carrying around a Pentax 67

destroya · 02-29-2016, 09:19 AM

I carry a 67 system all the time. if im going out for an outing i pack in along with 3 to 5 lenses in a backpack and go. once I take it out, I love carrying it by the large wood handle. get great looks from people. it looks like it could be used as a weapon to bludgeon someone with. If im gonna handhold it, I make sure to have 400 speed film in it (which even enlarged to 16x20 is not an issue for grain) and do what a few have mentioned. I compose and carefully flip up the mirror wait a second and then shoot. Keeping speeds over 1/250 helps. the mirror up on the 67ii is easy to flip with a finger, not sure about the other models.

soti · 03-01-2016, 12:22 PM

Thank you all for your replies! I guess then it's not suitable for my style.
I might get it eventually, but I will keep in mind that it's not so easy to just walk around with it.

Silent Street · 03-01-2016, 04:27 PM

Originally posted by destroya

I carry a 67 system all the time. if im going out for an outing i pack in along with 3 to 5 lenses in a backpack and go. once I take it out, I love carrying it by the large wood handle. get great looks from people. it looks like it could be used as a weapon to bludgeon someone with. If im gonna handhold it, I make sure to have 400 speed film in it (which even enlarged to 16x20 is not an issue for grain) and do what a few have mentioned. I compose and carefully flip up the mirror wait a second and then shoot. Keeping speeds over 1/250 helps. the mirror up on the 67ii is easy to flip with a finger, not sure about the other models.

No, it's not an easy camera to walk around with at all, despite contrary views everywhere — everybody is different, and commentary regarding weight and bulk of the 67 system often outweighs the positives! A modicum of dedication helps (built upon years of experience, not a single day's outing), but in the end the whole kit can be quite tiring and stressful, especially when committing to covering your work with all of the lenses you have, rather than one or two. The image quality can make up for the tiredness and aches of carrying everything but it is a question of balancing your needs with the reality of a big and slow system.

mikeSF · 03-01-2016, 04:38 PM

I hope blackcloudbrew chimes in here. He has every pentax format camera there is, and I have seen him on an outing with the 67 and other cameras on his person at the same time. That guy rocks the brand hard and I'm sure is not bothered to carry the bulky 67 knowing he is being rewarded in image quality.

wombat2go · 03-02-2016, 06:39 AM

Last year I purchased a set of RB67.
Even though I have a few Pentax 6x7 lenses,
I decided to go Mamiya based on my ability to repair/adjust/restore the RB67 bodies.
and also because all my MF cameras take the standard 6x7 rollfilm (RH10) backs, same as the RB67 does.

After a few years of using non slr medium format cameras, the slr is luxury.
I have the super heavy prism because I was not able to get accustomed to the chimney vf.

I found a carry case on Etsy of about the same vintage as the RB.
So I can travel with the Camera set up with the back, the Mamiya Sekor C 1:4.5 50mm and the prism.
The Mamiya Sekor C 1:3.8 90mm fits sideways in the case under the camera.
https://app.box.com/s/0ty5dvtgtj1u49upiqs4q2o204i3mp47

Using C41 film. I seem to be able to guess exposure well enough without a meter.
The case has a wide strap and the loaded weight is 6 kg,
which is almost at the Qantas carry on limit.
The longest I have carried it was for about 1 hour walking around,
and transferring the sling from shoulder to shoulder.

Last year I took the RB67 to Australia.
Here I revisited Her Majesty Beechworth Gaol where 32 years ago they locked me in a cell for an afternoon.
(..But just to do a structural engineering exam remote from the university!)
https://app.box.com/s/2g9q96zy1pktun7ruw2rv2gvkixofdea

Here is one of the Murray River, right into the sun with the 90mm.
https://app.box.com/s/w91a0muan704b29offcglzmdrh22d3lu

The slr can sharply do lower light open aperture photos that are difficult/impossible for me with a rangefinder.
( Michigan, with Fuji pro 400ns)
https://app.box.com/s/gd5ojj0ivddc7cqxqc30xoxhx1yg22v9
https://app.box.com/s/75d6e107gfday8k09t2rk55bqowr0fg1
https://app.box.com/s/muqojmp4q6vsm4zuiw0le7y69ad1dhe9

This year I was unable to carry the RB67 kit due to flight connections,
so I took the Ricoh KR-5 and the SMC Pentax 1:2.8 40mm with Fuji 200 Superia.
Certainly a lot easier to walk around with and I will be interested to compare the scans.
I have found it is easier to get good quality development and scans from the medium format 120 film than the 35mm.

tuco · 03-04-2016, 09:26 AM

Look at my signature. I shoot all of these handhold. I grab them over my 35mm film all the time. When I want smaller and more convenient, I grab my 35mm digital. The Fuji is the easiest to haul around and yields really good results. But it only gets 8 frames per roll and that can get annoying changing film so much and of course its not a "system" with lenses. But that's why I have more than one medium format camera. Each plays a role. When I need hot swapping backs ( a super cool feature), I got that covered and of course it is great to go out and work on and with the square frame work.

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02-29-2016, 09:19 AM	#16
destroya Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Los Altos CA Posts: 44	I carry a 67 system all the time. if im going out for an outing i pack in along with 3 to 5 lenses in a backpack and go. once I take it out, I love carrying it by the large wood handle. get great looks from people. it looks like it could be used as a weapon to bludgeon someone with. If im gonna handhold it, I make sure to have 400 speed film in it (which even enlarged to 16x20 is not an issue for grain) and do what a few have mentioned. I compose and carefully flip up the mirror wait a second and then shoot. Keeping speeds over 1/250 helps. the mirror up on the 67ii is easy to flip with a finger, not sure about the other models.

03-01-2016, 12:22 PM	#17
soti Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Leuven Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 65 Original Poster	Thank you all for your replies! I guess then it's not suitable for my style. I might get it eventually, but I will keep in mind that it's not so easy to just walk around with it.

03-01-2016, 04:27 PM	#18
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	Originally posted by destroya I carry a 67 system all the time. if im going out for an outing i pack in along with 3 to 5 lenses in a backpack and go. once I take it out, I love carrying it by the large wood handle. get great looks from people. it looks like it could be used as a weapon to bludgeon someone with. If im gonna handhold it, I make sure to have 400 speed film in it (which even enlarged to 16x20 is not an issue for grain) and do what a few have mentioned. I compose and carefully flip up the mirror wait a second and then shoot. Keeping speeds over 1/250 helps. the mirror up on the 67ii is easy to flip with a finger, not sure about the other models. No, it's not an easy camera to walk around with at all, despite contrary views everywhere — everybody is different, and commentary regarding weight and bulk of the 67 system often outweighs the positives! A modicum of dedication helps (built upon years of experience, not a single day's outing), but in the end the whole kit can be quite tiring and stressful, especially when committing to covering your work with all of the lenses you have, rather than one or two. The image quality can make up for the tiredness and aches of carrying everything but it is a question of balancing your needs with the reality of a big and slow system.

03-01-2016, 04:38 PM	#19
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	I hope blackcloudbrew chimes in here. He has every pentax format camera there is, and I have seen him on an outing with the 67 and other cameras on his person at the same time. That guy rocks the brand hard and I'm sure is not bothered to carry the bulky 67 knowing he is being rewarded in image quality.

03-02-2016, 06:39 AM	#20
wombat2go Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	Last year I purchased a set of RB67. Even though I have a few Pentax 6x7 lenses, I decided to go Mamiya based on my ability to repair/adjust/restore the RB67 bodies. and also because all my MF cameras take the standard 6x7 rollfilm (RH10) backs, same as the RB67 does. After a few years of using non slr medium format cameras, the slr is luxury. I have the super heavy prism because I was not able to get accustomed to the chimney vf. I found a carry case on Etsy of about the same vintage as the RB. So I can travel with the Camera set up with the back, the Mamiya Sekor C 1:4.5 50mm and the prism. The Mamiya Sekor C 1:3.8 90mm fits sideways in the case under the camera. https://app.box.com/s/0ty5dvtgtj1u49upiqs4q2o204i3mp47 Using C41 film. I seem to be able to guess exposure well enough without a meter. The case has a wide strap and the loaded weight is 6 kg, which is almost at the Qantas carry on limit. The longest I have carried it was for about 1 hour walking around, and transferring the sling from shoulder to shoulder. Last year I took the RB67 to Australia. Here I revisited Her Majesty Beechworth Gaol where 32 years ago they locked me in a cell for an afternoon. (..But just to do a structural engineering exam remote from the university!) https://app.box.com/s/2g9q96zy1pktun7ruw2rv2gvkixofdea Here is one of the Murray River, right into the sun with the 90mm. https://app.box.com/s/w91a0muan704b29offcglzmdrh22d3lu The slr can sharply do lower light open aperture photos that are difficult/impossible for me with a rangefinder. ( Michigan, with Fuji pro 400ns) https://app.box.com/s/gd5ojj0ivddc7cqxqc30xoxhx1yg22v9 https://app.box.com/s/75d6e107gfday8k09t2rk55bqowr0fg1 https://app.box.com/s/muqojmp4q6vsm4zuiw0le7y69ad1dhe9 This year I was unable to carry the RB67 kit due to flight connections, so I took the Ricoh KR-5 and the SMC Pentax 1:2.8 40mm with Fuji 200 Superia. Certainly a lot easier to walk around with and I will be interested to compare the scans. I have found it is easier to get good quality development and scans from the medium format 120 film than the 35mm.

03-04-2016, 09:26 AM	#21
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	Look at my signature. I shoot all of these handhold. I grab them over my 35mm film all the time. When I want smaller and more convenient, I grab my 35mm digital. The Fuji is the easiest to haul around and yields really good results. But it only gets 8 frames per roll and that can get annoying changing film so much and of course its not a "system" with lenses. But that's why I have more than one medium format camera. Each plays a role. When I need hot swapping backs ( a super cool feature), I got that covered and of course it is great to go out and work on and with the square frame work.