Pentax 67 Review: The Medium Format SLR with Legendary Glass

Background & Key Features

Pentax released the Asahi Pentax 6×7 in 1969, and it was genuinely revolutionary at the time. It took the familiar 35mm SLR design and scaled it up massively for 6×7 negatives. Pentax positioned it against Hasselblad and Mamiya, offering familiar SLR ergonomics at significantly lower cost, which made medium format accessible to more photographers.

Key features include 6×7cm format (10 frames per 120 roll), electronically controlled shutter (1 to 1/1000s, later 1/2000s), interchangeable prisms (waist-level, eye-level, TTL metered), mirror lock-up (1976+ models), extensive lens lineup (35mm fisheye to 1000mm telephoto), and aluminum chassis with wooden grip. Four versions were produced: 6×7 (1969), 6×7 MLU (1976), Pentax 67 (1989), and 67II (1998). Production ended in 2009.

The 67 (1989 model) offers the best value with electronic improvements and compatibility with all lenses at $300-500 versus $1,500-2,000 for the 67II. That's a significant price difference for relatively minor improvements.

The Film Look, Made Accessible

While cameras like the Pentax 67 deliver authentic medium format aesthetics, they come with significant barriers—$300-500 for bodies, $200-800 per lens, $15-20 per roll for only 10 shots, and weeks of development time. Daydream bridges this gap by modeling genuine film physics on your phone—authentic highlight rolloff, organic grain, and non-linear color response. We're not trying to replace medium format photography (we love it too much), but offering an accessible way to capture that film look for everyday moments. Use Daydream for free, no subscription or ads, while keeping your Pentax 67 for when the magic of real medium format is worth the wait and weight.

Design & Handling

The Pentax 67 feels like a 35mm SLR on steroids, with the same control layout just massively scaled up. At 1,290g body-only, it's manageable for short periods. Add the TTL prism (520g) and 105mm lens (600g), and you're at 1,810g (4 lbs). After 20 minutes of shooting, neck and shoulder fatigue genuinely sets in. The camera demands frequent position changes, and you'll want a good strap.

Top-plate controls mirror 35mm SLRs: shutter speed dial on the left, film advance lever on the right, frame counter, rewind crank. The prism is interchangeable, so you can swap between waist-level, eye-level, or TTL metered depending on your needs. The viewfinder is bright but shows only 90% of the frame, which matters when composing carefully. The focusing screen is huge and clear, which makes manual focusing a pleasure. The wooden grip attaches to either side and is essential for carrying, though less useful for actual shooting.

The mirror slap is genuinely thunderous. Kids flinch. Family members laugh. It's not subtle, and it will draw attention. Film advance is smooth and satisfying. Loading film is fiddly, angling the 120 spool into place requires practice and patience. Mirror lock-up (available on 1976+ models) is absolutely critical for landscape work below 1/60s to avoid camera shake.

How the Pentax 67 Shoots: Portrait Photography and Landscape Photography Performance

Metering & exposure behavior

The TTL metered prism (optional, adds $100-150) offers center-weighted metering with in-viewfinder needle display. Metering is consistently accurate—photographers report never experiencing missed exposures. The TTL system reads through the lens, so ND filters work without compensation. Exposure compensation is available via the shutter speed dial. For portrait photography in natural light, the meter nails skin tones. For landscape photography, spot-metering critical areas and using exposure compensation ensures proper highlight retention.

Non-metered prisms require external meters. Many photographers prefer this—handheld incident meters provide more control for studio work and landscape photography where precision matters.

Focusing experience

Manual focus only. The large, bright focusing screen makes focusing easy in good light. The 105mm f/2.4 at f/2.4 has razor-thin depth of field—focus must be precise. The long focus throw on Pentax lenses provides fine control. For portrait photography, focus on the near eye. For landscape photography, use hyperfocal distance or focus one-third into the scene at f/11-16.

The 90% viewfinder coverage means unintended elements creep into frame edges. Check corners carefully before shooting.

Lens character & shutter performance

The SMC Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 is genuinely legendary, one of the best lenses ever made for 35mm or medium format. It's sharp corner to corner even wide open at f/2.4, which is remarkable. The shallow depth of field on 6×7 format creates three-dimensional rendering that's hard to describe until you see it. Subjects pop from backgrounds with smooth, creamy bokeh that's almost painterly. By f/5.6, sharpness is exceptional across the entire frame.

Color rendition is neutral with high contrast. On Portra 400, skin tones are accurate with beautiful highlight rolloff. On Ektar 100, colors are saturated and punchy. On Tri-X 400, contrast is strong with excellent tonal separation that makes black and white sing.

The 105mm produces unique lens flare, an orange orb when shot into the sun. It's visible in the viewfinder, so you can compose it around subjects for creative effect. Shoot backlit, meter the shadows and add two stops, then compose the orb in shadow areas for dramatic portraits.

Other standout lenses include the 55mm f/4 Biogon (equivalent to 28mm, incredibly sharp for landscape photography), 90mm f/2.8 (closer minimum focus than the 105mm, available with leaf shutter for flash sync to 1/500s), and 165mm f/2.8 (equivalent to 85mm, excellent for portrait photography, compact at 835g, and shockingly cheap at $250).

The 1 to 1/1000s shutter (1 to 1/2000s on 67II) is adequate for most work. The 1/30s flash sync is limiting for ambient-balanced portraits, which is frustrating. The electronically controlled shutter requires batteries with no mechanical backup, so always carry spares.

Film pairings that sing

• •Kodak Portra 400 for versatile portrait photography with beautiful skin tones
• •Kodak Portra 160 for fine-grained studio work in controlled light
• •Kodak Ektar 100 for saturated landscape photography with exceptional sharpness
• •Ilford HP5 Plus or Kodak Tri-X 400 for black and white with strong contrast
• •Ilford FP4 Plus for fine-grained black and white landscape photography

Best Uses: Portrait Photography, Landscape Photography, and Studio Work

Best at: Portrait photography (105mm f/2.4 legendary), landscape photography (6×7 format, mirror lock-up), studio work (tripod-based), fashion photography (used by Demarchelier, Testino)

Struggles with: Handheld work (weight and mirror slap), street photography (too heavy), travel photography (bulk), fast action (manual focus)

If this is you → pick this body:

• •"I want maximum image quality" → Pentax 67
• •"I need lighter medium format" → Mamiya 7 ($1,500-2,500)
• •"I want modular system" → Mamiya RB67 ($300-500)

Pentax 67 vs Pentax 67II, Mamiya 7, and Mamiya RB67

The 67II offers a built-in grip, aperture priority mode, brighter screen, and 1/2000s shutter at $1,500-2,000 versus $300-500 for the original 67. The 67 delivers 95% of the image quality at one-fifth the price, which is the value proposition. The 67II also has circuit board failures that are expensive to repair, which makes the original 67 more reliable long-term.

The Mamiya 7 offers rangefinder design, lighter weight, and better portability at $1,500-2,500. But the maximum aperture is f/4, so you lose that shallow depth of field magic. The Mamiya RB67 offers a rotating back for switching between portrait and landscape orientation at $300-500, but it weighs 2,000g, which makes the Pentax 67 feel light by comparison.

Choose the Pentax 67 for legendary lenses and value. Choose the 67II for aperture priority. Choose the Mamiya 7 for travel. Choose the RB67 for rotating back.

* Prices as of December 2025. Pentax 67 offers exceptional value for image quality.

Is the Pentax 67 Worth It in 2025?

As of December 2025, the Pentax 67 sells for $300-500 (body only), with 105mm f/2.4 at $500-700. This is exceptional value. You're getting 6×7 negatives and legendary glass at one-third the cost of a Mamiya 7.

Worth it if you shoot portrait or landscape photography where weight isn't a concern. The 105mm f/2.4 alone justifies the system. The weight and mirror slap are real, but for tripod-based work, image quality is exceptional.

Not worth it if you need portable medium format (get Mamiya 7) or shoot handheld street photography. The Pentax 67 is specialized for studio and landscape work.

For $800-1,200 (body + 105mm f/2.4), you get a system rivaling Hasselblad for image quality.

Film's Future, Your Pocket

Cameras like the Pentax 67 represent what makes medium format photography special—that 105mm f/2.4 lens character, the massive 6×7 negative, the deliberate shooting process. At Daydream, we've studied these exact characteristics to bring authentic film emulation to mobile photography. We're not replacing the craft of medium format; we're making it accessible for everyday moments when loading 120 film isn't practical. Our app is free, with no subscription or ads, because we believe more people should experience what film offers. Whether you shoot with a Pentax 67, a phone running Daydream, or both—you're keeping the film aesthetic alive.