Pentax 67ii Overview & Review

[@RyanVenedam]

Just wanted to say that with the appropriate 67ii left hand grip you can get both a hot shoe and TTL flash metering, which is one of the biggest upgrades from the original 67. Setting the ISO on the camera with an unmetered prism or waist level is important in that case as the flash metering system is built into the body.

[@randallstewart175]

The leaf spring in the film chamber: It is there to hold the new film roll tight as you first advance the paper leader to its starting index before closing the camera back. The earlier versions lack this tensioner. This allows the user to get a loose wrap of the paper leader,which in turn can cause the film to wrap loosely as you shoot and advance film. If too loose, the film roll can jam in the take up chamber.

[@richardsimms251]

Very good review. I have this camera but have used my other SLRs over the past 2 years and want to get back to my 6 by 7 ii. Thank you. RS. Canada

[@southport65]

For years I've dreamt of owning a 67II, but always held off for whatever reason. I'm happy to say that today that dream will finally be becoming a reality. A mint condition one with recent CLA from a Japanese store became available in my city and at a very good price, so I had to jump on it. I debated for years between the Pentax and the Mamiya 7II, and while I intend to eventually get the M7 as well, the Pentax is just more logical for my style of shooting- I'm a fashion/portrait photographer who's most at home with SLR style cameras. I've owned various film cameras before and always loved the images medium format yielded, but I could never get used to the waist level finders or ergonomics of the other systems. My main camera for a few years was the RZ67 Pro II, and as great as the images were, I always downright loathed using it as it was so heavy/bulky/large/awkward. I recently got a Hasselblad 503cw- another longtime dream camera-, and as awesome as it is, I just can't get used to the ergonomics. The Pentax will be a seriously welcome addition at long last. Can't wait to get out and start shooting with it. Also stoked to explore the range of lenses (mine is coming with the 105mm). I'm really stoked to add the Mamiya in the future as well (maybe next year) as their lenses are legendary and I love all the images I've seen from that camera. Feeling good. Thanks so much for your video.

[@hellatightdude]

Do you still have your 67II? I have one as well and have had it for about six months. I absolutely love love LOVE the results I get from this camera. Honestly it’s difficult to make a bad photo with it. But it’s just so bulky and cumbersome 😩

[@randallstewart175]

Note that the focus screens are interchangeable, and a large variety of screens with different features was provided. The bad news is that most of those screens are very hard to find, and when you do find the more desirable screens, they are hugely expensive (overpriced??) now.

[@coleturner3859]

is your arm in a brace from lugging the camera around?

[@filmfocused9759]

Haha! That would be a much simpler explanation than the truth. The camera is the heaviest of my collection, by far. My girlfriend has a Mamiya RB67 (which is roughly the same as the RZ67) which are probably the only other 6x7 systems that outweigh the Pentax, BUT, it's nothing a good camera strap and/or a tripod can't fix.

[@erwinvierstraete4413]

Super clear, well explained, fantastic review!

[@filmfocused9759]

Appreciate the comment! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DANVIIL]

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend that if you are interested in this camera system not to overlook the 6x7 MLU or mirror up option. The 67II is about $1,000++. more and after all a camera body is only a box with a shutter curtain, mirror and film winder. I prefer to put my money into the glass rather than the box and for $1,000. I can buy 3 of the excellent lenses for this body. I don't care about a meter because I'm used to shooting medium format cameras without a meter. This system runs all the way from a 35mm fisheye up to a super long 1,000mm telescopic lens. I really like this system camera but be prepared for its weight Hiking 10 miles with this camera etc. requires a really good camera backpack and a strong pair of legs and back, but the results are worth it.

[@yalelu7468]

Great pictures you've taken. Love them.

[@filmfocused9759]

Thank you!

[@MrBartolomeo22]

67ii was discontinued in 2009. So yeah, it is quite young.

[@vincentbousserez]

Perfect explanations! Thank you very much!

[@eyewandersfoto]

Yes, the 67ii is better but... the 67ii is quadruple the cost these days (it's gotten bananas how sought after they are). Is it worth it? Well... In terms of age, yes they're newer, but they're far more reliant on circuitry which more and more shops will no longer repair. The day will come that it'll fail. The earlier 67 is still worked on by far more camera techs; it's failures are mechanically related (film transport is the most common) and simpler by their very nature (and 67ii is still liable for those types of failures *as well*.) In terms of ergonomics, everyone mentions this re: the 67ii's eros because of its grip, but there are a good number of easy-to-find (some custom) affordable right-hand 3rd-party grips available to buy and mount on 67 and 6x7. Transforms the older models in a gigantic way. Full disclaimer, I own both and were I to let one go, it'd be the 67ii. My personal opinion is if you're a shooter that intends to work more methodically with off-camera metering, landscape work etc, you can use the non-metered prism or WLF, shaving weight and being perfectly happy with a 67 or 6x7. But if you will work in a more free-form manner and would rely on the in-camera metering and AE features of the newer model, the 67ii makes more sense. It's meter is tough to fool - it's excellent. But again, you're paying a hefty price tag for that convenience, and it's a camera that in my opinion will not be as long-lived over time as its earlier cousins. (And if I'm honest, the older models have a more visceral feel to shooting/handling them that I just enjoy a bit more.) But I love'm all.

[@nzdigital]

Hi Joe. Had an original 67 and didn’t like the ergonomics at all. Shame I couldn’t have had the 67II with the better grip. Might have held on to it for longer 🤔

[@eyewandersfoto]

Many aftermarket right-hand grips are available for the 67 and 6x7 models. (and it does make an enormous difference)

[@humbledtrader760]

Excellent review. Enjoyed it.

[@lichtmaler]

good review, thank you.

[@antoine.dutilh]

lovely video man! Just a quick question with regards to that huge shutter (and apologies if you actually addressed it in the video somewhere, may have missed a few things as i've been watching whilst making breakfast haha), is it an issue with shooting at low shutter speeds handheld? does the shutter produce a lot of vibrations?

[@filmfocused9759]

Haha No problem! So first off, the rumors about the shutter/mirror being so big that you can't shoot handheld are not true. BUT...The mirror is still rather large and will shake the camera if you don't have a steady grip on the thing. 1/125 is pretty much the threshold, any image that I shoot below 1/125, i consider at risk of having camera shake. So in theory, you really only lose "One Stop" of exposure ability when compared to a 35mm camera w/ 50mm lens. I don't have any personal experience with the original 67 however, so I can't guarantee the same results with that camera. Cheers!

[@antoine.dutilh]

thanks for the reply man, very helpful! I might try and get my hands on this camera

[@composeexpose8009]

Awesome review, thanks for making it. Are you still shooting with it?

[@filmfocused9759]

Absolutely!! Still my favorite medium format camera...don't know if anything will ever top it. Cheers!

[@nickathos7428]

Great review dude👊

[@xvr]

Great video. Been looking for one of these for ages but can't seem to find one at a good price.

[@filmfocused9759]

Thank you! Good luck, I know they can be tricky to find at a good deal.

[@RickMentore]

Fantastic video! Glad I found your site, I was looking for reviews on the Pentax 645 NII when I found you. The images at the end are cool my fav. was "girl by pier." Interestingly enough, the 67II is more costly that the 645N II even though the 645 N II id digital and newer, dose your camera has a bigger sensor, is 6X9 a bigger medium format?

[@filmfocused9759]

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the content! So when you're looking at Digital MF cameras the BIG thing to remember is that the actual sensor a.k.a. "digital back" DOES NOT come with the camera unless it's specified. So that means a Digital MF camera body could cost maybe only $500 used but you still have to buy a $10K-$20K sensor/digital back, making the investment for a digital system MUCH more expensive. (unless you're looking at the Pentax 645Z or a camera similar with the sensor housed in the body...that's still around $10K for a full system). Just to clarify, the Pentax 67ii is a medium format film camera, so no sensor here, it can only shoot 120/220 film and no adaptable digital backs for this system either...those are only available on various 645 systems. Yes, 6x9 is the largest common MF aspect ratio but can only be shot on 120/200film...it's slightly larger than 6x7 negatives and would be the equivalent of shooting 35mm aspect ratio on medium format film. Hope this helps, and good luck in your search for the 645Nii, Cheers!!

[@koby1960]

The 645n and 645nii are film cameras not digital.

[@steven3379]

I wish I still had mine! Like a idiot I sold 2 & 1/2 yrs after I bought it... Good video!

[@filmfocused9759]

Thank you!

[@florianomugnaio9169]

Thanks for this Video 👍🏾

[@albertomorales746]

Thank you...can you explain more about the lenses..how to see the different betwieen the two models....what it`s the right lens for closeup portrait on this camera...thank you...Albert.

[@filmfocused9759]

Hi Albert! You can find the 135(full format) equivalent focal length for 6x7 cameras by dividing the focal length by 2. So if you're shooting a 100mm on a 6x7 camera, the 135 equivalent would be 50mm. Close up portraits can be done with almost any of the lenses in this line. The 105mm 2.4 and 90mm 2.8 are great options, If you want extremely tight headshots I would recommend buying the #1 and even maybe the #2 extension tubes. They allow you to get much closer to your subject as well as do macro work with a non-macro specific lens. Hope this answers your question.

[@Leleuta]

good review. thank you for your video.

[@shamgartruth1449]

Great video, would love to shoot with one.

[@waltercardenas8727]

So when converting between 6x7 & 35mm lenses the aperture changes too?

[@filmfocused9759]

Great question! I had trouble with this myself when I first got interested in shooting medium format. Aperture is simply the measurement of the intensity of light. If you use a light meter for a scene and it reads "ISO 100 | Shutter Speed 1/125 | Aperture f5.6" You can use those settings for a proper exposure throughout every format 35mm, Medium Format, & Large Format...however although the intensity of light is the exact same, the difference in format size (lens and camera body and film) the visual effect of the lens is significantly different. So in theory, a 6x7 lens converts to exactly 2x larger than a 35mm camera's lens. Shooting with my Pentax 67ii, I use the "105mm f/2.4" lens. If I convert that lens to the 35mm format equivalent... the lens is effectively a "53mm f/1.2" lens, in terms of HOW the images look. The apertures themselves need no conversion. I hope this clarifies things for you. Happy shooting!

[@waltercardenas8727]

@@filmfocused9759 oh, thanks for the clarification. Unfortunately i haven't been able to shoot my 67ii due to work but have plans for a trip very soon 👍

[@Sebochan]

You mentioned that it only focus on the center. Does it mean that there are other cameras that can focus in the different parts of the focusing screen?

[@filmfocused9759]

Yes, most every DSLR and modern film SLR (like the Nikon F100/F5/F6) on the market has multiple adjustable focus points. Because this is a manual focus system you are limited by your specific focusing screen. You can also purchase different focusing screens for this camera but they can be difficult to find, depending on what exactly you're looking for.

[@Sebochan]

@@filmfocused9759 And one more thing, i know that owning an old camera like this comes with a risk. Especially with electronics. Is the risk THAT great?

[@filmfocused9759]

@@Sebochan No I don't believe so. With a cheaper camera, more geared towards the consumer market, I think that risk would increase. But with a professional camera like this you shouldn't have much to worry about. The people who previously owned these types of cameras took really good care of them (ie. working professionals or collectors) Along with the resurgence of analog photography, more reputable camera repair stores/companies are making a name for themselves as well. So if you were to have an issue, odds are there's a place that would be able to help you out, without it costing a fortune.

[@PianoBlackTrimRep.]

Is the brace on your hand from carrying the camera around?

[@zhijiawang9007]

Could you compare the lens quality of this system and mamiya 7 system?

[@filmfocused9759]

Absolutely! In short, the Mamiya 7 is more well versed for landscape and travel photography due to better overall edge to edge sharpness (of all 7 of the lenses) and limit of shooting at f/4. Build quality and ease of focus are pretty much a draw as both systems were designed for professionals in mind. The Pentax has the upper hand on minimum focussing distance and shooting with a shallow depth of field, making it the ideal portrait photographers camera. Additionally, the Pentax glass is remarkably sharp too, especially when stopped down to f/11-16 but not as razor sharp as the Mamiya 7 lenses; in my opinion of course. The one other thing that really stands out to me with the Pentax, is the ease of ability to use circular polarizers and screw on filters with it being an SLR as opposed to a rangefinder. Cheers!

[@yuvrajsinghgrewal7692]

im new to film photography, i have a Canon ae-1 rn and idk if i should get into medium format

[@filmfocused9759]

If you're not sure about it, it's probably best to keep shooting 35mm for a while. I wouldn't recommend jumping to a 645 camera right away either because there isn't really much different/better my opinion and those cameras are in very high demand so the prices are usually high even for low-end systems. Save some money and get a square format or 6x7/6x9 camera....If you like 35mm aspect ratio, 6x9 is the same ratio just much larger negatives!

[@harrylangdon491]

Good luck with Jay and Silent Bob Reboot

[@thomashill5768]

Can you still focus and recompose?

[@filmfocused9759]

Absolutely! Just like any other SLR system, as long as you don't move all over the place while recomposing you'll get great results.

[@thomashill5768]

Film Focused thanks, your channel is great, keep it up!

[@Kthomasritchie]

Arnold Schwarzenegger's favourite SLR.

[@j-s-m-photographymc5317]

I live in the UK my family live in Virginia Beach the strip would be great for night photography

[@dflf]

The 3rd big flaw is the price. A body with no lens or prism can cost $1500

[@MrSharma786]

Pentax 67ii or Mamiya 7ii? I am having a hard time to decide. Your video really helped a lot.

[@filmfocused9759]

If I had to go with only one, I'd have to choose the Pentax 67ii. For a few reasons, but plane and simply it's more versatile. There are more options/lenses, and it covers a wider range of shooting styles than the Mamiya 7ii. Cheers! Glad I could help!

[@MrSharma786]

Film Focused thanks for the detailed response. I really appreciate it, keep up the great work 🙂🙌🏼

[@MrSharma786]

Hey! Sorry I am back on the same question but I did some research and found out that due to the Mirror lock up there is a lot of shaking inside the Pentax 67 system, but since Mamiya 7 has leaf shutter it does not have that problem. Does that something that ever bothered you or affected the results anyhow? Thanks a lot for all your help :)

[@filmfocused9759]

No worries! And no, it doesn't hinder my style of shooting at all. The mirror is rather large and will shake the camera if you don't have a steady grip. 1/125 is pretty much the threshold for shooting handheld, any image that I shoot below 1/125, i consider at risk of having camera shake (I have gotten sharp results at 1/30th before). I have a tripod with me or in my car 99% of the time I'm shooting so I can always use that for longer exposures. Even though the Mamiya 7 uses a leaf shutter, the system itself has more limitations, compared to the Pentax 67ii.

[@DANVIIL]

@@MrSharma786 Because of the massive weight of the camera body mirror shake isn't a concern. I've seen shots taken at 1/30th second handheld and no problem.

[@tallaganda83]

Wish i bought one when they didn't cost 2.5K

[@filmfocused9759]

I got lucky finding this one from a good Japanese dealer...But now I'm in the market for the 75mm f/2.8 AL which is currently going for $1300 - $2100. I've been compensating by shooting both the Mamiya & Pentax at the same time, not ideal, but it gets the job done haha

[@Seapatico]

Careful not to remove the prism while the lens is attached. I broke my chain doing that.

[@Seapatico]

Haha, nvm. You addressed it.

[@camerabrah]

would you choose the 67ii, the Contax 645, or the Mamiya 7ii to shoot stationary Motorcycles? Thanks in advance.

[@filmfocused9759]

Honestly, I think that comes down to personal preference...BUT if I had to chose, probably the Pentax 67ii and my second choice would be the Contax 645 for sure. The Mamiya 7 has a pretty far minimum focusing distance and relatively poor parallax error at close range (especially compared to SLR cameras). Overall image quality, Pentax 67 takes the cake IMO

[@tallaganda83]

Mamiya 7 has the best lenses, but for that type of shot you will want shallow depth of field which the Pentax 67 will be your best option, if you can afford it the Contax is a great camera too, with amazing lenses.

[@michaels5166]

Makes me want to ditch all this digital stuff and get back to some REAL imagining,that requires skills..