P67II new viewfinder vs P67 old

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Hi y'all

I have just received the spanking new brochure of the P67II and I have a few questions to ask of seasoned P67 users:

1 P67 presents a magnification of 0.85X in the viewfinder with 105mm focussed at infinity; P67II sees one of 0.75X. IS it hindrance or an improvement to have a a smaller mag. factor?

2 Durability. With the albeit small LCD panel is the new P67II less hardy than before.

3 New handgrip is nice but what happened to the strap fasteners on the right side? Will it hinder one's movements to have the P67II hanging by one's neck in a 'vertical' stance?

4 New materials shaved off some weight. It isn't quite clear what new materials were used-plastics?

5 New film transport ensures greater precision of film spacing; how 'bad' is the old one.

Sorry for the trivial questions but I can't help but think that if the new features aren't such a great deal one could get a really good buy on the P67's which dealers are trying to move off their shelves right now.

-- Mommy (ooo@ooo.com), October 31, 1998

Answers

I can only comment on the film spacing question. I am using an old (Asahi Pentax 6x7 w MLU) body that I purchased used from KEH about 8 years ago. The sometimes irregular spacing between frames has never been that big a deal to me since I mount each frame (if it's a keeper) after I edit the 120 roll. The frame spacing varies between 1/8 and 1/4 inch, but usually they are around 3/16ths. Overall the P67 is one rugged beast. However, the MLU noise and subsequent shutter open/close is enough to make adults point and children laugh! Don't try it in a theatre during the love scene, haha.

Charles

-- Charles Shoffner (Chasmn@aol.com), December 11, 1998.


I've read numerous complaints at various net sites about film spacing problems with the P67/ The weak link in the P67 seems to be the film advance/shutter cocking mechanism. In some cases irregular film spacing has been a prelude to complete failure of the system. In my case I've had the camera for roughly four years now and it has seen limited use - perhaps 150 rolls maximum have gone through it. In that time the film advance has failed twice. When it happened the second time I posted a question in rec.photo to other P67 users, asking if they had encountered the same problem. Many people hadn't but enough had to make it clear that mine wasn't an isolated problem. Since Pentax repaired it the second time it hasn't failed but I'm getting some irregular spacing now.

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), December 16, 1998.

We've been using Pentax 6x7's for 15 years. The spacing problem is iritating and continuous. We send these in for repair often. The problem isn't irregular spacing so much as when it starts to overlap, or as the previous answer says, fails completely. Use these enough and it will happen. From our standpoint, however, this is really the only failing with this camera and we will continue to use it.

-- George Bordner (aerials@minn.net), December 17, 1998.

Hi

As the proud owner of a new Pentax 67II (albeit for a few weeks only) , I thought I should comment.

When I went into the shop, they were offering the old P67kit (demo) at almost half the price but I went for the new version because:

1) The viewfinder is MUCH better, with glasses I can see the entire screen or adjust the diopter correction so that I don't need glasses at all. The viewfinder is much brighter. I think that any worries over magnification are superseeded by the improved quality on the new P67II. 2) Ruggedness - I was worried because it the new model does not have the "carved out of steel" feel about it but a lot of the covering seems to be rubber over metal which should be more resilient than metal. 3) The grip - very useful, I think it makes a great difference to the handling of the camera, I agree with the point about the strap but is a 67 really a "quick draw" camera anyway - I'd rather use my Canon Eos 5 for that.

Other points - The shutter - totally smooth, if you flip the mirror up and fire the shutter on B, you can't hear it open, I can't imagine that shutter shake is going to be an issue now.

Tapas

-- Tapas Maiti (t.maiti@easynet.co.uk), February 16, 1999.


I never had the old one but I've put 14 rolls through a new 67 II and like all its features a lot. With bifocals and mediocre sight I can see well through the AE II finder. I have installed a BG-60 grid matte focusing screen and like that. All controls are easy to use. I only hand-hold on rare occaisions with 400 film and at shutter speeds beyond 1/125. I like the grip and the strap on the left. Sometimes I'll hike in with both my Pentax and a Nikon on my neck, usually a long lens on the Nikon carrying my Bogen. The straps work and the dangle is controllable and adjustable. I've had no film spacing problems even though on a couple of occaisions my finger slipped off the lever before it was fully cranked (or so I thought). With the new improvements working so well I would think more than twice about getting an old one for a deal.

-- Tom Goodrick (tgoodrick@earthlink.net), May 14, 1999.


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