Happy ARAX CM user?

[haempe]

After the failure of the third from four Pentacon Six bodys I own (all serviced about 5 years ago for hundreds of €) I'm done with this ****.

But I have a nice Carl Zeiss lens set (50/65/80/120/180) and would miss that glass, so I'm looking for another more reliable body with P6 mount and came across with the ARAX CM.

Anyone who use this camera successful?
What should I know / consider before jumping into this system?

TIA

 

[tsiklonaut]

I had a brand new Arax 60. Although it was an improvement over my Kiev 60 the ARAX 60 wasn't perfect either.

Not sure how good are their CMs. Their support is fairly good though, but in my case it didn't help since I still had problems with my 60s curtains and sending to Ukraine and back is expensive.

After years with frustruation it looks to me the best way is to invest repairing your best Pentacon Six by a VERY good specialized technician (there should be a one or two in Europe or in States) [ideally two bodies, to keep one as backup] to have a reliable workhorse than gamble with other "semi-decent" options and hope they work (sooner or later has a tendency not to).

Or the best, get a proper Exackta 66 :angel: 😱 :bang: 😀

 

[haempe]

I had a brand new Arax. Although it was an improvement over my Kiev 60 the ARAX 60 wasn't perfect either.

Not sure how good are their CMs. Their support is fairly good though, but in my case it didn't help since I still had problems with my 60s curtains.

After years with frustruation it looks to me the best way is to invest repairing Pentacon Six by a VERY good specialized technician (there should be a one or two in Europe or in States) to have a reliable workhorse than gamble with other "semi-decent" options and hope they work.

Or the best, get a proper Exackta 66 :angel: 😱 :bang: 😀

Thanks.
Even the technicans say the problems with transport and shutter of the P6 are inherent in the system and can't be properly and permanently cured... It is never the question whether - only when - they break...
And the Exakta 66 ... also just a dressed up P6...

I'm used to work with a Mamiya RB67, that's why I'm interested in the ARAX CM; similar handling...

 

[mfogiel]

As an interesting twist, you could investigate conversions from P6 to Pentax 67, or, what I recommend more, just get a Pentax 645N with the P6 adapter. I use the 645N with adapter for both P67 and Hasselblad V lenses, and it is a great camera. Obviously, on non Pentax lenses you will have to stop down.

 

[haempe]

As an interesting twist, you could investigate conversions from P6 to Pentax 67, or, what I recommend more, just get a Pentax 645N with the P6 adapter. I use the 645N with adapter for both P67 and Hasselblad V lenses, and it is a great camera. Obviously, on non Pentax lenses you will have to stop down.

Thanks, mfogiel, that's a interesting option.
I've seen a adapter is also available for the Mamiya 645, a camera I know and value.
But the lack of automatic iris is of course a loss...

 

[Kirbot]

Unless you're attached to the 6x6 format, I'd pick up an adapter to use the lenses on a Mamiya M645.

 

[haempe]

Unless you're attached to the 6x6 format, I'd pick up an adapter to use the lenses on a Mamiya M645.

Hearsay or do you have personal bad experience with the ARAX CM? Please explain.

 

[veraikon]

Or the best, get a proper Exakta 66

And the Exakta 66 ... also just a dressed up P6...

No, get a Mod II or III and all the little deseases of the P6 are healed. But it is not easy to find one. Personally I had the the same problem and I did the same as mfogiel (but at a time the Pentax 645D wasn´t on market and the prices were a lot lower as today):

A what I recommend more, just get a Pentax 645N with the P6 adapter. I use the 645N with adapter for both P67 and Hasselblad V lenses, and it is a great camera. Obviously, on non Pentax lenses you will have to stop down.

Even with stop down metering the handling with Ptx 645N and adapted Carl Zeiss P6 lenses (50/80/180) is ok if can accept the 45x60mm format. @mfogiel

with adapter for both P67 and Hasselblad V lenses,

which brand (hasselblad V adaptor) do you use and can you recomment it ?

 

[Nokton48]

I sold all my highly modified Pentacon P6's, Hartblei 1006M, Kiev 60's, Kiev 6c's, and my two Exakta 66 MK3. If you like the lenses I would move to a more reliable body like the M645. I found these things to be huge $$$ pits no matter who works on them.

 

[KoNickon]

This is the same thing as the Kiev 88CM? I have one of these and have found it to be reliable -- only thing is that the backs need to be fully wound to the stop before each exposure so as to avoid frame overlap. Probably this is merely a simple adjustment that a qualified repairer can make.

 

[haempe]

Thanks for input, veraikon and Nokton48, food for thoughts...

I'm still undecided, but have no need for hurry.

KoNickon; I think the ARAX CM use new developed magazines.
No other issues with your Kiew 88?

 

[Nokton48]

I had a Kiev 88CM when they had first came out. The shutter broke and I sold it for parts at a big loss. Not a question of -if- it will break, more like -when-. I sold the rest of my P6 mount bodies while they were still in good shape. The troubles with the 88CM are well documented over on the Kiev forum at www.delphiforums.com

Sooner or later (the weak link is the filmback) the walnut-crunching advance and the gears in the filmback do their job, and you will have a failure. As an experiment, I bought a Hartblei 1006M which took Hasselblad film magazines, while I have in abundance. It worked very smoothly. but eventually I chickened out and sold it while it was still functioning correctly. Also I was concerned that I could be damaging my Hasselblad backs, and would then be afraid to use them on my four Hasselblad 500CM and 500EL/M bodies.

The term "Russian Roulette" is entirely appropriate in this case 😉

 

[haempe]

Just FYI, this is what came out...

 

[johannielscom]

Haempe,

By the looks of this, I'd say it was an original combo...😱

Pretty neat! Got any shots to show from this kit?

 

[haempe]

Haempe,

By the looks of this, I'd say it was an original combo...😱

Pretty neat! Got any shots to show from this kit?

Of this particular combo not yet...
The 180 sonnar is in my book a portraiture-only-lens 🙂rolleyes🙂 and one shortcoming of the M645 is that I need a prism-finder for use in portrait-orientation (waist level finders horizontal mirror-reversed image becomes vertically mirror-reversed at 90° what makes me sea-sick).
Otherwise I'm pretty happy. The 80/1.9 is a interesting option too...

 

[Nokton48]

Just make sure the adapter doesn't fit -too- tightly. A friend on the Kiev Delphi Forum broke the front mount on his 645 Mamiya. The culprit was a cheaply made adapter.

I do miss the 180mm Sonnar lens. I have been thinking about adapting one, to put on my Plaubel Makiflexes. I would need to remove the rear mount (three screws) and attach it to a Plaubel Peco Jr recessed lensboard. My hope is that the recessed lensboard would allow infinity focus with the CZJ lens. Maybe, maybe not.

I used to shoot wedding bridal beauty closeups with the 180mm Sonnar, and an 86mm Zeiss Softar II filter.
See here: http://hassydan.tripod.com/

 

[haempe]

Just make sure the adapter doesn't fit -too- tightly. A friend on the Kiev Delphi Forum broke the front mount on his 645 Mamiya. The culprit was a cheaply made adapter.

I do miss the 180mm Sonnar lens. I have been thinking about adapting one, to put on my Plaubel Makiflexes. I would need to remove the rear mount (three screws) and attach it to a Plaubel Peco Jr recessed lensboard. My hope is that the recessed lensboard would allow infinity focus with the CZJ lens. Maybe, maybe not.

I used to shoot wedding bridal beauty closeups with the 180mm Sonnar, and an 86mm Zeiss Softar II filter.
See here: http://hassydan.tripod.com/

Yeah, I have some doubts with this aluminum-adapter... will have to look for a brass made later.

You think the Makiflex can bear that weight of the Sonnar? After all about 1,5 kg.

Those softeners I've tried to avoid a long time (too excessive use in the 80s), maybe I have to re-think this... 😉

 

[Nokton48]

Yeah, I have some doubts with this aluminum-adapter... will have to look for a brass made later.

You think the Makiflex can bear that weight of the Sonnar? After all about 1,5 kg.

Those softeners I've tried to avoid a long time (too excessive use in the 80s), maybe I have to re-think this... 😉

Not really sure. Would like to borrow one, and prototype test it.

Could be excessively hard on the lens rack. The Makiflex is a full 9x9cm and the Sonnar will cover this. Should be cool 😎

Sometimes I would shoot one sharp, and then put on the Softar II. I still have the filter, it cost more than the CZJ lens!

 

[Spanik]

Never had a problem with any of the 2 P6TL's or Kiev 60's I have. The Kievs came from Hartblei and the P6's went to Fotoservice Olbrich. These days I use the few lenses worth it (30 and 180) on a M645 ProTL with an adaptor. Easier to use, lighter and decent metering.

 

[Nokton48]

I loved my P6's (had them modified at Pentacon Dresden, and they turned them into Exakta 66's. But the advance design is archaic and eccentric, with the "little teeth" digging into the film edges, pulling the film through. You're just asking for it.

I had a lot of fun shipping things all over the world. Herr Peter Olbrich does amazing work, and his repair fees were quite reasonable.