bert_wiklund

The problem you have, are not one that you will experience only. We all will have it sooner or later. It's a matter of constuction in Pentax and manufakturing of a cabel release.

The traveling distance form attachement of cabel until it fires the shutter, in Pentax 67 II, are very short. Longer distance in the old 6x7. The cabel release's inner cabel are made of a coiled spring to make it smooth. If you press that spring to the bottom on a 67II, it will sooner or later be compressed. And you have a problem. The solution are to make the inner cabel longer again by brute force!

To Kenneth and others planing to make a shortcut; I think that putting something extra to the pin will do more harm. What you actually do are bending the switch further back. The switch are just two thin sheet of metal (aluminum?). The distance from the switch point and the anchorpoint are too long for the thin pice of metal.

In the past there has been numerous questions on a serious problem

with 67II. In the middle (or start or end) of a roll the camera reset

to 0. After having experienced this problem a number of times and

having the problem growing, I have now found the solution. It's a

problem we all will experience sooner or later, due to a weak

construction.

If you open the back and look to the upper left of the camera, you see

a small pin sticking out. That pin does close a circuit that tells the

camera that the back is closed and the counter starts from 0. When you

open the back the pin opens the circuit and tells the camera to go to

0. The switch that close the circuit are too weak, and after some time

it will accidentally open and set the counter to 0 - anytime!

If you are not a gifted instrument maker, don't do it yourself.

Disassemmbley are easy, but assembling the switch are very tricky. All

that have to bee done are cleaning and bending the switch back.

If you let a repair shop do the job it's on, what Pentax calls "Back

cover switch pedestal" and switch contacts A80. It's not necessary to

insert a new one, just bend it back.

 

Bert Wiklund, www.bwfoto.dk

I have used both lenses. But today I use the 100 mm only. First

of all because it's sharper and much easier to use. Especially if

you plan to go down to 1:1. On the infinity (as a general lens) it's

far better than the 135 mm. There is not the big difference on 1:1.

But the focal lens are not very good for plant portraits. A full plant

(size of a tulip) it's good. In portraits it's better to use e.g. 200

mm. or longer. To have better control and blur of the background.

My recommendation are for the 100 even if it cost a lot more.

I think you are up to a new ring. I haven't had your problem. But

problems on the contrary, the ring passed last thread and

couldn't hold the lens to the body. I don't remember the price, but

it wasn't expencive. Do use full force!!

I have done a lot of what you are going to do. It's not simpel to

start, but gives tremendus results. I am using Nikkor 50/2,8

micro lens in reverse on my 6x7. First you get the Pentax 6x7

reverse adapter. Then a step-up ring 49-52 mm. Extention rings

plus double cabel release and Nikon ring BR-4 to stop down.

I don't know if Pentax have the same rings etc. but I suppose they

have.

If you fit a small flash on the lens, it is simpel to do 5X on free

hand in nature this way. But requries a lot of practising to get

good results. You will get surprised how easy it is to get the

pollen on a bee not just to be spots, but seeing some texture

aswell. Keep up and do a lot of practising!

Hi every body,

 

I had the same problem. And found a sollution, so far. It seems

like the problem starts if you do not (as I didn't) wind the film all

the way to "End" (four strokes with 120-film). If you only wind

three strokes, it seems like there is something building up on

the chip. And it goes banana, exactly like described. After I

always wind my Pentax II to "End", I'm out of the problem. So far.

Bert Wiklund

1. The difference are; the big filter to put in front of the lens, the

small one to put in the back of the lens (on the same lens)

2. I don't have any experience with the adapter. But please be

careful to check the locking rings thread. As I suppose you are

looking for an used one (all are by now).

Hi Steve,

 

Having decades of experience with stock agencies. Even started one many years ago, my

experience are:

Be very careful of witch agency you join. In principal you can sign up to any - worldwide. And

they love you doing so - that is what they are living of. Do extensive research on the Internet!

The clear tendency today are that more and more agencies fuse together and/or the big ones get

bigger by buying the small ones. Because all are (or must) distributing by the internet - and that

is expensive to start up.

Many years ago I decided not to join any agent. Running it myself. Mostly because one mist the

contact with the market - that is changing all the time. One miss the questions of new picture

wants. And often the new tendencies show up 1/2 to one year before you see it on print, or

whatever.

On the other hand, the stock agency take care of all the boring office work. You can concentrate

on photographing! Being professional your work are photographing, not clerk work.

Hi Philippe,

 

Consider to buy a special optic that is more useful. It cost a lot more, but see it as a professional investment over many, many years. I can recommend you to go for the Macro 100/4,0 mm.

Works excellent from infinity down to 1:1.

Dear Paul Bolam,

 

I have had the 400/4,0 Pentax for 8 years now. Overall I am satisfied with it. In spite of not using it very often. Mostly because of weight. I can't tell the exactly weight, but it's very heavy!

Handheld is very difficult, nearly out of question. The ring for distance settings are long walking and heavy to turn. Nothing like my IF Nikon 400 mm. Performance is good, but need stop down. Working on full opening is out of question, if you care about sharpness. You have to add a warming filter, as it's colourbalance is cold. The filter are placed in rear. 67 mm. works with step-down ring. Aperture setting are non auto, you have to set it by hand. Close focus is only 8 meters/28 feet, working on outer bayonet only. Making it necessary to have new extension tubes. All in all you will find that it's mostly in landscapes you will use it. With a sturdy two point support, mirror up, stop down to f/11-16, slow (50 ISO) film, filter on, you can get

stunning images.

 

Bert Wiklund, www.bwfoto.dk

Dear DG,

I have used all what you are thinking of. Not a Linhof, but a 4x5" Horseman with Grandagon 75 mm. on 6x7-back. My Shift 75 mm. on Pentax were stolen after 7 years of work.

Consider the following before you purchase a Pentax:

Price: A new Pentax 67II +prism +75 mm.shift, will cost ca. the double of Technikardan +Grandagon! After looking for a used 75 mm. shift ,for some years now, I have given it up.

It is no difficulties in hand holding the Pentax +75 mm. even if it is rather heavy and big. But most like you will use a tripod to do critical architecture shots, due to parallel lines, and necessity to stop down to

get full sharpness after shifting. There are no possibility to use a spirit lever.

The 75 mm. lens is excellent in performance, incl. use of full shift (11 mm?) capability. It can be used on full opening, and as I remember there were no big difference on the f-stops. Only be careful when

using it on min. f-stop (32).

Best wishes, Bert Wiklund www.bwfoto.dk

Michael,

One question on your test; You are talking on heavy tripods and

vibrations. To me it looks as if you are using the onepoint

technique. The lens/camera are only fastened in one point - the

tripods head. Using long lenses I do always try to get as much

support as possible. Best support is simply laying the camera

on

ground. Landscapes like yours testsite I always try to get support

from the tipod and an additional point (I love viewpoints with a

sturdy banister)

Dear Doug,

Here is the answer to your need: Down to 1:1 use the macro 100

or 135mm pentax lens. Further down ? Do like me. Start to find

the pentax reverse ring (49 mm thread) buy a 49 to 52 mm

step-up ring. Use Micro-Nikkor 55/2,8 in reverse. Get an Nikon

BR-4 ring to close the apperature. Get an doubble

cabel-releaser. An additonal set of pentax extention rings. If you

make yourself a holder for a small fast flash with a diffuser,

mounted on the lens, you have the absolute best optical

performance (nikon lens set on the nearest focal point - due to

floating elements). And a very convinient and light camera. I have

taken X8 picures of bees in flower on Velvia film. It is interesting

to see that pollen isn't just a white spot, but are round (getting

shadow to see texture!)

We have all experienced the problem of blur on outer 1/6 of an

image, taken at slow shutter speed. The problem has been

discussed before and the conclusion was that

shuttercurtainaction will course blur. It have been a stone i my

shoe for a long time!

Despite having the heaviest Gitzo tripod with the biggest

Studioball head, I still did experienced blur sometime. First

action was to change the plate of Studioball (in plastic) with

Manfrottos bigger 6-edged plate in aluminum. It helped, but

didn't solved the problem complete.

If you put your 67II on the tripod, you will experience that it is

easier to wiggle the body sideways than to and fro. Look at the

bottom of the body, and you will see that there are ridges that

make it impossible to have full contact with the heads plate. The

ridges are left-overs from the old 6X7 - it is ridges from the

former battery chamber.Now I have grinded these ridges off the

plastic bottom. And it works! Be very careful if you plan to do the

same. Grinding have to be absolute in plane, otherwise there

isn't full contact. The ridges are app. 0,1 mm. high. If you plan to

sell the camera second-hand - don't do it! It looks awful! There is

a screw next to the socket for tripodscrew. This hole have to be

drilled an additional 0,1 mm. deeper (3,5 or 4,0 mm. drill will fit).

Also be careful not to grind the serial number off.

Dear Mr. Pentax! Next upgrade of molding tools to the

plastic bottom of 67II body, have to be redesigned!

 

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Bert Wiklund, www.bwfoto.dk