Buying a Pentacon six

[rudolfkremers]

I am seriously considering buying a Pentacon six camera.
Most eBay sales offer a body with a Biometar 80mm, but I already have that lens and a Mir 38b. I am also worried about mechanical issues... I was wondering if anybody can recommend a reputable seller/shop to buy a P6 body with viewfinder etc... without breaking the bank?

(Or if anybody on the forum has one to sell that would be cool too hahah)

[iangreenhalgh1]

Buy a Mamiya 645 and get a P6 lens adapter.

[rudolfkremers]

[iangreenhalgh1]

The P6 is a heavy lump of 1950ssteel that has never been very reliable. Most of them never worked right on 1/125sec and almost every one of them today, that speed has to be considered broken. Also, you have to take care with the winding of the film, they are very easy to break. There is no metering of any kind, the technology is the same as the earliest 35mm SLRs, the shutter speeds will be off, maybe by a little, maybe by a lot.

The Mamiya 645, and there are a few models, is much more modern, much better engineered, far more reliable (they were pro workhorses) offers all kinds of features such as interchangeable film magazines, motorised winder, several types of metering depending on which prism is fitted, it's a complete modular system. Shutter speeds will be accurate as it's electronic.

It's a long list of things, the two cameras are decades apart in technology and reliability.

Then you have the excellent Mamiya 645 lenses, all multicoated, all pro quality, they are in general, better than the old Zeiss Jena P6 lenses, particularly in contrast and flare resistance, you will particularly see a difference shooting colour film and slides. As much as i love the Biometar 2.8/80, the Mamiya 2.8/80 and 1.9/80 are sharper, contrastier, more saturated colours. I like the Biometar for it's character when shooting BW film though.

[rudolfkremers]

[dan_]

[iangreenhalgh1]

Attilla loves his Pentax 645 too. I didn't mention it because I have yet to see one for sale in the UK, or maybe I saw one and forgot, but they are very uncommon here whereas Mamiya 645s are everywhere and cheap.

[rudolfkremers]

They both sound excellent to me. I guess I need to research which models to look out for

[ZoneV]

With Pentacon Six, Exakta 66 and their Kiev 60 sisters the film transport is another problem, overlap seems relative common.

Baierfoto in Germany offers CLA and optimization of the Pentacon Six cameras.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Yes, that is the winding issue I mentioned, the mechanism is badly engineered. When you wind the camera on, instead of just releasing the lever and letting it return to the original position under it;s own spring power, you must keep hold of the lever and slowly return it using your thumb/finger, this avoids stressing the mechanism and getting that annoying overlap issue or breaking the mechanism altogether.

[dan_]

Now I remember that I once had, a long time ago, a Pentacon 6 and it developed this film-loading problem. It ended up overlapping the frames and I sold it out after only ~6 months of use.
And, if I remember well, it was quite big, heavy and noisy and the mirror didn't return after shooting unless you load the next frame. Probably newer models have the mirror-return feature.

[pavko]

[rudolfkremers]

I dont need dissuading on psix anymore, but could use advice on 645 cameras. Which models are recommended?

[Lloydy]

There's someone selling a Pentacon Six - for $475 on Facebook
"3 lenses and 2 viewfinders ?
P6 looks almost new in original leather case, it is untested
Mir-38 f3.5 65mm in very nice shape with original yellow filter in leather case
Arsenal Volna f2.8 80mm
Zodiak 8b 3.5 30mm lens with all the original filters with leather case
Waist level finder attached to camera now, non metered prism finder"

so far - no interest.

[Snodge]

I've got an Arax camera incoming at the moment - how the Kiev 88 should have been in the first place, and has the Pentacon Six mount. Arax have the stock from when the factory was closed down, and do a complete refurb job on them, so they are new and not 2nd hand, and they seem to be reasonably priced too. I think Hartblei also do a similar thing.

If not the above, I'd probably have gotten some sort of Bronica - pretty near the quality of a Hasselblad but a lot cheaper.

[dan_]

[rudolfkremers]

I just bought a Pentax 645 body, as I can get adaptors for Pentacon six AND pentax 6x7 lenses. Which seems very very useful to me.
And the body is pretty cheap. (Not a Pentax 645n though, which seem a fair bit more expensive in comparison.)

W00t!!!

Now to buy adaptors hahaha (Does anybody want to part with one? Or do I ebay?)

[dan_]

[rudolfkremers]

Colour me excited. Thanks for the very useful tips!

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

Curiously, this thread about the Pentacon Six, is now a thread on the Pentax Medium Format SLR.

The famous 6x6 camera from the Kombinat-VEB Pentacon Dresden appears as out.

I would like to write a few words defending the Pentacon Six: it is NOT an action camera (like most 6x6, though). My first P6 was my parents' present for my 30th Bday, back in 1988. It always worked fine, in any condition; its lenses are fine and give excellent/very good results.

Ok, the mirror doesn't instantly return, and the view through the eyepiece can be quite dark, but these are acceptable issues.

The irregular frame spacing or frame overlapping: mostly, it is due to an inaccurate loading of the film or after a prolonged use, not taking care of not forcing the advance lever: the shutter has to be loaded with a gentle movement.

In the past summer, I've noticed that the 1/125 was irregularly running, same as 1/60... Looking for info, I've learnt that the cause is the hardening of the original lubricants (plus, years of use...).

I've given my P6 to Mr. Baier ( http://www.baierfoto.de/#english ) and in a matter of a few weeks it returned back as new. Mr. Baier, in his interesting webpage gives many info on the Pentacon Six and on the problem of irregular spacing, also giving interesting advise, besides the possibility of installing a special system that will eliminate any irregularity in the film advance.

Again, this webpage: http://www.pentaconsix.com/ is highly interesting for anyone who would like to know (almost) everything about the big, strange-looking, heavy, noisy (not that much, though) MF camera from Dresden, DDR.

All the best,

Enzo (E.L.)

[pentaxpete]

I bought NEW in 1971 from 'Gifford Boyd' Camera dealers of Hastings, Sussex a Pentacon Six with extension tubes and then had some adapters made by T.A.Cubitt & Son of Tottenham Court Road, London and could use several other lenses I had been given including the famous 'Radio-Active' 1945 Kodak Aero-Ektar 178mm f2.5 and did a lot of work including some Weddings ( not very good flash Synch though at 1/20th second ! ) I have won several awards for P6 photos. It has had ONE service , with new shutter blinds.

Pentacon by pentaxpete, on Flickr



80mm f2.9 Biometar, Kodak tri-X, daylight + flash
Delia 2 by pentaxpete, on Flickr

178mm f2.5 1945 Kodak Aero-Ektar at f11, Ilford FP4, Bowens flash

Lee by pentaxpete, on Flickr

[iangreenhalgh1]

Beautiful Pete. That Aero Ektar 178mm is one lens I have always lusted after. I have the Pentac 2.9/240mm and that is very nice for portraits, but i still lust after that Aero-Ektar.

[rudolfkremers]

The reason why I did not go for Pentacon six in the end is not the worry it can't take good photos. I have so many brilliant shots that there is no fear there. (Pete that portrait is woooooooooooow). However, I already have a Super Ikonta to feed my clunky-but-beautiful gear need, and I wanted to have a very easy to use solution that allows a variety of lenses. The Pentax 645 just seems easier. Also, I have a Graflex Super Speed Graphic camera (Yet to be tried out) so that is another big beast.

I'm sure I will buy a P6 at some point though, as I think they are stunning.

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

just to make things even more intriguing, I've just bought (arrived today with the post), the fine book of Ursula Petsch "Pentacon Six"; VEB Fotokinoverlag Leipzig, 1986.

It immediately appears as an in-deep guide to advanced photography with this 6x6 camera and its accessories. Three years later, the DDR would have been just history so, this book remains as a witness of a photographic style and culture.

Best wishes,

Enzo

[rudolfkremers]