Pentax 67: just one lens

Silent Street · 05-24-2019, 06:38 PM

@Richard L
Choosing just one would be heartbreaking but I'd say the 75 mm f/2.8 AL is the most "stellar" of my arsenal. The only one I find disappointing is the 90 mm f/2.8 because of its lack of contrast (I do landscapes).

I agree fully with the first part of your statement regarding the 75AL, but not really with the second part concerning the 90/2.8!

There are times when the 75AL can be too contrasty for some landscape applications, especially when moderating e.g. RVP50 in soft light to gently accentuate pastels; the last thing you need is for a very contrasty lens to patently Disneychrome the whole thing! In that regard, recent imaging has favoured the 90mm over the 75AL, both for a bit less contrast and distance from subject complications whereby I was not able to get close-in due to circumstantial hindrances.

The scene below was first assessed with the 75AL in 2017, but found to be too short; it would have been fine if there was a symmetrical reflection of the subject in the water, but not being so on that (or subsequence occasions!), switch to Plan B! The 90mm stepped in and it was used then and on all four occasions since then, with the most recent being last November.

_________________________________________________________________
Crappy 'Sammy The Samsung' pic of RA-4 KEP-M print (20x20cm)

Last edited by Silent Street; 05-25-2019 at 03:27 PM.

**RICHARD L.** · 05-25-2019, 09:22 AM

Thank you for your heartfelt comments. Personnally, I always used Ektar 100 negative film and found the results obtained with the 67 90 mm f/2.8 were disappointing, particularly so after I started using the 75 mm f/2.8 AL. I later used the 67 90 mm with a Pentax adapter on my 645 N with flash for "ambient portraits" and was surprised at how good the results were on Portra 160. For landscapes, I later bought a new 67 105 mm f/2.4 and this lens proved to be amazingly sharp and contrasty compared to the 90 mm and having a somewhat similar field of view and at the same time being quite different from the FOV of the 75 mm. So my opinion is based on my experience with negative film and comparing the 75 mm, the 90 mm and the 105 mm with similar subject matter. Maybe my copy of the 90 mm is sub-standard, I don't know. As they say, f/11 and be there !

Silent Street · 05-25-2019, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by RICHARD L.

Maybe my copy of the 90 mm is sub-standard, I don't know. As they say, f/11 and be there !

Possibly. Manufacturing variations are known to turn up a few 'softies' across the 67 lens range, among them the 45mm and 90mm, with the 90mm leaf shutter being the least reliable unless you have a burning need for the convenience of higher and varied sync speeds for studio flash (and with that particular lens only, the added usefulness of MLU concurrent with LS mode). My long-gone 55mm developed an internal rattle, which annoyed the crap out of me, so it went in favour of the 75AL, despite the 55 being an excellent performer optically (my very first large-scale prints were produced from this lens).

F11 and be there has been replaced by the faster 'f5.6 and see you in the sticks!'...

pkr1979 · 05-27-2019, 12:49 PM

Im intending to use my recently acquired 90 (new version) as sort of a default... it just seems as a more versatile lens then the 105... however, I also got a 200 :-)

**RICHARD L.** · 05-28-2019, 05:47 AM

Knowing what I know now, I would choose the 67 105 mm f/2.4 over the 67 90 mm f/2.8 anytime. The 105 is amazingly sharp and contrasty and performs very well between f/4 and f/16. The 90 mm has been the only disappointment in almost 30 years of medium-format photography (Pentax 67 and 67 II, Pentax 645N, now Pentax 654Z).

Silent Street · 05-28-2019, 05:26 PM - **1 Like**

@Richard L.
I don't think all 90mm f2.8 lenses should be tarred with the same brush. I definitely do not share the view that it is soft or lacking in contrast, and I have said before, variations in this (and other lenses) do exist. If you want to experience disappointment, I don't think one can be too far off the mark with Hasselblad's veteran 80mm Planar. Long glossed over in any of the genres where Hassies could be found thumping away, it was found to be a very average and unremarkable performer optically against the SMC-P 67 75AL lens. So much so that my brief ownership of a 503cx and 80mm was thusforth terminated. True, there is much to like about Hasselblads, but one experience up against more modern and refined objets de art can leave a sour taste.

**jeffdrew** · 05-30-2019, 10:59 AM

I agree that nearly every maker has some stars and some not. I share your experience with 1 Zeiss 80mm Planar, but still use my Hasselblads with other fave lenses, like the 60mm CB! Amazing lens! Everyone has different perceptions and favorite lenses. My original 75mm f4.5 Tak is still fun despite being very old. Variety is the spice etc!

tuco · 05-30-2019, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by jeffdrew

... but still use my Hasselblads with other fave lenses, like the 60mm CB! Amazing lens! ...

I use that 60mm CB a lot. It is a very good lens. It is optically the same as a CFi 60mm. They only crippled this budget version in a housing feature rather than the optics.

Silent Street · 05-30-2019, 07:50 PM

If I was determined to make the Hasselblad system my default go-to for my production photography, and prepared to invest thousands of dollars in the better, higher-end lenses (like Tuco's CFi 60), I might have been more satisfied than I ultimately was with the crap 80 Planar. But no. I have got everything I need/want/use with the Pentax 67 system, along with consummate freedom to crop 6x6, or anything else from the size. Otherwise, a few lingering, and largely positive memories of the Hassie, but just not as satisfying to use at the P67 system (to me!), and at this time I'm winging it around outback Australia despite not having seen a single analogue photographer out and about since I touched down here in mid-April! I wonder what those fancy and quite big digital camera thingies are...?

MegaPower · 05-30-2019, 08:34 PM

Loved the 105/2.4, but I always want to try the 90/2.8 with leaf shutter.
Either one will be the "only one"

Silent Street · 05-30-2019, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by MegaPower

Loved the 105/2.4, but I always want to try the 90/2.8 with leaf shutter.
Either one will be the "only one"

LS lenses are interesting things to play with, besides granting higher sync speeds than the Pentax 6x7 /67 native 1/8s. That 90/2.8 LS also provides the obscure benefit, if you want to call it that, of allowing mirror lock-up whilst in leaf shutter mode, while its beastier 165mm LS does not permit this. Multi-exposures are also possible if the camera is not fitted with this modification. Read up on these lenses as procedures have to be followed correctly when setting both lens and FP shutter.

**ivanvernon** · 06-02-2019, 12:33 AM

Originally posted by pkr1979

Hi all :-)

If you could have just one lens for this camera, which would it be and why?

Cheers
Peter

My two favorites are the 55/4.0 and the 75/2.8. For my flower photography, I am quite taken by the 55mm with its sharpness, color fidelity, and short MFD that lets me fill the frame with many larger blossoms.

05-25-2019, 09:22 AM	#17
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,582	Thank you for your heartfelt comments. Personnally, I always used Ektar 100 negative film and found the results obtained with the 67 90 mm f/2.8 were disappointing, particularly so after I started using the 75 mm f/2.8 AL. I later used the 67 90 mm with a Pentax adapter on my 645 N with flash for "ambient portraits" and was surprised at how good the results were on Portra 160. For landscapes, I later bought a new 67 105 mm f/2.4 and this lens proved to be amazingly sharp and contrasty compared to the 90 mm and having a somewhat similar field of view and at the same time being quite different from the FOV of the 75 mm. So my opinion is based on my experience with negative film and comparing the 75 mm, the 90 mm and the 105 mm with similar subject matter. Maybe my copy of the 90 mm is sub-standard, I don't know. As they say, f/11 and be there ! Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-27-2019 at 09:23 AM.

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05-24-2019, 06:38 PM	#16
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	@Richard L Choosing just one would be heartbreaking but I'd say the 75 mm f/2.8 AL is the most "stellar" of my arsenal. The only one I find disappointing is the 90 mm f/2.8 because of its lack of contrast (I do landscapes). I agree fully with the first part of your statement regarding the 75AL, but not really with the second part concerning the 90/2.8! There are times when the 75AL can be too contrasty for some landscape applications, especially when moderating e.g. RVP50 in soft light to gently accentuate pastels; the last thing you need is for a very contrasty lens to patently Disneychrome the whole thing! In that regard, recent imaging has favoured the 90mm over the 75AL, both for a bit less contrast and distance from subject complications whereby I was not able to get close-in due to circumstantial hindrances. The scene below was first assessed with the 75AL in 2017, but found to be too short; it would have been fine if there was a symmetrical reflection of the subject in the water, but not being so on that (or subsequence occasions!), switch to Plan B! The 90mm stepped in and it was used then and on all four occasions since then, with the most recent being last November. _________________________________________________________________ Crappy 'Sammy The Samsung' pic of RA-4 KEP-M print (20x20cm) Last edited by Silent Street; 05-25-2019 at 03:27 PM.

05-25-2019, 03:33 PM	#18
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	Originally posted by RICHARD L. Maybe my copy of the 90 mm is sub-standard, I don't know. As they say, f/11 and be there ! Possibly. Manufacturing variations are known to turn up a few 'softies' across the 67 lens range, among them the 45mm and 90mm, with the 90mm leaf shutter being the least reliable unless you have a burning need for the convenience of higher and varied sync speeds for studio flash (and with that particular lens only, the added usefulness of MLU concurrent with LS mode). My long-gone 55mm developed an internal rattle, which annoyed the crap out of me, so it went in favour of the 75AL, despite the 55 being an excellent performer optically (my very first large-scale prints were produced from this lens). F11 and be there has been replaced by the faster 'f5.6 and see you in the sticks!'...

05-27-2019, 12:49 PM	#19
pkr1979 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 64 Original Poster	Im intending to use my recently acquired 90 (new version) as sort of a default... it just seems as a more versatile lens then the 105... however, I also got a 200 :-)

05-28-2019, 05:47 AM	#20
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,582	Knowing what I know now, I would choose the 67 105 mm f/2.4 over the 67 90 mm f/2.8 anytime. The 105 is amazingly sharp and contrasty and performs very well between f/4 and f/16. The 90 mm has been the only disappointment in almost 30 years of medium-format photography (Pentax 67 and 67 II, Pentax 645N, now Pentax 654Z).

05-28-2019, 05:26 PM - 1 Like	#21
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	@Richard L. I don't think all 90mm f2.8 lenses should be tarred with the same brush. I definitely do not share the view that it is soft or lacking in contrast, and I have said before, variations in this (and other lenses) do exist. If you want to experience disappointment, I don't think one can be too far off the mark with Hasselblad's veteran 80mm Planar. Long glossed over in any of the genres where Hassies could be found thumping away, it was found to be a very average and unremarkable performer optically against the SMC-P 67 75AL lens. So much so that my brief ownership of a 503cx and 80mm was thusforth terminated. True, there is much to like about Hasselblads, but one experience up against more modern and refined objets de art can leave a sour taste.

05-30-2019, 10:59 AM	#22
jeffdrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 102	I agree that nearly every maker has some stars and some not. I share your experience with 1 Zeiss 80mm Planar, but still use my Hasselblads with other fave lenses, like the 60mm CB! Amazing lens! Everyone has different perceptions and favorite lenses. My original 75mm f4.5 Tak is still fun despite being very old. Variety is the spice etc!

05-30-2019, 03:05 PM	#23
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	Originally posted by jeffdrew ... but still use my Hasselblads with other fave lenses, like the 60mm CB! Amazing lens! ... I use that 60mm CB a lot. It is a very good lens. It is optically the same as a CFi 60mm. They only crippled this budget version in a housing feature rather than the optics.

05-30-2019, 07:50 PM	#24
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	If I was determined to make the Hasselblad system my default go-to for my production photography, and prepared to invest thousands of dollars in the better, higher-end lenses (like Tuco's CFi 60), I might have been more satisfied than I ultimately was with the crap 80 Planar. But no. I have got everything I need/want/use with the Pentax 67 system, along with consummate freedom to crop 6x6, or anything else from the size. Otherwise, a few lingering, and largely positive memories of the Hassie, but just not as satisfying to use at the P67 system (to me!), and at this time I'm winging it around outback Australia despite not having seen a single analogue photographer out and about since I touched down here in mid-April! I wonder what those fancy and quite big digital camera thingies are...?

05-30-2019, 08:34 PM	#25
MegaPower Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 636	Loved the 105/2.4, but I always want to try the 90/2.8 with leaf shutter. Either one will be the "only one"

05-30-2019, 10:36 PM	#26
Silent Street Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS Photos: Albums Posts: 1,151	Originally posted by MegaPower Loved the 105/2.4, but I always want to try the 90/2.8 with leaf shutter. Either one will be the "only one" LS lenses are interesting things to play with, besides granting higher sync speeds than the Pentax 6x7 /67 native 1/8s. That 90/2.8 LS also provides the obscure benefit, if you want to call it that, of allowing mirror lock-up whilst in leaf shutter mode, while its beastier 165mm LS does not permit this. Multi-exposures are also possible if the camera is not fitted with this modification. Read up on these lenses as procedures have to be followed correctly when setting both lens and FP shutter.

06-02-2019, 12:33 AM	#27
ivanvernon Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Medina, OH Photos: Albums Posts: 7,224	Originally posted by pkr1979 Hi all :-) If you could have just one lens for this camera, which would it be and why? Cheers Peter My two favorites are the 55/4.0 and the 75/2.8. For my flower photography, I am quite taken by the 55mm with its sharpness, color fidelity, and short MFD that lets me fill the frame with many larger blossoms.