Does anyone know of a camera show in the near future? I'm looking for a Pentax 67 or a Pentax 645. Any information? Thanks in advance.....John Wade

-- John W (zaphod1@hotmail.com), May 25, 1999

Answers

Hi John,

I don't know of any camera shows in the near future, but I can tell you about the Pentax 6x7 camera system. I have a couple of bodies and all the lenses ranging from 45mm to 400mm - equivelent to 24mm to 200mm in a 35mm camera system. I should qualify that in focal length not in size or weight, these lenses are huge and heavy. If you plan to do a considerable hike with them and don't forget a heavy duty tripod (I use a Manfrotto #175) you better be in good shape.

If you are looking at making large prints then this is the system to go for, nothing can beat the large negative or transparency size. I use my system mainly for outdoor nature and landscape photography, and have also used it for photographing models in the studio and on location. I have a NPC Polaroid back that I use for checking the studio lighting. These are rugged cameras and are perfect for the outdoors, a tree could fall on it and as long as you aren't under the tree as well you could keep on taking pictures.

It is an easy system to learn how to use, it is basically a pumped up 35mm. The big difference is the depth of field. The focal length of the lens has about the same depth of field as the same number in the 35mm system. i.e. the Pentax 105mm lens which is equivelent to a 50mm lens in the 35mm system has the depth of of a 105mm lens in the 35mm system. The minium focusing distance for the 400mm lens is 26 ft., however you can use extension tubes with it.

If you have any detailed questions, I would be pleased to answer them...Garry Black

-- Garry Black (black@travel-net.com), June 04, 1999.

This info may be a bit late, but the Photograhic Historical Society of Canada holds photographic fairs twice each year in the spring and fall. You can find more info at:

http://web.onramp.ca/phsc/index.html

-- Anil Mungal (mungal@ca.ibm.com), September 20, 1999.