| Type | SLR camera for 120/220 roll film |
|---|---|
The original Asahi Pentax 6×7 of 1969, as well as the later Pentax 67 models, are SLR medium format system cameras for 120 film. It resembles a traditional 35mm SLR camera with interchangeable viewfinder and lens, but is considerably bigger and heavier, weighing 2.3 kilograms (5.1 lb) with plain prism and standard lens; perhaps inspired by the 1957 East German 6×6 KW Praktisix and its successor, the Pentacon Six, although the horizontal SLR concept can be traced back to the 1933 Ihagee VP Exakta. The Pentax 6×7 has its own dual bayonet lens mount, and a wide range of interchangeable Takumar lenses exist. More than forty years after the original camera introduction a wide selection of lenses was still available, together with the latest Pentax 67II. [1] [2] [3]
Contents |
The Pentax 6×7 is operated quite similarly to a regular 35mm SLR camera. It is loaded with either 120 or 220 roll film, which produces ten or twenty 6×7 format exposures respectively of 56×70mm area. The film type is set correspondingly using a small knob on the right-hand side of the camera and by sliding the film pressure plate inside as indicated on the back. The standard equipment includes the Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR/6×7 1:2.4 f=105 lens and the removable pentaprism finder that shows exactly the exposed image. A very useful addition is the separately available left-hand grip with accessory shoe.
The camera is completely battery dependent. It does not work without film, unless the film counter dial is rotated away from the empty position and closing the back while still holding the dial. The frame counter is incremented only with film in the camera. The camera locks when the counter dial has reached the last frame. The automatic frame counter resets only if the shutter is released before opening the back. If the shutter is released without a functioning battery, the camera halts after the mirror is raised. Depressing a small flush button on the right-hand camera front, just below the shutter-release button, helps reactivate the mirror/shutter cycle. It must be depressed using a blunt instrument like a pencil. Depressing the shutter release once more completes the cycle.
The camera back latch is situated at the lower left-hand corner and is operated by pushing it down using a fingernail. The film is loaded in the left film chamber by lowering the centre-pin by operating the left key at the camera base. To secure the take-up spool a similar devise is at the right-hand side. Check that the frame counter is reset. The film-pressure plate is slid either way as indicated to select 120 or 220 film, and the automatic frame counter advance stop selector is also set accordingly.
A wide range of optics makes up the lenses available for this camera including a range of leaf shuttered ones, allowing flash sync at all speeds, thereby solving many mirror and shutter vibration problems. The camera vibration problem was lessened in 1976 by the introduction of a mirror lock-up feature. Sliding a switch on the right hand side of the mirror housing upwards pre-releases the mirror.
A metered pentaprism finder is also available, enabling TTL exposure reading coupled to the lens aperture ring and the shutter speed dial.
The left-hand accessory grip attaches to the two posts at the left-hand camera front. It is secured by tightening a finger-operated bolt. The grip is removed by sliding it off downward once the bolt is slackened and lifted a bit.[5]
Current lenses for the cameras as of November 2011: [6]
Wide-angle
Standard
Telephoto
Special Purpose
Zoom Lenses
Tele Converters
Pentax 67 home page: http://www.pentax.jp/english/products/filmcamera/lens/index672_list.html
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