5 Frames with the Pentax 67 – By Louis Sousa

The Pentax 67 is perhaps a little out of character for 35mmc with it being big and hardly pocketable. My mirror lockup model was sourced from Bellamy at Japan Camera Hunter. Since obtaining the camera I’ve run about a dozen rolls of film through her. Female gendering for this massive hunk of metal?  Why not?

Image quality is outstanding. The Pentax 67 system is a Spotmatic system swelled to densely muscular bulk, sporting pumped up Takumar glass.

Load her with a mounted and spare lens into a backpack and the weight will mission to aspirin.  I use Upstrap’s most hefty strap capable of hauling a long gun. I mount the strap on the left side so the camera hangs vertically for over-one-shoulder carry.

She is not a camera for shooting nervous wildlife. The shutters pronounced kerplop from the giant mirror will set a flock of birds to early southern migration.

The meter on my model works and seems accurate, powered by a single 3 volt battery.

I own the massive dedicated left side handle  but don’t use it, preferring a right side hand grip purchased on the net from Malaysian craftsman. This grip makes for easier handling with less bulk. All of the displayed shots were handheld. If one is mindful of shutter speed vis-à-vis focal length, sharpness is achievable.

The featured image shows my 67 gripped up and ready for battle. The unmounted auxiliary left hand grip is shown, along with a roll of Ektar for scale.

Mounted to her is the 105mm f/2.4 Super Takumar lens used for all but the window image (90mm F 2.8). I have shot many high quality lenses and the 105 takes the cake, giving no quarter at all. Using my wide angle lens, a 50mm f/4.5 Tak, I have generated lab-based prints 4 feet wide and 3 feet high with superb resolution.

Three of these images were taken on a trip through my favorite country, darting on and off of Route 77 in Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island, USA. It was a very bright mid-day sun and Kodak Ektar was spooled. None of the images were edited but for straightening some cockeyed horizons. The lifeguard stand, shot with Ektar, is in my hometown, Bristol RI.  The shot from inside of my favorite coffee shop was made with Portra 400 with the Beast resting on a table.

If you have the medium format bug, I highly recommend the Pentax 67, and as your first lens the 105mm f/2.4. Source a good body as I did, and then explore the lens map. Superb lenses can be purchased from auction sites for much less than comparable Hasselblad or similar lenses. The camera is a true heavyweight in the creative sense of the word.

I photograph with both film and digital cameras.  Film gives me the most satisfaction.  If you would like to see my  evolution, a blog link is here:  https://victoriaslight.blog.  I am glad to contribute to the efforts of Hamish and his community in this small way.

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