After carrying it on my neck and shoulders all day and exploring the hilly countryside on foot, I’d had enough. I took my Pentax 67 on a holiday a couple of years back. The fatal combination of the love for shooting wide open, a dim focusing screen, and using the camera in places where I could not use a tripod really gave me some blurry/ missed focus shots. The pop-up magnifier on the waist level finder was great though. The former was awkward to use, and the latter did not work well with my portrait shoots. Older ones made for F, F2, F3 and the FM/FE series will not) and the waist level finder. I also tried the Nikon eyepiece magnifier (the later ones for F3HP, F4 and F5 will fit the Pentax. I know you can get third party screens, but it they are not user upgradeable and quite hard to come by in the UK. It is dim, like wearing sunglasses in a church! After being spoiled by bright, split image focusing screens, the Pentax 67’s original central microprism screen was just not enough for me. I have heard plenty of people moan about the size and weight of the Pentax 67 (see above), but the biggest culprit for me was the focusing screen. I had already started thinking about my next camera. Later on, close to when I sold mine, I saw some 3D printed right-hand grips for sale, but it was too late. I believe it is mainly for carrying the camera or to do some bicep curls between shots. On the left hand side you have the optional ginormous-yet-ergonomic wooden handle. Unless you have been practising your ‘eagle claw’ move, it is hard to simultaneously do both due to its sheer size and weight.

This leaves your right hand to grip and release the shutter. Doing this with the 67 forces you to balance the beast in the palm of your left hand while focusing on the same time with your fingers.

Many people like me use their left hand to focus/support the camera and right hand to grip and release the shutter. The camera’s lack of a proper right-hand grip is bad. Scaling the already proven design of a 35mm SLR sounds good on paper, but in practicality, it is like strapping a wall-clock onto your wrist! Even the widest strap was just not enough to balance the behemoth comfortably all day. No matter how amazing the images you get with the Pentax 6×7, 67 or 67II, at the end of the day, if you are someone who likes to explore places on foot, then you will end up with a sore neck/back. Over 500 people have signed up for EMULSIVE Santa 2021, the world's largest annual film/traditional photography gift exchange! Time is short, click here to register by October 31st.

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