other photographers, are still using this camera. Holy cow! I know this is an extreme exaggeration,…but have you ever shot a 12 gauge shotgun? Well, transfer that mental image to camera scale. But when people want me to find a true complaint about the camera,…especially with the 105mm lens, ( and the stellar Pentax f/2.8 90mm!), the only thing I can think of is mirror slap. While it’s not nearly unusable handheld, like a Mamiya RB67/RZ67, it is not an optimal ergonomic experience without it. If you’re not a tripod and waist level finder kind of guy, (or gal), I advise the wooden grip. The upgrades included the Pentax 6×7 MU in 1979 which offered mirror lock-up, the Pentax 67 in 1989 and finally the Pentax 67II in 1998. It also had as many viewfinder variants as the Blad. At the time it was released, it was about half the price of a similar Hasselblad setup. This has been, and still is, many photographers workhorse. The 6 x 7 cm format has been considered the “perfect” aspect ratio, combined with perfect size. While I’ll concentrate on the 67, (most features and cheaper than the II), many professionals have raved about this camera. They changed the name a couple of times, (6×7, 67, 67II), and newer models didn’t have the ‘ASAHI’ name emblazoned above ‘Pentax’. Pentax introduced it in 1969 as the Pentax 6×7. In fact, most people who observe the difference side by side question their continued use of the smaller format. Have you ever compared a 6×7 cm frame to a 35mm frame? The difference is startling. So, calling it “super big” doesn’t really compute. However, to put that in perspective, a Nikon F4s weighs around 3+ lbs with batteries. But it’s certainly no Fuji GX680! Camera and prism weigh around 3.99 lbs. I really don’t know why some people refer to the Pentax 67 as “FrankenMonster”. ![]()
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