Pentax 645

[skip hansen]

Any advice or opinions regarding a first-time medium format buyer and

the Pentax 645...ie, versus a Hasselblad, Mamiya, Bronica, etc.? Thanks.

[jeff.grant]

I have both a Hasselblad and a Pentax 645NII and love them both. I bought the Pentax as a lighter alternative to the Hasselblad. The Pentax is a great camera. The exposure system is second to none. The autofocus good and fast enough for me and the availability of lenses at good prices hard to resist.

 

One question that you need to consider is whether you like squares. I prefer the square but also like the 3:4 ratio of 645.

[tony_black1]

buy a contax 645. best of all.

[cpj]

I have three Hasselblads and a full range of lenses but I feel that except for the Superwide,

the 'blads are tripod cameras. They are great for landscapes, still life, portraits, and even

flowers, birds, insects and "mood" photos and weather shots. They are not, in my opinion,

something to carry around for general travel photography or street work. For that I turn to

one of my Rolleis and I'd recommend you consider a TLR or one of the 645 format

cameras others mentioned above.

 

The Hasselblad 500 or 200 series--and even the H1 and H2--are just too heavy for a

general, all purpose camera. I feel they were designed and made with tripod work in mind

and are not suitable for anythng approaching photojournalism. Used for the subjects I

first mentioned, they are unexcelled in performance and flexibility as long as you have a

sturdy tripod and plenty of time.

[thomas_janik]

Skip:

 

I use Pentax 35mm, 645, digital and 67 cameras. I don't have experience with other systems, so I can't compare. I can tell you that the 645 is so reliable, compact and easy to use that once I acquired it, I really stopped carrying 35mm equipment (with some exceptions). Some of the lenses are outstanding and generally less expensive than alternative systems. Most systems are excellent, so it really comes down to ergonomics and expense. As medium format lenses go, Pentax is a bargain, with arguably the best selection of lenses and the design of the camera works for me and many others.

 

PS Someone will mention that it doesnﾒt have interchangeable backs; but you can buy a used Pentax 645 body for the price of most backs, so why not have a second body for different film rather than a back

[mike_earussi1]

The Pentax 645 is the lightest, least expensive, most compact and most similar in use to a 35mm camera of any MF SLR camera out there. Plus the manual focus bodies are built like tanks (not familiar with the autofocus versions). Nevertheless, they do have a few drawbacks:

 

1. They have focal plane instead of leaf shutters, which means that their max. flash sync speed is 1/60 sec. vs. up to 1/500 for LS. Also all MF focal plane shutters have some kick, even though the Pentax 645 doesn't have much compared to some (notably it's 67 big brother which kicks like an S.O.B.).

 

2. The lenses are certainly the biggest bang for the buck (though with the ETRSi prices having dropped so much lately, this may no longer be the case), and their optical quality is good but they are decidely not as good as Zeiss.

 

So, it depends on what you want and how much money you have to play with--cost vs. convenience vs. quality.

[joename]

I had a Pentax 645 (non-autofocus) and it was a truly amazing camera.

I've went back and scanned some vacation images from it recently, and

the lenses are just incredible. I wish I still had it. The

autofocus would be a definate asset, I think. Right now I use Mamiya

TLR and 6, but would like a 645 for portability. I would go for it

if I were you.

[roger___3]

I love my Pentax 645 for all of the above reasons. Plus, you can get basically two zoom lenses and have nearly all of the commonly desired focal lengths covered.

[prashanteju]

important question is - what du want to do with it?

[todd_k.]

The Pentax 645 is a great camera with a great selection of lenses. A digital 645 is also in the works if that makes a difference. I would also like to point out that of all the other MF camera manufactures; Pentax has not once screwed their cliental by changing lens mounts. All of the old manual focus lenses will operate on the newer AF body. Mamiyas mf lenses only work in stop down mode. After fifty years of extolling the virtues of the square format Hasselblad decided to shaft all their loyal V system users with the release of the 645 H series. To use V system lenses on the H series bodies you have to purchase a thousand dollar adapter, and then they still only work in stop down mode. Sure the Contax is a great camera, but it is a dead system. Buy into a system that is alive and growing, not a dead one that you will have to migrate from eventually.

[chan yw]

I use a Mamiya M645 Pro, and think it falls into the category of a more tripod-oriented sort of MF camera like the Hasselblad as described by a poster above. While it is definitely handholdable, especially with the battery grip, its weight is a problem at the slower shutter speeds. It all really depends on what sort of photography you're into.

 

Also note that some people have commented on the different sort of colour renditions and sharpness you get from lenses of various makers. Zeiss lenses are supposed to give warmer renditions as opposed to Mamiya lenses or something like that... not sure if I'm confusing 35mm lenses with medium format now. But my advice would be to go for the system which has lenses that produce the 'look' that you most prefer.

[lee_shively]

I have two Pentax 645's (original manual focus model) and the 35, 45, 75 and 150 lenses. I had wanted one since they were first introduced in 1984 or whenever. Finally bought a used one a couple of years ago and began to build a system.

 

Really, unless you need interchangeable backs or you must have the ability to synch a flash with daylight, the P645 is pretty outstanding. You can also get lenses with built-in shutters if necessary for flash synching. It handles as well as most large 35mm SLR's for handheld shooting and it sets nicely on a tripod too. The lenses have truly excellent performance--much moreso than the bargain prices would make you think. The camera bodies are reliable, well-constructed and they seem to be durable. Although the skin is plastic, the body is metal underneath. The older lenses are solidly built and smooth as silk.

 

I like the 645 format but I also like 6x6. I also use Mamiya TLR's but there's no comparison in handling and ergonomics between the TLR and the P645. I can't compare to other medium format SLR's. It really comes down to what you prefer to use--everybody makes good cameras and lenses these days.

[paul_sauer]

Prices on used manual focus lenses are cheap, cheap, cheap. You can get a 45mm,

75mm, 150mm combo for peanuts if you don't mind a manual focus lens. The camera

feels like a large 35mm -- kind of a squarish Nikon F5.

 

For my money, Pentax 645 the best value in a medium format system out there.

[jan_hruby]

I own Pentax 645 MF and it is great camera. I hold Mamiya 645 Pro too (for afew minutes). It's quite different, Pentax isn't much lighter (with grip and view finder). Pentax lenses are outstanding, but I can't compare with any other medium format lenses (except Flexaret 8-). If you don't have enought money, you could buy lenses with P-six bayonet (+ adapter of course); Flektogon 50/4 MC is realy great lens. Hartblei produses lenses suitable for Contax 645, Mamiya 645, Pentax 645 and Kiev 88(CM) in great prices.

[willie_jan_bons2]

pentax has outstanding lenses also.

don't be fooled by people who say that it is not as good as brand x.

 

You will have to find out for each lens what the quality is.

See www.photodo.com for grades.

And i would not use zooms, just look at the grades and you will know why.

[john_swallow]

I first got involved with Canon AE1 35mm slr, when I moved to MF I chose Pentax 645, which is like the former only on steriods. I have had no regrets.

Jack

[martin_stadler]

I love my old manual focus Pentax 645

It allows me to use Pentax 6x7 lenses,

within their sweet spot, using

a Pentax 67 to Pentax 645 adapter.

 

The other brands can't do that !!!

 

Pentax lenses are CHEAP but GOOD

I also use old Pentacon P-6 lenses

with a $50 adaptor.

 

The 645 rectangular aspect ration is also more

usable than the squarish 67 or the square 6x6.

 

The only thing I don't like is the inability

of the 120 film holders to switch to 220 film,

like most TLRs could, such as my Yashica-mat 124.

 

Two different and pricey film hodlers are needed,

one for 120 the other for 220, but I saw a 70mm

roll film holder available on the net.

 

Also the old cameras only shoot 15 frames

per 120 roll, the new ones can handle 16.

 

My advice: Buy several 645 bodies, and use 67 lenses.

You don't need as many lenses with a 645, to start with,

because the larger film format allows for some cropping.

 

The 465 35mm is a great wide angle, 67 55mm is good,

P-6 120mm and 180mm are great, 67 300 mm if you must.

 

Martin