Lately, I’ve been reconnecting with film photography. It started with the cheap and cheerful Kodak Ektar H35 (half-frame), then stepped up to the Minolta CLE (full-frame). The next logical move? Medium format.
I’ve also been admiring the Hasselblad 907X & CFV 100C, a beautiful, well-reviewed, and completely out of reach medium format camera. Since I’m not a professional, I couldn’t justify the cost. That’s where the Pentacon Six TL came in: an affordable way to explore medium format with all its quirks and charm. And as luck would have it, I already had two P6 mount lenses ready to go.
Why the Pentacon Six TL?
The main reason? Price. A seller on the local second-hand site had several Pentacon Six TL bodies listed, starting at just $114 in local currency. The cheapest one claimed accurate shutter speeds, with its only flaw being that the camera back opens and closes with a bit of effort. That was good enough for me. Because it’s fully mechanical, there’s not much else that can go wrong. And it offers that waist-level viewfinder experience I’ve always been curious about.
First roll plans
With Easter coming up this Sunday, my wife, toddler, and I will be spending a few days with my parents and in-laws. I’m bringing the camera along to shoot portraits and capture little Easter details: traditions, decorations, food.
I’ve got two lenses: the Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 120mm f/2.8 and the Sonnar 180mm f/2.8, both zebra versions. The 180mm is huge – about 150 mm long, 960 grams, with a 77 mm filter thread – so it’s staying home.
The 120mm is far more manageable at around 430 grams (less than half the weight) but it has one tiny issue: its aperture is stuck wide open at f/2.8. Until I can fix it, I’ll try taming the sunny, 23°C (73°F) weather with a variable ND filter and rely on the Viewfinder Preview app on my iPhone as a light meter.
Looking ahead
I have no idea how these first shots will turn out. Between the stuck aperture, the ND filter, and getting used to a completely new format, it’s all a bit of an experiment. I’m also well aware of the Pentacon Six TL’s quirks, especially that famously unpredictable film advance. So no, I’m not expecting anything stellar right out of the gate. There’s definitely going to be a learning curve, but that’s what makes it exciting. Good thing I picked up a 5-pack of Kodak Gold 200. I’ll need the practice.
Happy Easter!
