I bought an aftermarket focus screen for it with a generous microprism. It makes focussing so much easier. It is also a lot brighter than the original!
Folding waist-level viewfinders are common on medium format SLRs, but the Pentacon 6 - like many- can take an eye-level prism, either metred or nor. The meter prisms for the Kiev 60 also fit. The focal-plane shutter limits x-synch to 1/30th of a second.
This video caused major G.A.S in me, thank you Ted. The Pentacon is a beautiful camera, but apparently prices on eBay increased again lately (at least here in Germany) and it's not easy finding a cheap and reliable one. I went with it's ugly sister, the Kiev 60 - lucky enough to find an almost unused one in perfect condition for a bargain price. For everyone having trouble finding a good Pentacon I'd recommend also looking at the Kiev 60s, they seem to be more reliable and use the same lens mount. I'm having a lot of fun with this quirky old thing.
Frame overlap issues are caused by allowing the wind on lever to return under its own spring tension,this guy is doing it right,damp the return with your thumb=no Frame overlap/transport problems
Hi Ted. As with any video I've seen from you (so many!) I've enjoyed it from the first until the last second. I genuinely think you have the most complete photo channel and even with the massive amount of information you give, it never ever gets boring. Thanks man. Hope you ever come to Europe to have a shoot. Take care.
Great episode, thanks! I've been thinking about getting back into film eventually and thinking about medium format. This is a very good option that I'll consider. It has a great look too!
I've had one of these for several years, and love shooting with it, lumpy though it is. I have a couple of Russian lenses and the Zeiss 50mm (which has the usual aperture fault). I even use the lenses on my Mamiya 645J.
E6 developing was mentioned near the end of the video, with a nod to Dwaynes ... another option is AgX Imaging in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They do great work....
Thanks for the review. May be you forgot to mention an important thing: the possibility to change the viewfinder (prism, waist-level-finder, magnifier head).
The only reason to have a Pentacon 6 is to have and use the excellent Zeiss (East German) lenses made for it. The bodies are the relative best quality compared to the Russian after-market cameras like the Kiev, which are basically horrible. However, the Pentacon bodies are fairly weak in the face of regular use, so knowing a repairman who will fix them when they break is necessary, as most will not work on them for want of parts. With declining used prices on medium format film cameras, a more modern and better quality "user" with modern lenses is a much better investment: Pentax 67; Mamiya RB/RZ67. Also, the accessories referred to are long gone. Today, all you find are devices adapting the Pentacon lenses to other cameras, or a very few items on ebay from very unreliable places in Eastern Europe. Bless Ted for contributing to the maintenance of film photography, but qualify his appreciate on the Pentacon system with a hard dose of reality.
This is consistently some of the best educational photo material anywhere, so THANKS Ted. Like you, I stumbled upon the Pentacon Six while looking to get back into 120 film at high quality but without Hassy $$$. This was a great overview but wish you'd always include sample images you've made with this old gear. I'm particularly interested in portraits with the 180mm. How do contrast and detail compare to modern digital sensors like the best in M43, or Fuji APSC, or even FF? I haven't grabbed a Pentacon yet. Looking forward to more film shows and as always, photo lit! Thanks again!
My relationship with this camera has been definitely a love-hate relationship. I love it when it works but I hate it when it breaks or malfunctions. I've gone through about 2 of them and I'm considering getting a 3rd and last one. The biggest problem isn't the film spacing problem (which can sometimes be annoying) but the actual shutter and how it fails to close properly. So when this malfunction happens, you're always left with a 5mm to 10mm gap still open on the shutter curtain after the shutter has been fired. This always ends up ruining an entire roll of film and you only find out about it after you have finished the roll of film and the back is open. The other problem I've had is when the mechanical gears/linkages seize up and break when you try to advance to the next frame and you lose 1 or 2 shutter speeds as well.
Most Pentacon cameras need only cleaning and new lubrication for shutter to work properly again. Their 35mm cameras with metal shutter curtains (1969 onwards). Tell you when they need service. But cloth shutters can be quite cheeki breeki with this.
I have one pice of P6 with 80mm and 50mm lens and its good mashine but the shooter didnt work properly, so I started to look for sam modular (Hasselblad style) system and I bought mamiya 645pro. I use these old carl zeiss lens on it with reduction and it is great. Great thing about MAMIYA 645 is that it has probably the shortest focal plane distance so you can put on it almost any MF lens.
I am from Tuscany Italy, and I do exibition of landasces of this amazing region. I really thank you for your beautiful work on youtube. I yust discover now your videos and I found your shows hi quality and very beautiful. It is a source of great information and I can feel your passion and artistic knoledge. Thank you. I will follow your show
Thanks very much for another great video, you've convinced me to go out and buy one of these and it;s for exactly the same reason you bought yours. Hopefully soon I'll be off on a medium format adventure! Please keep the great videos coming :)
for everyone else reading this: double exposure is NOT POSSIBLE with this camera. The mentioned lever will only unlock the winding lever after the last exposure
Ted you own me some cash :) I just bought a Flexaret VII and Pentacon 6...thanks to your videos.To be honest, just sold my digital camera, didnt shot it for half a year, as a hobbyist, everywhere we went with the family or friends, cell phone took the images...I just spoke to cupog, Im from Slovakia too, nad I can confirm, that the guy who is CLAing the cameras is regarded as a master in old cameras.
when we adjust the focus distance for medium we must also adjust the apperture aswell. my question is on lenses built for such medium format cameras has the apperture already been adjusted accordingly, so for example f4 is f4 for a medium format, or is it something we ourselves must mentally calculate before shooting?
Hey everyone , I need you help as i have this camera and i don’t have any knowledge about it that which reel or paper i have to use in this for clicking pictures from it and it will be really helpful if you share the link to buy it
Hi Ted, You mentioned it in this video and have mentioned it before in others, anyway I'd love to see an episode on multiple exposure photography. You could get into the settings to choose, how to go about choosing the order in which you take the exposures and maybe even give practical examples of this. Also, it'd be really cool if you would happen to know how to do multiple exposure with most film SLR cameras. Thanks for making this show! You are really the compass through which I explore the world of photography.
Hello Ted, What dial setting do I use for syncing the flash? The "lighting bolt? or "B" setting? What would be the Shutter Speed? If I use either one of the dial settings, do I use the info from the back of my flash to set the ISO/aperture? My current set-up allows the flash to sync when I press the trigger (left of lens), but when I sync it to the right of the lens, my flash goes on and off without me pressing the trigger. Thank you, Quince
In Russia believe Kiev 60 more reliable. This is despite the fact that the German photographic equipment is recognized as the best. But I like this camera. For many years already forgotten film photography and medium format like a dinosaur. In our province there is no film or photographic working with her. If you want to do medium format film photography, all only through eBay.
I just purchased a P6, and I am so excited to use it, but the right shutter curtain is stuck! I'm based in MI, and the only good local repairman recently retired. Do you have any recommendations for a reputable place to get it repaired and CLA'd?
Just picked up an older med format piece from some time back along with 2 others a few days ago 1 being a rather beautiful all be it slightly tired on the front coating anyway Yashica D was a really helpful vid thanks
Nice camera but 5 or 6 images taken with this camera at the end of the video would have been nice. Does anyone know where I could get a shutter for a Mamiya Press 50mm 6.3 repaired?
Sure wish you could still get these for $200, the average these days seems more around $500. Well, that's Canadian so we'll say $400. I still want to get one though, although I might end up going for the Kiev-60 to save some money. I sure love those nicely machined dials and everything on the Pentacon Six.
Hi Ted, I'm getting to an age where even nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be, but this video really took me back. Like you, I couldn't afford a 'Blad back in the day, but I couldn't afford a Pentacon 6 either. I ended up with a Lubitel TLR. It was made in the USSR an retailed for about £10 ($15 I guess). I had great fun with it and really appreciated the waist level viewfinder. I Using the camera at that level gives images a nostalgic , fifties feel, don't you think?
Nope. The mount diameter of this camera is almost double the size of the 35mm camera. You can however use Pentacon glass on your Minolta, or any mirrorless camera these days, if you find appropriate adapter.
for everyone else reading this: double exposure is NOT POSSIBLE with this camera. The mentioned lever will only unlock the winding lever after the last exposure
Hi Ted, I am of an age where even nostalgia isn’t as good as it used to be, and this video really took me back. Like you, I couldn’t afford a ‘Blad, but I couldn’t stretch to a Pentacon 6 either. I did manage to buy a Lubitel TLR medium format camera though. I’m not sure whether they were available in the US, as they were made in the USSR. One of the attributes I really enjoyed was the waist level viewfinder. You get a slightly different image from using this type of camera, don’t you think? Apart from the obvious change in point of view, there’s a slight disconnect between the photographer and subject, as they are no longer looking directly at each other. Thanks again for another superb, informative and entertaining video.
Thanks Ian - funny how trendy everything is on the used market. When I bought my first P6, the Lubitel was being marketed by Lomography and were really overpriced. Thanks for the kind words!
The Art of Photography When Lomography hypes Voigtländer Brillant clone, one can very reasonably revert to the original, which is very atmospheric BTW :-)
I'm glad we are back to film! Great review, Ted! I think it is worth noting that there were two lens manufactures called "Carl Zeiss": Carl Zeiss form West Germany, which manufactured the lenses for Hasselblad and other high end optical equipment and there is Carl Zeiss Jena from East Germany, which manufactured the lenses for the Pentacon and a lot of mediocre 35 mm equipment. I see it a lot of times that some eBay dealers ask fantasy prices for crappy East German lenses just because there is Carl Zeiss (Jena) engraved.
Don't knock the Jena lenses, they may have mass produced a few less-than-exceptional lenses for 35mm - but many of the things they made are top notch and easily on par with the West German facility. (Source: I own loads)
Winding on. Don’t do this in a single sweep it is one way to spoil frame spacing and one way to break the camera. Never allow the winder to spring back to its resting position.
Pentagon Six got all lenses done by Carl Zeiss, which is the best brand worldwide. The camera had been done in East Germany in the communist time. It is a real legend of the cold war. I can just recommend it.
I used to play with my friend's Exakta, almost the same like this Pentacon, also made in Germany, but the image in the viewfinder is mirrored. Is the image in the pentacon's viewfinder also mirrored?
Depends which one. Pre-1954 prakticas are very simmilar to exaktas, they have mirrored image. This is medium format that is something different. You can choose between prism or only sunshade with directly viewing focusing screen. Prism makes the image correct direction. But when not needing fast aiming i would prefet without prism even with mirrored image is easier to see and focus.
I bought a P six outfit which had never been used for not much money BUT.... right from the start the /125 sec stood open, and on the wide angle lens the aperture didnt work though it was never used. I wasted about 3 films until i found out how to properly use it. with my 35 mm cam i nver had waste but here You can produce a lot of crap photos . the framing/advance problem with this cam that most users complain about can be avoided by following the instruction manual very thoroughly...
Hey Ted After watching your channel I have been lusting after one of these cameras for awhile now and finally found one in pristine condition for sale locally. So I bought it and was quite surprised actually at how compact and sleek it is for what it is. MY EOS 1N might be bigger and that is 35mm and I know for sure it weights more then the Pentacon. I used to own a Kiev 6c which has the same lens mount but is like twice the size so I was expecting something much clunkier like it's Ukrainian cousin. Anyway I am glad I finally found one and thanks for all the great info about them. Just loaded it with some Ilford XP2 Super and I am getting set to shoot my first roll. I think my Koni Omega 6x7 rangerfinder is going to be spending a lot more time in the Camera cupboard now that I have my Pentacon.
great review. is the waist level vf removable? a local seller is selling a pentacon six tl that comes with standard 80mm zeiss with eye level prism VF for $400. is his price fair enough?
Thanks for the video! I would appreciate it if you could help me with a problem I have with this camera! I have this camera at home along with many lenses and accessories as it was given to me by my grandfather before he died. I never shot medium format film but Im definitely interested to and this camera is the only one I have that shoots medium format. Unfortunately, I cant shoot with it. When I was checking the camera, i noticed that the left shutter curtain's edge was partly cocked to the edge of the right shutter curtain, and also kinda folded at places, I watched the shutter curtains as I was advancing the film shutter (without film in it) and there is indeed a problem with them. I googled some words hoping to find a solution but nothing showed up so Im kind of hoping a person like you can take the time to help me out... Now, i dont really know how those curtains are supposed to act, if they should always be attached and closed together, or open up and come appart at any point during shooting, so I couldnt really apply any intelligence on my own to fix the problem. Can you please explain to me how those curtains are supposed to act and give me some advice on how to fix them? Also, theres a small part on one of the curtains that seems to have had some aging (or any other kind of) effect and theres a kind of glowy texture with some tiny holes in the middle. I dont mind the tiny holes as they are very minor and afterall they would create some unpredictable effects on some areas of my film i guess... no? I dont know anything about this please help :P
+geokaz Your camera definitely needs repairs - when you have the camera back open and looking at the shutter curtains, when turning the film advance lever, the curtains must stay shut, otherwise the film will get exposed and ruined. The curtains do form a gap while taking a picture, but they should always run parallel to each other. If one of the curtains is cocked, that means that one of the ribbons is detached from the driving spool (each curtain has a ribbon at the top and bottom of the working side that are attached to a rotating driving spool on the opposite side. The space between these ribbons forms the cut-out that makes the opening that exposes the film. The ribbons are hidden from view). The wrinkling is another indicator that this is indeed the case, as the curtain is not winding straight onto the spool. The tiny holes are another problem - they will ruin your pictures too. The most likely cause is that the camera was pointed at the sun with the shutter fired and not wound again. In this case, the mirror is out of the way, so the lens projects a hot image of the sun onto the shutter curtain, melts the rubber, and in severe cases - burns a hole through the fabric and even through the film. This is why cameras without an instant-return mirror should always be cocked while carried outdoors. What you need to do to salvage this camera is to find a knowledgeable camera repairman who can replace the curtains - he can take the old ones out and cut new ones from rubberized silk to match the original ones.
+yavka i've done some checking on some other cameras since i posted my comment to see how those worked and figured out the jist of it :) but thank you very much i understand it perfectly now!
You want to hear something crazy? I've been looking into purchasing my first medium format film system. Because of this, I've been doing lots of research into what my options would be for my given budget. The other day the Findlab posted a shot taken on the Pentacon Six, so I decided to look it up since I've never heard of it. Then today I'm browsing RUclips and what to I see in my recommendations? Your review of the Pentacon Six. :-)
hope you will read this someday: is there actually an adapter to put exa/exakta lenses on the pentacon six camera? been searching for it but i dont find anything. hope you can elp me :D thanks ANTWORTEN
I wish they had put decent strap lugs on the P, instead of the "bumps" as I call them. Mine sits at home too much because my 120 folders are so much lighter. :(
Hi... I'm so close to buying a Pentacon Six but I'm torn between this or a Nikon F2 with a waist level viewfinder. I know one is MF and the other is 35mm - do you have a preference? Thanks.
the f2 (i have one) is brilliant and definently one of the best 135 film cameras. the pentakon seams to have some problems sometimes. +it is a bit more obscure and problematic. so if it is your only camera i would not trust this. if you want to get into medium fomat system from the bottom this will do that.
I do all 3 processing at home: E-6, C-41, and B&W. E-6 is the easiest one, it requires only some tools and time (I imagine the latter is something you don't have). The B&W is much more difficult, it requires a great deal of knowledge, if you want quality results. It is sad E-6 market is still shrinking, so let's advocate for home E-6 processing, shall we?
Optics are great, 80mm Biometar really rocks, even by modern standards. However, the viewfinder is not cool, to say it kindly. Shiny metal around it is distracting a bit. There's no split image or raster in the default screen, and the image is pretty dismal. (For sport finder, there's a small frame close to the eye, you haven't popped it up from what I've seen). Pentacon's TTL prism with something like 70% coverage and some lines inside is a joke: the meter works fine, but the coverage, well, is similar to Zenit's maybe, the prism is not a composition aid in any case. Shutter curtains are deteriorating nowadays, and that was why I got rid of my P6 entirely. Kiev (6c IIRC) is a bit more reliable body for this system, may or may not be cheaper, and Arax is still going with refurbished Arsenal goods, even after the Ukrainian plant was closed.
Important ! The mirror is up - until the next wind up . The Sun can burn a hole on the shutter curtains ! I have to repaired with a drop of rubber paint .
There are times I miss film but what get's me is the turn around time. I don't miss messing with all the chemicals either. I guess with digital I get less of a sense of crafting something than I would with film.
It takes me less time to develop a roll of 35 or 120 than it does to intake, sort, and dispose of the detritus when shooting on my D300. I shoot less when I shoot film, meaning I have usually 70-80% of my 15 or 24 are good enough to scan (maybe not to share). My editing is done as I shoot instead of after the fact. When you think about it, the 20 or so minutes is very little time.
One of the reasons I started shooting in film recently, is actually because of the waiting time. Patience, and a sense of anticipation are things we're not used to in the digital age. I think the time also give you a sense of detachment from the "photo taking" moment that help (me at least) look at photos I shoot with a more objective eye.
Tomer Ofri Yeah, I definitely agree. It helps me think about what I'm shooting. Film definitely has a look and feel to it. Maybe the one film camera I have, (cannon ae-1) I've shot with it for so long that it's not exciting anymore maybe I should pick up a Leica m3 or m6, or maybe even a Voigtlander Bessa. There's something about the unknown that gets a person excited... If I'm not learning I tend to get bored.
Bryan Haywood Lovely branch of discussing. One of the essential things, that one may not much think about - you are holding actual physical media, that you have more control over. You never hold nor feel electrons. I have lately rediscovered my passion for photography trough vintage and toy cameras - they are a lot more bound to the feelings, than any cameras, I had before, including those digital. P6 has its own exciting history, and what is also important, certain softness and warmth of images, besides degree of exactness. That is not common in upper segments of cameras. Leicas or Hasselblads may be better at detail, but they not necessary at all will be winners of expressing or impressions. Seems like today I have brought to usable state such a P6 ancestor Praktisix, it was much more forgiving to disassembly and self-service, than P6, thus new shooting era begins here. Several gorgeous Carl Zeiss Jena lenses are ready too. It must be said, that as a piece of engineering, P6 is either overly delicate or outright flaky. But if one is ready to provide some care to this pet, it can turn into intimate relationship, it seems.
TheRcEngineer crop factor is only factored in for sensors less than 35mm equivalent. Mf cameras are much much more powerful, more resolution, than 35mm crop factor is a digital term not really meant to compare formats
Lol I just loaded mine for the first time and I totally accidentally didn't line up the arrows with the white dot. I'm guessing this means my frames will be split!! Whoops. will see how it turns out
Medium format (6 X 6) was originally developed because films in the 40-s had relatively poor resolution and the large negative size fixed that problem for portrait or repro work. Also the square-negative meant that the photographer didn't have to turn the camera to fit the subject, they just cropped the developed picture (Post-development processing was an art by itself, there were specialists who covered up the skin-imperfections and gave a twinkle to the eyes with pencils!). With 35 mm film becoming extraordinarily fine in the 80-s and 90-s, the medium-format kind of lost its original purpose.
I had two Pentacon Six cameras and overall they were garbage. The film didn't transport uniformly, the Zeiss Jena lenses had bubbles in the glass, numerous other small annoying things usually went wrong with the camera. I also had the wide angle lens as shown in the video and the cement holding the optics to the lens body began to develop thousands of tiny bubbles.
Thinking about getting a medium format camera. The camera I'm considering right now is a Mamiya C330 tlr. Anybody have an idea of why I should reconsider and get another camera? The way I think I will be working with this "new" camera is to develop the film and then scan the negatives.
grammar dose not usually bother me. but after a beer the "its free" instead of "it's free" stands out. (on the other it might attract attention to the subscribe, in which case well done, you deserve the subscribes)
My copy was abhorrent, even after spending more to have it "fixed" than I paid for it. There are Japanese systems that are far more reliable for about the same prices. Pentax 645 comes to mind . . .
Good vid, I think it would have been cool if you showed examples of your work from that camera as well
very good video. I bought my Pentacon Six in East Berlin in 1980, while stationed is Holland in the U.S. Navy, and it still is working nicely.
I bought an aftermarket focus screen for it with a generous microprism. It makes focussing so much easier. It is also a lot brighter than the original!
Folding waist-level viewfinders are common on medium format SLRs, but the Pentacon 6 - like many- can take an eye-level prism, either metred or nor. The meter prisms for the Kiev 60 also fit. The focal-plane shutter limits x-synch to 1/30th of a second.
I purchased a Pentacon Six TL upon your recommendation in your first Medium Format video, and I am so happy with my purchase! Thanks, Ted. :D
Awesome! Its a fantastic camera…
It definitely is, though I'm still saving up for a Hassy. :)
may I ask how much did cost all the purchase ?..........THX!..........
Where did you find a good one? I'm shopping online for one now, and not sure who to trust to buy from on ebay!
This video caused major G.A.S in me, thank you Ted. The Pentacon is a beautiful camera, but apparently prices on eBay increased again lately (at least here in Germany) and it's not easy finding a cheap and reliable one. I went with it's ugly sister, the Kiev 60 - lucky enough to find an almost unused one in perfect condition for a bargain price. For everyone having trouble finding a good Pentacon I'd recommend also looking at the Kiev 60s, they seem to be more reliable and use the same lens mount. I'm having a lot of fun with this quirky old thing.
One of the best cameras. The quality of the picture is excellent!
Frame overlap issues are caused by allowing the wind on lever to return under its own spring tension,this guy is doing it right,damp the return with your thumb=no Frame overlap/transport problems
Hi Ted. As with any video I've seen from you (so many!) I've enjoyed it from the first until the last second. I genuinely think you have the most complete photo channel and even with the massive amount of information you give, it never ever gets boring. Thanks man. Hope you ever come to Europe to have a shoot. Take care.
Great episode, thanks! I've been thinking about getting back into film eventually and thinking about medium format. This is a very good option that I'll consider. It has a great look too!
I've had one of these for several years, and love shooting with it, lumpy though it is. I have a couple of Russian lenses and the Zeiss 50mm (which has the usual aperture fault).
I even use the lenses on my Mamiya 645J.
E6 developing was mentioned near the end of the video, with a nod to Dwaynes ... another option is AgX Imaging in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They do great work....
My favorite camera of all time :) Im realy glad you did this episode :) thanks for that :)
Just got mine pentacon Six-TL. Love it
Thanks for the review. May be you forgot to mention an important thing: the possibility to change the viewfinder (prism, waist-level-finder, magnifier head).
The only reason to have a Pentacon 6 is to have and use the excellent Zeiss (East German) lenses made for it. The bodies are the relative best quality compared to the Russian after-market cameras like the Kiev, which are basically horrible. However, the Pentacon bodies are fairly weak in the face of regular use, so knowing a repairman who will fix them when they break is necessary, as most will not work on them for want of parts. With declining used prices on medium format film cameras, a more modern and better quality "user" with modern lenses is a much better investment: Pentax 67; Mamiya RB/RZ67. Also, the accessories referred to are long gone. Today, all you find are devices adapting the Pentacon lenses to other cameras, or a very few items on ebay from very unreliable places in Eastern Europe. Bless Ted for contributing to the maintenance of film photography, but qualify his appreciate on the Pentacon system with a hard dose of reality.
This is consistently some of the best educational photo material anywhere, so THANKS Ted.
Like you, I stumbled upon the Pentacon Six while looking to get back into 120 film at high quality but without Hassy $$$. This was a great overview but wish you'd always include sample images you've made with this old gear. I'm particularly interested in portraits with the 180mm.
How do contrast and detail compare to modern digital sensors like the best in M43, or Fuji APSC, or even FF? I haven't grabbed a Pentacon yet.
Looking forward to more film shows and as always, photo lit! Thanks again!
The Zeiss 180mm Olympia Sonnar was originally made for the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Ted.
You always shock me by reviewing gear I thought only I knew existed. You’re reaching pretty far back to get to the Pentacon system. Good show.
Ted is a living library and librarian in one. What an incredible pool of knowledge!
My relationship with this camera has been definitely a love-hate relationship. I love it when it works but I hate it when it breaks or malfunctions. I've gone through about 2 of them and I'm considering getting a 3rd and last one. The biggest problem isn't the film spacing problem (which can sometimes be annoying) but the actual shutter and how it fails to close properly. So when this malfunction happens, you're always left with a 5mm to 10mm gap still open on the shutter curtain after the shutter has been fired. This always ends up ruining an entire roll of film and you only find out about it after you have finished the roll of film and the back is open. The other problem I've had is when the mechanical gears/linkages seize up and break when you try to advance to the next frame and you lose 1 or 2 shutter speeds as well.
Most Pentacon cameras need only cleaning and new lubrication for shutter to work properly again. Their 35mm cameras with metal shutter curtains (1969 onwards). Tell you when they need service. But cloth shutters can be quite cheeki breeki with this.
Hi, thank you for this video. Can you make one for double exposure?
I have one pice of P6 with 80mm and 50mm lens and its good mashine but the shooter didnt work properly, so I started to look for sam modular (Hasselblad style) system and I bought mamiya 645pro. I use these old carl zeiss lens on it with reduction and it is great. Great thing about MAMIYA 645 is that it has probably the shortest focal plane distance so you can put on it almost any MF lens.
Might have to check out the 645 - sounds like a nice rig!
I am from Tuscany Italy, and I do exibition of landasces of this amazing region. I really thank you for your beautiful work on youtube. I yust discover now your videos and I found your shows hi quality and very beautiful. It is a source of great information and I can feel your passion and artistic knoledge. Thank you. I will follow your show
Thanks very much for another great video, you've convinced me to go out and buy one of these and it;s for exactly the same reason you bought yours. Hopefully soon I'll be off on a medium format adventure! Please keep the great videos coming :)
You might want to talk about how much of the frame shows in the viewfinder (I use the TTL prism) and how to deal with that.
for everyone else reading this: double exposure is NOT POSSIBLE with this camera. The mentioned lever will only unlock the winding lever after the last exposure
Ted you own me some cash :) I just bought a Flexaret VII and Pentacon 6...thanks to your videos.To be honest, just sold my digital camera, didnt shot it for half a year, as a hobbyist, everywhere we went with the family or friends, cell phone took the images...I just spoke to cupog, Im from Slovakia too, nad I can confirm, that the guy who is CLAing the cameras is regarded as a master in old cameras.
Looks like a great camera, thanks for sharing.
Beautiful episode... I am into Vintage Cameras and shooting Ilford Delta 100 since a while... interesting info!!! thanks...
Nice film - sharp and great tones!
when we adjust the focus distance for medium we must also adjust the apperture aswell. my question is on lenses built for such medium format cameras has the apperture already been adjusted accordingly, so for example f4 is f4 for a medium format, or is it something we ourselves must mentally calculate before shooting?
Hey everyone ,
I need you help as i have this camera and i don’t have any knowledge about it that which reel or paper i have to use in this for clicking pictures from it and it will be really helpful if you share the link to buy it
Hi Ted,
You mentioned it in this video and have mentioned it before in others, anyway I'd love to see an episode on multiple exposure photography. You could get into the settings to choose, how to go about choosing the order in which you take the exposures and maybe even give practical examples of this. Also, it'd be really cool if you would happen to know how to do multiple exposure with most film SLR cameras. Thanks for making this show! You are really the compass through which I explore the world of photography.
I'll see what I can do - that would make a great topic.
I remember seeing these in the Spiratone ads when I was in high school.
Hello Ted,
What dial setting do I use for syncing the flash? The "lighting bolt? or "B" setting? What would be the Shutter Speed?
If I use either one of the dial settings, do I use the info from the back of my flash to set the ISO/aperture?
My current set-up allows the flash to sync when I press the trigger (left of lens), but when I sync it to the right of the lens, my flash goes on and off without me pressing the trigger.
Thank you,
Quince
Awsome video Ted! Medium format cameras are great and so much fun in any shape or form. Love these kind of videos!
Agreed Rob!
If properly serviced and used these are great cameras. Requires some brain-hand coordination. They have some quirks, but most cameras do.
would this camera be good for wildlife, birds, animals etc. and do you think film will be available much longer?
can't wait for the film processing videos!
I have one because like you I couldn't afford the Hassy back then. Nice chunky camera. Thanks for sharing.
In Russia believe Kiev 60 more reliable. This is despite the fact that the German photographic equipment is recognized as the best. But I like this camera.
For many years already forgotten film photography and medium format like a dinosaur. In our province there is no film or photographic working with her. If you want to do medium format film photography, all only through eBay.
Thanks, Ted - very nice video, particularly film loading instructions are useful.
I love this camera!!!
See EXAKTA 66
I just purchased a P6, and I am so excited to use it, but the right shutter curtain is stuck! I'm based in MI, and the only good local repairman recently retired. Do you have any recommendations for a reputable place to get it repaired and CLA'd?
Very clear informative video I have dug out my Mamiya 645 and start using......
Just picked up an older med format piece from some time back along with 2 others a few days ago 1 being a rather beautiful all be it slightly tired on the front coating anyway Yashica D was a really helpful vid thanks
Yashica's are amazing too!
you got a radio-speaker voice
Nice camera but 5 or 6 images taken with this camera at the end of the video would have been nice. Does anyone know where I could get a shutter for a Mamiya Press 50mm 6.3 repaired?
Sure wish you could still get these for $200, the average these days seems more around $500. Well, that's Canadian so we'll say $400. I still want to get one though, although I might end up going for the Kiev-60 to save some money. I sure love those nicely machined dials and everything on the Pentacon Six.
Were you referring to Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, KS?
Fantastic talk Ted, your work is always inspirational!
Hi Ted,
I'm getting to an age where even nostalgia isn't as good as it used to be, but this video really took me back.
Like you, I couldn't afford a 'Blad back in the day, but I couldn't afford a Pentacon 6 either. I ended up with a Lubitel TLR. It was made in the USSR an retailed for about £10 ($15 I guess). I had great fun with it and really appreciated the waist level viewfinder. I
Using the camera at that level gives images a nostalgic , fifties feel, don't you think?
Great video as always. I would love to own this camera!
Hi. Can you use minolta mc lenses on this body? or are the daimeters larger for the pentacon lens
Nope. The mount diameter of this camera is almost double the size of the 35mm camera. You can however use Pentacon glass on your Minolta, or any mirrorless camera these days, if you find appropriate adapter.
I would like to try the double exposure on this camera, but i couldnt quite get it. could you explain it to me please one more time?
for everyone else reading this: double exposure is NOT POSSIBLE with this camera. The mentioned lever will only unlock the winding lever after the last exposure
You can get TTL metering prism for them.
excited for more film stuff to come!
Hi Ted,
I am of an age where even nostalgia isn’t as good as it used to be, and this video really took me back.
Like you, I couldn’t afford a ‘Blad, but I couldn’t stretch to a Pentacon 6 either. I did manage to buy a Lubitel TLR medium format camera though. I’m not sure whether they were available in the US, as they were made in the USSR.
One of the attributes I really enjoyed was the waist level viewfinder. You get a slightly different image from using this type of camera, don’t you think? Apart from the obvious change in point of view, there’s a slight disconnect between the photographer and subject, as they are no longer looking directly at each other.
Thanks again for another superb, informative and entertaining video.
Thanks Ian - funny how trendy everything is on the used market. When I bought my first P6, the Lubitel was being marketed by Lomography and were really overpriced. Thanks for the kind words!
The Art of Photography When Lomography hypes Voigtländer Brillant clone, one can very reasonably revert to the original, which is very atmospheric BTW :-)
Oh great, now I want one of these! Lol. Great video Ted, I'm looking forward to seeing more film related videos from you. Yours are the best.
I'm glad we are back to film! Great review, Ted!
I think it is worth noting that there were two lens manufactures called "Carl Zeiss": Carl Zeiss form West Germany, which manufactured the lenses for Hasselblad and other high end optical equipment and there is Carl Zeiss Jena from East Germany, which manufactured the lenses for the Pentacon and a lot of mediocre 35 mm equipment. I see it a lot of times that some eBay dealers ask fantasy prices for crappy East German lenses just because there is Carl Zeiss (Jena) engraved.
Don't knock the Jena lenses, they may have mass produced a few less-than-exceptional lenses for 35mm - but many of the things they made are top notch and easily on par with the West German facility. (Source: I own loads)
I have this camera and fifteen years i took pictures with that. Zeiss Jena lenses.
Winding on. Don’t do this in a single sweep it is one way to spoil frame spacing and one way to break the camera. Never allow the winder to spring back to its resting position.
Pentagon Six got all lenses done by Carl Zeiss, which is the best brand worldwide. The camera had been done in East Germany in the communist time. It is a real legend of the cold war. I can just recommend it.
I used to play with my friend's Exakta, almost the same like this Pentacon, also made in Germany, but the image in the viewfinder is mirrored. Is the image in the pentacon's viewfinder also mirrored?
Depends which one. Pre-1954 prakticas are very simmilar to exaktas, they have mirrored image. This is medium format that is something different. You can choose between prism or only sunshade with directly viewing focusing screen. Prism makes the image correct direction. But when not needing fast aiming i would prefet without prism even with mirrored image is easier to see and focus.
Cool tip on how to load the film. Thanks.
I bought a P six outfit which had never been used for not much money BUT.... right from the start the /125 sec stood open, and on the wide angle lens the aperture didnt work though it was never used. I wasted about 3 films until i found out how to properly use it. with my 35 mm cam i nver had waste but here You can produce a lot of crap photos . the framing/advance problem with this cam that most users complain about can be avoided by following the instruction manual very thoroughly...
Hey Ted
After watching your channel I have been lusting after one of these cameras for awhile now and finally found one in pristine condition for sale locally. So I bought it and was quite surprised actually at how compact and sleek it is for what it is. MY EOS 1N might be bigger and that is 35mm and I know for sure it weights more then the Pentacon. I used to own a Kiev 6c which has the same lens mount but is like twice the size so I was expecting something much clunkier like it's Ukrainian cousin. Anyway I am glad I finally found one and thanks for all the great info about them. Just loaded it with some Ilford XP2 Super and I am getting set to shoot my first roll. I think my Koni Omega 6x7 rangerfinder is going to be spending a lot more time in the Camera cupboard now that I have my Pentacon.
Can you get polaroid backs for them?
great review. is the waist level vf removable? a local seller is selling a pentacon six tl that comes with standard 80mm zeiss with eye level prism VF for $400. is his price fair enough?
plz tell me too, if u find out!..............THX!.........
Thanks for the video! I would appreciate it if you could help me with a problem I have with this camera!
I have this camera at home along with many lenses and accessories as it was given to me by my grandfather before he died. I never shot medium format film but Im definitely interested to and this camera is the only one I have that shoots medium format. Unfortunately, I cant shoot with it. When I was checking the camera, i noticed that the left shutter curtain's edge was partly cocked to the edge of the right shutter curtain, and also kinda folded at places, I watched the shutter curtains as I was advancing the film shutter (without film in it) and there is indeed a problem with them. I googled some words hoping to find a solution but nothing showed up so Im kind of hoping a person like you can take the time to help me out... Now, i dont really know how those curtains are supposed to act, if they should always be attached and closed together, or open up and come appart at any point during shooting, so I couldnt really apply any intelligence on my own to fix the problem. Can you please explain to me how those curtains are supposed to act and give me some advice on how to fix them? Also, theres a small part on one of the curtains that seems to have had some aging (or any other kind of) effect and theres a kind of glowy texture with some tiny holes in the middle. I dont mind the tiny holes as they are very minor and afterall they would create some unpredictable effects on some areas of my film i guess... no? I dont know anything about this please help :P
+geokaz Your camera definitely needs repairs - when you have the camera back open and looking at the shutter curtains, when turning the film advance lever, the curtains must stay shut, otherwise the film will get exposed and ruined. The curtains do form a gap while taking a picture, but they should always run parallel to each other. If one of the curtains is cocked, that means that one of the ribbons is detached from the driving spool (each curtain has a ribbon at the top and bottom of the working side that are attached to a rotating driving spool on the opposite side. The space between these ribbons forms the cut-out that makes the opening that exposes the film. The ribbons are hidden from view). The wrinkling is another indicator that this is indeed the case, as the curtain is not winding straight onto the spool.
The tiny holes are another problem - they will ruin your pictures too. The most likely cause is that the camera was pointed at the sun with the shutter fired and not wound again. In this case, the mirror is out of the way, so the lens projects a hot image of the sun onto the shutter curtain, melts the rubber, and in severe cases - burns a hole through the fabric and even through the film. This is why cameras without an instant-return mirror should always be cocked while carried outdoors.
What you need to do to salvage this camera is to find a knowledgeable camera repairman who can replace the curtains - he can take the old ones out and cut new ones from rubberized silk to match the original ones.
+yavka i've done some checking on some other cameras since i posted my comment to see how those worked and figured out the jist of it :) but thank you very much i understand it perfectly now!
You want to hear something crazy? I've been looking into purchasing my first medium format film system. Because of this, I've been doing lots of research into what my options would be for my given budget. The other day the Findlab posted a shot taken on the Pentacon Six, so I decided to look it up since I've never heard of it. Then today I'm browsing RUclips and what to I see in my recommendations? Your review of the Pentacon Six. :-)
hope you will read this someday: is there actually an adapter to put exa/exakta lenses on the pentacon six camera? been searching for it but i dont find anything. hope you can elp me :D thanks
ANTWORTEN
I wish they had put decent strap lugs on the P, instead of the "bumps" as I call them. Mine sits at home too much because my 120 folders are so much lighter. :(
Hi... I'm so close to buying a Pentacon Six but I'm torn between this or a Nikon F2 with a waist level viewfinder. I know one is MF and the other is 35mm - do you have a preference? Thanks.
120 yay
the f2 (i have one) is brilliant and definently one of the best 135 film cameras. the pentakon seams to have some problems sometimes. +it is a bit more obscure and problematic.
so if it is your only camera i would not trust this. if you want to get into medium fomat system from the bottom this will do that.
I do all 3 processing at home: E-6, C-41, and B&W. E-6 is the easiest one, it requires only some tools and time (I imagine the latter is something you don't have). The B&W is much more difficult, it requires a great deal of knowledge, if you want quality results. It is sad E-6 market is still shrinking, so let's advocate for home E-6 processing, shall we?
That's where I want to go Ja Za - I never did it because I had a lab handy, so I'll be covering color in the next few months.
what about the kiev 6 .. jeff ..
Whats the difference between the Pentacon 6 and Pentacon 6 TL
I think the difference was the fact that you could get through-the-lens metering on the TL model by using a prism viewfinder. :)
The six was built between '66 and '69, the TL was built between '69 and '90...
Basically just the letters"TL". They added the "TL" when they started selling the "through-the-lens" metering finder as an accessory.
What is the lens mount of this camera? 42M?
Christophe De Vos; the lens mount is called pentacon six. Kiev 60 is similar, if I'm not mistaken.
@@sidekickbob7227 thanks
@@sidekickbob7227 I have both cameras
Optics are great, 80mm Biometar really rocks, even by modern standards. However, the viewfinder is not cool, to say it kindly. Shiny metal around it is distracting a bit. There's no split image or raster in the default screen, and the image is pretty dismal. (For sport finder, there's a small frame close to the eye, you haven't popped it up from what I've seen). Pentacon's TTL prism with something like 70% coverage and some lines inside is a joke: the meter works fine, but the coverage, well, is similar to Zenit's maybe, the prism is not a composition aid in any case. Shutter curtains are deteriorating nowadays, and that was why I got rid of my P6 entirely. Kiev (6c IIRC) is a bit more reliable body for this system, may or may not be cheaper, and Arax is still going with refurbished Arsenal goods, even after the Ukrainian plant was closed.
Yeah - you have to earn your shots on this thing, but the optics are outstanding.
Important !
The mirror is up - until the next wind up . The Sun can burn a hole on the shutter curtains !
I have to repaired with a drop of rubber paint .
There are times I miss film but what get's me is the turn around time. I don't miss messing with all the chemicals either. I guess with digital I get less of a sense of crafting something than I would with film.
To quote the karate kid - "patience grasshopper"!
It takes me less time to develop a roll of 35 or 120 than it does to intake, sort, and dispose of the detritus when shooting on my D300. I shoot less when I shoot film, meaning I have usually 70-80% of my 15 or 24 are good enough to scan (maybe not to share). My editing is done as I shoot instead of after the fact. When you think about it, the 20 or so minutes is very little time.
One of the reasons I started shooting in film recently, is actually because of the waiting time. Patience, and a sense of anticipation are things we're not used to in the digital age. I think the time also give you a sense of detachment from the "photo taking" moment that help (me at least) look at photos I shoot with a more objective eye.
Tomer Ofri Yeah, I definitely agree. It helps me think about what I'm shooting. Film definitely has a look and feel to it. Maybe the one film camera I have, (cannon ae-1) I've shot with it for so long that it's not exciting anymore maybe I should pick up a Leica m3 or m6, or maybe even a Voigtlander Bessa. There's something about the unknown that gets a person excited... If I'm not learning I tend to get bored.
Bryan Haywood Lovely branch of discussing. One of the essential things, that one may not much think about - you are holding actual physical media, that you have more control over. You never hold nor feel electrons. I have lately rediscovered my passion for photography trough vintage and toy cameras - they are a lot more bound to the feelings, than any cameras, I had before, including those digital. P6 has its own exciting history, and what is also important, certain softness and warmth of images, besides degree of exactness. That is not common in upper segments of cameras. Leicas or Hasselblads may be better at detail, but they not necessary at all will be winners of expressing or impressions.
Seems like today I have brought to usable state such a P6 ancestor Praktisix, it was much more forgiving to disassembly and self-service, than P6, thus new shooting era begins here. Several gorgeous Carl Zeiss Jena lenses are ready too. It must be said, that as a piece of engineering, P6 is either overly delicate or outright flaky. But if one is ready to provide some care to this pet, it can turn into intimate relationship, it seems.
This looks like my Russian KMZ Start on steroids. Makes kinda sence since Pentacon was a camera manufacturer from Eastern Germany.
Just bought one yesterday...
Hi
What is the "crop" factor on medium format ? 0.5 ?
Medium format has no crop factor. That term is used for APS-C censors in digital
TheRcEngineer the crop factor is around 0.6 but it varies from formats, I think 6x6 is around 0.62
TheRcEngineer crop factor is only factored in for sensors less than 35mm equivalent. Mf cameras are much much more powerful, more resolution, than 35mm crop factor is a digital term not really meant to compare formats
Lol I just loaded mine for the first time and I totally accidentally didn't line up the arrows with the white dot. I'm guessing this means my frames will be split!! Whoops. will see how it turns out
Medium format (6 X 6) was originally developed because films in the 40-s had relatively poor resolution and the large negative size fixed that problem for portrait or repro work. Also the square-negative meant that the photographer didn't have to turn the camera to fit the subject, they just cropped the developed picture (Post-development processing was an art by itself, there were specialists who covered up the skin-imperfections and gave a twinkle to the eyes with pencils!). With 35 mm film becoming extraordinarily fine in the 80-s and 90-s, the medium-format kind of lost its original purpose.
For everyone looking into this camera system I recommend this website : pentaconsix.com
The pentacon 6 is fantastic.
I had two Pentacon Six cameras and overall they were garbage. The film didn't transport uniformly, the Zeiss Jena lenses had bubbles in the glass, numerous other small annoying things usually went wrong with the camera. I also had the wide angle lens as shown in the video and the cement holding the optics to the lens body began to develop thousands of tiny bubbles.
Excellent ! Thank you very much for this video. It was very useful.
Can you show exactly how to do double exposure on the camera? Plzzz
Hold the film rewind lever and push the rewind button on the bottom camera while winding manually the film with film advance lever.
Beautiful...thanks for this video...love it
Thank you!
Thinking about getting a medium format camera. The camera I'm considering right now is a Mamiya C330 tlr. Anybody have an idea of why I should reconsider and get another camera? The way I think I will be working with this "new" camera is to develop the film and then scan the negatives.
grammar dose not usually bother me. but after a beer the "its free" instead of "it's free" stands out. (on the other it might attract attention to the subscribe, in which case well done, you deserve the subscribes)
Thanks - I'm horrible with such things ;-) thanks for proofing.
It is camera from GDR, East Germany. It was dreamed camera for people which live behind Iron curtain.Was very very expensive.
The P 6 sounds like a winner, but I'm a weight conscious backpacker, and this camera like most of its brothers weighs more than my tent.
This a great sports camera, limited room arm-wrestling though
Quanto, camera pentacon
Made in GDR !!!
My copy was abhorrent, even after spending more to have it "fixed" than I paid for it. There are Japanese systems that are far more reliable for about the same prices. Pentax 645 comes to mind . . .
That is one minty lens.