The Best Camera I Never Knew Part Four: The Exakta 66 Mod III Medium Format Camera

The Exakta 66 Mod III. A dream camera of West German/Russian heritage and one of the best cameras I never knew 🙂

Sometimes your lust over-rides your head and clouds your better judgement. This was certainly the case with the next camera in “The Best Camera I Never Knew” series.

THE EXAKTA 66 MOD III

The Exakta 66 MOD III (model III) is a medium format camera introduced in 1997. Though the original Exakta 66 was produced by West German company Ihagee, the exact origins of the MOD II and MOD III are somewhat unclear.

The main thing you need to know is that all these Exakta models are a variation of the Pentacon Six, so they are all 6×6 mechanical SLR cameras that use 120 medium format film. They resemble, from afar, the Pentax 6×7 and look like a giant 35mm camera on steroids.

There is a great website http://www.pentaconsix.com that will tell you the differences between the models, and anything else you might want to know about them.

In the context of my story here, just know the MOD III was considered the “ultimate” as far as variations of the venerable Pentacon Six goes. It was the last model so it technically had all the upgrades and enhancements that was done to the basic Pentacon that it’s modeled after. One enhancement was the inclusion of a mirror lockup.

Another reason for its desirability is that the Exakta 66 Mod III is sometimes paired with the superb 80mm f/2.8 Schneider Xenotar lens, though the Exakta 80mm f/2.8 or 80mm Russian Volna or Biometar lenses are more commonly seen.

WHY IT DIDN’T JIVE WITH ME?

Ok, so in 2013 I came across the Exakta 66 Mod III body on KEH Camera’s website. A used body only for around $300.

I hesitated at first, knowing that it was basically a glorified Pentacon Six or Kiev 60, but the camera lust took over me and I thought I had to have it! That, despite the fact that I already had a Pentacon Six TL and a Kiev 60. Both bodies combined, cost me less than the Exakta alone!

I’m drawn to extremes…the best camera, the worst camera, the last model, the smallest model, the strangest one…you get the idea 🙂

Anyway, I said to myself…if I get the Mod III, I won’t need any other Exakta or Pentacon. And perhaps I could cut my losses by selling the Pentacon and Kiev once I got the Exakta.

Ok, this is getting too long, so to cut to the chase…

I got the MOD III. I press the shutter. The mirror goes up. Stays up. No big deal. If I recalled correctly, the Pentacon did that too. All that it requires is for you to wind the lever and the mirror comes back down. So I did that.

Surprise! The film advance lever won’t move so the mirror won’t come back down!!

So without damaging the camera, I was trying all the emergency remedies I knew. Tried to gently move the mirror down, it didn’t move. Tried to toggle the mirror lockup, no go. Tried to press the shutter release again, nothing.

I then took out my Pentacon Six and pressed the shutter release. Mirror goes up. Stays up. I wind the film advance, mirror came back down. Now I knew for sure something was wrong with the Exakta.

Knowing that I would probably have to return it to KEH, I stopped myself from messing with it further. I did some research online and found the email of a noted authority on repairing these cameras. For the sake of privacy, I will refrain from leaving a name, but if you need one of these cameras repaired drop me a line and I will give you his contact.

Anyway, his advice was to first try to gently bring the mirror down with my fingers which I had already done. I don’t remember everything else he told me, but he tried the best he could to help me through email and I appreciated that very much, but nothing worked.

Finally, he told me I should return the camera because they were well known to have “issues” and he had seen a fair share of them for repair. He said these cameras go bad quite easily and parts are no longer available and/or are hard to find.

I believe him, though I wished I had seen something online about that before I purchased it. I did not find much negative on this camera in my pre-purchase research. Indeed, I did not find much positive feedback either!

I recall finding only a few nice shots of the camera on Flickr from some proud owners, but other than that there wasn’t much as far as real world users. In fact, if you did a search now you will see a few of the pretty pictures I’m talking about 🙂

THE REVELATION

Ok, so I really wanted to keep this camera! Never mind that I didn’t have the elusive 80mm f/2.8 Xenotar. I could use the Biometar and other Pentacon Six lenses I already had first.

So before I wrapped it up to return to KEH, I decided to take one last shot at making this thing work. I played with the advance lever. I felt that this was the root of the problem. I had a thin nail file and I poked it in the thin sliver underneath the film advance lever. It hit something and wallah…

The film advance moved and the mirror came down! 🙂

But, this does not have a happy ending. When I pressed the shutter again, the mirror became stuck once again. The nail file worked once again, but there was no way I was going to use the camera if I had to do this for every shot!

So back it went to KEH, and before I shipped her off, I took this shot. I should’ve taken more, but I took this at a Fedex Kinko and making a review of this camera two years later was the last thing on my mind.

To show you how much I wanted to keep this camera, I even told KEH if they could repair it, I would take that over a refund. They tried, but in the end they gave me a refund.

Just want to put in a good word about KEH Camera. They are the best used camera dealer out there, I even prefer them over eBay because of their great products, prices, and return policy.

Even though this Exakta 66 Mod III turned out to be a dud, I cannot blame them. Things happen and especially so when you’re dealing with the kind of photographic volume that they deal with on a daily basis. I’ve been buying from them for maybe twenty years or more and over 90% of my purchases have been satisfactory or better. They took this camera back with no hassles.

BOTTOM LINE

If looking for one of these, and I’m not sure that’s a good idea, prices are trending at over $1000 for the body and Exakta, Volna or Biometar 80mm lens and probably quite a bit more with the 80mm f/2.8 Xenotar lens.

I am certainly no camera repair expert and I am sure it’s a good possibility that I just got a bad sample and there’s a lot of good working models out there.

However, based on the information I got from the veteran Pentacon/Kiev/Exakta camera repair man, I would have to say Exakta 66 cameras are not a good buy in my opinion.

You are better off with a Pentacon Six or Kiev 60. They are not without issues either. Many have the same problems with film advance, film spacing, etc. However, they are much cheaper than the Exaktas and parts more readily available should you need a repair.

The Exakta Mod II and Mod III may be cooler, prettier than the brutes that the Pentacons or Kievs are, but they are in essence the same cameras.

I knew this before I made the purchase. However, I went ahead and bought it anyway. I should’ve listened to my head but as Emily Dickinson and Woody Allen said…”The heart wants what it wants” 🙂

If you’re looking at the Pentacon Six or Kiev cameras, then the Exakta 66 Mod III is the ultimate medium format camera from that West German/Russian/Eastern European heritage.

However, it gave me nothing but headaches and wasted time and became one of…the Best Cameras I Never Knew.

Farewell To Autumn

“Yellow” 2006. Canon EOS 5D, EF 85mm f/1.2L lens.

Well, we still have more than a month to go, but the cold chill is in the air and most of the fall foliage around here are past their peak.

My computer is still in the shop so we are not back and running 100% yet. But I’m having a lot of fun going through some old shots and seeing the kind of equipment I used back then.

This image was taken in 2006 with the EOS 5D Classic and the 85mm f/1.2L first version.

I was walking around the park looking for good light. A very simple image, but I find simple is best for me most of the time.

As I wrote in an earlier review, the original EOS 5D was and is a great image maker and can still hold its own in good light and at low iso settings. It’s probably the best full-frame bargain in today’s used camera market.

“Autumn Woman” 2006. Epson R-D1, 50mm f/2 Jupiter-8 lens.

The shot above was taken with the Epson R-D1, the world’s first digital rangefinder. I got one in 2006 and even though it is “only” 6 megapixels, the camera has become a digital classic and a cult favorite, certainly a Camera Legend. This is a camera I hope to profile in future postings.

“The Last Light” 2006. Ricoh GR1, Kodak Gold 400 film. Riverside Park, NYC.

Thanks for taking a look, I know your time is precious so I do appreciate it!

The Baddest Cat On The Planet

“Baddest Cat On The Planet” 2009. Nikon D3, Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens.

If Iron Mike Tyson was the “baddest man on the planet” then Garfield must be the baddest cat on the planet! 🙂

Obviously my main computer is not back from repair yet. I tried to do another review using this Chromebook. Couldn’t do it. Things got excruciatingly slow to the point where the computer was asking me if I wanted to “kill it?” for some applications.

So for now I can just throw out images that I had planned to use in reviews. This one is from the Nikon D3, a camera from 2007 that followed the high iso “revolution” led by the original Canon 5D Classic and took it to a whole new level. The 50mm f/1.4 Sigma EX DG HSM was quite a fantastic lens and if you can find a good copy, it is a great and less expensive alternative to today’s “ART” version of the 50mm f/1.4 lens.

I generally don’t do this kind of post-processing, but this one was hard to resist 🙂

Hope you all have a great weekend and I cannot end this post without mentioning the tragic events seen in France today. Wow, what has the world come to?

I’ve never been to Paris, but I feel a special connection with the French. Back in 2003, when I first started posting photos on the web, no one would give a poor kid a glance or a chance until someone from France liked one of my photos and helped get me noticed on that site.

I don’t post as much on photo sharing sites any more, but a lot of it is a game of “likes” and “dislikes” which is something I don’t like! There are so many talented photographers out there and it’s not always easy to get your work noticed.

Anyway, over the years I’ve noticed on a number of sites where I posted photos, my biggest supporters have always been from France. Some have even become cherished friends and comrades, one who I have met in person. Just as they supported me, today I stand with them and all my thoughts and prayers are with them and the good people of France.

Fright Night Special: Friday The 13th

“Black Cat” 2011. Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 85mm f/1.2L in Bangkok, Thailand.

Yes, it’s Friday the 13th. It is a day that causes fear, hesitation, and all sorts of other anxieties in people. Heck, they even made movies and a tv series out of this! Here is a little tribute to Friday the 13th. I hope it is full of good luck for everyone! 🙂

“Bad Asses” 2011. Ricoh 8.1mp GRD in Chinatown, NYC. It’s “Child’s Play” for Chucky, Scarface and the entire badass crew 🙂

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“The Camera Monster” 🙂

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“Flashback Fri…” No, no, wait a minute. This is NOT Flashback Friday. For Samuel J. Voorhees, every freakin’ day is FRIDAY!! shh…shh…shh…shh…shh… 🙂

Street Photography Part I: Colors Of The Night

“Ready, Set…” 2005. Nikon D70s, 85mm f/1.4 AF-D Nikkor. Took this from West Houston Street, NYC. Ten years later, the NYC taxis come in different shapes and colors! I miss the uniform look of the old yellow taxis.

I’m still waiting for my computer to come back from repair. I’m upgrading it too, which is why it’s going to take a little while longer.

While waiting around, I went through some old hard drives using my little Chromebook, which is painfully slow.

Street photography was my main thing before I had kids. Even though I don’t get out as often these days, I’m still fascinated by it and I find pleasure in viewing the street photography of other photographers.

The night has always had a special spot in my heart. When you combine street photography with the night, well that’s heaven for me right there!

Here’s a random selection I got from my drive search. Thanks for taking a look, appreciate it. Hope to have more camera reviews coming soon 🙂

“PlayPen” 2011. Fuji X100 12.3mp. Times Square, NYC. With the “freedom” of internet porn, places like this are disappearing fast. Maybe this is a good thing, but I miss the ‘grit’ of the New York City of the 70s and 80s, and even into the 90s.

“Seven” 2011. Bangkok, Thailand. Canon Powershot G10. There are more 7/Eleven stores per square block in SE Asia than anywhere in the USA. Thais just call it “Seven” 🙂

“Night Bug” 2011. Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 50mm f/1.8. i found the “Evil Bugster” in Bangkok, Thailand 🙂

“Wheel Of Fortune” 2014. Apple iPhone 5.

“Night Candy” 2013. Fuji X100 12.3mp, Times Square, NYC.

SPECIAL NOTE

Just want to pass along this deal from our friends at Adorama. Right now they are having a steal of a deal on refurbished Nikon D7100 cameras at $499! Wow, for close to the price of a used D7000 at most dealers, you can get the D7100! That’s a tempting deal on a fantastic camera, even for me and I have sworn off buying any more cameras!

Anyone interested in this deal, it expires on 11/25 and you can get it HERE. You can get an awesome camera at a fantastic price and buying from them will help support this site, thank you.

The Best Camera I Never Knew Part III: The Contax Tix APS Film Camera

The Contax TiX from 1997. Perhaps the most beautiful Contax point and shoot, but doomed by being born an APS film camera.

I have to admit I’m a big fan of Contax point and shoot film cameras from the 90s. There was just something special about the whole series.

While I stand by what I wrote in earlier articles about the fragility of Contax cameras and their brittle electronics, I loved the concept, the feel, and execution despite the feeling that I could never really rely on them completely.

THE CONTAX Tix

The Contax Tix (pronounced T…i…x as opposed to Tix, I think!) is a high quality point and shoot camera introduced by Kyocera in 1997.

The camera featured a Carl Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* lens and used the infamous and now defunct APS (Advanced Photo System) film system. The camera was the smallest of the Contax film point and shoots.

The camera has autofocus, a shutter speed range of 15 seconds to 1/1000, and came with a data back for date imprint. It was powered by one 3V CR-2 battery.

WHY IT DIDN’T JIVE WITH ME?

The last two cameras I profiled (Rolleimatic and Rollei A110) didn’t jive with me because they didn’t work. That was NOT the case with the Contax Tix.

A little history…I got my first Contax point and shoot, the original Contax T, in 1997. That was a superb little manual focus rangefinder and I got some wonderful shots from that thing. Basically, after the Contax T, I was hooked on Contax for a while!

I got the Contax Tix some time in the mid 2000’s, mainly as a curiosity and to add to my collection. I did not expect to use it often because even at the time of the introduction of the APS film system in 1996, I was never really interested in that format. Even back then, I wondered why would anyone bother with this over 35mm?

The 35mm format already had its limitations vs medium and larger formats and I felt like APS was a step backwards.

The negatives were smaller and despite the stuff you were able to do with it, ie, the three image formats, 16:9, 3:2, and 3:1 aspect ratios, as well as the quasi-panoramic mode, I wasn’t into it. I just thought they were gimmicks, but even if they were useful to some, I would take the larger negative of the (already relatively small) 35mm standard over APS any day.

So back to the Contax Tix. Yes, the camera worked and worked well. I used it for two or three rolls of snapshots expecting good quality, but most of the shots from this camera looked excellent!

I’m sorry I have no pics to show you now because as mentioned in the last couple of postings, I am without my main working computer and using a 10′ Chromebook. I would still need to scan these prints.

My assessment of the 28mm f/2.8 Zeiss Sonnar on the Tix is this…The lens is excellent, as expected. It is very sharp. Not as bitingly sharp as the lens on the Contax T3, but still sharper than most point and shoots. But my favorite part is that the lens seemed to have more of a classic look, a soft/sharp kind of thing like the 38mm f/2.8 Sonnar on the original T or T2. So, in my opinion, the lens on the Tix was in between that of the T3 and T/T2. That’s almost perfection right there!

So the camera itself was never a problem. The fact that it used APS film was what didn’t jive with me and why I got rid of it.

If looking for one of these, prices have been trending steady for years at a low of $70 to around $150 with an average of around $90. The camera came in silver or black which is a bit more rare.

If I were to seek one out today, I don’t think it would take me too long to find one. And there are apparently places that will still develop APS film if you send the film out to them. But I’m already dealing with enough dead or outdated systems like Polaroids, 127mm, 110mm, etc that I wouldn’t bother with APS film right now.

BOTTOM LINE

The Contax Tix is a beautiful, jewel-like camera. I feel that this camera could’ve been THE best of all the Contax point and shoots, but unfortunately it was and will forever be hindered by the format it was born with, the APS film system, which is probably one of the biggest flops in film history.

Now before any APS film fans get mad at me, I want to say the concept, and indeed the quality of APS film was not bad. If I recall correctly, there were even some APS films that equaled or exceeded its 35mm equivalents in magazine tests.

In many ways APS was “pre-digital” film. It wasn’t designed for ultimate quality, but instead was made for easier development (with machines specifically designed to take APS film, of which one can guess the companies also hoped to make money selling) and promised smaller, lighter cameras. It foresaw almost all that we see in digital point and shoots today!

But APS wasn’t friendly for the home developer. I’m sure someone must have done it, but I haven’t met anyone who actually home developed APS film. You actually had to bring that film into the store as each film cartridge was locked and coded. The main problem for APS film was timing. It was introduced in 1996 right around the time the first wave of digital cameras were coming in.

In only a few short years it was killed by digital, but somehow managed to hang on till 2011 when Fuji and Kodak, the last two APS film manufacturers ceased production of this film forever.

Again, in many ways, APS had some key concepts that made its way into digital such as switchable aspect ratio, smaller cameras and lenses, and of course APS lives on in our memories by the APS-C sensors which is approximately the same size as APS film. This is the lasting legacy of the APS film system I guess.

The Contax Tix was one of those cameras that I loved as a camera. It had a wonderful lens and beautifully small proportions. The Tix is probably at the apex of APS point and shoot cameras. It is no doubt a camera that added to the Camera Legend of Contax/Yashica.

It is a camera which was only held back by the APS format that it was created for and a camera of which I was never able to realize its full potential. The Contax Tix is a superb camera that unfortunately became one of…the best cameras I never knew 🙂

Note: Still waiting for my Mac in repair, but the show must go on! While I have created a workflow with this Chromebook, I have noticed it is becoming painfully slow the more I use it. Thanks to all who continue to visit, I appreciate it, and I continue to write about cameras for you my friends.

“Hen House Takeover”

“Hen House Takeover” 2011. Fuji X100. The original Fuji X100 is a very good imager, despite its quirks. I think this image has a bit of that film-like grit. Please click on the photo for larger and better view.

As mentioned in the last posting, my main working computer is down. As such all I can do while I wait to have it looked at is to throw up some pics that I have on this Chromebook, which again, is neither fast nor fun to use for editing photos 🙂

Here’s one from 2011. At that time I had just gotten my Fuji X100 and was still having my doubts about the camera. But looking over hundreds of shots from the last few years, the camera is a much better imager than I initially thought. I guess I was just having doubts from buyer’s remorse. It might be a quirky performer, but it does produce generally wonderful image quality, even by today’s standards.

Autumn Road and Site Updates

“Autumn Road” 2015.

As I drove through “Autumn Road” I felt the cold chill in the air and saw the rapidly setting sun. I realized that coming soon, at the end of the road, I will be greeted by Old Man Winter and his brutal cold breath 🙂

Note: Due to not having my Mac to work with, I was experimenting with an online editing program and it didn’t do a half bad job.

As for the image, yes, this is indeed a ‘typical’ autumn road image composition. However, I also realized why you see so many of these images…when you think about it, when you come across this scene, what else, how else are you going to do it? Yes, you may try to be creative and do something funky, but for this kind of scene I think this is the best composition for it which is why you see so many of these images 🙂

Site Updates

“We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties”

Just want to let everyone know the reason I have not been posting is because we are experiencing technical difficulties. We really are!

Last night the Macbook started acting buggy so I shut it down. No big deal. Well, it’s been over a day and it’s been stuck at this screen.

The Macbook is STUCK 😦

I suspect this has something to do with installment of Apple’s new operating system OS X El Capitan.

I have tried all the “remedies” and nothing works. Looks like the hard drive needs repair, and professional help so I’m taking it in.

I am posting this from my small Chromebook which is not fun for posting or viewing. I use it for emergencies. Thanks for your patience and support.

Flashback Friday: The Nikon Coolpix 100, The First Nikon Coolpix Camera

UPDATE 11/01/15: Just want to pass along some info for our Nikon fans out there that I have been informed of HUGE instant rebates going on for a limited time. You can check out all the Nikon deals HERE. From what I can see some of the instant savings are up to as high as $1100!! on certain Nikon camera/lens combos. If you’re looking to buy new Nikon stuff, this is the time to do it!

You may also find the Nikon deals HERE. While browsing/dreaming, I was amazed at the deals and wish I had the funds! For example, you can now get a new Nikon D7100 for close to the price of a USED D7000. This is a screamin’ deal for some of Nikon’s hottest cameras and lenses.

“Retro Thang.” The Nikon Coolpix 100, released in 1997, is Nikon’s first camera under the “Coolpix” banner.

The Nikon Coolpix 100 is a .03mp digital camera introduced by Nikon Corporation in 1997. It is the first Nikon Coolpix camera and the first Nikon digital aimed at the general public.

The Coolpix 100 featured 52mm f/4 fixed lens and a whopping .03mp resolution, proving a maximum of 512×480 in Fine mode on a 1/3″ sensor.

The camera takes no media card as it is built around an old school PCMCIA serial connection and has a built-in memory which holds a maximum of 19 images in Fine mode and 37 images in Normal mode.

The Coolpix 100 is a long and funky camera. The camera is built around a PCMCIA device and takes no flash media. Instead it has built0in memory for very limited storage of images.

I found this camera for…59 cents!! The camera was in “As Is/Parts” condition. At first it didn’t seem to work, but after fiddling with the battery compartment, it came back to life.

However, I can’t show you any pictures from it because I have been unable to locate my oldest computer which might have a PCMCIA slot.

The Coolpix 100 with its “jeans” off revealing its PCMCIA computer connection.

Information is scarce on this camera. In fact, if you search “Nikon Coolpix 100” what comes up is a more recent “Coolpix P100” camera.

That said, this camera, as with many from the dawn of digital are not worth much if anything. It is only valuable to me as a collector, but financially it’s worth almost nothing.

Despite its low value and (now) low tech, the Nikon Coolpix 100 is indeed Nikon’s first ever consumer digicam under the “Coolpix” label and therefore has its place as a Camera Legend.

PhotoPlus Expo Show Report Part II: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Etc

The Leica SL (Typ 601) was the Big Daddy for me at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo, no doubt. I mean, after that, where do you go? 🙂

The Leica S and SL gallery of images.

Anyway, I know there’s a lot of other “fish in the ocean” so I’ll try to give you guys a rundown of other things I saw. This is Part II and my final show report for this year’s expo, but it is by no means a “complete” report of the show, it would take way too much time to do that and I’m sorry if I left out anything someone might have been interested in. I leave the complete reporting for sites like dpreview, etc, etc.

CANON

Canon had all their big guns out as well as their hot new lenses. Obviously, the cameras getting the most attention were the Canon 5DS and 5DS R, their 50 megapixel super DSLRs.

I tried the 5DSr and low and behold…it looks and feels like a 5D! I don’t know what else to tell ya! It feels good, it’s dependable, it’s a 5D series camera. Nothing super exciting, but you know it’s going to get the job done.

Trying out the new Canon 5DS R, 50.6 megapixel champion with the 24-70mm f/2.8 II. Nice combo!

The Canon rep did ask, to my surprise, if I wanted to put a card in there and try it out. Of course, I didn’t have a card on me! All these years I’ve gotten used to the idea that manufacturers won’t let you put a card in their demo cameras so I didn’t bring one.

But I don’t regret it. What will I get? Some boring pics of the crowd at the expo? All the samples I need, I can find on the web anyway.

Canon did have some really nice large prints showcasing the capabilities of these cameras.

Prints from the Canon 5DS and 5DS R. I walked right up to the print and saw hairs on the model’s nose. That’s resolution for you! 🙂

They looked gorgeous, superb, but not mind-blowing. I’m not taking anything away from these incredible 50mp cameras, but I didn’t think the prints were anything that you couldn’t do with today’s crop of 20+ megapixel cameras. It’s really a new day in photography when one has a hard time being impressed with 50mp prints!

I did ask the Canon representative if there was a 1DX replacement coming any time soon. The 1DX is nearly five years old now and seems due for an upgrade. The answer was that they do not know. Are you surprised? 🙂

Canon also had all their new lenses out, and I had a good time looking at them, although it’s not like I’m going to be getting any new lenses any time soon.

NIKON

Nikon had their usual DSLR lineup at the show. Of course, the D4s was there, the Df, and surprisingly the very old D3X was also on hand.

“I AM GENERATION IMAGE.” Nikon’s new cool slogan 🙂

All their big daddy lenses out for all to drool and fool around with. Nothing new as far as I can see.

Actually the coolest thing I saw at the Nikon booth was the retro looking black and silver J5 mirrorless camera 🙂

Coolest Nikon at the show! The retro looking Nikon J5 mirrorless.

SONY

I had a good time checking out the new Sony A7RII and A7SII, I couldn’t get my hands on the RX1R II due to lack of time.

The new cameras felt great, but to tell you the truth, since getting my A7R last year I have very little interest in spending any more to ‘upgrade’ a camera that works well for my needs.

I’m finally at a point, thank God, where I really am not interested in the latest and greatest!

Note: Still editing pics, I have some from the Sony booth that I may post. Maybe, maybe not 🙂

FUJIFILM

Fuji had a hot booth showcasing their latest cameras and lenses. I was impressed with the prints from the X-T1. If my old X-Pro 1 had focused anywhere as good as the new Fujis, I would’ve never given up on the X system.

The ever popular Fujifilm spot.

Fuji also had a very cool “retro” area showcasing their popular line of Instax cameras. I give Fuji a lot of credit for being one of the very few manufacturers still dedicated to making instant cameras and instant film.

Fuji posted some wonderful pics, mostly from their X-T1 cameras.

ETC, ETC

Aside from the Leica SL (Typ 601), the only other camera I really wanted to see at the show as the fabled Ricoh/Pentax full-frame. Apparently, they had a near complete mock-up that was shown early on in the show, but it was no longer there when I went on Saturday.

My thoughts on this? Ricoh/Pentax…guys, enough of this hide and seek! If it’s that hard and if it’s going to take you that long to bring out a full-frame DSLR, don’t worry about it! It may be a showcase product, but it’s not like you’ll be selling a boatload of these vs Canon, Nikon, or Sony.

“Imagine. Change.” Ricoh/Pentax’s lineup. Always a very capable system and a great alternative to the Big Boys.

I’m a huge Ricoh/Pentax fan, but they’ve taken way too long with this thing. I’m all for “getting it right” and maybe that’s what they’re doing, but the longer they take, the more likely the tech inside the camera will be outdated.

They did have the awesome 645Z there and the images I’ve seen from this camera at its best eclipses almost anything else out there. At $6995, you can get this 51mp digital Medium Format camera for less than the new Leica SL! Wow!! 🙂

“You Know You Want It.” Ricoh/Pentax rep and customer debating on the hot Pentax 645Z camera system 🙂

Zeiss was on hand with all their HOT lenses! However, I don’t see myself being able to afford one of these any time soon 🙂

Hot lenses!! Who doesn’t love Zeiss? I don’t even know one photographer who doesn’t 🙂

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE EXPO

The PhotoPlus Expo is always a lot of fun, especially if you’ve never been there. But every year, the cameras and lenses have gotten better to the point where I feel it’s no longer all that exciting…for me, anyway.

I go there to check out the latest gear, yes, but I also go to hook up with good friends who I haven’t seen in a while. Sadly this year I wasn’t able to go on the day when the “Dream Team” was attending and they know who I’m talking about! Sorry about that, and hope to hook up in the near future 🙂

Let me say this; if you have a modern Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, etc, you probably have a camera that’s “good enough” for your needs. We are very lucky to live in an age where cameras can do what they can do, I love it! That said, the better these cameras get, the more film I shoot 🙂

“Film Buddies.” With my analog brother, Mr. Louis Mendes, NYC street photography icon. The Master Blaster has always been good to me and I consider him a friend and an inspiration.

I apologize to anyone who found this report lacking. I know there are a lot of Canon, Nikon, and Sony fans who probably wanted a little more.

I’m not a reporter. I’m a fan. I went to the show as a fan of these manufacturers and their products, and I am relaying what I saw, what I experienced.

Best,
Sam

Camera Legend

The place where the cameras are the legends.

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