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Pentax 67 flash recommendation


biomed

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I own a Pentax 6x7 camera and would like to buy a flash for it. What are people's experiences with the one's they are using and which would they recommend? I also own a Yashicamat 124G and would like to be able to use the flash on that camera too. Your experiences/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
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I've very good experiences with a Metz 60 CT1, bought second hand.

Up to the 55mm 6x7 lens it is usable. For the 45mm you need to use the attached wide-angle adapter, which in my case is always used for softer illumination. I also use the same flash for a rangefinder 6x7. The advantage is that you can hold in both cases the camera in a more stable way.

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I use two different flashes with the P67: 1) an older Sunpak auto 333 (not TTL) when I want a light-weight unit and don't as much power, and; 2) a Quantum Q-flash when I can afford to carry more weight or need more power.

 

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The Sunpak is handy and does a fine job exposing indoor shots. I use it mostly for snapping people. It can be mounted on the flash shoe bracket on top of the hand grip. I've even used it nicely hand-held, which typically is not recommended for the P67. However, the flash duration of the strobe is quite short (1/1200 ~ 1/45000) which is more of a determining factor for how well you can hand-hold than the P67's slow shutter synch speed (1/30) if used as the primary light source as opposed to fill flash (BTW, that's true for any flash). The head can be tilted or swiveled for bouncing off cielings/walls and is manually zoomable from 35mm - 135mm (35mm lenses). The unit is not available anymore, but the #383 I believe is what replaced it ($69 from B&H). Sunpak also makes the very capable model 120J which can be used TTL for cameras with that capability with the proper adapter, but I have no experience with it.

 

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The Q-flash is quite powerful and can be used in manual mode, auto mode and TTL mode with the proper module. I use it with a Canon EOS system as well as with the Pentax and view cameras. The head swivels and tilts and comes with a parabolic reflector w/diffusor that has two positions; wide and normal. It can also be used bare-bulb.

 

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I use three of these in portable studio type work. When I bought these, I compared them to the Sunpak 120J and to systems from Norman and Lumedyne. You have to buy these with batteries. There are two models; the T-2 and the X-2. The T-2 is used with Quantum's Turbo battery while the X-2 is made to use with either the Norman or Lumedyne batteries and is much more powerful. With the Norman/Lumedyne, you can get up to 400watt-seconds(ws) of power (a lot!), but the batteries are incrediblly expensive ($900+) while the Quantum battery is less ($294) and delivers 150ws. Besides the extra power, you can use a modeling light with the X-2 when used with the Norman A400BML. I bought the Model T because of the cost, but I now wish I had the Model X because I could use the extra power and the modeling light. Of course all of that power comes at a cost. The Model T is $378 and you can pick-up Model T w/Turbo packages for about $550. The Model X is $447, so with the Norman A400BML the total cost is over $1,400.

 

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If a person needs all that power, why not just buy a studio monolight like a White lightning Ultra 1800 and get an effective power of 1800ws for only $550? Portability is the only answer. I've packed the Quantum system up mountains to set up location shots that I obviously couldn't do with a studio strobe.

 

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Why not just use the light head that comes with the Norman battery? You can, but you only have manual and lose auto or TTL exposure capability.

 

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Why didn't I get the Sunpak 120J? The Quantum Q-flash was more powerful (150ws vs 120ws) and I can use the Quantum Turbo battery with my Canon EZ430 (or many other brands).

 

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Why didn't I buy the Pentax AF 400 T strobe, the flash recommended/sold by Pentax? It's a TTL strobe made for the Pentax 35mm and 645 cameras, which I don't own, so the TTL is useless for me. I might as well just buy an inexpensive auto strobe (like the Sunpak).

 

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Why didn't I get the Metz 60? I like the studio-type light quality & bare-bulb capability of the Quantum.

 

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Quantum draw-backs: a bit big and bulky, but if I want small I use the Sunpak. Ideally made to put on light stands vs. mounting on a camera. It has a universal 1/4" threaded socket for mounting. It can be used with cheap flash bracket mounts with the 1/4" stud and mounted on the Pentax hand-grip. Another draw-back is that when using a multiple flash set-up, you have to use a lot of connecting/synching cords. The Metz 60 can be used cordless I believe.

 

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I hope this helps. JJ

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