Pentacon Six Update

[jorn ake]

Went to Prague to shoot a friend's glamour shot for his book jacket

cover - only he got sent to Africa for his magazine & we merely passed

each other in the air somewhere over Frankfurt. Ach. Fortunately the

ticket was nearly free, so of course, I spent money on camera

equipment. I found a fresnel screen for the Pentacon, and I got a

Sonnar 180mm f2.8. The fresnel is a nice addition & the Sonnar is a

HUGE lens that takes very pleasing (to me) soft shots with available

light. Below see a shot of a Prague window celebrating the summertime

(though the temperature hung right around 60 degrees while I was

there!) done with the Flektogon 80mm (quite a lens) and then a shot of

Lubos the Cat from Nod done handheld with the Sonnar 180mm at 2.8. I

plan to use the Sonnar for portraits and will shoot them from a tripod

not handheld. I'll post 'em when I get 'em. I seem to have all the

eccentricities of the Pentagon down, thanks again to the encouragement

& tips from this list.<p>

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Cheers!

[Sandeha Lynch]

I really like good tones on white fabric like this, but the plant in the background looks ... like some sort of alien being - weird.

[jorn ake]

That should be "Pentacon" in that last bit. I have no idea what the Pentagon is up to.

 

I seem to remember that the plant was moving in the breeze of an open window, but now that you mention it, Sandeha, it does look a bit ominous.

[gene m]

The window shot is gorgeous. I'm jealous.

[paulh]

Jorn

 

Both are nice shots. Glad that the P6 is working well for you.

 

I'm trying to decide on whether to get a 6x6 SLR, probably either a Bronica S2A or Pentacon, or at least something medium format and with interchangeable lenses. Both the P6 and S2A are entirely mechnical, but the P6 of course has a wide range of affordable lenses, and so far all my eastern block gear has worked well. The P6 would fit into the commie theme.

 

How do you find the focus screen - is it really very dim? How much better is the new one? How is your film spacing now you have the winding method sorted? Any other problems?

 

I realise if I got a P6 (or S2A), I could unload it and not have lost too much. I'm just curious to see what your opinion is as you actually use it.

 

I hope the trip was enjoyable (apart from the shopping bit!!).

 

Paul

[cenelsonfoto]

Jorn, that cat shot is nice. You headed back to the states soon, then?

[jorn ake]

Thanks Gene.

 

Paul, I too was looking at the Bronica but decided on the Pentacon for two reasons - cost and straightforward film loading. The Pentacon loads like a standard camera and takes 120 & 220 without even a pressure plate switch. Costs - well, I paid about $100 for the body and 80mm lens & $145 each for the 50mm and the 180mm (everything bought in Prague.) That's a full set for $390, and then I got a prism for $30 & the new screen for $50. The only caveat is that I have had to learn three tricks - one for loading, one for winding and one for shooting - because my camera body has spacing "issues".

 

The stock screen is fine but finding the brighter fresnel was still cool. So the Exakta focus screen from Baier Foto might be a good investment. And the Kiev waistlevel is a nice light-tightish black box, so the Kiev prism adapter might be a good idea too.

 

On the other hand, I need to just keep going outside and shooting the heck out of the thing & doing my part to keep 120 film makers in business. No excuses in other words. A little finicky, but a great camera nonetheless.

 

CE - I'm back and in one piece even. Hope things are good your way.

[cenelsonfoto]

As good as can be expected. Welcome home.

[rmdavis]

Jorn, did you go by Skodafoto when you were in Prague? What were the flektogons going for?

 

I have a friend visitng me in a few months and am thinking of giving her a shopping list.

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan

[rmdavis]

BTW Jorn, I used to have spacing issues with my Pentacon as well, and had to try and do the winding "trick." It usually worked, except of course for when I had a really critical shot to take. Anyway, I got the thing CLA'd at Active Camera in Brooklyn, by a tech naemd Eddie Smolov. He garaunteed the Pentacon for 3 mos. after the CLA, even against spacing issues. That was 6 months ago, and without "tricks", I just throw the lever- my spacing issues have noever returned.

 

I heard that using 220 provokes spacing issues. Have you found the problem worse with 220 (I have never used it).

[jorn ake]

Ryan:

 

Yes from Skoda Foto, but also from Jan Pazdera across and up the street. Pazdera, which has a slightly worse location, often is several hundred kc cheaper for same item & same condition.

 

The newer all black MC Flektogons can go for about 3500kc, which is about $145. I saw a couple for this price in Skoda when I was there last. The older "zebra" Flektogons (not MC) can be found in good condition for about 1400kc, which is about $60. I realize now that I actually have the latter and only paid about $80 (2000kc) for my zebra Flektogon. The Sonnar (that WAS 3500kc with caps & hood, a key ingredient) & Biometar (which came with the body I bought at Pazdera for 2500kc or about $100) I have are the MC lenses in my collection.

 

Too much math.

 

I will definitely take my Pentacon over to Eddie. I have heard nothing but good things about his work. I was emboldened by his reputation & Rick Oleson's mechanical explanation to grab a Praktisix body, but nada to be found. To je skoda (it is a pity).

[rmdavis]

jasne je to skoda, vole!

 

I picked up my Pentacon at Prazdera, I just couldn't remember the name. I have an amaatuer photagrapher friend who works for Bloomberg in Prague, and he usually likes that a bit better than Skodafoto, it depends on what is available. I am always a little bit nervous about buying lenses for "the beast" on the bay- with the shops in Prague I have always gotten quality material. In fact, when I bought my Pentacon, the guy examined it, then switched it outfor a better body, but gave me the lens that I had originally chosen (as it was a better biometar). Those folks strike me as really ethical. My one on-line lens puchase turned out OK, I got a Carl Zeiss Jena 300mm for abut $60- looks like hell (dented hood, rust on the aperture flanges) but takes good photos. I would REALLY love to get hold of a flektogon- the 80mm is just a bit too long. Have you done street photography with the Pentacon? What do you think is the slwest shutter speed you can hand hold it in relatively good light (cloudy, but vasic summer day)?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Ryan

[OCULUS New York]

Congrats, you bought THE most critical component, the focus screen. That milk glass in the original was a disaster. I also got the converted meter prism for mine (done by Baier Foto in Munich (?)Germany). Together it was night and day, literally.

 

Don't put off much longer the Flektagon 50mm; it's even more wonderful that the Olympic (1939) 180mm. There are several VERY good user sites if you search with specific winding/spacing instructions. I have them bookmarked at home if you have trouble finding them.

 

And if you feel really flush, the Exacta factory SOLICITS repair work for that camera; about 2 years ago, a complete overhaul with updates to everything but a metered prism (no longer available) was about $350--well worth it if you have a bag full of lenses, etc. Check their website to see what the current outlook for work is.

 

Have fun.

Ray Hull<div></div>

[skygzr]

I went to the Baier Photo site but I did not see the replacement screen. Is it listed on the English part of the site?

[rmdavis]

Jorn

 

I thought you might enjoy this link.

 

http://sites.gizoogle.com/?url=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00D4fw

[jorn ake]

Ryan: That wouldn't be Marek Miler that you know, would it? He is a very good friend of mine. A great guy.

 

What a patois that link produces!

 

I really like the Flektogon. I have hand held it down to 1/8th of a second, bracing the camera against the neck strap and shooting from waist height with very good results. The viewfinder is about 80% of the full frame, so you compose and then take a full step closer to fill the frame. Or maybe two steps. I use a Contax #1 86mm ring shade on the lens and a multi-coated 86mm filter - keeps the lens less obtrusive and protected for street shooting. Plus I figure the multi-coating might (might) help a bit with my un-multi-coated Flek.

 

Kevin: The screen is on one of the German pages for the Baier site - thanks for reminding me.

 

Here is the url: http://www.baierfoto.de/neu.html

 

The screen is in the second section under "Fur Exakta 66 and Pentacon Six" and is written in German as "Original-Einstellscheibe MKPG wie in Mod. 2/3" for 90eu, and then the absolutely necessary replacement wire retainer is listed below it as "Einbaukit f�r rahmenlosen Einbau der Einstellscheibe MKPG in Mod.1 / Praktisix, Pentacon Six" for 5eu.

 

The other option is the prism adapter on this page: http://www.baierfoto.de/exaktaprism.html which is in English. I would get this, not necessarily to use a prism, but in order to use the boxy Kiev 60 waistlevel that creates a dark box over the viewing screen when erected & decreases to nearly nil stray light from the sides. The Kiev prisms and waistlevel finders give you a view of the entire focus screen, while the Pentacon versions cut down the view a bit. The all black boxy Kiev waistlevel is the one to get, not the one with the chrome deco-look.<div></div>

[rmdavis]

Jorn- actually, it is Marek Miler, he used to date(until quite recently) a friend of mine named Eva. How is he doing these days?

 

Small world, huh?

[alex_jones6]

<p>Hi<br>

nice pictures and prague sounds insanely cheap. very inpressed with your finds.<br>

i am just recently bought a pentacon six with three lenses; the biometar 80 , flektogon 50 and the sonnar 120. but problem is i dont know where i can get hold of the pentacon six TTL finder as the adapater + kiev is quite abit of money and im not going to be going on a trip to prague. one of my friends is however think its worth asking them to have a look for me? Also the 180mm looks rather lush, any opinions of it?<br>

cheers any help appreciated.<br>

photos up soon ;)</p>