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02-14-2020, 09:20 AM   #1
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Another 67 TTL Meter Chain Thread

Hey all,

Relatively new 67 owner here and, thanks to your guidance, I've never installed the prism finder when the lens is installed.

Despite this, my meter stopped working yesterday. I removed the lens and saw the chain dangling out.

Sounds like I have three options:

Repair it myself
I've read a very detailed guide on replacement and it's tedious. It also seems very hard to find replacement chains. The existing chain is so tired that two of the links actually crumbled when I tried to move the chain out of the way of the lens mount. I'd need to replace the whole chain instead of soldering the old one back together.

Pay someone to repair it
I've found 1 local shop that's up to the task, and one legendary Pentax guru that I could mail it to (we all know who I'm talking about). These repairs seem to run $200-300+ and take a few weeks.

Enjoy the camera as is and use stop-down metering (Manual mode on the lens) or a hand-held meter
I don't love the stop-down metering, but using my Sekonic 308 isn't the worst outcome.

I'm assuming I'm not the first to encounter this problem. What would you do in my shoes?

If I decide to not repair the chain, is there any danger of it interfering with other camera functions? Should I at least remove it (it's currently just tucked out of the way) to avoid interference with other functions? Is the TTL metering on the 67 body/finder even worth investing in?

Apologies for the long musings. Thanks in advance for the wisdom!

02-14-2020, 11:07 AM   #2
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If it were me and this was my only 6x7 body, I would try to repair it myself. But in my case, I have several bodies and I would just shoot this body in the Manual mode. To use the TTL meter successfully, one has to use a grey card because the meter is not a spot type and gets faked out easily. Having a broken chain will not affect any other function, as far as I know.
02-14-2020, 11:41 AM   #3
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Sorry to jump in with a question, but I thought that by the time the 67 bodies came out, the sequence of removal / install of the finder was no longer an issue wrt the chain?
02-14-2020, 12:48 PM   #4
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67II bodies don't have the issue. 67 bodies use the "same" meter system as 6X7 cameras. Same is in quotation marks because early prisms use cds cells and later ones use silicon blue cells. I don't know how to tell them apart except by disassembly.

02-14-2020, 05:03 PM   #5
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It is not the end of the world for the camera, but you will have to use it in stop-down (non-metered) mode, sans TTL and meter with a handheld spot/multispot/duplex/incident meter instead (your Sekonic 308, which is a valuable additional skill anyhow with the TTL meter only going as far as 1 second!).

It is too late for you at the moment, but this procedure must be followed when removing/re-mounting the prism to protect the chain:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-troubleshooting-beginner-help/372838-...ter-prism.html


The lens mount uses shims and these must be replaced in the exact same order they were removed. The mount must then be calibrated for accuracy (this requires a bench device to do correctly). New chains have long since disappeared into history; jewellery/beading wire ("tigertail") is the wire (available at most craft shops) most often used now to repair the chain: it is very flexible and very strong (much stronger than the OEM chain), with ready availability of crimps and tools to effectively do the job (and the job requires accuracy and dexterity to feed the chain around the mount and hook it up to the aperture coupling). Oh, and it comes in myriad colours, too!!

---------- Post added 15th Feb 2020 at 11:04 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Kmier Quote
Sorry to jump in with a question, but I thought that by the time the 67 bodies came out, the sequence of removal / install of the finder was no longer an issue wrt the chain?
If you are referring to the Pentax 67II camera, that model does not have a meter coupling chain.
This irksome problem only occurs with the earliest and latest Pentax 6x7 and Pentax 67 cameras respectively, not the 67II.

Last edited by Silent Street; 02-14-2020 at 05:09 PM.
02-15-2020, 05:25 AM   #6
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I'd shoot it with stop down metering - my 6x7 only works this way despite a working chain (must be an electronic issue somewhere). Trying to disassemble an otherwise working camera is not something I'd contemplate.

On the other hand, if you think you might want to sell it later down the road (prices seem to be going up), a proper repair now may pay off.
02-18-2020, 09:33 AM   #7
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If you don't fix the chain, I'd suggest you consider shooting your Pentax 67 in a new way. Put a waist level finder on it (aka folding hood) and shoot it mostly with a tripod and something like a light meter app for your phone. No more stop down metering problem.

03-19-2020, 03:00 PM   #8
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Try yourself if you are self confident and if you have some skills in mechanical only !
03-19-2020, 03:34 PM   #9
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Just a reminder that after reassembly of the lens mount flange, collimation will be required to ensure accurate focus. It is not unheard of, nor uncommon, for difficulties in achieving correct focus to be experienced without this.
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