tapas_maiti1

Pentax 67 without a doubt, the image quality is stunning. I have used a Pentax 645 and found the print quality to be worse than top notch 35mm, this may, however, be due to film plane flatness which I found to be a problem on the 645 I used wheras the 67 has no problems due to its transport mechanism.

 

<p>

 

Tapas Maiti

Tony

 

<p>

 

I've used a Lee fliter system with the 82mm wide angle adaptor ring. It works fine but don't fit all the filter slides to the kit ( I think that you can use upto 4 or 5 filters but should build the kit to hold 2 filters maybe 3.

 

<p>

 

I wanted the Hitech 100mm system orginally so that I could use the polariser but it vignettes on both the 45mm and 55mm lenses so there was no point. I used Hoya skylight and polarisers on the 45mm - still very expensive.

 

<p>

 

I'm on my second pentax outfit and opted for the 55mm instead - cheaper filters and a less extreme persepective but thats just personal.

 

<p>

 

Tapas

Hi Henry

 

<p>

 

In my experience you can handhold the pentax and more than in a pinch, I've handheld with a 165mm 2.8 lens down to 1/30 with sharp results at 10x8. It does take practice though and friends unused to the camera cannot manage it at much higher speeds. I do accept that a long period of handheld shooting is likely to be very difficult as the weight takes its toll on your shoulders.

I've managed with light gitzo 200 series tripod and no bean bags etc, you do need a strong tripod head though to grip the camera firmly especially for portrait compositions. I've used the gitzo low profile and the Manfrotto super heavy duty ball and socket heads - its just a question of matching the head to the tripod for balance.

Portrait compositions also being the main reason why you need the prism - especially for handheld shooting.

I traded my Pentax67 for a Hasselblad outfit on the spur of the moment and have regretted it (in retrospect I should l have lived with less pentax gear to reduce the weight I had to carry about than change down from the 67)

 

<p>

 

Tapas Maiti

I posted a query on the ruggedness of Hasselblads after a nightmare with a 501CM kit that I bought new. I now have a 503CW outfit which has given me no problems whatsoever (I hope I haven't just jinxed myself) so far.

Despite the amazing sharpness of zeiss lenses, IMO 6x6 falls behind 6x7 (I am now comparing against the results on my old Pentax 67 which I trade in for the blad !) simply because of the difference in usable image area which seems to exceed the differences in lens quality in the top makes.

However the blad is almost half the weight of a 67 camera (barring the M7) which lends itself to considerably more comfort in use and for me it means I use it more.

Having swapped as medium format camera system and suffered the horrendous cash losses ( I know money isn't any issue !) rent before you buy, if I had to do it over again I would rent a blad, pentax 67 and & RZ67 to see which felt better for me.

 

<p>

 

hope it helps

Hi, I actually bought a secondhand Benbo2 for use with my Pentax67 - bad idea! The problem is not weight but rigidity, the benbo is just not upto the job. I also have a Gitzo 120 which despite being very light seems o.k.(with a solid head) because it is rigid and if necessary (no mirror lock up and shutter speeds 1/2-1/30) can be wieghed down with a camera bag.