Pentax 6x7 body- keep or dump?

I received a P6x7 body from an associate a while back. No lens, just

the body with the pop up finder. Just wondering if anyone has any

recommendation on a repair facility to fix this as the guy told me

that the mirror will not come down, nor advance. I have always kind

of liked this camera for a long while (knowing it's shortcomings)

but I could use the cash to offset another purchase. I could throw

it on the fleabay, but wondered if I should hang onto it and fix,

and get the std focal length lens. I shoot weddings mainly, and

could use this camera for formals only, and maybe landscapes for

fun.

 

Just looking for some opinions. thanks

It's junk. Send it to me for disposal.

 

Seriously, if it fits into your needs have it repaired, get a lens and hang on to it. Only you can decide if you really need it and can use it. If you need funds for another purchase dump it since it will cost more to keep and use it.

Actually, unless it's otherwise in very nice shape, and is the MLU version, then the cost to fix these bodies now exceeds their market value. Personally, I'd sell it for parts (you might get $50 for it). In my experience, clean fully working MLU bodies can be gotten for well under $300 nowadays, and repairs tend to run $200-300 on them.

To fix or buy another body is just down to relative costs. Whilst I owned a 67 for a couple of years I never needed to repair anything.

 

For a wedding pro the 67 could form a useful backup (there very reliable) or alternatively avoid the standard lens and make use of the camera for v. wide shots, the 45mm is a tiny wide angle lens on 6x7 and you could crop the 67 format to a panoramic for v. large outdoor groups. All the 6x7 lenses are quite reasonable and high quality and like some other makes, the standard lens isnt much cheaper than some of the other focal lengths.

 

Its a great camera for landscapes, I gave it up simply due to its large pack size with 3 lenses compared to a blad outfit.

I would replace the battery before I made any decision. I bought a P67 for $30 on ebay that was being sold for parts. The battery was dead and it worked like a charm once I replaced it.

thanks everyone! Question- how do I tell if it is MLU or not? I have read recently that this is the preferred model

The MLU button is on the side of the lens mount on the opposite side from the lens release. If you've got two of those things (one on each side), you've got MLU.

There may be nothing wrong with this camera. But getting the locked up mirror to come down is kind of an involved process. Get a manual if you do not have one. You will need it even if you fix the camera. There is a little lever inside the door you can depress if there is no film in the camera. If someone removed a different finder, you may need to remove the lens and put it back on. There is also a small metal area on the right front below the 67 that you will depress with the point of a pen. Of course, new battery. See why you need a manual?

I'll almost bet that no one has changed the battery, and tried winding it with film loaded? If that doesn't help, a $300 visit to PENTAX in Colorado is next. But they will rebuild even an "old soldier" , back to new for this price.

 

 

 

As for using one of these at a wedding. There isn't a man, woman or child, that can reload one of these fast enough for wedding work! The fashion P67 users, used to have half a dozen bodies, and 2-3 assistants reloading them.

Gosh Steve, it's not that bad to load, but you wouldn't turn up to a wedding with just one body, would you? I eventually found that a lot of the fiddle that I used to go on with in order to seat the new film spool during loading just isn't necessary. Just turn it by advancing the film with the rapid wind lever and it falls into place. That came after watching an assistant load P6x7s in a continuous fluid movement - he made it look so easy and as fast as loading a manual 35mm.

Steve,

 

It would be suitable for shooting Formals. I Have used them with a Grip and it WORE OUT

my hands very quickly (I'm not that much of a wimp).

Keh might be able to repair it. If the cost is reasonable, then you might consider getting a

normal lens for it, too. You might like it. If you don't, you could sell it as a starter kit and

you might be surprised by what you get.

 

6x7 is in kind of a sweet spot now, it seems to me. There are a lot of people who think

digital doesn't come close enough, and you might catch people coming up from 35mm or

coming down from 4x5.

Download the manual for free from pentax, it has info on how to unlock the "safety catch" on the mirror, as well as how to "dry fire" the shutter without film loaded. Here's the link... http://www.pentax.com/docstore/index.cfm?show=6

it's just labeled as "67"

 

Dan

Thanks everyone! After reading yesterday, I have determined that I do have the MLU body, and already had downloaded the same manual as mentioned above a while ago (with intentions of resurrecting the camera ..) I guess I will keep this, check the battery/or repair the body ,and look for a lens