Pentacon Six - First Hand Impressions

R

ruben

Guest
Wow, wow, wow. This is the second time when a camera I have seen in many pictures, surprises me to my bones for its external beauty, when seen live.

The first time was when I first saw the older and big Canonet from 1965 - a beauty that with your kind tolerance allow me to say that you have no idea abuot its external aesthetic contours unless you see it live.

After all as photographers we know that pictures lie to the core, but I also know, due to the New York Institute of Photography, that any picture can be either weaker than its subject, or of equal stregth, or even stronger than its subject.

While many different images of the old canonet are not availabkle, this is not the situation with the Pentaxon Six. Just google for its images and you will see it from any possible angle.

But no picture has given me by far and large the sense of its delicate art deco contours, as they show themselves live. Live you are in front of an extremely fine contoured camera, quite strange for medium format cameras.

If there is a folk out there claiming the Kievs 60 are some sort of copy....oh well, let's all send him a dollar for another drink. In order to abstain from further throwing stinking flowers to the external aesthetics of the Kiev 60, let me satisfy myself by saying that the beauty of the Pentacon Six recalls somehow, although not directly, about the beauty of the Contax/Kiev rangefinders - the ultimative all time beauties.

Pictures we see about the Pentacon Six, lie as well about its WLF. Pictures give the impression that it is a small and shallow one, while in fact the small Pentacon Six protruding WLF hides the fact that the screen is deeply recessed down, so the flare danger is not bigger than in any other WLF, with the clever design of low protrusion when open.

As about the claim of TRA website, this is one of the most silent shutter slr medium formats, if not the most silent of all - I can vouch for it. Unbelievable for a mirror slapping medium format.

Lastly, by now, I would like to mention too a highly important for me detail: a shutter button lock.

What a delicatessen, what a sweety, what a beauty, I am speechless.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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I'm glad it's not just me that likes the Pentacon Six!

The front mounted shutter release is another bonus as you're pushing it more towards the camera than downwards, making it so easy to hold steady at lower shutter speeds.

Nice (underrated?) camera, excellent lenses and if you've lugged around a DSLR with battery grips and whatever else, they really aren't that bulky or heavy....
 
Ruben makes me want a Pentacon 6, all I have is the Kiev 60 but I have several Pentacon lenses and some Russian ones too. Great lenses worth much more than they cost. Fun stuff to use that costs little but delivers excellent results. Thanks for reminding us Ruben. Put some film in them. Joe
 
I never had the pleasure of using a Pentacon-6. The problems reported about its film transport has somewhat scared me away. I have an Arax-modified Kiev-88 CM. I find the CZJ 50f4 Flektogon and 180f2.8 Sonnar to be excellent lenses. The 80f2.8 Biometar is very compact and sharp but the bokeh is not that pleasant wide-open. When using larger apertures, I prefer the photos I get from my Arax 80f2.8 (Volna-3) even though they're a bit softer.
 
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I did have a system with a P6 body many years ago. I say this because the main bodies were 2 Exakta (the late W. German plastic type). Honestly I did not think too highly of the P6 body because it did cause me a bit of trouble. The Exaktas were OK. They should be as they cost much more. However, the P6 did have a range of very good lenses, notably the 50 Flektogon, 120 Biometar and the 180 and 300 Sonnar. These were comparable to their W. German counterparts. But they were heavy. Still, they delivered the goods. At the end I sold the whole system as I could no longer carry it around with ease. But for those who are young and strong and on a limited budget. This may be the way ahead.
 
I got a Mamiya 645J one day, and then I added Pentacon 6 mount lenses. I don't know much about the Pentacon 6 itself though. The lenses are very high quality.
 
Nando said:
I never had the pleasure of using a Pentacon-6. The problems reported about its film transport has somewhat scared me away. I have an Arax-modified Kiev-88 CM.
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I have gone through 3 Pentacon 6 cameras in the past. The film/frame transport behaves like the Kiev-6 I had. The frames often overlapped. And the frame counter on two of these Pentacons always found ways to break down. They never went back to zero. The technician who repaired these cameras told me that this was normal for P-6 cameras. And more than a few older photographers who used them at times told me that frame skipping and erratic counters were also usual.

Then there's the odd styled magnifer in the WLF hood. It has a wierd protruding handle which can poke the eye.....

The P6 is good, and compact. Not heavier than a Nikon F with a photomic finder. And its about 3/4 the mass of the K-6. I kept the Biometar lens from my broken P6 and used it on my Kiev-88CB (P6/K6 mount, but Hassy styled Kiev) for some time. If only the P6 which I owned worked properly they would have been great cameras.
 
raid said:
I got a Mamiya 645J one day, and then I added Pentacon 6 mount lenses. I don't know much about the Pentacon 6 itself though. The lenses are very high quality.
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Raid:

I also have a couple of Pentagon lenses with Mamiya 645 adapters to mount on my M645. I have an ARSAT 30mm . . .

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/arstat-30mm.shtml

and also, I believe the 180mm Sonnar (have to go home to check) which has been sitting on my shelf gathering dust. Now I'm getting re-energized to go shooting this weekend

bob
 
Overlapping frames has been a problem with my Kiev 60 but I think I know a prevention. After you wind the camera, do not touch the wind lever until you are ready to wind again. If it is wound and you try the wind lever to see if it is cocked, you will get overlapping frames. I've got the 50mm Flektogon and it's great. The Arsat 30mm is fun too. Just don't get your feet in the frame. Joe
 
Livesteamer said:
The Arsat 30mm is fun too. Just don't get your feet in the frame. Joe
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Joe:

actually, we once had a challenge in our photo group where it was a requirement that your "feet" had to be in the photo for judging. Not unlike those travel photos you see with your "feet" on a beach somewhere overlooking the ocean. Or the Bow of a canoe or kyack . . .

bob
 
I wouldn't be too worried about the film transport. The same problem appears with Kiev 60, but it is not too hard to fix even at home. There are instructions found in the internet. Just if you have any such skills and time.

Also, I've owned a couple Pentacons and they had no problems with this. You could also add some tape on the taking spool to make it wind a bit more than normally. Also I think you could add some extra winding if you do not take the lever all the way to the end, then let it a bit back and then wind it all the way.

Comparing a Pentacon and Kiev 88 (or such), I'd say the Pentacon is more robust when it comes to different problems. Magazine-kievs have their light leakages and darkslide-flares and such, a Pentacon pretty much only has the film transport problem which is fixable.
 
I am another Pentacon Six fan - I did get myself one that was adjusted by Cupog on the auction site and the film transport is very regular, the lenses are super-smooth etc.

There seemed to be a tendency for people to load 120 relatively loosely and, as the counter basically works on friction with the film, that caused problems. As it is now, I can reliably get 13 shots to a roll - but that really messes up negative storage of course !
 
In Love With A Pentacon 6

In Love With A Pentacon 6

My son and I pooled our meager resources (he recently lost his job because of the financial crisis and I'm a retired pensioner!) and splurged for a CLAed P6 from Cupag in Slovakia. We did it on emotion alone! I've wanted a P6 for years (remember those ads in PopPhoto from Cambridge Camera back in the 60's?) and Max needed a diversion. I'd read a few very good things about Cupag's work so we did a BIN on his listing in that great auction site in the sky, and waited.

The camera arrived in due time. It was immaculate in every respect. It is as heavy as a chunk of lead and rather unwieldy to use, but it has turned out some great images. We followed the advice on loading the camera from the P6 website (www.pentaconsix.com) and have run about a dozen rolls through the bowels of the beast with nothing but splendid results. TRA has excellent advice on that P6 site for the care and feeding of a Pentacon.

So far, the P6 appears to have been a good investment.

dc3
 
If all these comments remain positive I had better get my planned second P6 body quickly, before the prices go up . . .
;)
 
Glad to see that the grandmother of my beautiful (ehm...) Kiev 60 has so many estimators!! Gentleman, Kiev 60 look rough and crude, but it's a joy to use! (and yes, if you don't play with the lever, no overlapping frames).
I never used a Pentacon Six, but I've seen it "live", and agree with Ruben: it's an old beautiful lady

Looking forward to see your 6x6 shots, Ruben!! ;)
 
Mine is a Cupog one too, so I hope it will work as it should. But that relatively silent shutter is driving me crazy besides the general contours of the camera. With its compact Biometar lens and WLF, it is a (relative to medium format) pleasure to handhold.

Obviously I am too excited now, and have to make some rolls to comfirm the inside matches the outside. But, my dear folks when you actually see this camera live - your brains will start burning.

Nevertheless, I still would like to darken the exterior and one of the zebra rings with black tapette . As it comes, it is some 60% black and 40% chrome. I am used to 90% black and 10% shining chrome. Of course when you black tape a camera, you are obliged to leave much more areas untouched as many surfaces are unpossible to mask. But nevertheless blackening a bit more will make my lady further sexy.

I still have to polish the lower case and change the old strap for a broader one.

And then the customary black convex softie....

I don't know anymore if I want this camera to actually take pictures or just to admire it. Because I am so happy by just looking and it and working on its cosmetics, that .... why to make pictures, for what else ?

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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spiderfrank said:
Glad to see that the grandmother of my beautiful (ehm...) Kiev 60 has so many estimators!! Gentleman, Kiev 60 look rough and crude, but it's a joy to use! (and yes, if you don't play with the lever, no overlapping frames).
I never used a Pentacon Six, but I've seen it "live", and agree with Ruben: it's an old beautiful lady

Looking forward to see your 6x6 shots, Ruben!! ;)
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Hi Franco,

This P6 is intended to make simultaneous company to a Kiev 6c 6x45. During the long wait for the Slovakian mail I made for the Kiev a semi hard leather case, low and top.

I also taped a bit the Kiev 6c, and with its non metering prism, the look of the camera improves a lot. Then a Domke broad shoulder jungle khaki strap and the minimum for daring to appear at the streets is met.

When thinking about the design of the lower case, I confronted head on the flat brick look of the Kievs 6c/60 and designed my lower case with a lot of curves. This changes a lot the overall view of the Kiev. I still cannot understand why the Soviets so well known for having manufactured so many cases, left this camera nude.

And for further crime they did it, when the precedent, the P6 was sporting a case.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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Nando said:
I never had the pleasure of using a Pentacon-6. The problems reported about its film transport has somewhat scared me away.
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Those reports have not been exaggerated. I used to own one, and it took nice photos, those that didn't get overlapped or stuck. Very adequate for use well-lit outdoors, but indoors, ay ay ay. The available lenses make for a nice system, but if it weren't for the lenses, this camera would be much much less valuable on eBoy.

I have yet to experiment with the Ukrainian MF knock-offs. The Pentacon Six is indeed a nice-looking camera, with a nice feel to it, but I found it just too unreliable for critical work.
 
Gabriel M.A. said:
Those reports have not been exaggerated. I used to own one, and it took nice photos, those that didn't get overlapped or stuck........
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HI Gabriel,

By chance do you happen to read this page: http://www.pentaconsix.com/Loading.htm

or know otherwise its contents ?

It starts with the following striking sentence:

"Loading the Pentacon Six or Exakta 66 is not difficult. I find it far easier to load than a Hasselblad (or Kiev 88!) film magazine. But nor is it as easy as loading many 35mm cameras. Get the loading wrong with any of these cameras, and you’re going to have problems, the most common of which is overlapping frames. But having said that, overlapping frames is not common at all, if the camera is loaded properly"

Then a non-usual way, and non straightforward nor intuitive special method is described in full detail
 
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I still have my Exakta 66 MK2, which I sent to Rolf-Dieter Baier in Germany, and he installed his -PATENTED- improved advance mechanism, which includes color-coded popups. It's now -impossible- to get an overlapping frame! I also had two hot-rodded Pentacon Sixes I sent to Pentacon in Germany, they hopped them up to the internals of an Exakta 66 MK3 (including the advance lever). More info at www.baierfoto.de or www.pentacon.de


I'm known as "Hassydan" over at the Kiev Delphi forum. Been participating in the fray over there for years.
 
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