kelly_hughes

Was there a particular manual you needed? just curious, as I have a few in PDF format, but they're freely available on the web if you look hard enough.

It sounds like a simple battery contact problem. Perhaps one of the prongs has gotten bent. I know they are pretty firm in my 645N, but it's worth checking. (You probably did this when you changed batteries, but thought I'd suggest it just in case.) You might also peek up into the body cavity where the battery pack goes and see if you see anything suspect up there.

 

Regardless, if you decide to dump it, the body will draw some $$ on eBay. Just describe the issue prominently in the ad so people understand they are bidding on a unit that probably needs repair. The 645NII is rarer than the 645N and still draws a sizable price when fully working, so you might be surprised at what it will bring in.

 

Good luck, and post back if you get it resolved.

There is a 70mm back option for that camera, but I've only seen one before, and that was on eBay, and not mounted to the camera. No help here either. My only other guess would be a Polaroid back. To my knowledge, those two oddities along with the 120/220 backs, round out the 4 possibilities ever created for 645.

Yeah, that's a great price. Six months ago, a 645N (not even an NII) was about $800 with just a 75mm lens on Ebay (good sellers, sterling feedback, great condition of course). Now that Pentax has announced they won't be making the 645D anytime soon, they have fallen a tad to about $700 on average, but that's just an 645N and one lens. Being newer and rarer, the 645NII are usually significantly costlier. And then the 45-85 is worth a few hundred more alone. I'm guessing that kit could fetch about $1000 to $1200 on eBay.

Oh, I forgot to say that the focusing screen is behind a frame that latches pretty firmly from what I recall. While I haven't tried shooting nearly upside down myself, I'd be surprised if it let go on its own. I'd guess your friend either had a defect, or more likely, someone didn't fully latch it back right after having it open.

 

And one more thing on choosing between them... the 645N has focus confirmation, even on MF lenses. So you get the little green dot in the viewfinder (and the beep, if you want it) when the camera thinks the focus is right, even though you're using the old MF lenses.

 

FWIW, I did upgrade to the 645N, but I did it when 645 were going for $300 and 645N were going for $800. Nowadays, I'd say the prices are more typically $250 and $500. Either way, they are great cameras, and you'll have fun with either.

If you're going to use manual focus lenses, then I think the biggest advantage to the 645N would be the knobs that let you roll your shutter speed and exposure compensation without using up/down buttons. Having the 645N would also allow you to use AF lenses in the future if you wanted, but all the older MF ones work fine too.

 

Now that Pentax announced the 645D development is dropped, eBay prices for the 645N have dropped to what a plain 645 sold for about a year ago. There also seem to be more AF lenses on eBay these days than MF, but the 645N bodies are still rarer than 645 bodies.

 

Also be aware that the default screen on the 645N is a matte center spot screen (no split prism or microprism collar like the 645), and finding alternative screens is tougher for the 645N than the 645 for some strange reason). Tougher, but not impossible if eBay isn't repulsive to you. Bear in mind that the "stock" screen for the 645N is easy to find -- B&H carries them. It's the others like gridlines and split prism. Also, Pentax didn't make a split/micro prism collar screen at all for the 645N -- only a microprism spot OR a split prism, but none with BOTH. Beattie (sp?) does/did, but they are almost $300.

Did you make sure you were in the same metering mode on both bodies? Assuming they are both using the same settings across the board, I can't think of any reason that they'd be different. Sure the sensors might vary slightly from one body to the other, but 1 or 2 stops is way too far off to be sensor variance.

 

Try taking the shot and see if the exposures come out correct. With a 1 or 2 stop difference, I think it will be obvious which body is reading correctly.

 

Also, if you aren't using auto aperture, check that the body is detecting the same aperture that the ring is set to. That could explain a difference in metering. I noticed on one of my lenses once, that as I rolled the aperture ring, the setting the camera picked up (showing in the viewfinder display) would sometimes differ from what the ring was set to. I got the impression that the contacts on the aperture ring were dirty (like on old volume control on a stereo that adds scratchiness to the sound as it's turned). I rolled the ring around a few extra times and it seemed to correct itself.

For more portability that includes tight headshots and macro capabilities, you might consider the 645 format. The Pentax 645n is very affordable these days due to Pentax announcing they're shelving the 645D digital MF development (so the AF lenses and matching film bodies aren't going to pop up in value suddenly.) The lenses are reputed to be on par with the Hassy and Mamiyas. I specifically mention the Pentax because the whole family (645/645n/645n2) has dampening to reduce mirror slap/shock, and that makes it usable without a tripod more so than the other models it competes with. Plus, it's cheaper to buy. Obviously, you wouldn't get a 6x6 negative, though, which might be a dealbreaker for you. I have the 645n, and I really like having AF and full Program mode there for times when I feel lazy.

I don't actually own the Mamiya 6 or the Hassy, but it seems like most of the user reviews I've read about the 6 say that the lenses are top notch. Plus, they are interchangeable, so you aren't locked into one focal length that makes a compromise between street and portraits. It sounds like you are leary of the size/weight of the Hassy, so I'd suggest trying out the Mamiya 6. I've heard it has most everything done right, even better than the Mamiya 7, according to a couple of sources.

The Pentax 645 system is smaller and lighter, has mirror dampening to reduce slap, and can sync the flash at twice the speed of the Pentax 67. The down side is the negative is smaller. But that buys you something handholdable, which might come in handy for portraits. Something to consider, perhaps. Bodies and lenses are plentiful on eBay. Now that Pentax has declared the 645D development to be shelved, prices on the 645n (autofocus capable) have dropped to what the older 645 models (manual focus, no 2nd knob) were a few months before.

Post a picture, so we can see. Does it have a family name, ie, Portra, Ektachrome, etc?

I just picked up my first test roll from them (120 film, 16 shots). These were the first roll with my Fuji 645zi I bought just before vacation, so they were redundant with the DSLR in case it fogged or something. But they came out fine. I just got single prints on the small 4x5ish matte through the send-off service from the kiosk. Now here's the best part -- my cost was only $2.55!! I think I'll be using them again!

I don't own that particular camera, so take all this with a grain of salt.

 

I would think you could make it work with your existing eyes, if the hardware is working properly. Does the viewfinder on the camera have a diopter adjustment? You need to set that correctly, using the same configuration you shoot with (ie, glasses on, or glasses off). Focus on something easy to determine focus on (something with a vertical line in it) and adjust normal focus to get the split/prism right. Then adjust the diopter so that it's as sharp as possible for your eyes. If there are several clicks that are close to being correct, take your time and make sure you pick the very best one. That should compensate for any "drift" that your eyes have done since you got your glasses. If there are zone lines on the focus screen, your diopter adjustment should make them as sharp as possible at the correct setting, and it should be the same setting that makes the focal point in the scene the sharpest. If these don't coincide on the same diopter setting, I think that points to hardware problems.

 

After that, if the split prism is showing focus on a particular spot, and that's not where the focus point happens, then perhaps your focus screen really is in upside down, as previously suggested. I'm presuming by "upside down", he meant the front is facing back, and vice versa, not actually rotated 180 degrees while looking at the face of the screen so that the "sky" area is at the ground, etc. I can see where a backwards viewscreen would create a frontfocus/backfocus condition with the matte surface being a fraction of an inch off from the depth it's intended to be.

 

That double image thing sounds weird, too. That makes me think your focus screen isn't mounted correctly, or there's something extra in there with it -- smudges or small rodents?

 

On the other hand, that closeup shot doesn't make anything behind the eye look particularly in focus either. I think it might be a generally soft shot, which would point to any number of things, such as film being wound tightly to stay flatly in the film plane, pressure plate being adjusted correctly, or even lens quality (possibly dropped while in the box so that it was jarred without showing exterior damage?)

I came from the other end. Rather than coming to digital from film, I started with digital and evolved backwards into film. I started trying to take photography seriously about the time I got a Canon S1-IS. I quickly wasn't satisfied and went through an FZ20, a Rebel XT, and landed on KM 5D with anti-shake in the body so all my lenses are "IS". That led me to Maxxum film cams (compatible with my Dslr lenses) and seeing the quality there, I later branched into the Pentax 645 system for even better quality (who could resist a lke-new Pentax 645 with lens for $300?) Lastly, I added a Fuji 645Zi for travel and that rounds out my current collection -- KM 5D, Maxxum 7, Pentax 645N, and Fuji 645Zi.

 

So far I'm loving the hybrid approach. If I'm in the car, I usually have the DSLR and two MF film cameras with me. I shoot more shots on the digital, but if it's a shot I think is worthy of a large print for the living room wall, I take it with film too. My volume? For a week-long cruise to the Caribbean, I came back with about 160 digital shots, and 40 film shots.

 

A couple of years ago, I wouldn't have thought I'd need 4 cameras for this hobby, but I can't imagine letting any of them go. They each have their uses and are a pleasure to shoot with in their own ways.

Actually, both Walmart and Sam's (effectively the same company) send them off to qualified labs. Depending on whether you're just in it as a hobby, these are some of the cheapest and easiest ways to get 120/220 film developed. Alternatively, larger cities often have a couple of pro-oriented shops that will do it. Here in Houston, we have Houston Camera Exchange and PhotoSource. Local prices vary wildly, so compare the full range of services and sizes, as the "correct" place may vary depending on what size prints you want... and the quality you get back, of course.

 

If the Walmart / Sam's approach appeals to you, here's a thread with more info on it: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00LSzz

Ok, all you GA645Zi owners... need a quick confirmation before I send my camera

back to KEH.

 

When loading the film, camera set to OFF position, turning the wheel on top is

supposed to spin the takeup spool via a motor, correct? That's my

interpretation from reading the manual (PDF), but all I hear is a little

clicking noise and it doesn't turn the spool. I think my takeup motor is bad.

Is there a setting or some step I'm missing that might make a good takeup motor

decide to "decline" to turn the spool at that time?

 

Thanks.

I got a few Delkin rechargeable 123a's a few months back for use in my Maxxum 7

35mm, but never got around to trying them yet (the non-rechargeable ones haven't

died yet). I'm thinking about using them in my Fuji 645Zi that's arriving

tomorrow, rather than buying new disposable 123a's. Anyone ever use them in

their rangefinder?

According to the manual, page 59, it indicates you need to push down and turn the knob. Maybe that's what engages the catch correctly. See this page: http://66.49.230.119/prof_pdf/pentax_645-3.pdf. Page 15 of the PDF is page 59 of the manual. Also, you can edit the -3 in the address to get to the 2nd and 1st pages -- it's broken into 3 PDF parts.

As long as they're transferring the image already, why didn't they add a lens and bump the image size up to fill up the whole polaroid?

Maybe you should widen your search to include people outside the UK. Don't expect much out of us Texans, though, having just had about 44 straight days of rain.

The Pentax 645N is very DSLR like for MF.  It has built-in metering (spot, center weighted, matrix), motor drive, autofocus, Program mode.  Plus it has mirror dampening so that you don't need a tripod in as many situations as the 67 series or other brands.  The dampening works well, as seen at the bottom of <a href= "http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/645-mlu.shtml">this page</a>. <p>

Biggest downer is flash sync is only 1/60s.  <a href="http://photosig.pcphotoreview.com/mfr/pentax/medium-format/PRD_84065_3107crx.aspx">Here's</a> a page of reviews where the camera scored 4.37 out of 5 across 30 reviews.

Actually, I've read that the only difference between the 120 and 220 inserts on Pentax 645(n/nII) is a little piece that tells the camera which film type in order to know how many shots to stop at. I read that the pressure plate wasn't adjusted any differently. The nub piece is held on with a single screw, and comparing the two inserts next to each other, it's easy to see how to convert an insert into the other type by loosening that screw and flipping the piece around so that the nub is the other way.

 

Of course, without flipping the nub, you could put either type of film in, anyway. You'd have to know to stop yourself if you were using 120 in a 220 holder (because the camera would be expecting more shots), or when using 220 in a 120 holder, the camera would jump to the end and waste half a roll when it got to the 15/16 point (depending on camera model).

 

I don't take any responsibility if you try any of this, just passing on what I read. You should be able to search and find the thread. I have both inserts, so if you need pictures or something...

The thing that surprised me about the whole process is how amazingly easy it is to scratch the matte side of the screen accidentally. Simply touching it with a finger can result in several scratches. That's why I tried the calipers first, because I didn't want to press the ruler down across the matte side of the screen for fear of a row of scratches. However, when I ended up trying it, it didn't scratch. I was extremely careful to pick it up to make small adjustments, rather than nudging it back and forth.

Well, after some experimentation, I figured out the best way. Transparencies that grab with static are out -- the sealing sort of cancels out the matte effect as if there is water between them. Makes all the areas of adhesion appear more clear. This makes the manual focusing difficult because those areas don't blur out as quickly as focus becomes off. The AF system is still fine, but the view through the viewfinder is yucky looking. I can't imagine ever being able to get a 100% consistent stick against the screen, so it's always going to look yucky. Also the only thing I could get to stick to the protector was razor point marker, and that was too huge.

 

I did flip the protector over to try the non-stick side, but I could tell alignment would slide getting the screen back in.

 

The correct size line was just the size of a scratch made with a pin or needle. So the correct way to do it, in my opinion, is to simply scratch the matte side using a straight edge and needle, making sure that the lines are exactly square with the edges. And don't slip up.

 

Now that I've perfected it, I've gone ahead and ordered a stock screen to make a perfect one out of. I tried to use calipers down the side of this one, and it's difficult to get past the tab. Should have gone 2X from the other side to avoid the tab. Duh.

Robert, it looks like the first couple of samples on the Arax page might be laid out for 6 x 4.5. There are gaps top and bottom that appear to be about 1/3 of the height. I wonder if those are included for 645 users? Does your presence in this forum indicate you're a 645 owner, and possibly have a screen to hold the Arax up to for sizecheck?

 

When you put yours on, did it "static grip" like a screen protector, or does it need the grips to hold it in place along with the focus screen? Seems like without static grip, it would be tough to get it installed without slippage happening and making the grid non-square with the edges. That's why I thought of a screen protector instead of transparency, but either are easy for me to come by.

 

Too bad about the shipping and handling that more than doubles the price, too. :(