Pentax 67ii Quick Review | Southern California Medium Format Film Wedding Photographer

Well that didn’t take long.

I recently decided to get myself a Pentax 67ii medium format film camera to go along with my Pentax 645nii’s for photographing weddings. Why 6×7 format and specifically the Pentax 67ii film camera? Since I already have lenses for the Pentax 67 system, I might as well get something that I can share lenses with so I don’t have to juggle with 2 different systems. Lenses from the Pentax 67 systems are beautiful, in particular the 105mm f2.4 lens. The 67ii model is also newer so I hope that the probability of heavy wear and tear on it is less than earlier models. I also recently developed an appreciation for 6×7 format. It’s closer to the print ratio of common print sizes, so it makes printing my work a bit easier.

The camera itself is heavy and it feels very solid. Surprisingly, it’s not much heavier than my Pentax 645nii’s. The right hand grip is definitely a great addition especially for a camera this size and weight. The view finder is bright and sharp, so manual focus for creative compositions is quick, easy, and precise. That shutter sound is loud, especially when it’s close to your ears, but not as bad as most people say. Loading film is pretty straightforward, but it may take some time to get use to especially out in the field. Overall, it is a very easy camera to use with all the familiar dials and they’re easy to figure out. The Pentax 67ii feels very natural, more like a 35mm on steroid than a 6×7 medium format monster.

I’ve read a few online reviews and most are against using this camera for weddings because of the weight, lack of changeable backs, and slow sync speed. However since I’m a hybrid wedding photographer (both analog and digital), the drawbacks don’t really affect me much. I want the beautiful portraits when necessary on large negatives, loading film will slow me down so I don’t burn through film throughout the day, and I can switch to digital when it’s dark out. Plus, you don’t often see another crazy photographer who would try this.

Pictures from the camera coming soon…