Any advice on the Pentax 645?

[walterick]

I'm going through another photo site looking at pictures and I'm hooked on the prospect of using medium format - and I'm particularly interested in the Pentax 645. Does anyone have any experience? Can you compare/contrast the Pentax system with Hassi/Contax/

It looks like I could pick up a 645 kit from KEH in rough condition for about $500 - a body, 75mm and maybe a zoom, all in "bargain" ie low condition. It's such a tempting notion...

Thanks.
Rick

[another view]

I don't think that the Pentax 645 has an interchangeable back. That's one thing a lot of MF systems have that makes life easier - you can pre-load film into multiple backs, or switch out from one film type to the other mid-roll.

I had a Bronica SQ-A system for a little while. I found that I didn't use it enough to justify keeping it and I needed other gear, so I sold it. Check that system out too, it's basically a Japanese copy of a Hasselblad - but with a multiple exposure lever. A lot of wedding shooters used these and are switching to digital so you can get a system for next to nothing. Hasselblad stuff is still really expensive.

Bronica SQ-A and Hasselblad are 6x6 so you get 12 shots per roll of 120 instead of 15. You don't have to change from horizontal to vertical though, and have a lot of cropping options later because the neg is so big.

[Michael Fanelli]

I'm going through another photo site looking at pictures and I'm hooked on the prospect of using medium format - and I'm particularly interested in the Pentax 645. Does anyone have any experience? Can you compare/contrast the Pentax system with Hassi/Contax/

It looks like I could pick up a 645 kit from KEH in rough condition for about $500 - a body, 75mm and maybe a zoom, all in "bargain" ie low condition. It's such a tempting notion...

Thanks.
Rick

To me, the difference between 35mm and 645 was not as great as I was looking for. The 6x7 format I eventually purchased was substantially better. I had a Pentax 67 and was very happy with it.