zoom lens for a P6/Kiev60?

After lugging a sack of glass (including the CZJ 180/2.8) around for a whole

day constantly changing lenses near the sea in windy/rainy weather I feel that

a zoom would be a practical thing to have. Certainly if I want to take the

Kiev60 on holiday as main camera. (foolish I know)

 

I went a bit through my 35mm photo's and what I see is that most are taken in

the range of 28-50. Longer shots only for details.

 

Does anyone knows of a zoom in the range 50-120 that fits (or can be made to

fit with an adaptor) on a Pentacon 6 mount? I do not mind if it is rather large

and heavy. If possible a 2.8 because I often take pics inside with no flash

allowed.

 

The goal is to have a lens that can be used 80% of the time when travelling.

Reducing the risk and speeding up the proceedings a bit for my fellow

travellers. The remaining 20% reached by changing lenses.

I do not know what is Kiev60, but Hasselblad system inclues zoom lenses, two I suppose. Limited speed but high quality. Would they suit with a new body? As we all know, all these fine pieces of optics, machinery and engineering are today pretty affordable in price. (Next from nothing?)

 

Kerkko K.

There are at least two native zoom lenses for the P6/K60 mount: Schneider Variogon 140-280mm f/5.6 MC and Joseph Schneider Variogon 75-150mm f/4.5 MC. Theoretically you could also use Pentax 67 lenses like the SMC Pentax 55mm-100mm f/4.5 if there is an adapter available.

<p>

But f/2.8?!? You gotta be kidding! Stop looking for a medium format zoom if SPEED is important. Those (slow) zoom lenses are already huge and heavy, and using the K60 as a holiday camera is indeed foolish. Get a <abbr title="digital single-lens reflex cameras">dSLRs</abbr> and enjoy photography again instead of (literally) hauling around tons of equipment and annoying your friends. Medium format has a slow workflow and is for those special occasions, not casual shooting anymore (and I'm not too happy about this either).

AFAIK the only zoom lenses in P-6 mount are the Schneider Variogon f/4.5, 75-150 and f/5.6, 140-280. They both meet your "large and heavy" criteria. They are also very expensive.

 

FWIW I have an f2.8, 120mm Vega which is quite small and light. The Vega also takes the same (62 mm) filters as the 8o mm Arsat/Vega--I use a step-down ring on mine so I can use my 80 mm Biometar's 58 mm filters.

 

Carrying a 120 Vega plus a 50 mm Flektogon wouldn't be backbreaking.

I had found about those Schneider zooms but they are on the long range of the scale and I need more the wide end. The Pentax 55-100 would be in the right range. But I haven't seen an adaptor yet. I'll take that one into consideration.

 

Maybe learning to work with less lenses is an option. The 55PSC and the 80 would be a start.

 

"But f/2.8?!? You gotta be kidding! Stop looking for a medium format zoom if SPEED is important. Those (slow) zoom lenses are already huge and heavy, and using the K60 as a holiday camera is indeed foolish. Get a dSLRs and enjoy photography again instead "

 

Well, it is because of the Kiev that I enjoy taking pics again after this was thoroughly destroyed by a Canon 300D. Digital is out of the question for the holiday. If it isn't possible with the Kiev I'll go back to slides on the Eos RT. I prefer taking less pictures but enjoying it against a few thousand and having to spends months trawling though them, spending inane amounts of time behind a pc in order to make them marginally sharp and even then they still lack what any basic slide manages without help: decent colours and dynamics. Don't get me started on digital... (this doesn't mean I don't use it for specific occasions where its properties are desirable)

I am also a big fan of "less is more". Just control yourself and don't take insane amounts of pictures with a digital camera. I for one delete ruthlessly. And when I'm shooting/traveling with other people I have to respect their wishes, too, and if this means not slowing everyone down, I leave the clunky and beloved MF gear at home (especially anything unreliable as a Kiev). If speed, convenience and hand-holdablitity is important, those MF zooms will not make you happy. Again, less is more (this time in regards to equipment).

"I for one delete ruthlessly."

 

Well you cannot delete digital pictures __before__ you have seen them on a large screen and done at least some minor software intervention.

 

At the moment I don't have experienced the legendary "unreliable" kiev. It is more dependable than I am.

The pentax 67 55-100mm,ia a good lensand is possible to make an adapter because pentax 67 has a 84.95mm distance from mount to plane film, and the kiev 60 has 74,1mm, then you have space enought to make an adapter.

<blockquote><i>Well you cannot delete digital pictures __before__ you have seen them on a large screen and done at least some minor software intervention.</i></blockquote><p>

Watch me!

 

<br> 

<blockquote><i>At the moment I don't have experienced the legendary "unreliable" kiev. It is more dependable than I am.</i></blockquote><p>

I have two (Kiev-60 and Kiev-6C) and both have their quirks and have let me down in mid-shooting. Count yourself lucky.

"The pentax 67 55-100mm,ia a good lensand is possible to make an adapter because pentax 67 has a 84.95mm distance from mount to plane film, and the kiev 60 has 74,1mm, then you have space enought to make an adapter."

 

Good news. I'll keep an eye open for one of those Pentax lenses.

 

Anyone knows of a Pentax-P6 adaptor? I do have a small machine shop at home but would prefer to buy one before trying to make one...

Johan:

 

I have been agonizing over whether to take my Bronica on a grueling multi city bus trip(vacation?) thru the EU next spring. The weight issue has killed the idea for me. I'm going to take a Yashica 124 and possibly also a very small Minolta 35mm. It really pains me as I know I will be missing some wonderful shots. But the practicalities prohibit it. (did I mention the weight?)

 

This may not exactly be your problem - but it's close.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/6629650&size=lg

Indeed, not exactly but close :) I was planning taking the Kiev, a P6 and at least the 55PSC, 80, 120 (and a 65 if I can find one). I fear I would have to add a lightmeter to that.

 

Well I guess the next alternative is taking just the 55 and 80. After all I have spend about 10 years using only a 50mm on a 35mm when I started taking photo's. It would at the same time put a stop on taking too much pics.

Johan,

 

If you are using the Russian/Ukrainian optics, try these various configurations:

ConFig.#1 55PCS, 80mmMC Biometar,120mm MC Biometar , 1.4X MC

 

ConFig.#2 45mm MC,60mm Schneider/65mm MC Mir, 120mm MC Biometar, 1.4X

 

ConFig.#3 50mmMC Flektogon,80mm MC Biometar,120mm MC Biometar, 1.4X

 

Personally, I have great experience with the CZJ and Schneider optics. You would of course have to test those combinations with the 1.4X MC teleconvertor. The Russian/Ukrainian 1.4X MC and 2X MC teleconvertors tend to work better with the Russian/Ukrainian optics.

 

I use ConFig.#3 whenever i travle overseas with my Exakta 66MK2 with a WLF.

 

Evan

Okay, thanks for all your ideas and toughts. I had a peek at that Pentax and the price is a bit steep to be honest. So the best solution will be to travel with a limited set. Only problem is how to try this out? But I still have a few months to go. And the WLF would save some weight as well.

 

As for "speed": this is relative. With the family we travel at a rather sedate speed and take our time when visiting places. It isn't rare to spend and hour or 2 in a single church or a complete afternoon in a museum.

I second your thoughts regarding digital. It's fine as far as it goes, but when you've shot medium format and larger ... ooohh my!

 

A decent wide angle and a "normal" or slightly long lens could do the trick. After all, you can always crop a little bit if you need to when you make your prints.

 

Also, you have a couple of months left? Take a day trip to a couple of places you really like, and check out what you shoot with.

 

And get your family to help you carry some of your gear, huh? They're your best friends, aren't they?

 

Good luck!