Recomendations For 6x6 SLR

The Hasselblad 500 C/M is very small, and affordable these days. If you are on a extremely tight budget, a Bronica SQ-A would be an alternative. Both are as small and light as a 6x6 can be, have good lenses which you can get all over ebay, are inherently reliable and usually were no heavy duty studio cameras either (Rolleis for example, while originally excellent, are heavier, bigger and at least those on the German 2nd hand market mostly look as if they have been through twenty years of daily studio work).
 
Hasselblad 500C or 500CM with a waist level finder - best value for the dollar (especially right now!), and they are smaller and lighter than you'd think. Compared to a Rollei SL66 they are positively Liliputian!

You have the versatility of interchangeable backs, a plethora of accessories and (relatively) reasonably priced lenses that are of superior quality. A truly great camera to own and use.

I just got back from a trip to New Mexico and had my 500CM and Super Wide C with me. They both fit in a small camera bag and were quite easy to carry around all day. Don't know if I would've had as good a time with an SL66 around my neck.
 
It's lovely to hear that the Pentacon Six still has so many enthusiasts! I used it (and an earlier Praktisix) quite heavily from about 1968 to 1973, when I managed to acquire a used Pentax 67. Of course, all these cameras have the advantage over the Mamiya 6 of a focal plane shutter, which was essential for the work I was doing at that time. And they take longer lenses, too--I eventually got a Sonnar 180mm for the Pentacon, and a much longer lens for the Pentax.

I had very few issues with the Pentacon Six, apart from a tendency to scratch film--a problem that I eventually corrected. I'm not aware of anyone else who experienced this difficulty. I never experienced the frame-spacing issue which some Pentacon users report.

The Pentax 67 is definitely nicer to handle; it just feels more reliable and precise, and for colour transparency photography its accurate electronic shutter has obvious advantages over the mechanical blinds on the Pentacon. However, for black and white photography the Pentacon's shutter was just fine. It always gave me evenly exposed negatives, even up to 1/1000th of a second. I didn't get that from a Fujita 66 I had at about the same time. (The Fujita's shutter only runs to 1/500th. That camera's vertically-running blinds were noticeably slower, and more prone to cause uneven exposure, if I held the camera upside down! The Pentacon never caused me that sort of problem.) The Pentax's ergonomics are nicer too, although I can't really explain why. And the Pentax lenses are definitely better!

The instant return mirror of the Pentax is nice, but I never felt that I suffered from the absence of an instant return mirror on the Pentacon. Indeed, the fact that the mirror doesn't fly back with a wallop means that the Pentacon is actually a little quieter than the big Pentax. However, as much as I reminisce about my old Pentacon, I'd never climb over a Pentax to get to it.

Incidentally, last December I discovered a new in box, old stock Pentacon Six TL in a reputable camera store in Hong Kong. I had to prevent my hand from going into my wallet, such are my fond memories of that machine from my youth! Nettar
 
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I have a Kiev88, probably the same size as the Hasselblad 500 and much cheaper. Without the prism finder but with a neoprene strap there are no problems in walking around for a whole day. As long as you use the camera the way it is supposed to be used it works (at least so do mine). Also dead cheap.

Frame spacing: Spools from Lucky films are thinner than others (at least the original supplied with the camera + fomapan spools), so the 2 first frames may have a panorama effect. Solution is to use 'other' spools or add 10 cm of backing paper to the lucky spool.
 
Sounds like you find the 6X6 systems with reflex/prism viewfinders too big (at least for frequent use/carrying).

I think we're into impossible trinities here: choose maximum two of (i) format you want, (ii) viewfinder preference, (iii) size/portability. (Okay, the last is subjective, but still).
i + iii: 6X6 or 6X7 w/o prism (rangefinder/folder, TLR or Hassy-style).
i + ii: 6X6 or 6X7 with great big prism.
ii + iii: 645 format.

Easiest would be to try one out - and you'd hardly lose much money on later resale if you shopped carefully for almost any of the suggestions above.

I still think the choice is basically either Hassel/SQ-A body type and systems if you can compromise on viewfinder (with prism for occasional use, but WLF for 'normal' usage), or a 645 system if you really want the SLR style and can compromise on format. Since you really like 6X6, and given the other advantages of systems with removable backs, viewfinders, everything, trying it seems like a no-brainer.

By the way, if you're a frequent TLR user, you may find that working with the Hassel-type body style and waist level finder is different than you expect - it's not the same experience. This will depend a bit on how you hold each (and even hand size), but I find I tend to cradle the Hassle-type, and -for me - the WLF is less noticeable than with a TLR. It's also fine with a prism for when the prism is needed - and you can remove it when not needed if you find it gets in the way. (I personally can't stand TLRs with prisms on them)

I don't know all of the systems above, but it's pretty clear that the markets for Hasselblads and SQ-As are quite deep, and parts, lenses, reliability are not huge problems in general.
 
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The Rolleiflex SL 66 can be an excellent camera, especially if you like Zeiss lenses.

Downsides: It's big. Really big. It works best on a tripod. If you plan to shoot handheld, get the Rollei hand grip with the shutter-release cable. Flash synch is slow (1/30). I think there is just one lens with a leaf shutter.

The Zeiss lenses can be expensive, but if you're patient you can build a nice kit without going broke.

What to like: The bellows give 1:2 reproduction and 2:1 if you reverse the 80mm Planar. All of the lenses can be reversed. The camera body has mirror lockup and depth-of-field preview. The backs can easily be switched between 120 and 220.

As with any older camera, the body might need to be serviced. There are no foam seals to replace, but you should ensure that the film backs are light-tight (shoot a test roll).
 
I would try a Pentacon 6. I never had reliability problems with mine. The 50mm lens is great. Learn how to load it properly and avoid backslapping the advance lever. They are pretty cheap, maybe you could buy two bodys. Installing a brighter screen is easy too.

Now i shoot a Mamiya 6 and couldn`t be happier.

All the best,
andreas
 
I'm another Pentacon Six user. You could try Cupog on the auction site who sells CLA'd bodies and lenses, plus frequently the meterless prisms too (much more compact than the metered version). The standard focus-hood is a bit too open and lets in a lot of extra on to the screen, so a bit of black card, folded to go around the outside of the hood, can help a lot to reduce the dazzle.

Rick Oleson sells brighter screens, with centre focus aid. Those work fine and are more than a stop brighter.

Assuming the body is in decent mechanical shape, the wind-on 'problem' seems to often be because people forget to have the film/backing-paper tight. That causes overlaps because the film-counter is based on a friction-driven wheel running on the surface of the film. If it isn't tight then it doesn't touch and/or slips.

There is lots of very useful information on www.pentaconsix.com for further reading.
 
I'm using a Norita. It's problem really is that things get stiff in it after years of usage. A quick CLA cures most things.

But that's the price to pay to use the Norita's nice lenses.
 
I'll agree, that the Mamiya 6 isn't a SLR, but so what, it's the perfect square 120 camera.
Just curios if anyone has used the Exakta 66's ?
 
mrisney said:
Just curios if anyone has used the Exakta 66's ?
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Old thirties to fifties ones are pretty much collectors items by now - the shutters are generally beyond economic repair. The eighties Exakta 66 was a Pentacon Six derivative, improved on in Western Germany and fit with a set of Schneider lenses - but it is rather overpriced right now, being the holy grail among Pentacon Six enthusiasts. Both lenses and bodies often fetch a lot more than their contemporary Hasselblad equivalents - which is not justified by any sane standard.
 
MartinP said:
I'm another Pentacon Six user. You could try Cupog on the auction site who sells CLA'd bodies and lenses, plus frequently the meterless prisms too (much more compact than the metered version). The standard focus-hood is a bit too open and lets in a lot of extra on to the screen, so a bit of black card, folded to go around the outside of the hood, can help a lot to reduce the dazzle.

Rick Oleson sells brighter screens, with centre focus aid. Those work fine and are more than a stop brighter.

Assuming the body is in decent mechanical shape, the wind-on 'problem' seems to often be because people forget to have the film/backing-paper tight. That causes overlaps because the film-counter is based on a friction-driven wheel running on the surface of the film. If it isn't tight then it doesn't touch and/or slips.

There is lots of very useful information on www.pentaconsix.com for further reading.
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I found the screen from the Kievs can be cut down and fitted to the Pentacon, and they are perhaps the best thing the Soviets made as part of those systems.

The shutters of the Pentacon can do some odd things, I have had one that seemed OK, but the 125 setting was Bulb.

The advance mechanism was always a concern, with over lapping frames common, am not sure how they fixed them, but I quite often got a small plastic bag with broken parts back with the camera. It used to be a $30 repair for an overhaul in Prague. I was also told to never touch the tension fingers on the back, it just got to be too finicky for me, so when someone wanted the last one I had on hand, I shipped it to him.

I heard the Exactas were made in the same factory as the Pentacons.

I probably have a dozen adapters for various lenses for the Pentacon Mount, including a LTM to Pentacon, only works for macro, ;-)

I probably have adapters somewhere for Pentacon to Nikon F, Pentax K, Mamiya 645, and Pentax 645, plus one which is a remains to be seen as it was miss marked on the package.

They are fun, but when they break they are a pita to have serviced this side of the pond.

Too bad, as the glass for them is good and not very expensive, if I want to use them, I dig out a Mamiya 645 body + the adapter.

Local shop once gave me a lens for one because I was the only one who could identify the camera it matched. ;-)

I think there are too many other more reliable options.

I would stick with the Rollei, or hang around photo shows, occasionally a nice system comes in, in fitted case, of a Bronica, or Mamiya 645 with three lenses for well within your budget and presents a target of opportunity.

Regards, John
 
i´m using the Exakta 66. It works perfect for me. Though it´s not light weight, I don´t find it much heavier than any of the fully mechanical SLRs from the 60´s or 70´s.
Mine is 10 years old now so I just gave it a CLA by Baier Foto. Feels like new...
Most of the square format pictures in my gallery were take with it.
As was mentioned above - treat it with care, don´t let the advance lever snap back and it will work fine for years. Think this goes for the Pentacon Sixs as well - so my recommendation.

Cheers, Gottfried
 
Gottfried Sandow said:
i´m using the Exakta 66. It works perfect for me. Though it´s not light weight, I don´t find it much heavier than any of the fully mechanical SLRs from the 60´s or 70´s.
Mine is 10 years old now so I just gave it a CLA by Baier Foto. Feels like new...
Most of the square format pictures in my gallery were take with it.
As was mentioned above - treat it with care, don´t let the advance lever snap back and it will work fine for years. Think this goes for the Pentacon Sixs as well - so my recommendation.

Cheers, Gottfried
Click to expand...

Glad to hear of your good luck with them, I almost bought an Exakta body, had heard they had improved the problems of the Pentacon.

Regards, John
 
Frank Petronio said:
Hasselblad 500-series to the end of time.... but a Rollei TLR is still a better camera.
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Hard to argue with either choice, and occasionally one comes along at a sweet price these days. Both are fairly easy to find someone for a CLA if necessary.


Regards, John
 
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