The latest addition to my film camera collection, the Pentacon Six. This amazing little camera was made in East Germany in 1972. I purchased it with a Zeiss 80mm lens that is absolutely stunning. Most of the reviews I have done are on cameras that I know very well. I typically have owned it for a long while, long enough to consider its strengths, weaknesses and its place in my own photography style. This time I will deviate from the normal reviews because I purchased the Pentacon in order to fill a specific niche in my collection that was missing.
I love medium format photography, mostly because of the detail and because it fits in my enlarger. My 4x5 Graflex is wonderful however all I can do are contact prints. So when I want very high image quality, on film I reach for medium format. The issue that I have is that medium format was adopted very early to introduce people to photography. So many very basic cameras were made. Many of these lack the quality lenses to get the micro contrast necessary to make an image really "pop".
So I purchased a Hasselblad which does a fantastic job. Image quality is amazing thanks to some of the best lenses ever made. I have a Yashica-C which does a fine job as well. But both are cumbersome to use. I wanted something simple to use, great image quality and something that did not break the bank. I was down to three or four choices.
I found this wonderful gem for a good price and took the leap. When the camera arrived it was in wonderful condition. The first roll came out very nicely however I was shooting in fading light and at the slower shutter speeds I saw a bit of shake. Keeping the film faster than ISO 400 helps with it or use a tripod.
I love medium format photography, mostly because of the detail and because it fits in my enlarger. My 4x5 Graflex is wonderful however all I can do are contact prints. So when I want very high image quality, on film I reach for medium format. The issue that I have is that medium format was adopted very early to introduce people to photography. So many very basic cameras were made. Many of these lack the quality lenses to get the micro contrast necessary to make an image really "pop".
So I purchased a Hasselblad which does a fantastic job. Image quality is amazing thanks to some of the best lenses ever made. I have a Yashica-C which does a fine job as well. But both are cumbersome to use. I wanted something simple to use, great image quality and something that did not break the bank. I was down to three or four choices.
I found this wonderful gem for a good price and took the leap. When the camera arrived it was in wonderful condition. The first roll came out very nicely however I was shooting in fading light and at the slower shutter speeds I saw a bit of shake. Keeping the film faster than ISO 400 helps with it or use a tripod.
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The Good:
The viewfinder is large and bright. Just like the Hasselblad it gives images a 3-D effect which is beautiful. There is a pull down magnifying glass to help focus. This is an indispensable item when shooting at f/2.8. The shutter speeds range from Bulb to 1/1,000th of a second. The aperture is on the lens which ranges from 2.8 to 22. The lens does not stop down until you press the shutter which allows you to compose at the largest aperture. The image quality from the Zeiss 80mm is absolutely amazing. There is plenty of contrast and images just jump when shot well. At f/2.8 you get a narrow depth of field with some cloudy bokeh. It is mesmerizing and the camera really comes into its own in portrait work. |
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German engineering is a thing of beauty. There is a lock on the shutter to avoid you from accidentally firing in a bag. The lens locking mechanism is simple and locks on securely. The controls are ergonomically placed making it easy to hold and fire.
The Bad: Loading film is a little more complicated than your traditional 35mm camera, but this applies to all medium format cameras. If you want easy loading film I suggest staying to 35mm film. The camera is HEAVY. Again this is a trait of all Medium Format cameras but you should keep this in mind when buying it. It is large which makes it hard to fit in most camera bags. The Hasselblad is cumbersome but it fits in my bag. The Pentacon does not. |
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The camera has some known bugs. Some are affected by it and some are not. The Pentacon can screw up the frames and even make them overlap. One image can overlap and the others be just fine. This has to do with how the Pentacon advances the film. After the first model, the Pentacon was fitted with some teeth in the advancing wheel. If these are sharp and you load the film with some tension you should be fine. This is a risk with this camera but it can be mitigated by checking the teeth on your camera and by loading the film properly. A video link is located below.
The frame separation on the Pentacon is very narrow. So cutting out the negatives is a little more delicate than with my other medium format cameras. |
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Overall:
I once thought that film format was just about the gear. After all, photography is photography regardless of the size of film or sensor size. Unlike digital technology however, the way cameras have to be handled changes depending on film size. To shoot medium format requires a complete change in perspective and approach. This is a rather large topic to handle in this camera review but suffice to say that you cannot approach the Pentacon Six as if it was a 35mm camera. If you do, you will not get the best out of the experience or the camera. The camera is big and heavy perfection. It feels solid, it sounds like a howitzer and the images are dreamy perfection. Is this a camera to take backpacking across Europe? No, this is why Leica created the 35mm camera. It is a camera to take on a portrait shoot, headshots or specific artistic shots that require that extra image quality only attained with larger film. |
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Price & Value:
So my camera was purchased for a great price considering its excellent condition. I still paid a hefty GBP 240 for it. This was with the venerable Carl Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 lens and a leather case in brand new condition. Compare this with my GBP 1,000 for my Hasselblad with the lens and you see where this camera is more affordable. But how about value? Well here you get into something a bit sticky. A Hasselblad is of known, consistent quality and is easily maintained in various places around the world. Yes the film cartridge can be finicky but the camera is solid and reliable. They do break but rarely. The Pentacon has less consistency in build. Some I have seen have frame overlapping issues others, like mine, work wonderfully. |
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I believe that the Pentacon, if in good condition and properly used is a better value than a Hasselblad. If you want to get into medium format, and I recommend really considering this carefully, it is a perfect way to get a very solid camera without breaking the bank.
I will search for places to maintain such cameras as I am a fan of buying the best one you can get a hold of and then sending it off for a CLA. This ensures that you will have years of enjoyment without worry. If you do decide to sell it, you can recover a good 50% of the CLA price if it is sold in the first two years after the service. This is a general rule of thumb, but I have seen it hold true. Your results may vary... |
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Here is a video of the shutter firing with the back open. As mentioned above, it is not a silent camera. Everyone in a three block radius will know a picture was taken. But this is not a camera to use in street photography. It is a camera that is meant to be noticed. You can see the wonderful German movements when the shutter opens and closes. This was a 1 second exposure. According to my tests it is running a bit long by about 20% or so. This is normal and not a big issue. |
Recommended Sites:
For a good webpage FILLED with interesting information click HERE.
For a nice overview of the camera on YouTube click HERE.
For a MANDATORY lesson on loading film (from the same guy as the first link) click HERE.
For a good webpage FILLED with interesting information click HERE.
For a nice overview of the camera on YouTube click HERE.
For a MANDATORY lesson on loading film (from the same guy as the first link) click HERE.
